Prepare with a spare

photo by zorilla

Frugality and decluttering can sometimes conflict. You don’t want to save everything, but you don’t want to toss a useful item that can be reused or be left without anything when something breaks. You might want a spare item for work, the car, when you travel or if something is lost, too. It’s helpful if you buy your spare items deeply discounted or secondhand, so you don’t pay full price for a replacement. But what items are worthwhile to have two or more of?
Each person makes his or her own assessments, but here are a few suggestions.

OUTDOOR APPAREL: You should have at least one extra set of mittens or gloves and a spare hat, scarf and jacket. These items are easily misplaced or lost. It can be frustrating to look for these items later in the season, too.

SUPPLIES: It’s wise to have more than one pen, pair of scissors and roll of tape in the house. These types of items seem to walk off even when they have their own special place they belong. If you’re a parent, you already know the frustration of trying to write down a message with yellow crayon because you can’t find a decent pen. It’s not fun. While designating a drawer for these types of supplies is helpful, having one next to the phone or on the counter ensures you have it when you need it.

COFFEEPOTS: Pick up a cheap spare at a garage sale so if your coffee maker or carafe breaks, you aren’t stranded without your daily cup of java.

CLEANING ITEMS: You can create a cleaning caddy to bring from room to room, but if you have a two-floor home, it’s easier to have one set stored on each floor. Along the same lines, it’s beneficial to have more than one laundry basket or hamper, too. One per family member keeps laundry well organized. And unless you have a central vacuum, having two makes life much easier.

SLOW COOKER: These are wonderful to use during holidays or when guests come over. They help keep foods warm. They’re easy to find secondhand, too.

HAIR DRYER: Air-dried hair works fine for many people, but in some families it can be a very ugly morning if the hair dryer dies.

SHEETS: You can get away with one or two sets, but it’s good to have four sets of sheets per bed to swap out. This is especially useful for when you have guests or an illness such as the flu that might soil multiple sheets in a short period of time. One set can be higher quality, with the remaining sets having a lesser thread count.

SNEAKERS: Having three sets of sneakers is ideal. They don’t need to be new. Have one best pair for public yet casual use, a secondary pair for at home and to rotate occasionally with your best pair and a third pair for yardwork.

PLUNGER: If you have more than one bathroom, you don’t want to run a marathon to get to your plunger.

ALTERNATIVE LIGHTING: If the power goes out, you’ll want multiple candles and flashlights.

KEYS: It’s always useful to have a spare set of keys. Leave the spare set for the car at home and the spare set to the house with a trusted friend, family member or neighbor.

Posted by Sara Noel on June 25 2009. Filed under Home & family.
Sara Noel owns Frugal Village, LLC and is a nationally syndicated columnist with Universal Uclick. Bio, Follow me on Twitter, Join us on Facebook