Category: Organizing Ideas

  • De-Cluttering And Organizing Kids’ Toys

    De-Cluttering And Organizing Kids’ Toys

    Organizing kids’ toys, playrooms and bedrooms can be a monumental task but these easy tips will help you declutter your kids’ rooms and get them organized! (more…)

  • How To Fold A Fitted Sheet

    How To Fold A Fitted Sheet

    Check out this easy step by step video that shows you how to fold a fitted sheet! You can do it in just a minute once you learn how! No more wadded sheets! (more…)

  • Inexpensive $10 Pantry Makeover

    Inexpensive $10 Pantry Makeover

    Our new house was driving me crazy because the builders did not make a useful enough pantry. Here’s how I made a much better pantry for just $10!

    Our new house was driving me crazy because the builders did not make a useful enough pantry. Here's how I made a much better pantry for just $10!

    Inexpensive $10 Pantry Makeover

    We moved into this house in May 2011. This was my pantry and for 6 months it’s been driving me crazy! I just had to organize my pantry!

    As you can see it was a mess. We couldn’t find anything and everyone just kept digging through stuff trying to find what they needed and then made a bigger mess.

    The original pantry

    I had been going crazy trying to figure out how to organize my kitchen. This is a brand new house but it was designed by men who have never used a kitchen. After spending 6 months trying to figure out some way to organize my kitchen and get all my stuff in there instead of sitting in the garage, mom came up with the idea for me to put my pantry in the coat closet by the garage door instead of where it was “supposed” to be.

    I have a hall tree and another closet by the front door that we use for coats instead. (We still can’t park in the garage… yet. :-) (Note from Mike: Oh, the horror, the horror!)

    So I started to paint. Here is what it looked like before. There was one shelf about 2/3 of the way up that I had already taken down. Of course I had “help” painting. I used about $5 worth of paint. The original peach I chose was too dark, almost neon, so I mixed it half and half with white I already had and then it was perfect.

    Jack in the new pantry

    Then I got busy making shelves. Since we are in a new construction area, we’ve been doing a lot of dumpster diving for 2×4’s, plywood, sod, shelving, windows and all kinds of stuff. (Yes, I asked permission.) So I took some of the plywood and 1×2’s that we found and cut them up to make shelves. Then I painted them.

    I painted the 1×2’s the same peach as the walls and painted the shelves white.

    Then I started putting in the shelves. Since I’m sick, the whole process took me about a week to do. :-)

    Here is what it looked like after I got the shelves in and loaded.

    Pantry

    This is also when Jack decided to make the old pantry his new “house’.

    Jack's New House

     

    You might notice that the shelves with the canned goods are sagging so I had to take some of them out, get thicker pieces of board, cut and paint and re-install them so they wouldn’t collapse. If you are making shelves for canned goods MAKE SURE THEY ARE 3/4 INCH at least!

    Then I decided to decorate. I had some readers ask, “Why would you decorate a pantry?” Well, I look at it many times a day every day so I thought, “Why not make it look good”!

    So I went for it and I LOVE it!! Now I wish I could pull up a chair and just sit and admire my pantry. :-)

    Pantry With Door Open

    First I put in all my crates. I have collected and hauled these crates around for 17 years and 14 moves but never have found a really good use them. Now I love what I did with them.

    Potatoes and Dry Goods

    Coca Cola Box

    Pantry Lace

    Then I added some metal seed packet signs on the side with an old trowel from my great grandmother.

    Seed Packets and Trowel

    Then I made a door hanging. Mom found the base at the thrift store for me and gave it to me for Christmas one year. I just love it but never could find a good place to hang it. Now I can see it every day and just love it!!

    It took me about an hour to get it done and what a mess! Of course, Jack kept helping!

    Big Mess Making Door Hanger

    Now that it’s done, I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE IT!!!

    Door Hanger

    Then I added eyelet lace. I have always loved the look of the shelves from the 20’s where they put the paper lace on the edges of the shelves. You can’t really find it anywhere now so I just used some eyelet. I had 2 yards already so I did have to buy 4 yards ($5). Then I just hot glued it to the edge to cover up the ugly plywood. Even painted, the plywood looked bad. Doesn’t the lace just make it look like a farmhouse pantry!

    Pantry Shelves

    Items organized separate from their original packages

    Close Up Showing Lace and Gnome

    Then because I am a “lover of all gnomes”, I just had to put in some my almost 50 gnomes. I hot glued them to the shelves so they wouldn’t fall down.

    gnome in the organzed pantry

    gnome and seed packed signs in the organzed pantry

    I just LOVE, LOVE, LOVE my new pantry! After working 2 weeks total to get it done, I’m ready to sit back and admire it! Tawra

    Pantry With Door Open

  • 2 Ingredient Homemade Dishwasher Detergent Recipe

    2 Ingredient Homemade Dishwasher Detergent Recipe

    Try this homemade dishwasher detergent recipe to save money and use these easy tips to help you get cleaner dishes and spend less time at the dishwasher!

    This homemade dishwasher detergent recipe is one of those super simple recipes that people don't think to make but can save you a lot! The best part is it takes less than 2 minutes to make!

    2 Ingredient Homemade Dishwasher Detergent Recipe And Dishwasher Tips

    Often, there is a proper way to do things, which make them go faster, easier and allows you to do a better job. This is definitely true with loading a dishwasher. Here are a few tips to help you, along with an easy recipe for homemade dishwasher detergent.

    • Use less detergent. I found out the expensive way that if you put too much detergent in the dispensers, it will mess up your dishwasher. You only need to fill the dispenser about half full. Using less detergent will save you a lot of money too, even when you’re using the homemade dishwasher detergent recipe.
    • Before you start your dishwasher, run the hot water in the sink to help get the water hot enough to kill the germs.
    • Get your family in the habit of always putting their dirty dish in the dishwasher. This may mean a lot of complaining and gnashing of teeth but they need to start doing this. You, mom and dad, need to lead by example.  It is much easier and more efficient to load the dishwasher when the dishes are fresh, rather than after the food is stuck on.If there are still clean dishes in the dishwasher, family members should at least rinse and stack their dishes neatly in the sink so it is ready to load. Like anything else, it is a learned habit.To make it easier be sure you have a good long handled scrub brush available to scrub and rinse the dishes. The scratchy pads work well but most kids don’t like to use them because they don’t want to touch the “gooey” food that can stick to the dishes. With a brush, the kids don’t have to touch anything.

    How To Load a Dishwasher

    • Don’t place all the same kind of silverware in the same compartment. It may seem like it will save you time unloading but you’ll either sort the silverware when you load it or when you unload it. I would much rather handle the silverware when it is clean than when it is dirty. Also, silverware doesn’t get as clean when you put like items together because they tend to nest while washing and don’t get properly cleaned.
    • Make sure all glasses, bowls, pans and other containers are turned face down and that there is some space between glass items to prevent breakage.
    • Place all heat sensitive items on the top rack and put dirtier things like pans on the bottom rack, facing where the most spray will be coming out.
    • Place long things like spatulas on the top rack. That way, if they fall through, they will not fall all the way down into the dishwasher works and mess them up.

    Here is an easy homemade dishwasher detergent recipe for you to use:

    Print

    Homemade Dishwasher Detergent Recipe

    This homemade dishwasher detergent recipe is one of those super simple recipes that people don’t think to make but can save you a lot! The best part is it takes less than 2 minutes to make!

    • Author: Tawra Kellam

    Ingredients

    Units
    1 cup baking soda or washing soda 1 cup Borax 12 drops of scented oil (optional)

    Instructions

    Mix ingredients.

    Use the homemade dishwasher detergent like you would use regular detergent.

    Notes

    Another option for cleaning your dishwasher: Pour in a package of unsweetened lemonade Kool Aid or a cup of vinegar into your dishwasher.

    For more easy cleaning, laundry and homemaking tips to make your life easier, check out our How To Organize And Clean Your Home e-books.

    [organizing]

  • Kids And Chores – Setting Up Your Kids For Success

    Kids And Chores – Setting Up Your Kids For Success

    Teaching kids how to do chores will motivate them to be more helpful and teach them valuable life skills, but you need to set them up for success! (more…)

  • How To Sterilize Water

    How To Sterilize Water

    It is always important to be prepared for unexpected emergencies. Emergency supplies, especially water, can be critical to help you survive until your situation stabilizes. Here are some ideas about sources of water and how to treat water to make it safe to drink. (more…)

  • Reader Comments about “Get Dressed!”

    Reader Comments about “Get Dressed!”

    Getting dressed first thing every day can totally change your life! Here is a reader comment posted in response to the story “Improve Your Life Right Away — Get Dressed! (more…)

  • Clean Up Your Environment

    Clean Up Your Environment

    Many of us spend a lot of time thinking about how to save the environment, but why do we neglect our environment where we spend most of our time? (more…)

  • Frugal Bathroom Redecorating

    Frugal Bathroom Redecorating

    I really hated our downstairs bathroom. The lady who re-did it before we moved in did a horrible job with the wallpaper. It was peeling, you could see the edges, they didn’t even come close to matching and it was just plain ugly.

    I also didn’t like the fixtures in our upstairs bathroom. They were silver but I had a warm garden theme in there that would have looked better.

    We have navy towels for the downstairs so I kept those. I mixed three 1/2 gallons of leftover paint together to get the right color, use up the paint and save some money.

    I then took the towel rods and light switch covers and mirror and put them in there instead of upstairs.

    I did buy a new bathmat ($9), light fixture ($20), caulk ($2) and soap dispenser ($4) and clock ($7).

    Mike is looking for a better paying job so we may end up selling this house and moving. We really needed to get this bathroom fixed up. I figured if we fix it up the house will sell better and if we don’t we can enjoy the new bathroom! I spent $42 total but we did have to replace the old light fixture, it was not working and a fire hazard. We also needed a clock in there. The only things that I bought that were "frivolous" were the bathmat and soap dispenser.

    I ended up caulking the entire thing too since they did a bad job on it. I also painted the vent which was rusty and a water spot on the ceiling from a previous leak with some Kilz I had on hand.

    It looks wonderful!! It’s a warm tan color, navy and silver. Look just like a hotel or spa. I could just go and sit in there all day! LOL

    I am doing a little bit in the upstairs bathroom. I am putting up new towel rods. I painted the light fixture to look better. I made a new mirror out of an old window my brother gave me. I used the old mirror from downstairs and had the glass place re-cut it to size for me. ($2) I asked for new towels for my birthday so I will be using those. I could still use the old ones but I really just want something new after 11 years. I only needed to buy one new towel rod but I painted the old one to match the light and it turned out ugly. I can’t really re-fix so I am just going to get a new one. I will have spent ($15) in the upstairs bathroom.

    Be sure to try and paint anything you can before buying new. The towel rod paint stuck really well and I painted the switch plate covers and they look great. I might try and think of anyway to paint the towel rod before I buy new.

    It’s amazing how much a little thing like that will change your attitude. I hated cleaning that bathroom because it was so depressing but now I am vigilante keeping it clean because I want to keep it looking nice.

    It doesn’t cost much to fix things up in your house. Try to find ways to decorate so you are inspired to keep it clean!

    Tawra

     

    photo by:  blmurch

     

  • Dream Laundry Room Ideas

    Dream Laundry Room Ideas

    Dream Laundry Room Ideas

    Dream Laundry Room Ideas

    From: Cindy M
    This is an idea for handling laundry/clothes that I wish I would have used when my kids were still at home. It would require a good-size laundry room but save a lot of bedroom space. There would be cubbies for everyone – socks, underwear, t-shirts, jeans, anything foldable would go in the cubbies – being folded straight out of the dryer. This would eliminate the need for dressers in the bedroom and the space they would take up. Hanging clothes could either go on a rack in the laundry room if space allows, or in the bedroom closets.

    I have to admit this would be my dream laundry room! Since my laundry room barely has room for me stand in I dream of this type of a laundry room everyday! LOL Tawra

    My dream laundry room would have an eight foot long and four foot deep table that is the perfect height to fold my clothes on easily with the cubbies and rods above it to place things as I fold them. It also would have a place to keep the ironing board up all the time with a rod and cubbies by it to hang the clothes on. Last but not least it would have a rack to hang all those things like dirty dish rags or towels which need to dry before you dump them in the hamper.

    To be honest I love laundry so much I wouldn’t mind dedicating one whole floor to a laundry room. I wonder if more people would enjoy doing it if they didn’t have to do it all in a little 5×3 closet all the time. Cooking and doing laundry are two of the main “have to do” things done in a home and yet they always make theses little tiny rooms to do it in but we create these bathrooms that are so big you could play tennis in them.

    I mean how much room do you need to sit on a toilet or stand at a sink to wash your face??? They give you an 8 foot vanity just to brush your hair and put on make up and often don’t give you even one foot of space to fold clothes.

    They even are now giving you an area in the bathroom so you can have a couch to sit and read on. I’m sorry but I can think of much more pleasant places I would rather read then laying and looking at a toilet that 4 male members of my family just used.  Makes no sense to me. Although if you are a mom with 4 little ones under the age of 5 that might be your only place to relax. : ) : )

    Jill

  • Air Drying Clothes Without A Clothesline

    Air Drying Clothes Without A Clothesline

    You can save money air drying your clothes even if you don’t have a clothesline. This is also a great way to keep some humidity in the house in the winter! (more…)

  • Stay at Home Moms And Empty Nesters

    Stay at Home Moms And Empty Nesters

    Want to quit work and be a stay at home mom but feel guilty? Even empty nesters can benefit from staying home so if you are worried about it, read this! (more…)

  • How To Get Rid Of Dust Mites

    How To Get Rid Of Dust Mites

    Here are some tips for how to get rid of dust mites. Dust mites cause poor air quality in your home and can make you sick, so don’t put up with them! (more…)

  • Emergency Kit For Home – Essential Items For A Survival Kit

    Emergency Kit For Home – Essential Items For A Survival Kit

    It’s a good idea to keep an emergency kit for home to be ready for unexpected emergencies. Here are some emergency kit items you definitely want to include! (more…)

  • Getting Organized – Clothes, Laundry and Toys

    Getting Organized – Clothes, Laundry and Toys

    Continuing our series on getting organized, we share lots of practical tips to make it easier to organize clothes, laundry and toys and keep your sanity!

    Get organized now! Get lots of practical tips to make it easier to organize clothes, laundry and toys and keep your sanity!

    Getting Organized Part 3 – Clothes, Laundry and Toys

    You can find Get Organized Part 1 here and How To Get Organized! Part 2 here.

    Organizing Clothes and Laundry

    When getting organized, most of us could stand to get rid of some clothes. We waste so much time and energy dealing with our clothes — trying to make room to store them, shifting piles of them from one place to another, searching for them, shopping for them, cleaning them, or paying for their dry cleaning. Take the time to count just how many tops you have in your closet and drawers. Once again, I think you will be shocked. Even those of you who think you don’t have that many need to count them because I think you will be surprised.

    Now that you see you have way too many clothes, start getting rid of things. Toss the too big clothes, the too small clothes, the ugly clothes, the “what in the world was I thinking when I bought it” clothes. I don’t keep clothes that are too big for me because, as soon as my clothes start getting too tight, I make myself lose the weight. I can’t afford to buy more.

    Why keep clothes that are too small for you? If you ever actually fit into them again, they will be so outdated you will need to get new ones anyway.

    As far as the “ugly” and “what was I thinking?” clothes go, do you know that most women only wear about 10-20% of the clothes in their closets? Why? Because they feel ugly in the other 80%. You have probably seen those shows where, if you spend so much money and buy specialty hangars or closet organizers, you will have 50% more room in your closet. Well, if you use my method and get rid of the 80% of the clothes in your closet that you don’t wear or need, it won’t cost you a penny and you will have 80% more room.

    Now purge those closets, taking everything out. I know you love that skirt that you have had for fifteen years and haven’t worn for ten, but let it go. I loved my children for many years but, when they turned 18, I had to let them go and it wasn’t so bad. As a matter of fact it was kind of nice because I was no longer responsible for caring for them. Besides, do you know how much fun it is to cook what you like for dinner for a change? As you can see, as much as I love my kids, I didn’t suffer from empty nest syndrome.

    Once you have finished your first purging, make a list of what you need for a wardrobe. For example: 2 black skirts, 1 brown skirt, 2 black pants, 1 brown pants, 4 church dresses, 4 everyday “grungy” outfits, 3 pairs of pajamas, etc. Now look at your list and place 2 black skirts in your closet, 1 brown skirt, and so on. The things that are left once you’ve gone through your list are things you probably don’t really need and should get rid of. Of course the list I made above will not be the same as yours. Don’t forget about purses, undies etc.

    Do the same when getting your shoes organized. You really don’t need 4 pairs of brown loafers.

    Getting Kids Organized – Toys

    Be still my beating heart! I watched yet another show last night where the family had floor to ceiling shelves in their living room full of toys thinking they were getting organized. They had no furniture in the room because the floor was covered in more and bigger toys.

    I tried to give them the benefit of the doubt, thinking that maybe there were no toys in the bedroom, but I was wrong. The bedrooms were full of toys. Amazingly enough, this is not an uncommon thing. Toys and clothes seem to have taken over everyone’s homes with papers coming in a strong third.

    If this is you, why are you causing so much stress in your children’s lives? As I mentioned before, too much stuff is very stressful to kids. I almost have a nervous breakdown every time I go to buy a new shampoo. Row after row of shampoos. Which one do I choose? Do you not think a small child has as much stress trying to decide when it comes to his toys?

    Instead of sending counselors to the school to counsel the kids for every little thing that happens, we should be sending counselors home with them to help them deal with trying to decide which toys to play with today. What’s interesting too is most kids only play with a handful of favorites, so why are we keeping the rest? Part of getting organized is really deciding what we really need to keep.

    Proverbs 25:16 says, “If you find honey, eat just enough- too much of it, and you will vomit.” In other words, too much of a good thing can make you sick. Are we making our kids emotionally sick by giving them too much of a good thing? That’s just something to think about.

    How to deal with organizing toys:

    Like their parents before them, most kids have a hard time giving up their things, so try these ideas to get them to release them. Tell them “You can sell them and keep the money” or “Let’s give some of these to poor little boys and girls who don’t have any.” I usually try to get the kids to give away the excess toys first, but if that doesn’t work then I go for the mercenary streak in them.

    If you still can’t get them to give up some of the toys, tell them you are going to pack the extras in a box and store them. If you do that, it’s generally best to do it when they’re not around or they will suddenly remember that each toy they haven’t played with for ages is suddenly the favorite. After a while, they usually forget about them. If the child asks for something specific that has been packed away, you can give the child that toy, but don’t give the child the whole box to look through. If the child doesn’t miss anything after a while, make it quietly go away.

    General Rules About Toys:

    • If they are broken, toss them.
    • If you have too many of one thing, toss the extras. No little boy needs 50 cars or 40 or even 25. Pick a certain size box and say “You can keep whatever will fit in here”
    • One box of crayons is enough. Not 3 buckets full. And 3-4 coloring books is sufficient, too.
    • Control the balls, dolls, stuffed animals and everything. Even though it may not seem like it at the time you are doing this for your child’s well being.
    • Get books under control. This rule is for both you and your children. For some reason, we have the idea that the more books we have the more intelligent we will be, but if they aren’t being read and just sitting on a shelf or worse yet buried at the bottom of a toy box, what good are they? Getting organized is not possible if we can’t learn to decide what is really important to us. To me, keeping dust covered and smashed books isn’t a sign of intelligence.

    When all is said and done:

    I couldn’t cover everything about getting organized in this article and haven’t even mentioned organizing things like tools, CDs or DVDs or even those piles of papers in your office, but use the same principles when organizing all of them. At the risk of sounding like a broken record, you have to just do it. I don’t mean to sound indelicate but I don’t like to cut my toe nails or blow my nose but it just has to be done so I do it!!!

    Now go get organized and liberate yourself from too much stuff!

    Read Get Organized Part 1

    Read How To Get Organized! Part 2.

    For more helpful tips getting organized and making cleaning and laundry easier, take a look at our How To Organize And Clean Your Home e-books.

    [organizing]

  • Homemade Clorox Disinfecting Wipes – A Budget-Friendly Alternative!

    Homemade Clorox Disinfecting Wipes – A Budget-Friendly Alternative!

    If you love Clorox Disinfecting Wipes, you’ll love these Homemade Clorox Wipes! They’re an easy, inexpensive alternative that disinfects just as well—without the high price tag.

    Clorox wipes have always been popular for easy disinfecting, but they can be expensive and it’s not always easy to find them in the store. Our homemade Clorox wipes recipe is easy to make with common ingredients and they’re easy to wash and reuse.

    I have seen recipes for Homemade Cleaning Wipes all over the Internet. The one problem I have with most of them is that they use vinegar and tea tree oil. Well, vinegar and tea tree oil do not disinfect properly like you should in a bathroom. I know people swear that these ingredients disinfect and they do disinfect to a certain degree but to say vinegar totally disinfects as well as bleach is not true at all. (Just call your local health department if you don’t believe me.)

    If you love Clorox disinfecting wipes, this Homemade Clorox Wipes recipe makes a handy, inexpensive alternative to quickly disinfect that works just as well and costs a lot less.

    Homemade Clorox Disinfecting Wipes

    My Clorox wipes recipe calls for using rubbing alcohol. Not only does it truly disinfect but rubbing alcohol shines your faucets so they look great!!

    The Dawn cuts grease which is another thing the vinegar does not do. (Ever noticed how oil and vinegar in salad dressing don’t mix? Same idea!) So this recipe will really cut through that slime.

    This is just one of 1,200+ recipes and tips in our cookbook! Get your copy here and start saving money today!

    You can put these pre-moistened disinfecting wipes in a baby wipe or plastic container. Then they will be handy and ready to go whenever you need them. You can also make this mixture and just put it in a spray bottle. Then simply spray it on and wipe it with rags or paper towels.

    Print

    Homemade Clorox Wipes Recipe

    Ingredients

    1 cup water
    1/4 cup rubbing alcohol
    1 tsp. Dawn dish soap (only use Dawn)
    2 Tbsp. ammonia (optional)
    24 rags – cut into squares. (I cut them to about 4×6 inches but whatever size you have available or whichever size you need will work. I also use old washrags that have seen better days.)

    Instructions

    Mix the ingredients and pour over the rags.* Then, when you need to clean your bathroom, use them as you would the disposable Clorox wipes.

    The best thing about these homemade wipes is that you can just throw them in the washing machine and use them again! Really! It’s that simple!

    *After you make this homemade Clorox wipes recipe, you will need to adjust how much of the mixture you pour over your rags. I didn’t have that many rags and they were pretty wet so I just used less of the cleaner.

    [organizing]

  • The Best Household Cleaning Products – Save Money And Time

    The Best Household Cleaning Products – Save Money And Time

    Here is a list of the best household cleaning products including what they do, which are most effective at various types of cleaning and how to use less! (more…)

  • Storing Lost Socks – Easy Organizing Idea

    Storing Lost Socks – Easy Organizing Idea

    We all have lost socks and most of us keep them, waiting for the mates to show up! Here’s a great way to store lost socks until the missing ones return! (more…)

  • 5 Homemade Cleaners You Didn’t Know You Could Make at Home

    5 Homemade Cleaners You Didn’t Know You Could Make at Home

    It’s easy to make homemade cleaners. Here are 5 Easy Homemade Cleaners Recipes, most of which only use 3-5 ingredients you already have in your kitchen!

    You can save a lot making easy homemade cleaners instead of buying the store bought kind. Here are 5 easy homemade cleaners recipes you didn't know you could make at home, most of which only use 3-5 ingredients you already have in your kitchen! Click here for the recipes!


    I wanted to share a few Homemade Cleaners from our Dining on A Dime Cookbook, Volume 1. Most people don’t realizes how easy it is to make homemade cleaners and most only use 3-5 ingredients you already have in your kitchen!!

    Of course, one of the simplest cleaners for most purposes is to just put some rubbing alcohol on a rag and wipe everything down. It doesn’t streak, it disinfects and it’s one quick ingredient! To be honest this is the one cleaner I use for my quick bathroom clean up every day.

    If you love Clorox disinfecting wipes, this Homemade Clorox Wipes recipe makes a handy, inexpensive alternative to quickly disinfect that works just as well and costs a lot less.
    Print

    Homemade Clorox Wipes Recipe

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    Ingredients

    1 cup water
    1/4 cup rubbing alcohol
    1 tsp. Dawn dish soap (only use Dawn)
    2 Tbsp. ammonia (optional)
    24 rags – cut into squares. (I cut them to about 4×6 inches but whatever size you have available or whichever size you need will work. I also use old washrags that have seen better days.)

    Instructions

    Mix the ingredients and pour over the rags.* Then, when you need to clean your bathroom, use them as you would the disposable Clorox wipes.

    The best thing about these homemade wipes is that you can just throw them in the washing machine and use them again! Really! It’s that simple!

    *After you make this homemade Clorox wipes recipe, you will need to adjust how much of the mixture you pour over your rags. I didn’t have that many rags and they were pretty wet so I just used less of the cleaner.

    Here's an easy recipe for a homemade fruit and vegetable wash you can use to clean your fresh fruits and vegetables. This recipe uses natural ingredients and can help you clean your fresh produce thoroughly before you prepare it. 
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    Homemade Fruit and Vegetable Wash Recipe

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    Here’s an easy recipe for a homemade fruit and vegetable wash you can use to clean your fresh fruits and vegetables. This recipe uses natural ingredients and can help you clean your fresh produce thoroughly before you prepare it.

    • Author: Tawra Kellam

    Ingredients

    Units
    1 Tbsp. lemon juice 2 Tbsp. baking soda 1 cup water

    Instructions

    1. Put ingredients in a spray bottle. Be careful because it will foam up.
    2. Spray on vegetables and let sit 5 minutes.
    3. Then rinse with a scrub brush.
    This easy homemade fabric softener recipe makes fabric softener that works just as well as the store bought with ingredients you already have at home.
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    Homemade Fabric Softener Recipe

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    This easy homemade fabric softener recipe makes fabric softener that works just as well as the store bought with ingredients you already have at home.

    • Author: Tawra Kellam

    Ingredients

    Units
    3 cups hot water 1 1/2 cups vinegar 1 cup hair conditioner

    Instructions

    1. Pour the conditioner into the hot water.
    2. Stir (don’t shake).
    3. Then add the vinegar.
    4. Pour into a gallon container.
    5. Use the same amount of the fabric softener as you would use of the store bought kind or moisten a rag and throw it in the dryer. You can put this fabric softener into your Downy balls too.

    Notes

    • The water has to be very hot to dissolve the conditioner. If it doesn’t dissolve just whisk it or warm up the water hotter in the microwave.
    • If you do need to buy conditioner, something like Suave Lavender from the Dollar Tree works just fine.
    • This homemade fabric softener recipe makes a half gallon and if you want to make less, you can easily half the recipe.
    • Yes it does work in HE washers.
    • For sensitive skin, you will just have to use plain vinegar. My son has horrible eczema and I can’t use anything with scents on his clothes, so vinegar it is!
    This homemade all purpose cleaner recipe makes my absolutely favorite cleaner for my house! It is quick and easy to make with ingredients you have at home!
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    Homemade All Purpose Cleaner Recipe

    5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

    5 from 2 reviews

    Ingredients

    1 gallon water
    1 cup ammonia or 2 tsp. Dawn dishsoap
    1/2 cup vinegar
    1/2 cup baking soda

    Instructions

    1. Combine all ingredients.
    2. Put into a spray bottle to clean showers, toilets, sinks and counters.

    This homemade all-purpose cleaner is great for most cleaning needs. Use all-purpose cleaner to clean your floors. Just spray on and wipe off as you would counter-tops.

    This is not a disinfectant. To make it a disinfectant, too, add about 1/4 cup rubbing alcohol to the bottle.

    All Purpose Cleaner Recipe #2 – (My newer version.)

    This disinfecting cleaner is the one I prefer and use most often. It is the same as the all purpose cleaner above except that it includes alcohol for disinfecting.

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    All Purpose Disinfecting Cleaner Recipe

    5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

    No reviews

    • Author: Tawra Kellam

    Ingredients

    Units
    1 gallon water 1 cup ammonia or 2 tsp. Dawn dish soap 1/2 cup vinegar 1/2 cup baking soda 1/4 cup rubbing alcohol

    Instructions

    1. Combine all ingredients.
    2. Put into a spray bottle to clean showers, toilets, sinks and counters.

    This all-purpose cleaner is great for most cleaning needs. Use this all-purpose disinfecting cleaner to clean your floors. Just spray on and wipe off as you would countertops.

    Notes

    This all purpose disinfecting cleaner is a disinfectant because it includes the alcohol.

    This homemade dishwasher detergent recipe is one of those super simple recipes that people don't think to make but can save you a lot! The best part is it takes less than 2 minutes to make!
    Print

    Homemade Dishwasher Detergent Recipe

    5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

    No reviews

    This homemade dishwasher detergent recipe is one of those super simple recipes that people don’t think to make but can save you a lot! The best part is it takes less than 2 minutes to make!

    • Author: Tawra Kellam

    Ingredients

    Units
    1 cup baking soda or washing soda 1 cup Borax 12 drops of scented oil (optional)

    Instructions

    Mix ingredients.

    Use the homemade dishwasher detergent like you would use regular detergent.

    Notes

    Another option for cleaning your dishwasher: Pour in a package of unsweetened lemonade Kool Aid or a cup of vinegar into your dishwasher.

    [organizing]

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