Make-Do Mondays (on Tuesday): Free Phone

December 29, 2009 By 11 Comments

For years I’ve made-do with this Sanyo flip phone, which I wrote about back when I hosted Make-Do Mondays. It has no bells or whistles, though we did add texting at some point so that I can communicate with my daughters, who bought their own phones a few months ago.

But it has no data plan for e-mail or Web access.

It’s just a phone.

For years it’s worked just fine, even with a broken antenna. One major drawback: I have to sit on the porch (or in the winter, sit in the car) to finish conversations, because as soon as I step inside the house, the reception cuts in and out.

When the phone rings at home, I rush to the window, pull out the antenna, and stick it against the windowpane. Sometimes that helps.

A few weeks before Christmas, however, the battery stopped holding a charge.

After plugging it in overnight, I could text a few times; but as soon as I made a call, it would power down after about two minutes. This is not a particularly good feature for a mobile phone.

It was time to shop for a replacement.

Should I get another basic phone, or upgrade to something fancy?

The Belgian Wonder and I talked it over. Is a smartphone worth the cost? Would it truly enhance my life and work or end up being an expensive toy? If we get one, which would best suit my needs?

We pored over Consumer Reports’ comparison charts, studied reviews online, and went into the Sprint store to try some out.

Some options under consideration that were interesting to me for various reasons (ranging from the feel of the keyboard and touch-screen navigation of some units, to the look of the text or a sense of familiarity with Microsoft Office products displayed front-and-center on some screens):

  • Palm Pre
  • Palm Treo Pro
  • BlackBerry Tour
  • BlackBerry Curve
  • Samsung Intrepid

The Belgian Wonder arrived at the store armed with a list of questions, but after lengthy conversations with the sales staff, it became clear that none of the available phones was a perfect fit.

Each had items on both the pro and con list.

We’d just have to choose one and embrace that phone’s “pros” while tolerating its “cons.”

I felt too overwhelmed to finalize the decision in the store.

We came home and read more reviews.

Talked some more.

Finally I estimated how many hours I’d been reading and talking and thinking it through. It added up to a lot. “This is crazy,” I said. “I don’t know which one would be best, and it’s so expensive that I can’t bring myself to make a quick decision. I’m sick of the whole process. Can we just order a cheap-o free phone so that I can make calls again and put this decision off until later?”

“We can,” the Belgian Wonder assured me.

“So I can get any old phone and use it indefinitely … but if at some point I want to get something nicer, I can upgrade without incurring a penalty?”

“Yes.”

“Let’s just do it. I don’t want to talk about it anymore. I don’t want to look at another review. Just pick one that you think will work.”

I assumed I would end up with a black flip phone with giant buttons, since that was the bottom-of-the-line free phone on display in the Sprint store.

The Belgian Wonder logged onto Sprint.com and thanks to an “upgrade discount,” found several options far more attractive than the black flip phone. One was a groovy, eco-friendly smartphone called “Reclaim.”

It was free.

Here it is straight out of the box. The only decision I had to make was whether to order it in “earth green” or “ocean blue.”

I chose “ocean blue,” obviously. For those of you who know my hankering for the beach, it was a no-brainer. But the green would have been fine. I like grass and trees and other green things like this tree frog, for example.

treefrog

I digress.

It’s got a qwerty keyboard. Texting should be a lot faster.

The cnet Reclaim review explained, “The Samsung Reclaim SPH-M560 also is made from recycled plastic and it comes in a box that’s also made from recycled paper. What’s more, the ink on the user manual is soy-based. Yet, the Reclaim goes a step further by offering more features than the Renew and a full QWERTY keyboard.”

In other words, as cnet pointed out in summary, it’s not only a green gimmick; it actually has some fairly well-designed, useful features.

The only cost we incurred was this carrying case. The Belgian Wonder thought I should have one, since I’ll be tossing it in my purse, backpack or coat pocket.

It took a while to charge, but here it is with its grass-blade-theme background design lit up.

We didn’t upgrade to data plan yet, so it’s simply a fancy-looking mobile phone with an easy keyboard for texting.

But it’s kind of cute and lightweight.

It’s no iPhone.

But it was free.

I love it when making-do surprises me with more than I expected.

Tree frog and phone photos by Ann Kroeker.

Get ready … Mega Memory Month returns January 2010!

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Visit NotSoFastBook.com to learn more about Ann’s new book.

Filed Under: change, frugality, Make-Do Mondays, simplicity Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

Make-Do Mondays: More Plastic Bag Drying

September 27, 2009 By 9 Comments

Make-Do Mondays, as you may recall from last week’s post, is to be hosted by Shari at My Practically Perfect Life. I’m no longer the hub, but I do have a small make-do idea to share and link to the carnival.

Back in August, I posted a photo of my make-do plastic bag dryer—a crock full of utensils on which I can hang the bags.

But I have yet another plastic bag dryer I can set up when we’re rinsing out a lot of bags all at once. I got this idea from a magazine like Better Homes and Garden or Real Simple. Can’t remember which.

bagdryer2 I keep all the wooden chopsticks from our Chinese takeout and pop those in the holes of a retired toothbrush holder.

Two or three sticks can fit in each hole, allowing for lots of bag-drying “racks.”

This make-do set-up is kind of cute and very handy.

I almost donated the toothbrush holder to Goodwill. I’m glad I didn’t. When I saw this make-do solution, I was able to start using it right away.

This, along with the utensil crock dryer, allows us to get several uses from each bag.

For more make-do ideas, visit My Practically Perfect Life!

Don’t miss a word: It’s easy to subscribe to annkroeker.com updates via email or RSS feed.

Visit NotSoFastBook.com to learn more about Ann’s new book.

Filed Under: frugality, home, Make-Do Mondays, simplicity Tagged With: , , , ,

Make-Do Mondays Migration

September 20, 2009 By 5 Comments

makedomondays

see below for alternative button

At Make-Do Mondays we discuss how we’re simplifying, downsizing, repurposing, buying used, and using what we’ve got.

It’s a carnival celebrating creative problem-solving, contentment, patience and ingenuity. To participate, share your own make-do solution in the comments or write up a Make-Do Mondays post at your blog, then return here to link via Mr. Linky. Enjoy others’ ideas by clicking on Mr. Linky and then clicking on people’s names.

Here’s a mini-tutorial on Mr. Linky:

Click on the icon and a separate page will pop up. Type in your blog name and paste in the url of your new Make-Do Mondays post. Click enter and it should be live. If it doesn’t work, just include the link in the comments.

To visit people’s posts or check that yours worked, click on Mr. Linky and when the page comes up, click on a name. You should be taken right to the page provided.

Make-Do Mondays Participants

1. Sunnymama (secondhand toys)

2. Cheryl B. @ The House That Love Built

3. annies home (putting veggies in childs diet)

 4. Sharinskishe (Duct Tape patching)

5. Kitchen Stewardship (Running out of DW detergent – make homemade)

6. Tara @ Feels like home (chicken stromboli)

 7. Carla (Using What You Have – Glass Bottles and Jars)

Make-Do Mondays with Ann Shari

When I started Make-Do Mondays on December 29, 2009, (*Correction* that would be 2008) I began, “In this fragile economy, I thought it might be informative (and a little entertaining) to share all the ways we’re making-do.”

And with that, I launched Make-Do Mondays: a carnival that I hoped would celebrate creative problem-solving, contentment, patience and ingenuity. I think it has—I hope it has! I hope readers and participants have enjoyed pondering how they can use what they’ve got on hand and sharing some of their clever solutions.

As the year progressed, I began to realize that I was running low on ideas and eventually concluded that I would not be able to sustain the role as host.

So last week I proposed letting someone else host Make-Do Mondays. If no one offered to take on the role as host, I was simply going to shut it down.

However.

Shari of My Practically Perfect Life stepped up to the plate! Make-Do Mondays lives on!

Shari is a veritable make-do guru. You might enjoy browsing her collection of make-do solutions here.

What this means is that I’ll pack up Make-Do Mondays into a duct-taped box and send it to its new home. This time next week I’ll provide the link to Shari’s first official post, where it will have been unpacked and arranged nicely in its new home base!

I’ll still be making-do, since that’s in my basic nature, and when I manage to put together a Make-Do Mondays post, you’ll know where to find me.

As a kind of book-end to my part in this, I thought I’d show you my make-do floss. Because the floss, you see—the broken floss container, that is—well, that’s what started it all.

flossinnards

Please don’t tell my dentist how much is left.

floss

If the main button is too big, try this one:

makedomondays

Don’t miss a word: It’s easy to subscribe to annkroeker.com updates via email or RSS feed.

Visit NotSoFastBook.com to learn more about Ann’s new book.

Filed Under: frugality, Make-Do Mondays, simplicity

Make-Do Mondays: Future Plans

September 13, 2009 By 2 Comments

makedomondays

see below for alternative button

At Make-Do Mondays we discuss how we’re simplifying, downsizing, repurposing, buying used, and using what we’ve got.

It’s a carnival celebrating creative problem-solving, contentment, patience and ingenuity. To participate, share your own make-do solution in the comments or write up a Make-Do Mondays post at your blog, then return here to link via Mr. Linky. Enjoy others’ ideas by clicking on Mr. Linky and then clicking on people’s names.

Here’s a mini-tutorial on Mr. Linky:

Click on the icon and a separate page will pop up. Type in your blog name and paste in the url of your new Make-Do Mondays post. Click enter and it should be live. If it doesn’t work, just include the link in the comments.

To visit people’s posts or check that yours worked, click on Mr. Linky and when the page comes up, click on a name. You should be taken right to the page provided.

Make-Do Mondays with Ann

I started thinking about the long-range goals for Make-Do Mondays a few weeks ago.

I started thinking, “You know, Works For Me Wednesday (WFMW) is sooooo similar to Make-Do Mondays. I wonder if I should just send people there and shut down Make-Do Mondays?”

If you haven’t seen WFMW, the emphasis is only slightly different. Many people linking to WFMW are sharing ideas that could be described as making-do. In fact, most of my own ideas would work just as well with WFMW, because in the end, both WFMW and Make-Do Mondays are all about great solutions.

However, I love encouraging a make-do mindset—a duct-tape, can-do attitude that encourages a person to get ingenious and be content with solutions that may not be cool or brand-new-shiny. But I’m nervous. Because, you see, I’m low on ideas these days and don’t think I can sustain the role as host.

So I’d like to open up the possibility of letting someone else host Make-Do Mondays. If you’re interested in taking on this carnival and running it from your site, please contact me via e-mail or in the comments.

If no one takes it on, I’ll invite readers and participants to migrate over to WFMW being hosted by We Are THAT Family. The information page for WFMW is HERE.

Regardless the future of Make-Do Mondays, you should visit WFMW to see all the ideas.

If the main button is too big, try this one:

makedomondays

Don’t miss a word: It’s easy to subscribe to annkroeker.com updates via email or RSS feed.

Visit NotSoFastBook.com to learn more about Ann’s new book.

Filed Under: Make-Do Mondays, WFMW, works for me wednesday

Make-Do Mondays: Make-Do Birthdays

August 31, 2009 By 5 Comments

makedomondays

see below for alternative button

At Make-Do Mondays, we discuss how we’re simplifying, downsizing, repurposing, buying used, and using what we’ve got.

It’s a carnival celebrating creative problem-solving, contentment, patience and ingenuity. To participate, share your own make-do solution in the comments or write up a Make-Do Mondays post at your blog, then return here to link via Mr. Linky. Enjoy others’ ideas by clicking on Mr. Linky and then clicking on people’s names.

Here’s a mini-tutorial on Mr. Linky:

Click on the icon and a separate page will pop up. Type in your blog name and paste in the url of your new Make-Do Mondays post. Click enter and it should be live. If it doesn’t work, just include the link in the comments.

To visit people’s posts or check that yours worked, click on Mr. Linky and when the page comes up, click on a name. You should be taken right to the page provided.

Make-Do Mondays with Ann

Birthdays are almost always make-do events for us.

As you may recall from Food on Fridays, my son wanted to offer several different desserts for his birthday party in lieu of cake.

So I made a humble pumpkin pie, which became the pie of honor.

birthdaypie

The crust wasn’t very artistic, but it tasted fine.

I made a coffee cake, which we renamed “crumble cake.” This was for marketing purposes, because some family members wouldn’t touch a dessert if a speck of coffee could be found in it. But I started preparing it a little too late in the morning. I mixed and assembled it, but didn’t have time to bake it before we had to leave.

The cake was transported to my parent’s house in batter form inside a cooler. I baked it upon arrival, but the crumble topping had already sunk into the cake. The surface looked something like an anthill.

birthdaydessert2

I’ve never made a berry pie before. I watched my sister-in-law make a berry tart one time, so instead of making a pie, I used this tart recipe and made one for the first time ever.

birthdaydesserts

Again, it wasn’t spectacular, but it was okay.

I did my best to create per the requests of my little boy, and he was pleased.

In fact, he ate two pieces of pie.

As we were in the car driving to my parents’ house, I started to worry I’d forgotten something that he’d requested.

I reviewed our plans. “We have the pies and crumble cake, we have the gifts, we have swimsuits for swimming,” I said. “Are we forgetting anything for your birthday? Anything you had in mind?”

He paused for a moment, then replied, “We’re forgetting how great it is that Grandma and Grandpa are hosting this today! We’re forgetting the love!“

For all those who make-do on birthdays or any day, please … don’t forget the love.

How do you make do?

If the main button is too big, try this one:

makedomondays

Don’t miss a word: It’s easy to subscribe to annkroeker.com updates via email or RSS feed.

Visit NotSoFastBook.com to learn more about Ann’s new book.

Filed Under: children, family, Food, frugality, Make-Do Mondays, motherhood, parenting, simplicity

Make-Do Mondays: Reusing Plastic Bags

August 23, 2009 By 9 Comments

makedomondays

see below for alternative button

At Make-Do Mondays, we discuss how we’re simplifying, downsizing, repurposing, buying used, and using what we’ve got.

It’s a carnival celebrating creative problem-solving, contentment, patience and ingenuity. To participate, share your own make-do solution in the comments or write up a Make-Do Mondays post at your blog, then return here to link via Mr. Linky. Enjoy others’ ideas by clicking on Mr. Linky and then clicking on people’s names.

Here’s a mini-tutorial on Mr. Linky:

Click on the icon and a separate page will pop up. Type in your blog name and paste in the url of your new Make-Do Mondays post. Click enter and it should be live. If it doesn’t work, just include the link in the comments.

To visit people’s posts or check that yours worked, click on Mr. Linky and when the page comes up, click on a name. You should be taken right to the page provided.

Make-Do Mondays Participants

  1. Home…With Purpose (toy storage)
  2. Not the Jet Set (outlet cover makeovers)
  3. sunnydaytodaymama (make-do birthday)
  4. Hopeannfaith (Summertime Crock Cooking)

Make-Do Mondays with Ann

There was a time, years ago, when I was made fun of for doing this:

bagdryer

I’ve been switching over to glass storage, but sometimes plastic bags are the ideal container for a particular situation. And so to reuse my plastic storage bags, I continue to wash, rinse, and hang them on my kitchen utensils to dry.

How do you make do?

If the main button is too big, try this one:

makedomondays

Don’t miss a word: It’s easy to subscribe to annkroeker.com updates via email or RSS feed.

Visit NotSoFastBook.com to learn more about Ann’s new book.

Filed Under: Compacting, Food, frugality, home, Make-Do Mondays, simplicity, The Wimpy Environmentalist

Make-Do Mondays: Spontaneity and Flexibility at the State Fair

August 16, 2009 By 6 Comments

makedomondays

see below for alternative button

At Make-Do Mondays, we discuss how we’re simplifying, downsizing, repurposing, buying used, and using what we’ve got.

It’s a carnival celebrating creative problem-solving, contentment, patience and ingenuity. To participate, share your own make-do solution in the comments or write up a Make-Do Mondays post at your blog, then return here to link via Mr. Linky. Enjoy others’ ideas by clicking on Mr. Linky and then clicking on people’s names.

Here’s a mini-tutorial on Mr. Linky:

Click on the icon and a separate page will pop up. Type in your blog name and paste in the url of your new Make-Do Mondays post. Click enter and it should be live. If it doesn’t work, just include the link in the comments.

To visit people’s posts or check that yours worked, click on Mr. Linky and when the page comes up, click on a name. You should be taken right to the page provided.

Make-Do Mondays Participants

  1. Homesteaders’ Heart (Make-Do Yarn Holder)
  2. Leila at Like Mother, Like Daughter (Make-Do Baby Blanket)

Make-Do Mondays with Ann

Last week I wrote on NotSoFastBook.com about flexibility and spontaneity in our schedules.

Maybe I’m stretching my concept of making-do, but I think spontaneity and flexibility free us to make the most of opportunities that arise. I hope that fits into Make-Do Mondays conceptually, because that’s what I’ve written about.

We decided to head to the Indiana State Fair this weekend. Already that was a spontaneous decision.

Upon arrival, we formulated a rough plan of what we wanted to see, do and eat.

While there, however, we learned that the Department of Natural Resources offered free fishing lessons, which three of the kids were eager to try. Fishing lessons were not part of the original plan, but they turned out to be unexpectedly delightful–one of the highlights of the day because the man-made pond was well stocked with voracious fish and each kid caught three in a row.

fish

Then we ran into some friends–one was recording artist Carmen D’Arcy.

carmensign

We met the real Carmen, but I thought I’d let you see her big banner.

As it turns out, Carmen was scheduled to play at a nearby pavilion about an hour later, so we stayed flexible and watched them perform.

carmenreal

Here’s Carmen warming up.

carmenatkeyboard

Here’s Carmen performing.

After the concert, I chatted with Carmen’s husband, Bill, who is the voice of Indiana Youth Institute’s informative “Kids Count … on You!” radio spots. We talked about kids using (or not using) cell phones, Facebook, texting and “sexting.” I’ve never been good at small talk.

After the concert, we enjoyed several fair foods, which I shall do my best to chronicle on Friday for Food on Fridays.

Then we found ourselves at a good spot to enjoy a parade with several floats, bagpipers, a calliope, a clown band, and a long line of vintage tractors.

tractorparade

At the end of the evening, we were heading to the parking lot and realized the evening music was about to begin: Heart was opening for Journey, so the Belgian Wonder let the kids climb on top of the minivan to listen and watch. The parking lot offered a partial view of the stage, but the lights could be seen turning and changing for the show.

We wouldn’t have bought tickets to see Journey, but thanks to some flexibility and spontaneity, the kids enjoyed a fun make-do concert.

How do you make-do?

If the main button is too big, try this one:

makedomondays

Don’t miss a word: It’s easy to subscribe to annkroeker.com updates via email or RSS feed.

Visit NotSoFastBook.com to learn more about Ann’s new book.

Filed Under: family, Make-Do Mondays Tagged With:

Make-Do Mondays: Simple Glasses Fix

August 3, 2009 By 2 Comments

makedomondays

see below for alternative button

At Make-Do Mondays, we discuss how we’re simplifying, downsizing, repurposing, buying used, and using what we’ve got.

It’s a carnival celebrating creative problem-solving, contentment, patience and ingenuity. To participate, share your own make-do solution in the comments or write up a Make-Do Mondays post at your blog, then return here to link via Mr. Linky. Enjoy others’ ideas by clicking on Mr. Linky and then clicking on people’s names.

Here’s a mini-tutorial on Mr. Linky:

Click on the icon and a separate page will pop up. Type in your blog name and paste in the url of your new Make-Do Mondays post. Click enter and it should be live. If it doesn’t work, just include the link in the comments.

To visit people’s posts or check that yours worked, click on Mr. Linky and when the page comes up, click on a name. You should be taken right to the page provided.

Make-Do Mondays Participants

  1. My Practically Perfect Life (Make-Do Planter)
  2. Feels Like Home (Making Better Pancakes with What You Have)

Make-Do Mondays with Ann

When I dropped off my kids at youth group, I spotted a high school student who worked with me during VBS. When I waved and called out hello, I saw that she was sporting some make-do glasses.

makedoglasses

“Hey, you’ve got a safety pin on your glasses!” I exclaimed, thinking immediately of Make-Do Mondays.

They broke on a recent missions trip, she explained, and someone stuck the safety pin in them for a temporary repair.

makedoglasses2

The trip was a few weeks ago, and she’s still wearing them.

I love that.

So I’m sharing her Make-Do Mondays solution, celebrating a teen’s ingenuity, confidence, and contentment.

How do you make do?

If the main button is too big, try this one:

makedomondays

Don’t miss a word:

It’s easy to subscribe to annkroeker.com via email or RSS feed.

Filed Under: creativity, frugality, Make-Do Mondays, simplicity

Make-Do Mondays: Slow Setting for a Slow-Down Book

July 26, 2009 By 7 Comments

makedomondays

see below for alternative button

At Make-Do Mondays, we discuss how we’re simplifying, downsizing, repurposing, buying used, and using what we’ve got.

It’s a carnival celebrating creative problem-solving, contentment, patience and ingenuity. To participate, share your own make-do solution in the comments or write up a Make-Do Mondays post at your blog, then return here to link via Mr. Linky. Enjoy others’ ideas by clicking on Mr. Linky and then clicking on people’s names.

Here’s a mini-tutorial on Mr. Linky:

Click on the icon and a separate page will pop up. Type in your blog name and paste in the url of your new Make-Do Mondays post. Click enter and it should be live. If it doesn’t work, just include the link in the comments.

To visit people’s posts or check that yours worked, click on Mr. Linky and when the page comes up, click on a name. You should be taken right to the page provided.

Make-Do Mondays Participants

  1. Gravity of Motion (My Time)
  2. My Practically Perfect Life (Impromptu Cake Plans)
  3. Sunnydaytodaymama (More toy storage in a small space)
  4. Feels Like Home (kid sushi)
  5. Rancho Ruperto (Squash Plea)

Make-Do Mondays with Ann

This is a big week. Saturday marks the official release date of my book, Not So Fast: Slow-Down Solutions for Frenzied Families.

August 1, 2009.

It’s a date I’ve looked forward to for two years.

So where will I be on this momentous occasion?

Finishing up family camp.

We’re at a simple, low-tech, minimally programmed (no speakers, no big events, no concerts) family camp that is the epitome of relaxation. We are in the slowest of slow zones here.

This includes Internet access. Slow, slow, slow.

What the camp provides are things like canoes, kayaks, and small sailboats. We can hike through the woods. We can sit on Adirondack chairs in front of the lodge and stare at Lake Huron. We can read, pray, write, think, reflect, chat, or play cards or Scrabble. There’s a beach for sand castles and a game room with ping-pong, carpet ball, Foosball and pool.

The kitchen staff makes our meals. I’m turning into Pavlov’s dog: when the bell rings, I start to salivate and walk briskly to the dining hall.

This is a place where families know how to slow down. They are, in fact, encouraged to slow down in a space and environment where unplugging and slowing down is possible.

And this is where I am for the release of my book.

With the beauty of technology, slow as it is, I can be with you, too, wherever you are on the world.

And I want to say thanks for sharing this journey with me.

Thank you for listening, reading, thinking, and wondering with me, as I ponder, research, pose questions, seek solutions and commit to my own slower lifestyle.

Today I want to share with you several endorsements for the book. What an honor to have positive words from Lee Strobel, Steve and Misty Arterburn (Misty wrote the foreword, too!), and Mary DeMuth:

nsfendorsement1

Jill Savage, Phyllis Tickle, Mary Farrar, Holly Miller, Susan Alexander Yates…

nsfendorsements2

And Michelle Cox.

nsfendorsements3

Also, I’m delighted to organize a giveaway:  you could be the winner of two copies of Not So Fast. I’ll explain how I’ll be giving them away later this week.

Keep an eye open to join the fun!

As I make-do with incredibly slow Internet access, I wonder…

How do you make do?

Don’t miss a word:

It’s easy to subscribe to annkroeker.com updates via email or RSS feed.

Mega Memory Month July 2009 is almost over:

Check in tomorrow for Progress Reports.

mmmsplat2

Filed Under: children, family, Make-Do Mondays, Slow Movement, slowing, travel, writer, writers, writing

Make-Do Mondays: If You Can't Move It, Use It

July 19, 2009 By 3 Comments

makedomondays

see below for alternative button

At Make-Do Mondays, we discuss how we’re simplifying, downsizing, repurposing, buying used, and using what we’ve got.

It’s a carnival celebrating creative problem-solving, contentment, patience and ingenuity. To participate, share your own make-do solution in the comments or write up a Make-Do Mondays post at your blog, then return here to link via Mr. Linky. Enjoy others’ ideas by clicking on Mr. Linky and then clicking on people’s names.

Here’s a mini-tutorial on Mr. Linky:

Click on the icon and a separate page will pop up. Type in your blog name and paste in the url of your new Make-Do Mondays post. Click enter and it should be live. If it doesn’t work, just include the link in the comments.

To visit people’s posts or check that yours worked, click on Mr. Linky and when the page comes up, click on a name. You should be taken right to the page provided.

Make-Do Mondays Participants

  1. Feels Like Home (Watergate Salad)
  2. Coupons, Deals and More (Apple Brown Betty)
  3. Sunnydaytodaymama (Art display in a small space)
  4. My Practically Perfect Life (Notebook Pockets)

Make-Do Mondays with Ann

Last weekend I bought a desk at our church garage sale. It looks like this (except messier).

We slid the old desk—a long, heavy, solid wood piece—a few feet over to make way for the new one and never really dealt with it.

Over a week later, the old desk is still sitting in the middle of the living room.

Our intention is to set up the old desk in the basement for the Belgian Wonder. But first we need to clear a path. Then we need to ask about seven strong men who can bench press 275 to lug this big beast down there.

So as we wait to begin step one, I decided to just make the most of it. The long, cleared, flat work surface of the old desk has served as an excellent spot to prepare a postcard mailing, organize American Literature materials, and sort through some old magazines.

It’s an eyesore. It’s in the middle of everything. I’d be embarrassed to have visitors squeeze past it.

But I have to admit: it’s been kind of handy.

I figure until we move it, I might as well use it.

How do you make do?

If the main button is too big, try this one:

makedomondays

Don’t miss a word:

It’s easy to subscribe to annkroeker.com updates via email or RSS feed.

Join Mega Memory Month for the month of July!

Check in tomorrow for Progress Reports.

mmmsplat2

Filed Under: change, creativity, frugality, home, Make-Do Mondays