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Sunday, October 9, 2011

Big Lots Coupon! Plastic Storage Bins! Happiness!

The great thing about being frugal is that it doesn't take much to make me happy. That is because I have many make-do "systems" in my house that I have been making do with for many, many years. Add to that the fact that both Mr FS and I are terrible at decluttering AND at organizing: any little improvement makes a big difference.

So the confluence of two forces.

First, I read an organizing book that recommended plastic storage tubs so that you could see the contents. I guess most normal people know this.

Second, Big Lots has one of their 20% off coupons today! I missed the last two since I was out of town. The sale started early, so I bought two 66 quart bins ($8.00 each after the discount) and-WHOA-they are great. Big Lots is about 1/2 mile from my house, so it's no problem to return and get a few more today.

They look so good. They hold so much. And they replace cardboard boxes of various sizes with legends like Sentimental Sweaters (knit by deceased family members--no we are not getting rid of them). The we have the labels written by Mr. FS. He is better than I am at most things--and a good cleaner to boot--but his labels are terrible. To wit: medium good misc Fall 2008.

See, with the plastic containers, you can SEE the contents.

I also buy food at Big Lots. They have tons of Bob's Red Mill at the moment. It's not much cheaper than on Amazon, but with the coupon, it's a little cheaper.

Have any little things made you happy lately?

4 comments:

SewingLibrarian said...

"medium good misc Fall 2008"?? I think you need to give the organizing book to Mr. FS!
We use big containers like that to store our Christmas decorations in the garage. I keep a list of contents in the front of each bin, and I photocopy the list and put all the lists in a binder so I know where things are. (Librarians do tend to be organized; it's an occupational thing.)

Shelley said...

A shoe box makes me pretty happy. Or sewing ribbons on my table cloth in the motorhome so I can keep it from slipping off. Bringing down the winter clothes and enjoying my boots again. We went through the period of buying storage boxes, though they were rarely clear ones and never quite the same size and they break if you stack them too high. Bill loves to buy luggage and when it breaks it becomes a storage box in the loft - with a tag on the handle. We're getting better at giving stuff away. We take turns identifying things we would be prepared to get rid of and if the other agrees, it goes. I, too, have a chest of sentimental items, but I'm wondering if a photograph of the thing wouldn't suffice.

Frugal Scholar said...

@Sewing--I see that I would have not been a success in library school!

@Shelley--I've read about the photo solution and i just am not ready to do it. Let me know if it's satifsactory.

Duchesse said...

Congratulations! Bins=genius. I to have ancient boxes, in my case Hoover (Vaccum o.) boxes that are built like suitboxes and have to be 60 years old.

A gentle and affectionate prod to get rid of things and not just bin them... from one who has "bin there".

I just bought a butter storage container in France, very pretty pressed glass, only to find their ocks of butter are a slightly larger size than ours. Dadgummit.