Clean Cleaning

Lately, I've become very interested in learning as much as I can about ways to do things naturally in our home. Honestly, most of the changes that I have made have been to save money. But in my research, I've found that the changes we are making aren't only frugal, they're also a LOT better for us! It's a win-win!

 

A while back, I blogged about my homemade laundry detergent and household cleaning supplies. So I won't bore you with more on that. I will say that we are still loving our homemade stuff, and we will most certainly not be going back to store-bought detergent or cleaners.

I've also done a post about washing my hair no-poo style. Check out this blog post that got me started.

Recently, I started making my own deodorant! *gasp* I love watching the reaction on people's faces when I tell them that I use homemade deodorant. It's like they're trying to think of a nice way to look at me like I'm some crazy hippie. I've only been using it for a few weeks, but so far, it's working! {I've made Jeremy swear to tell me if it ever stops working...} 

I know this summer will be the real test, so I'm interested to see how it works out. I researched this decision more than I have any other decision. Body odor's not really something I'm too willing to risk! But when you learn about how dangerous aluminum can be, it's hard to argue against the homemade stuff! I will say this--I do sweat more when I use my deodorant. I added some Tea Tree Oil to act as a bit of an antiperspirant, but it doesn't keep everything in. But, I did learn in my research, that when you don't allow your body to sweat, you store up toxins that are harmful to your health. And so far, I don't smell bad! And it's not left any embarrassing stains on my clothes! So, for now, I'm sticking with my stuff.

If you're even slightly interested, it's worth a try. Here's the recipe I used:

1/4 C Baking Soda

1/4 C Cornstarch

6-8 Tbsp Coconut Oil *make sure you get the 100% natural stuff. There should be no smell and no flavor*  
15-20 drops of your favorite Essential Oil *optional

Combine ingredients until it makes a paste, the same consistency as regular deodorant. If you have an empty deodorant container, you can put it in there and use it that way. I didn't have one, so I just have mine stored in a covered container. I just use my fingers to apply mine every day. 

*At first, I didn't feel like it was working as well as it should. And it was burning my skin a lot {especially after shaving}. Eventually I realized mine wasn't combined well. So I heated it for just a few seconds so that the ingredients stirred together more easily. After sitting for about an hour, it was a solid again. This has helped TREMENDOUSLY!* 

I finally broke down and made homemade baby wipes last month. Let me just say...HALLELUJAH! These things are incredibly easy, ridiculously inexpensive, and they really are just as good as the store-bought stuff! I'm tellin ya, every time I use one, I feel all giddy about how much money I'm saving! {Imagine the savings if I had used cloth diapers!} These are TOO EASY not to try.

1/2 roll of Viva paper towels {don't skimp here...you need the strong stuff}
2 1/4 C water *If it takes you a while to get through a batch of wipes, boil your water. This will keep the wipes fresh and prevent mold*
1 Tbsp Baby Oil
1 Tbsp Baby Soap *I use Aveeno, because my babies have sensitive skin. But you can use whatever you'd like!*
Combine the liquids in a bowl, and pour over your paper towel roll {cut in half}. Remove the cardboard center from the roll after it has been soaked. I store mine in a cheap lidded container. Seriously...make these.  
    

I also made my first batch of homemade dish-washing detergent recently. This one is still in the works. Hopefully I will figure out the perfect balance soon! Be looking for a post on this...successful or not!

I'm excited about the changes that we are making in our home. They really are saving us quite a bit of money. And every penny counts when we're only living on one income! I'm so thankful for my husband. He is very patient with all of my experimenting and testing around here. Jeremy is constantly encouraging me in my efforts. I am so very blessed! 

So tell me...have you made any of these changes in your home? What should we try next? I'm up for *almost* anything!  

Falling Off the Wagon

Have you ever set out to completely change how you do something? Maybe it's the way you eat. Or the way you clean. Or the way you dress. Or the way you spend money. Isn't it funny how "easy" it all is in the beginning? It only takes a few days for reality to set in!

I don't know about you, but any time I feel motivated or driven to change something, I always get super pumped. It seems so easy! Especially when you Google it. Stupid Google...such a blessing and a curse. I decided last summer that it was time to be proactive in saving some money around here. After all, when your goal is to be a single-income family, there have to be some sacrifices! 

My first step was cleaning supplies. I've blogged about these before, so I won't bore you with details. I started small, making my own cleaner for my kitchen counters. Soon, I had completely replaced every cleaning product around my house with natural, inexpensive cleaners.  

Laundry soap was my next venture. Simple, safe, and SO CHEAP! I spent around $12.00, about the cost of a large bottle of detergent, on my supplies last June. After nearly a year, I've only had to make my soap one other time, and my supplies are still going strong! I estimate I will be able to make 3-4 more batches before I have to buy more ingredients. Score!

After laundry, came shampoo! I saw the idea on Pinterest, and pondered it for a few weeks before ditching the store-bought, chemical-laden shampoo and conditioner for baking soda, water, and vinegar. My sister-in-law walked me through the process, and I've been dedicated ever since! Well...except the other night...I fell off the no-poo wagon. And I was so ashamed! After getting a tad discouraged with less-than-perfect results {still better than the grease ball my hair had become with shampoo}, I let myself get in a hurry, didn't make myself a new batch of shampoo, and used some leftover shampoo I had in my shower. And I SO regret it! 

But just because I fell off the wagon, doesn't mean I can't jump back on, right??