Browsing Category

Homemaking

FUN/DIY/ HOME/ Homemaking/ Simplifying

Makes Me Happy-Wooden Clips

In my quest to simplify, I have tried to get rid of stuff that takes up space, and replace it with something more practical, simple and cheap.  These wooden clips fit that description perfectly.  They are so much better than having a bunch of plastic, different colored chip clips laying around, or shoved in drawers.  I personally have very, very little drawer space in my kitchen. VERY little.  Like, 2 normal size drawers, and one itty bitty skinny drawer stuck in the corner.  One drawer I have my silverware in, the other I have miscellaneous utensils/measuring cups, and the itty bitty one is the only ‘junk’ drawer I allow myself in the whole house.

I’ve actually found a way to be grateful for my lack of drawer space. It forces me to be strategic in my kitchen and really think through everything I bring into it.
 Back to the clips, I love these things!  I use them all the time and keep them in a mason jar;) in a very accessible spot in my pantry.  Makes me happy!  I know, doesn’t take much..
6
Drinks/ FUN/DIY/ HOME/ Homemaking/ RECIPES

Mason Jars: Easy Iced Tea

I used to buy a 2-liter of pop every week.  I decided to try and cut pop out at least when I am at home.  I still enjoy a coke occasionally, especially when we are out for pizza or at a movie with popcorn.
What helped me in this transition was making iced tea instead.  I found a super easy way to make it that does not include boiling water or sitting it in the sun all day, and uses a mason jar which we all know I love!

Basically, you take a jar, put in 4 tea bags, fill it to the top, screw on the lid and put it in the refrigerator overnight.  In the morning, take the bags out and give them a little squeeze over the jar.  What this does is makes an iced tea concentrate!  Love it!  Now when I want a glass of tea, I pour about 1 part concentrate to 3 parts water into a glass of ice and stir. I adjust the amount of concentrate depending on how weak or strong that particular brand of tea is.  Here is the blog that I got the idea from, there are a bunch of comments regarding specific measurements if you are someone who likes more details.
*the picture above was taken before the jar sat overnight.  The concentrate gets much more, well, concentrated:)

 
10
Frugal/ HEALTH/ HOME/ Homemaking/ Natural Products/ Simplifying

A Cleaner, Cleaner

Here is a great example of what our grandparents might have done in the past that was right on in my book.
Homemade cleaners that cost pennies!! Think baking soda, vinegar, lemon, castile soap, borax..

I am still in the process of switching out all my bottles under the sink, but it has been so fun tossing bottles with warnings pasted all over them, and replacing them with cleaners so safe and simple my kids could drink most of them!

I had a few reasons for doing this.
1. I am frugal and love saving money.
2. I want my kids to help me clean but don’t want to worry about their aim when spraying toxic cleaners
3. I don’t like when I feel like commercialism is getting to me (you know, those commercials where everything looks like perfection and unless you use that specific product for a specific project you have, you are a loser mom)
4. Something was triggering my daughters asthma, and after much reading I got suspicious of my windex, of all things! (I was right. It is a trigger for her and with 2 glass tables that we eat on I was using it numerous times a day!)
5. My cleaner cupboard was so full I was barely able to shut it
6. Less bottles and non-toxic ingredients means being a good steward of our environment
7. Did I mention I am frugal??

My favorite that I use every day, numerous times a day, is a simple glass cleaner.

I take a spray bottle that makes me happy, fill it 1/3 of the way full with vinegar, and the rest with water. Some use distilled water and say it minimizes streaking, I have not tried this because I do not notice streaking.

As far as the smell, we are a family that can finish off a bag of Salt and Vinegar chips in minutes, so we actually like the smell of vinegar. For those of you who don’t, once the cleaner dries there is no scent, and I think it is better than snuffing something that the company has to warn you to use in a well-ventilated area. I live in Nebraska people! I can’t be opening my windows all the time!!!

I will continue to post my experiences with natural cleaners. I have a great one for dishwasher detergent coming up, and I am on the verge of trying out a homemade laundry detergent recipe, so I will let you know how that goes!!

6
FUN/DIY/ HOME/ Homemaking/ Simplifying

Mason Jar-My Love Affair With Mason Jars


I recently discovered the wonderful world of mason jars. Why do I love them? Funny you asked. They come in many sizes. They are inexpensive. They are NOT plastic. They are simplistic in design. They do not keep me guessing on what and how much is inside them.

They have a gazillion different uses! In my opinion, they are the perfect example of something from yesterday that can simplify today.

In fact, I don’t think just one post will do for this new love affair of mine. I just might have to keep sharing with you the insane amount of things one can do with a mason jar.

I know, I can feel you just oozing with excitement. You just wait, you may have an affair of your own!

14
Top