- Make your own laundry detergent.
I will be making my own laundry detergent as soon as I am out of the store-bought detergent.
Growing up, we did not use washing machines. We soaked clothes in soapy water to loosen up dirt before we actually "washed" them. This week I started doing this. I let the washer fill up, add detergent then load the clothes. Push them all in to make sure they are well immersed. Then I let it soak there. We do have a top-loading washer so this was easy to do. I do this at night before bed then I run it in the morning.
Nobody in my family gets very dirty at the end of the day. So there really is no need for us to use warm/hot water. And with the soaking process, dirt comes off pretty easily. And for those tough ones, there's always stain removal sprays.
I started doing this last summer and quit doing it in the fall. Now I am back at it and I am planning on doing it all through fall and winter. I purchased two 20-ft retractable clothesline for $9 each, plastic clothespin for the same price and an indoor clothes dryer for $26. All these on free 2-day shipping and I am set. I chose the plastic clothes pin because the wooden ones I purchased last year left some brown marks on hubby's white socks. Why 2 clothesline? I already have a DIY clothesline that I have been using, however, I need a the same indoors (garage & laundry room).
Lint? Yes, I know what you mean. Clothes that are hang dry have a lot of lint. I use the dryer to help me with this on hubby's work clothes and black clothing items. I also use the dryer for those that has wrinkles. I usually let it run for 5 minutes in the dryer (with fabric softener) then hang or fold them right away.
Hanging clothes dry also helps in keeping the house cool during summer.
You heard me right. I remember my mother doing this when I was growing up. If you don't think this is possible, replace lid with pump. I have a shampoo and conditioner dispenser on the shower wall so I have control over how much to use. And because I don't really need a lot of shampoo, one pump is enough for me. With the kids, I use their old sippy cup, drizzle with shampoo, add water, shake or stir with finger then they use it. Or when their shampoo bottle is half empty I fill it up with water and shake it.
Use a rain barrel to recycle rain water. We were lucky enough to get ours cheap from Sam's. I just
looked at Amazon and they are almost $50 more. Yikes!
You can make your own from scrap fabric. Make it colorful or match the colors of the season or the colors in your dining area. Be creative.
I just started reading the book Cut Your Grocery Bill in Half. And from reading the first few chapters, I have decided I am going to give menu planning a try. My ultimate challenge is to use the food items we have in our pantry. We have a LOT! So far, it has been good. Majority of the ingredients I have used came from the pantry. And for those days when hubby is out of town, we use up boxed food items still making sure we have proteins, carbs and fruits/veggies covered on each meal.
What are you doing to save a little everyday?
- Soak dirty clothes in soapy water before washing.
Growing up, we did not use washing machines. We soaked clothes in soapy water to loosen up dirt before we actually "washed" them. This week I started doing this. I let the washer fill up, add detergent then load the clothes. Push them all in to make sure they are well immersed. Then I let it soak there. We do have a top-loading washer so this was easy to do. I do this at night before bed then I run it in the morning.
- Use cold water when washing clothes.
Nobody in my family gets very dirty at the end of the day. So there really is no need for us to use warm/hot water. And with the soaking process, dirt comes off pretty easily. And for those tough ones, there's always stain removal sprays.
- Hang clothes dry.
I started doing this last summer and quit doing it in the fall. Now I am back at it and I am planning on doing it all through fall and winter. I purchased two 20-ft retractable clothesline for $9 each, plastic clothespin for the same price and an indoor clothes dryer for $26. All these on free 2-day shipping and I am set. I chose the plastic clothes pin because the wooden ones I purchased last year left some brown marks on hubby's white socks. Why 2 clothesline? I already have a DIY clothesline that I have been using, however, I need a the same indoors (garage & laundry room).
Lint? Yes, I know what you mean. Clothes that are hang dry have a lot of lint. I use the dryer to help me with this on hubby's work clothes and black clothing items. I also use the dryer for those that has wrinkles. I usually let it run for 5 minutes in the dryer (with fabric softener) then hang or fold them right away.
Hanging clothes dry also helps in keeping the house cool during summer.
- Dilute shampoo in water.
You heard me right. I remember my mother doing this when I was growing up. If you don't think this is possible, replace lid with pump. I have a shampoo and conditioner dispenser on the shower wall so I have control over how much to use. And because I don't really need a lot of shampoo, one pump is enough for me. With the kids, I use their old sippy cup, drizzle with shampoo, add water, shake or stir with finger then they use it. Or when their shampoo bottle is half empty I fill it up with water and shake it.
- Dilute liquid hand soap or use foam dispenser.
- Squeeze just enough toothpaste on your kid's toothbrush.
- Recycle rain water.
Use a rain barrel to recycle rain water. We were lucky enough to get ours cheap from Sam's. I just
looked at Amazon and they are almost $50 more. Yikes!
- Use cloth table napkins.
You can make your own from scrap fabric. Make it colorful or match the colors of the season or the colors in your dining area. Be creative.
- Menu Planning
I just started reading the book Cut Your Grocery Bill in Half. And from reading the first few chapters, I have decided I am going to give menu planning a try. My ultimate challenge is to use the food items we have in our pantry. We have a LOT! So far, it has been good. Majority of the ingredients I have used came from the pantry. And for those days when hubby is out of town, we use up boxed food items still making sure we have proteins, carbs and fruits/veggies covered on each meal.
What are you doing to save a little everyday?
1 comments:
i've started using vinegar as an all purpose cleaner, baking soda as deodorizer, baking soda + castile soap as cleaning paste/scrub!
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