Use it up, wear it out, make it do, or do without.

Supposedly the saying "Use it up, wear it out, make it do, or do without" comes from the Great Depression. I am not sure if it does or not but I know the idea behind it is one I believe we need to pay attention to today.

I realize that the current economic crisis has hurt. We sure felt the pinch. Between the drop in my income and the increase in the price of gas it is a mighty hard pinch. I know some people have been watching the show extreme couponing. While I can't see collecting the coupons for and storing 50 bottles of Excedrin or 10 jugs of liquid laundry soap it is still very interesting. The good thing about the show though is it has got me to thinking about ways to save money.

We live in a disposable society. We use things and then toss them. If they are broken we buy more. The days of having things repaired have long passed.  When is the last time you saw a darning egg? Do you even know what a darning egg is? As a nation we throw away so much stuff. We buy so much stuff. It is an ugly ugly cycle.

I decided when I got my chickens that I wanted to build the coops out of found materials. We have repurposed playhouses, trampolines, and pallets. I love that we did them this way. It isn't really pretty but it works. Too bad I haven't been so thrifty in other areas. I need to have a yard sale and see if I can get rid of some of this stuff. I probably have enough stuff to outfit a whole nother house.

I have an entire closet full of clothes. I have an attic with clothes in bags. I have nothing to wear. Then I think about the stories about people without winter coats. I have 3 or 4. I have an abundance of things. I don't really value any of them. I think to go back to the "use it up, wear it out, make it do, or do without" would make the things I do have have more value.

A simpler life with less waste. Sounds good to me.