'Recycling is good for the planet, soul and appeals to the Yorkshire in me' - Christa Ackroyd

My first reaction was everything must go and go now, especially the frills. Oh my goodness there are so many frills – on lampshades, on curtains and on pelmets. And who still has a Tudor-style black and mock brass fitted gas fire on the wall?

As for the vinyl wallpaper on the ceiling that is going to be a pig to remove. Orange formica worktops screamed the decade they were installed, an era that really had little going for it in terms of home decor.

Now if it had been original formica I would have kept that happily. Mid century is so back in vogue. So think carefully if you are throwing out your G Plan teak sideboard or your tile topped coffee table.

They are the look of the moment although having lived with them the first time around not one I will be embracing.

But in the eight weeks since I moved in I have come to realise that dated though some things are, they are of such good quality that there is more that can stay than would end up at the tip.

So I have set myself a budget as mean as the depth of the eighties skirting boards (which really have to go) not just because there is nothing wrong with much of what is here but because with a bit of tweaking why spend money which could be spent on more important things like trips away with friends and making memories?

It is not only good for the purse but good for the planet and for the soul.

This week and the last few weekends I have found myself way out of my comfort zone tackling jobs I would have said I could never do and travelling miles upon miles whenever I see a bargain on one of the many sites which offer second hand goods (I think the term is pre-loved now) offcuts of this or that, or brand new items that simply didn’t suit those with more money than sense, or they had simply changed their minds about.

Two weeks ago I set about a 160 mile round trip to buy a sink. Not just any sink, but the one that matches perfectly with the only thing I am changing in the kitchen I had contemplated gutting, the worktops.

And yes the integrated sink is the same make, the same colour and on offer at £450 less than retail because someone decided they no longer want a green sink, which I do. And so to Worksop I drove.

We met in a car park next to the police station and the still boxed item was purchased for £50. There is absolutely nothing wrong with the kitchen units.

They are just cream and like the integrated cooker, hob, microwave and fridge freezer are great quality and have not a mark on them. In fact I would go so far as to say they are the cleanest I have ever used including mine, so why change them?

You know the old saying if it’s not broke don’t fix it and I know many a person who has almost gone broke monetarily by throwing out that which can be reused, just because they wanted new and often virtually the same.

And so with nothing more than a pair of worktops, an offcut of wooden butcher’s block that I have spent all weekend oiling, a new tap and a few metres of wall tiles plus a can of paint for the walls, my kitchen is reborn. And all for less than the cost of a double unit.

Already scattered around Yorkshire and Lancashire I have a Swedish stove to pick up at a thousand pounds less than new, it’s only been used a dozen times and even more exciting in Hebden Bridge an almost new and very expensive bath is waiting for me including telephone shower taps and waste which has saved me at least £2,000.

I haven’t got £20k to spend on a bathroom so the sink and toilet will stay, the shower will come out and the £100 a roll wallpaper bought for £20 will be the focus of attention. I hope.

Carpets will be super expensive brands bought as room size remnants from Birmingham. Deal done to include delivery.

Wood on the ceiling to cover that awful wallpaper is reclaimed and I will white wash it myself. And the orange stained flush doors will have moulded picture framing added to give exactly the same look as if they were panelled, as will the walls of my little hallway.

And why not. Skips are expensive and trips to the recycling depot unedifying.

Every year in this country we throw away 26 million tons of waste. That is a staggering 400kg or 63 stones in old money per person.

Only 14 million tons gets recycled. Despite all our colour coded bins and boxes recycling is not always what is says on the tin. Of that huge amount produced in Britain less than half is actually recycled, though the government aim to increase that figure in the next few years.

And don’t forget someone else’s rubbish is treasure to many. So gift curtains, clothes and furniture to charity shops, but also visit them too.

Only this week I bought a hat for £15 for my Buckingham Palace Garden party next week and why not? I will only wear it once, it matches my dress perfectly (also gifted by a very kind and generous friend) and then it will be go back to whence it came.

This little village I have moved to might be considered posh to many. But they have got it aright when on the bank holiday weekend they held their annual jumble trail.

At no cost to anyone and certainly not the environment, it seemed almost every household set up stall the length and breadth of the village to get rid of unwanted items for just a few pennies or pounds. It was fun, friendly and a great way to meet your neighbours.

We bought brand new pumps for me, a handbag, cushion covers beautifully sewn in fabric, a cycle helmet for my granddaughter, a green cast iron trivet to go with the aforementioned green worktops, books and a pack of velcro curlers! And still had change from £20.

My only advice is go for it. But make sure you hire the best of the best for the fiddly jobs. A bargain isn’t a bargain if you ruin it in the process and wherever possible make sure they are local. Mine is fab. The kitchen worktops are beautifully fitted.

Using local tradesmen and women only helps your carbon footprint but it ensures a good relationship when you might bump into each other on the street. I am now off to plant some plants in my newly cleared garden.

And yes some were swapped, others bought from a car boot sale and the rest from a local grower. Have a great and thrifty week.

Oh and if anyone wants some pink frilly curtains and matching lampshade you know where to come.