7 Frugal Ways to Love Your Home - How to make the most of your home without spending a penny.
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- čas přidán 24. 07. 2024
- Winter is coming. You're spending more time indoors at home. I give you my top tips for making the best out of your home with stuff you already have.
Frugal Queen in France
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We are a British couple living in Brittany on a budget.
Frugal recipes, days out, home renovations and day to day making do in France.
We’ll give you hints, tips, advice and an insight into our life in France.
Website www.frugalqueeninfrance.com/
FaceBook / frugalqueeni. .
Instagram / frugalqueen. .
Twitter / batt_jane
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Do you ever just stand back and look at your house and thank the good Lord for such a lovely place?
I thank Mike for his efforts and work on the house
Yup, and appreciate all we have..
1. Make yourself comfortable
2. Make meal times an event
3. Make time for structure
4. Tidy up your outdoor space
5. Declutter & organize
6. Change things up
7. Be creative
I pick some flowers from our garden and have them around the house enjoying the colours and lovely fragrances. If it's cold and miserable outside we light the fire and some candles and share a pot of tea and some cake! I like to put a drop or two of my favourite lavender or rose geranium essential oils on a light bulb in the table lamp or on a bit of cotton wool in the vacuum cleaner so when we've cleaned the place it smells good too. I love o polish my wooden furniture and shine all the glass and mirrors so everything sparkles and is well cared for. I've had to work hard for my lovely wee cottage and it's contents and so I love and appreciate everything we have and thank God for it.
Thank you so much Jane. What you are really doing is creating a community so that we don't feel so alone as we struggle each day with limited funds. Grateful for the work you and Mike put into this channel
We are certainly not alone. Incomes are not keeping up with price rises of the big things like rent, fuel prices, heating costs or food costs. We have to make do with what we have and do so cheerfully to keep ourselves going.
You have a knack for arranging your thoughts in a comprehensive, yet concise, manner. I really appreciate your videos!
I appreciate that you watch
Since I retired I give each day a job: Monday - washing; Tuesday - a proper clean of the house ( not just a lick and a promise) ; Wednesday- writing both fiction or letters to a friend; Thursday - through day ( catch up with what I haven't finished); Friday out with a friend; Saturday - volunteering at local Foodbank followed by a spot of gardening ( small courtyard garden); Sunday - walking with rucksack to local shop ( stops me spending beyond my list!). If somat more exciting comes along on one of those days then I can drop this routine instantly, knowing that deep cleaning, for example can wait till next week! To make house cosy for winter I get out the rug for the slate floor - put out throw blankets for the sofa - find candles out - put curtain over doorway to keep heat in and snuggle in for a good bit of knitting/ reading/ movies recorded earlier in the year! Long post - sorry!
Love your post, not too long!💖
Marathon read but always worth it. Thanks for sharing.
These are a brilliant set of approaches, especially during a winter pandemic. Thanks! I found myself rearranging furniture yesterday. I claimed it was to make room for a Christmas tree but now I see it was to make a change, just for me.
It freshens the place
Wonderful talk today, Jane! Just the encouragement I needed to switch things around. I am 5 months into retirement and realize now that I do need a morning structure or I flit around not accomplishing anything! So, I set my alarm, shower first, a bit of quilting or stitching for a half hour, off to the kitchen for a bite of breakfast, then clean up. One focused project for pick up and put away. One day a week for a few hours of house cleaning. It is amazing that after all of these years of structure while working, you are put into a situation of doing whatever you want, whenever you want, and all of a sudden you are drifting. I have finally dropped anchor and am finding my way. My goodness I spent alot of years dreaming of how it would be when I retired, now I need to do it! Thank you for being a part of my life, you are the best and most encouraging!!😘💖
Thank you for sharing your developing routine. I will retire next year at 62 and I look forward to it so much but worry that I will not meet my goals for productivity and creativity and healthier living. Important to add structure to the day! Thanks.
Me too. Newly retired without a bonafied structure to my days. It's getting better though. Congrats on your retirement.
Thanks for sharing
@@RetirementContentment Mabel, once you get settled and get past the "I can do anything I want to", you will find it's everything you imagined. Retiring at 60 was the best thing I have ever done for myself! Good luck!😘
@@rharvey2124 So perfect!
I own a lot of mugs and I keep most of them packed up in a closet and only have a few out. When I start getting the "itch" to shop for more mugs, I'll go to the box of mugs, and open it up and change out my mugs. It's amazing how much it feels like I got new things, and gives me that "boost", but I'm not actually spending any additional money.
I do exactly that, I make the most of what I have or I make something,
I recently started doing this...it has saved me from buying a mug every time I get the urge.
My mother was the queen of rearranging furniture. My father would say when he got up in middle of night not quite knowing how to get there.
I’ve moved my own furniture, got up in the dark and forgotten where I was
Very funny lol
Routine is important when you are retired, we do eat at the dinning table every night, morning is coffee and listen to the radio, we eat early, then a game of cards, a bit of Netflix and bed, I read for an hour or so. There's only the two of us so the house doesn't get too messy, I clean as I go, make bed in morning, a load of laundry when needed, dishwasher on after dinner. I only use one set of towels and one set of sheets so I wash and replace same day, no storage to deal with. People have too much stuff and that causes clutter etc.
I love that! One set of sheets and towels, so no needed storage! You have given me an idea for my next purging date!💖
Thanks for sharing
@@robinsutton577 I saw a video once on someone's linen closet and she had 15 sets of sheets lol I only have one bed and one spare bed...my son brings his own towel, my closet has a food stock pile in it not linens.
An old expression has been brought to my mind by you this morning...Happiness is not having what you want, but wanting what you have!
🥰
Thanks very much
“Love your home” is such a nice approach. So often I am critical of my own lovely little home, due to my difficulties in keeping up. I want to show gratitude for my home, appreciate what I have, and clean tidy and organize as you suggest. I love to be cozy so want to create a cozy corner for myself. Thank you Jane. 🙏🏻❤️🕊
Cosy corners care for us
Ve
Mabel I hope you make your cosy home for you and enjoy it thoroughly 💗
A fresh coat of paint with a new color and a new inexpensive area rug (check thrift stores and yard sales) can do wonders to spruce up any space. Thanks for sharing.
Repainting makes such a difference
Such a good idea to change things over, turning lights low by having tea lights in any pretty glass jars, making ginger and lemon tea from fresh ginger and lemon, knitting up any wool waiting to be turned into something warming and fussing over my cat and making him extra cosy too. Your vlogs are so inspiring - I don't really sew but I am thinking seeing you sew that I could possibly make a very simple table runner and napkins and maybe an envelope cushion (no zip needed) from fabric I have already.
That tea sounds good
Rearranging is my favorite thing to do :-) that really makes it different, fast. Easy and free.
Hello from America Jane and Michael! I want to tell you that I simply love your channel. I search for every video that I can find. I have learned so very much about frugal living. I and my husband are on a fixed income as we are retired. We do live a frugal life and we would not have it any other way. God Bless You Both!
Thanks Debra
I pick interesting foliage from my garden and pop it into a jug on the table, candles are pretty magical too!
Lovely
I only have been following you for something like two days and you're already my favourite frugal lady. Listening to what you say is like hearing my own thoughts reflected at me.
Thanks very much
Absolutely fantastic video Jane!
I love to declutter! I also love to clean my house.
When I was a kid, I loved making furniture and other things for my play house.
So now I treat my house as my play house. I love sewing new curtains or slip covers.
My home is a log cabin, so now I am going minimal and Scandinavian like old Norse.
So much fun!
How fun!💖 I'll bet it is so sweet!
How lovely
I do like to change up the bedding (comforter etc) and a few pictures seasonally. The money is spent, so enjoy them! After 6 months or so they feel brand new 😉
Indeed, if we’ve spent the money already, then make the most of it
What a cozy little dog bed at the end!
I loved this video. Even if you do have some budget it is so much nicer to reuse and refresh (and clean) what you have. When you buy something new and get a little rush from that, in a short time that new thing is just another old thing and the urge to shop starts all over again.
So true, I agree with you!
It’s always fun to mix up what we have
Wonderful video Jane. Some of the cosiest homes I have been in have been the most modest. It is not about what you own but the love and care that is displayed in a home and I think that shines through. Loved this video. Carla
You’re welcome, we do our best with what we’ve got, we really enjoy it, thanks for watching
Carla, this is such a beautiful statement! Thank you. 💝
I had to smile at all your tips, I do them all, moving furniture has always been a favourite, although it takes a bit longer now, lol!, changing curtains, sorting my clutter (there is a lot of that)! It keeps me happy! x
I can imagine that, I bet you have it just as you like it
I love cleaning out clutter too, I have realized at age 61 I have always loved to throw things away, nothing better than opening a cabinet, drawer or closet and its empty, when I ask my husband if he still wants something, his reply is always, "why do you want to throw it out" hell yeah
Hello from Amsterdam, I enjoy your videos a lot, especially the mid week money chat videos. It gives me food for thought and encouragement for becoming more smart with our money. Thanks a lot!
Thanks so much
I like bringing in greenery from the garden, attending yo indoir plants and making the place smell nice. Washing the throws, the dog bed, the dog and cleaning. Turning on the lamps rather than the overhead lights makes the place so cozy. Borrowing a bunch of home decor or cook books from the library is so inspiring too.
Sounds great!
I lived in the same apt and have no purchased but an area rugs. My bedroom curtains I've uses in two previous apt.
I am the rearranger...I would change my bedroom and living room each season switch up tables and lamps from different rooms and it all felt like a new apt....kids never knew what our place would look like when they got home from school LOL...now I live minimal and in a studio apt but since I barely have any furniture I only have 2 ways to change my bed and reading nook so I do every few months and its wonderful....THIS IS A GREAT VIDEO...THANK YOU JANE 🐾
You’re very welcome and thanks for your feedback
These are great ideas. I've done some but others are good reminders. Thank you!
Loved these! ❤
Very inspiring today!
I LOVED this video! You have inspired me! Thanks!
I'm currently renting, been putting aside money for buying a house - cash, but it's a long way. My dream is to have a lovely cozy country homestead like yours. Ample land and a river. Land can be gardened and thus a source of food (vegetable, fruits, herb, etc), river will be a wonderful source of water and protein (fish) especially for when Sally Hits the Fan.
Wish me luck!
Good luck
Enjoyed your post, very much. As usual, your content is timely for many of us. We can all do with a reminder. I especially liked the idea of creating a cosy/comfortable space. I clean my spaces and declutter, instead of buying anything new or spending money (it makes me contented). I tell myself "I have enough of everything". When I need to replace something that's completely died, I buy the best quality I can afford and keep it.
Thanks very much for watching
Loved this video. Great suggestions.
Hi Jane, This popped up in my feed and so thought as I listened to this again that your advice is so important and relevant now especially with our current tough financial times and uncertainty’s about the future! It’s always a sound way to live! Thank you!
Thanks Ruth
Good advice, especially about building structure into your day. 😊
GREAT VIDEO! Thank you!❤️
All great tips👍🏻
Absolutely loved your video. I love my home and already do all of the things you spoke about but it's so nice to see someone else do the same and speak about it with so much enthusiasm. Looking forward to other videos.
Thanks Elvira
Great ideas Jane, it's amazing how just rearranging the furniture or putting a new duvet set or throw out can transform the look and feel of a room.
Yes! Thank you!
Great video as usual Jane with some great tips. Thank you 😊
Thanks Jane
Great advice as usual Jane - and very timely too! Thank you.
Thanks very much
Thank you Jane, great video with awesome tips/reminders!!!
Thanks for watching
Great tips thank you so much 😊
Fab channel. Loving your work Jane & Mike. So many ideas to consider as we are contemplating retiring to Brittany. We simply cannot wait. Looking forward to every new video.
You’ll never regret it. Good luck to you,
Great video. I do agree about being creative with what you have. You have inspired me to declutter my bookshelves and read the books I have never got around to!
Wonderful!
lovely chat and uplifting.
You’re welcome
I love your recommendations. And how you deliver them is so nice! I love playing with lighting. Using soft lights and candles twinkle lights etc in different parts of the house and listening to nice music brings me so much joy. I also use my home to take my walks. Sometimes it's too cold outside so a meditative walk in the home can bring a lot of exercise and helps with the mind. Keep up the good work. 🌼
Glad you like them!
Wonderful post Jane.
It’s always good to be reminded & grateful for what we already have.
Loved all your points
Thank you 💛
You are so welcome
Hello Jane and Micheal thank you for all your frugal ideas I love to watch your videos and your great ideas so thank you
Thank you for watching
Another excellent video, Jane! I love the reminder with evert suggestion: use what you have. It is easy to forget that, and most of us have forgotten treasures we can use!
Thanks for watching Margaret
Some lovely ideas in this video Jane. At this time of year I like to bring things from the garden in to decorate the house - dried seed heads, foliage, pine cones. In December i will bring in some garden holly and ivy and add some fairy lights (that I already have). I also like to make the areas by the front and back doors look nice by changing around the plant pots seasonally. It is also a treat to bring out craft activities that i only do during the winter such as spinning and knitting.
Super ideas Belinda
This was exactly what I needed today! Thank you for these great tips!
You’re welcome
Great advice, its surprising that small changes can make a huge difference. Thanks for sharing your tips x
Thanks for watching and commenting
Thank you for such an interesting video. Lots of cheerful ideas.
You’re welcome
I love these suggestions!! I’m going to try them, I know this will lift my spirits! Thank you!
Thanks very much for watching
I really enjoyed this chat! Thankyou!
So glad!
What a lovely approach to making a comfortable home you have! I have done many of those things that you listed. I have a deep slopping closet that I use for seasonal decorating items. It houses my Christmas decorations and the tree. It has Easter items and a couple of containers of Autumn items. December I decorate with red and green for Christmas. In January and February I have blue and white around with some snowmen. In March there is bright yellow, purple, and light green Easter items and Spring things appear. In September through November it is golds, oranges and browns. Also, I use glassware, potteryware, brass, pewter, and iron things out and about. I have made table and end table coverings or bought placemats to reflect the time of year. I bring the outside inside. None of these items are new. That way my inside view changes at least every three months or so. It is a joy to see things I bought or were given to me. In my old house I moved furniture and changed out pictures. Keep you the good Jane and Mike.
Swapping things around really freshens a house
What a fabulous idea! I love getting my collection of little treasures collected over a lifetime out at Christmas and have never thought of doing similar for the other seasons throughout the year. I especially love autumnal colours and always welcome the yellows pinks and purples which appear against the fresh green backdrop and blue skies during the spring months. Feeling inspired x
What a lovely take on life. Thankyou Love and sunshine from Australia Jacqui.
Thanks Jacqui
Those are great ideas to make a change. Tidy up, declutter & rearrange to spruce the house up for the holidays or for a change.Thanks.
Blessings & Prayers 🥀🙏🥀
Yes! Thank you!
Thank you very much. This is a very inspiring video all your videos are 🥰
You’re welcome
Hi Jane and Mike. I'm all for 'making do and mend'. I do agree that a quick wipe over the windows/sills and doors, as well as a brush around the outside, makes such a difference. As a way of saving money, I've also painted my kitchen doors in the past to delay a full renovation. I was surprised at how good it looked afterwards. The price of a cheap tin of paint bought me some time; a good few years in fact. Only when the carcasses went did I eventually take the plunge and invest in a new kitchen. I also make good use of my dining room in the way you mention. I have brightly coloured cushions and throws which I move around from time-to-time. I find pops of colour around the place brighten things up. I think over time savings such as this has enabled me to save some money and I've retired earlier than expected. As with many people, in the past I've spent money on stuff that I could probably have done without, but overall, I suppose I haven't done too badly. Thanks again to you both for this great video.
Thanks very much
Great Tips.And I think it's so much fun,to Change everything in your House.👍👍
Thanks
I loved this video full of practical ideas that costs nothing and help our troubled planet. Thank you, Jane and Michael, your videos are truly awesome. Lots of love. ⚘
Debbie, that’s so kind
Thank you… just what I needed today!
You’re welcome
This was a great video. So many ideas. I also suggest swapping items with a friend or relative. Having something different to hang on the wall is a nice boost. I’m in Canada where it is getting cold and is dark pretty early. Cosy is so important for this time of year.
It's really important to be cosy
Fantastic list! THANK U! I scrubbed my very messy front porch floor yesterday & trimmed all the plants in planters out there. What a difference, just like U said. A wonderful pick me up every time I walk in. I also like room changing this time of year as well. Paws Up to more fun frugal moments!
Thanks Gita and your furry friend
Great advice, Thank you!
Cheers
Thank you for all the info and great videos
Thanks for watching
I do all those things except outside work.Its too cold n snowy here for me. I like ti do my spring cleaning inside the house in winter so Ill have more time to enjoy outdoors when springs here. Very good video.
I love snow but I don't want to live where it snows. I feel for you.
Thank you, Jane, for the encouragement that there is much that can be done without spending hundreds of dollars! I need to keep my windows and entrance looking nicer.
Thanks Luba
I changed the room around along with different curtains
Great video!!
It does
I love your little chats! You are so sweet😊
Thanks Rachel
Love your channel, good job and great ideas.
Thanks Karen
Thank you. Good idea moving things around, I have to say I have a picture that has been in three different rooms now and I have been asked if it was new when it was moved to the living room by a friend. It just looks different each time! I am currently lighting little candles in th evening because I had been bought them over the years working in schools and I have a little bag full, just lighting one on these dark nights is giving the room a nice feel. I think Pinterest is good for ideas on how to place your belongings in new ways, sometimes in ways you haven't thought of. Take care.
That sounds lovely
Wow. Really liked video. Great stuff.
I’m glad that you enjoyed it Bonnie
Oh, cleaning and organising always help me to feel better. Uncluttering also helps me to not want to shop. These three things really keep me content and grateful for what we have. 🥀
It’s helps me enjoy my own home too
Love your videos Jane! As a single mum that wants to retire early too I love that you keep me inspired! My generation isn't accustomed to frugality and I cannot work out why!
No they are not used to it, going without is a big shock,
You look beautiful in the pink scarf. Pink is definitely your color. I find quite a bit of enjoyment in my home simply cleaning and organizing it. I also change things around often (move furniture, rugs, lamps, etc.)
Cheers, I look beautiful in everything, I know because Mike says so
This was a fun video thank you
Thanks
I love this video you've done. It's so so beautiful ❤️. I love your tips, ideas and general attitude to heart and home. My ideas of keeping my own home loveable are to keep it clean all the time so that I can enjoy a simple, lovely atmosphere, keep an extra clean bathroom and toilet, change it up regularly, do alot of delicious yummy home cooking and preserves, keep my home healthy and enjoy some new things in it or new stuff occasionally 💗😘👌😍❤️. Hope this helps 💗 Happy harmonious heartful homes Peeps xxxx
Thanks Sarah, a clean home Is welcoming
Hello from Florida. I really enjoy your videos. Sometimes just changing around art or pictures on the walls can give your spaces new life and allows you to see your art in a new light and enjoy them anew.
Thanks for the tip!
Those were wonderful, frugal ideas for mixing things up! Love it! Just to answer your question: my main method for fixing up my house is to clean it and maybe add paint.
Great tip!
All good ideas Jane. I change the pictures around and it does make a difference:)
Yes it does!
I usually go through my craft supplies and create something to add to a room that gives it a different feeling. A wreath, a floral arrangement, a pillow cover or throw pillow. Create a paper sculpture or make a miniature scene on a cake stand with various items from around your house and garden.
Bring in a plant from outside or move some of your houseplants around to different rooms.
Light a scented candle or spray some air freshener or room deodorizer after you’ve tidied up. Spritz some body spray or linen spray on your sheets between washings.
What lovely ideas
great video, I changed up my knick knacks to different rooms, its funny how they feel new a different space
It’s a great way to freshen our homes for free.
A group of friends and myself are running a craft destash in a couple of weeks! I am hoping to declutter my craft cupboard and maybe make a little bit of cash! Really enjoyed your video today Jane! Several good ideas so thank you x
Good luck!!
I like to change out my bathroom shower curtains. It really gives the bathroom a lift a change of color or a fun season curtain just makes a big difference. 😊
It certainly makes a difference
I like to rearrange or change up things on the fireplace mantel. It is a focal point in the room. Likewise I put seasonal photos of the family members on the fridge. Better than in boxes and brings happy memories.
Great ideas Kathy
My creative things are watching dvd box sets, reading and also making food items towards Christmas such as marmalade and chutney
Marmalade for Christmas, yum
Some great ideas, I remember growing up I would come home from school and mum would have moved the furniture around or she had put up different curtains or changed the cushion covers and it was all stuff she had stored away.
Mum knew what she was doing!
@@FrugalQueeninFrance she turned 80 this year and still moves her chair and sofa around for a change, she puts her chair by the window in summer and up against the wall in winter.
Thank you for the video!
Thanks you for watching
My mother ( and I aspire to this via charity shops!) had summer and winter curtains for most rooms. When the clocks went back/forward, it was all change!
Thanks Jackie
When our children were young and we didn't have a lot of extra money I would rearrange the furniture while they were at school. I was younger and stronger then and I could move pretty much anything by myself, up or down the stairs, room to room. It has become a bit of a family joke and even now I still do it a bit but it is an easy way to change your surroundings and refresh your home.
This was a good reminder of how important a routine can be. Over the last two years when we have had nowhere to go and just staying home it has been easy to fall into a slump of doing whatever, whenever. Thank you for all the upbeat suggestions!❤
Thanks for watching
Also, burn those candles that you've had lying in a drawer for years, especially at Christmas. It might save a tiny bit on lighting and heating as well.
Great video again all about spending very little, I will bring flowers or greenery in from outdoors and place some artificial flowers with them. Give everything a good clean and Polish especially your lights , I have different curtain and cushion covers too what a difference it make. Thank you ….. love Wendy ♥💋
That's a great idea!
I've had plans to change my bedroom around.... I just need to do it and Declutter and simplify my possession. I also put a simple string of led Christmas lights mingled with a fall garland and it feels festive. I'll exchange the garland for Christmas garland after Thanksgiving. All garlands were bought after the season to 70 to 90,% off and reused each year.
You’re doing great
Excellent video! Thanks! ✨👏👏👏✨
Thank you! Cheers!
Thankyou. For me it's a quick vacuum every morning (I used to put this off as the regular vacuum cleaner was too heavy) so I bought a stick one and wow easy peasy .... make the bed straight away it feels tidy....put dishes away wipe kitchen down ...once these are done everything will feel better..
I bought a smaller rechargable vacuum cleaner too, now I don't mind cleaning every day
@@FrugalQueeninFrance aren't they magic love mine...makes housework so easy . We live a 160yr old stone cottage on the coast in a small town in Sth Australia.so comfort is important.x