I was reading Better Homes and Gardens at work last week and thought I’d share a few tips and ideas I found.
1. Household products – You can make your own, while keeping harmful chemical out of the environment. A little vinegar and water in a spray bottle works well as a kitchen cleanser. For an inexpensive tub scrub, mix Borax and baking soda in equal amounts, then add a little dishwashing liquid to form a paste. ( to see more form a recent post , go here) (or to see more at Better Homes and Gardens, go here)
2.Your local library – the local library has changed a lot since we were young. Thanks to online catalogs, you can request books, audio books, music, and movies with your computer – all for free or at a low cost. When the materials are ready for pickup, you’ll get a call or email. We did this recently. I wanted to see a Harry Potter movie, we reserved it and about a week later we got a call that it was ready!
3. Food shopping – Grocers know that the more you linger in the store the more likely you will buy more stuff. So it’s always a good idea to shop with a budget and a shopping list. Make sure you have your list and coupons ready so you can go in and get out without overspending.
4. Decorating – Rearrange your furniture. It’s free, so if you don’t like it, simply move it back.
5. Paint – Just a quart of paint can transform your house. It’s amazing what a little bit of paint will do. I think I might paint my front door red. I don’t have money to paint the whole house, but the door would really make a difference.

Anne

I'm a mother of 2 who likes to get involved in too much! Besides writing here I started a non-profit, I'm on the PTO board, very active in my community and volunteer in the school. I enjoy music, reading, cooking, traveling and spending time with my family. We just adopted our 3rd cat and love them all!

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I was watching Wa$ted on Planet Green and they showed a family how to make their own household cleaners. Here are some of the recipes for them, I’ve taken them from the Planet Green website.
Add a few drops of your favorite essential oils for a spot of aromatic grime fighting. Bonus: Lavender and tea-tree oils are also natural antiseptics.

All-Purpose Cleaner
1/2 tsp washing soda
A dab of liquid soap
2 cups hot tap water
Combine the ingredients in a spray bottle and shake until the washing soda has dissolved. Apply and wipe off with a sponge or rag.
Tip: If you’re out of washing soda, use 2 1/2 tsp of borax, instead.

Window Cleaner1/4-1/2 tsp liquid detergent
3 tbs vinegar
2 cups water
spray bottle
Put all the ingredients into a spray bottle, shake it up a bit, and use as you would a commercial brand. The soap in this recipe is important. It cuts the wax residue from the commercial brands you might have used in the past.

Creamy Soft ScrubberSimply pour about 1/2 cup of baking soda into a bowl, and add enough liquid detergent to make a texture like frosting. Scoop the mixture onto a sponge, and wash the surface. This is the perfect recipe for cleaning the bathtub because it rinses easily and doesn’t leave grit.
Tip: Add 1 tsp of vegetable glycerin to the mixture and store in a sealed glass jar, to keep the product moist. Otherwise, just make as much as you need at a time.

I’m going to try these, however I’ll probably use what I have first 🙂
Let me know if you’ve tried these.

Anne

I'm a mother of 2 who likes to get involved in too much! Besides writing here I started a non-profit, I'm on the PTO board, very active in my community and volunteer in the school. I enjoy music, reading, cooking, traveling and spending time with my family. We just adopted our 3rd cat and love them all!

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