Less than 12 things in 11 clothing challenge update
Since we’re through two months of 2011 now, I thought it would be a good time to have a quick update on how everyone is doing in the “buy less than 12 items of clothing in 2011” challenge. Seems like everyone I’ve heard from is doing pretty well!
- Taphophile has blogged about her progress – she bought two things in January but nothing in February – and is gearing up to sewing stuff in March.
- LynS has also blogged about her progress – she’s bought nothing this month after one thing in January.
- Digitigrade says “[I’m doing] Very well! Haven’t bought a single thing :) Can’t bloody afford to anyway!!”
- AuntyRubbish is on target too: “[I’ve been] really good! Bought one thing a month, after lots of thinking first.”
- Jan is on target too – she bought two jackets to layer to replace an old barbour jacket – and found some bargain underwear too (the latter is on our exceptions list).
- SBlove_crafts is on the “bought nothing yet” bandwagon – well, not quite bought nothing: “Have bought patterns and fabric to make my own instead :)”
- Maria hasn’t bought anything “other than a pack of underwear” and two shirts at Goodwill – the latter for an unusual reason — a pirate themed fancy dress party!
- bookstorebabe wasn’t necessarily sticking to the “12 in 11” rule but vowed to be more conscious of her buying and after a big clearout, she knows what she’s got in her wardrobe so “at least I’ll be just buying only what I need. And being mindful of what I buy. I have fewer clothes, but have nicer things to wear-really, I don’t have to keep every worn out thing to ‘wear around the house’. More room in the closet. A less daunting pile of laundry, hurray!”
- Su, who is doing a World War 2-style coupon challenge instead of 12 items, says she’s spent “£10 & 10 coupons” this month on yarn to make a cardigan/shrug and slippers.
- And finally me – as I said in my end of Feb review, I’ve not bought anything so far this year – either from my quota or from my exceptions list – so it’s going well but I think I can feel the “I’m bored with my stuff” cravings setting in so March might not be quite as thrifty…
- UPDATE: Oops, I read Colleen’s update then forgot to include it: she’s in the bought-nothing-yet club too – even though an evil gremlin is destroying her t-shirt collection…
If you’re also doing the challenge, how is it going for you? And any late entrants to join in the fun?
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Taking Stock – May 2015
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Making a little more progress at the allotment
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Allotment, end of round 1 (ding ding)
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Yay, allotment!
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Taking stock – June 2014
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Do it better
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Stitching etc tips from the Knitting & Stitching Show
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No Spend November
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My winter to-do list 2013
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Taking stock: a ‘what I’m up to in my absence’ meme
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Plummy solid square crochet blanket
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Attack of the Crochet Claw
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My low-spend '11: buy less than 12 items of clothing in 2011
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Cold smoking cheese - taste testing the first batch
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Using up the glut: Marrow cake recipe
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How I line dry clothes in winter: my top five tips
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Spicy marrow chutney recipe
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Washing in winter: ideas for reducing laundry?
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Foraging for wild food: do you forage near roads?
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Your favourite fiction books with simple living characters/themes?
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How I spent my Tuesday afternoon
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We *heart* books too (warning: picture heavy post!)
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Portion control
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Baking things that'll last
I haven’t committed to this as I don’t buy much stuff anyway but I am particularly pleased with myself for having 3 new pairs of wearable jeans this month. Two pairs were old, ripped pairs I found in the attic so I have patched them and can now use them for housework, gardening etc. The third pair (along with a T-shirt) were about to be relegated to gardening use when I decided to dye them. They now look as good as new so I can wear them out in public! The satisfaction I have got from this has far exceeded the momentary pleasure of buying something new and I expect I shall feel smug everytime I wear them.
Awesome, Cate :) On a smaller scale, I had some dye leftover last year after a yarn colouring session and dyed some old slightly-greyed white knickers — now they’re a rich aubergine purple and back in circulation again! Dye rocks!
My mum is kinda doing the challenge too but for some reason hasn’t commented on here. She’s just told me on IM though: “still only bought jacket in jan and work trousers in feb. need new work shoes so they can be march buy. i was tempted in matalan sale when we went on sunday but after trying stuff on they got taken back today.”
I bought some socks, which don’t count but which I’m very pleased with because they’re silk and were cheap on ebay.
I also bought some 3/4 length padded cycling leggings, since I lived in these last summer and saw a good quality pair going cheap.
I’m currently looking for the exact fleece jacket I want – a red one with a zip that undoes from the bottom up as well as from the top down (also for cycling). I’ll try to make sure that’s my only March purchase, if I find the kind I want.
But my biggest achievement so far has been the huge amount of clothing I’ve got rid of. We had a clothes swap in my housing co-op a few weeks ago, and I’ve since taken some more of my ebay mistakes to a charity shop.
Even if I don’t manage to stick to the I’m definitely in clothing credit this year!
I think I have caught up with my low spend months all at once-all due to the sales- I do love a bargain.I bought a pair of jeans and some linen trousers at half price when I discovered that I had lost week during the spring(probably all the gardening). So several pairs of trousers went to the charity shop, I kept a couple in case of weight gain, but then the cupboard looked bare. So a pair of calf length summer shorties were found for £12 instead of £32. Then we had a trip to the factory shop in Peterlee when visiting relatives and I bought two summer shirts for my holiday, £5 each. I needed a lighter weight jacket for the summer too, so a trip to Laura Ashley sale produced a quality jacket I’ve worn loads .So far so good, but now the bad news, I’ve been invited to a wedding! Haven’t been to one for a couple of years and I don’t have many formal clothes now as I retired due to health problems a couple of years ago. I trawled the local charity and second hand shops(of which there used to be several, but are nearly all finding it unworthwhile to trade due to high street rents)to no avail.I asked my sister if she had anything that might fit-we had a hilarious session trying on her glad rags but she is a different shape, has different colouring and is 5 years younger, so no luck there. So back to the sales, husband in tow as fashion advisor. I bought two outfits, one suitable to wear again on holiday and great if its going to be hot, and a linen dress which looks smart with the jacket that goes with both outfits, but suitably summery on its own-the green jacket, brown and green dress and white trousers and vest came to £200 in the sale-Laura Ashley again, but I like their clothes and will wear them. However, I might not have bought them all if my husband hadn’t persuaded me to treat myself. Now I need shoes -they will have to match a formal bag I have had forever, but which doesn’t get used a lot. Did look in the charity shops, they do have quite a range of formal shoes that have had very little wear-probably all for weddings, but nothing quite right. Husband doesn’t think second hand shoes are a good idea, but I would probably only wear them once and then give back to charity collection.Still haven’t resolved this one-three weeks to go to find something. Aren’t weddings expensive!