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organizing | diy | frugal living

Do It On A Dime

NATURAL LAUNDRY | No detergent method with Crystal Wash

by Filed Under: Cleaning, Money Saving

I love natural cleaning, but there are lots of store-bought products that the natural options can’t compete with.  Up until this point, one of those things has always been laundry detergent.  Not to mention, I haven’t felt like I’ve had the time to make my own.  (It’s more time-intensive than other natural products.)  I work.  I have a toddler.  My house needs vacuuming.

Crystal Wash sent me their laundry “detergent” balls to try.  I was super skeptical (they sat in the box for a while), but as soon as I tried them, I haven’t looked back.  I completely shocked at how well they cleaned my clothes and how fresh they smelled.  Not fresh like flowers, just fresh nothingness.  Like they were cleaned in a natural spring and left to dry in the sun.  No kidding.

Here’s the long and short of it.  They..

  • last for 1,000 washes (that’s three years if you do a load of laundry a day!)
  • raise the pH of your water to help lift stains (much like hydrogen peroxide)
  • are recharged in the sun (every 2-3 weeks)
  • are completely natural (no dyes or chemicals)
  • work as well as laundry detergent (based on two independent studies)
  • have a 60 day money-back guarantee

For very hard stains, you still need to pre-treat just as you would with detergent.  You can use a mixture of hydrogen peroxide, baking soda, and dish soap in a paste.  Rub on, let sit, and wash as normal!

I have read some less than glowing review online, and for that reason I was super skeptical.  But once I tried the product, and saw how well it worked for me personally, I knew I had to share it with you.  We have been using them every day!

You can learn more here about how they work.  If you use this link you can also get an additional 20% off (that’s a $10 savings.)

Do you use laundry detergent?  Do you make your own?  Have you tried Crystal Wash?  Would love to know your comments below!

https://youtu.be/r0uImSPYjv4

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*Thank you to Crystal Wash for sending me their laundry balls for review and consideration and for partnering with me in this post.  All opinions are 100% my own.*

Living Well Spending Less | Book Club Intro.

by Filed Under: Money Saving, Organization

Hilary from my So-Called-Home and I want to invite YOU to join our book club.  In three weeks time, on June 27th, we will be posting a video discussing our reactions to the book Living Well Spending Less by Ruth Soukup.

Soukup is a Christian author in search of “The Good Life”, a theme that really resonated with me.  Have you ever felt your life (and budget) were spiraling out of control?  Do you struggle to find balance?  So did Ruth, and her honesty and wisdom in this book (from the first few chapters I have begun to read) genuinely shares her heart and how she overcame depression and unbalance in her life in practical, biblical ways.

“Ruth Soukup knows firsthand how stressful an unorganized life and budget can be. Through personal stories, biblical truth, and practical action plans, she will inspire you to make real and lasting changes to your personal goals, home, and finances.” (book description)

Her advice is simple and easy to digest, and I can’t wait for you to join in our discussion and take meaningful steps to impact your life.

Please join the discussion on June 27th!  You can listen to the audio book for free here.

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*This is not a sponsored post.  All opinions are genuinely my own.  Links contain affiliates.*

Garbage Picking + Toddler Play Ideas!

by Filed Under: Money Saving, Teaching

In this video I share our recent meant for garbage find (it retails for over $100): a toddler roller coaster.  Also, some amazing foam blocks from the Dollar Spot at Target and how to make your own indoor campfire.

Enjoy!

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*This is not a sponsored post.  All opinions are genuinely my own.*

Dollar Store Furniture and Decor

by Filed Under: DIY Projects, Dollar Tree, Money Saving, Organization

There are a couple main player in my eyes in the Dollar Store game: Dollar Tree (where everything is $1), Family Dollar (where things are more than a Dollar, but still very inexpensive).

Here are some of my favorite organizational and decor products in recent weeks from these two stores.  Easy, inexpensive, functional, AND beautiful!  What more could you ask for?

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*This is not a sponsored video.  All opinions are genuinely my own.*

Laundry Room Organizing Tips

by Filed Under: Dollar Tree, Money Saving, Organization

Keeping an organized laundry room doesn’t have to be stressful.  Truly 🙂

Here’s are my favorite tips for keeping your laundry room organized and easy to maintain….

1) Have two laundry baskets.  This sounds so simple, but not everyone does this!  One for clean clothes on top of the dryer, and one for dirty clothes on top of the washer.  It makes for an easy in-out, efficient system this is quick to put away 🙂

2)  Do one load a day.  I know this sounds excessive.  But with HE washers, it actually is very water saving because the machine senses the amount of clothes and uses water accordingly.  It’s easy to stay on top of little loads and put them away nightly.  Big loads are the worst.

3) Get creative if you feel like your space isn’t pretty!  I picked up a roll of shelf liner from the Dollar Tree to line the back of my cabinets to give them a more custom and pulled-together look.

4) Less is more!  Don’t over-pack your space.  You can see more on that here.

5) Forget Pinterest and go for function.  Easy to access items should be the goal.

6) Organize items in a zig-zag pattern (so you can see everything) and it makes products not get lost in the back of the shelf.

6) Coral cords with a cuff from an old shirt.  This trick really does work!

7)  Get adhesive labels from the Dollar Tree to label your cabinets.  They are easy to change out!

8)  Under the Shelf Baskets are the BOMB.  They can virtually double your space in tiny areas.

Enjoy!  What are your best tips?

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Easy Container Gardening

by Filed Under: Gardening, Money Saving

If you rent or are in any kind of temporary dwelling where you can’t “install” garden beds, a great option is simple container gardening.

Here’s how we took old water bottle tubs from our wedding and turned them into a staple of our garden for growing zucchini.  PLUS, a few garden tips and a tour of what we are loving.

Truly, ANYONE can garden!

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*This is not a sponsored video.  All opinions are genuinely my own.*

 

Craigslist Tips & Free Activity Ideas

by Filed Under: Money Saving, Teaching

IMG_0773It’s a great time of year for Crisglist scores and FREE activities with your kids.  Garages are opening up as summer starts, and people want to get rid of those big ticket items for kids.  Because seriously, who wants a giant power wheel taking up all that room?

My best Craigslist tips are:

  • Shop weekends.  They are the best for finding deals and posts happen very frequently.  Also, pickup times have much greater flexibility.
  • Look for 75% off large kids’ toys.  That’s my price-point gauge.
  • Be prompt and short in your responses, and ask as few questions as possible.
  • Make reference to the quality of the posting in your message to state that’s what you expect to find when you go for pick-up (this always really works for me)
  • Be fair, be honest, and never visit someone’s house alone (always meet in a public area or go with someone).

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Also in this video, I’ll share with fun weekday activities to do that are new, different and free.  Triple-threat!  We visited our local fire station for a free tour and spent hours in a playscape showroom (free and cool!).

Hope you enjoy the video!  xo!

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*This is not a sponsored post.  All opinions are genuinely my own.*

Dollar Tree Decor | Pottery Barn Dupes

by Filed Under: Decor & Furniture, DIY Projects, Dollar Tree, Money Saving

Is anyone else as obsessed with Pottery Barn as I am?  They have such classic, timeless decor and such exquisite presentation.  My catalogs have drool on them.  But overpriced stuff just isn’t my jam.  I just “shop” inspiration.  It’s free after all 😉  Besides, getting the high-end look for less gives me a high.  Charlie laughs at me, because I’m easily over-excited by super glue and jute twine.  It’s sort of a problem.

Here is one of the looks I was wanting to recreate.  My favorite of all is this Egan Paneled Mirror that retails for $300.

The re-creation of this look has been floating around Pinterest for a while, and many versions involve particle board.  But that’s a lot of work (and requires tools I don’t know how to use), so I knew that with some creative thinking I could make it happen completely from Dollar Tree.  As in, no product from any other store…and I succeeded.  You can literally create a $300 mirror for just $12!

 

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Check out how to make this beautiful mirror and 3 other simple DIYS!

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Goodwill Haul! (Organizing Products Galore)

by Filed Under: Money Saving

Here are some awesome organizing products that I just scored at the Goodwill.  $15 spent….over 83% savings.  That’s how I roll, people.  Budget friendly and simple systems.  (I love seeing how people actually use the finds they score around their home, so I wanted to share with you!)

Enjoy!

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Simple Square-Foot Gardening!

by Filed Under: Money Saving

I love gardening, and it really can save a lot of money. Added bonus: feeding your family fresh, healthy, organic food!

The “Bible” of the Square-Foot Method

The biggest keys to getting started with successful gardening are having a container/garden bed, knowing when/what to plant for your zone, and having the right soil composition. We use a space-saving method called Square-Foot Gardening because you can really control the soil and you can grow so much in such a little space. We wouldn’t do it any other way! If you’re looking for ways to decrease the space being used by your tools and furniture, you could store your garden furniture in a plastic container.

Before we started gardening, I was pretty intimidated by the whole thing, and quite honestly, the first year you garden, don’t expect it to be awesome. In fact, our first year I would have given us a C-. But the next year I think we earned a C+. By year 3, we were at a B+ garden. It didn’t help that we didn’t start with much, and but things definitely changed once we got a small greenhouse to help with our garden. Don’t be afraid to try out new techniques and new products (like these nutrients – https://agron.io/products/b-52) Experiment, learn and ask questions!

*I walk you through the first steps of gardening in this video so you can get set up with perfect soil.*

Here are some plants that we have had tons of success with in the square food method that are abundant producers. You don’t want to plant something that is only going to give you very little fruit, because the amount of time just isn’t worth the pay-out:

  • Zucchini (I would allot two plot for one plant. They get big, but you will be eating them all summer long)
  • Lettuce (Amazing producer, likes a little shade)
  • Cucumber
  • Cilantro
  • Parsley
  • Basil
  • Spinach
  • Green beans (we have had huge success with these!)
  • Eggplant
  • Peppers (green)
  • Tomatoes (all types, we love cherry tomatoes, need a trellis)
  • Raspberries (these bushes grow HUGE and often rogue. They are best planted in a larger area)

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