by Angie on July 30, 2010
We’re on blogcation, & will be back with all new content
August 2! Until then, please enjoy some of your favorite articles
from the last year. Originally published February 26, 2009.
My journey into greener living has been exciting and eye-opening. One of the first big steps I took was taking control of what sorts of products we use in our home. Keep in mind I am far from “perfect” [ie: still using my bed head root boost, loving the Victoria's Secret body spray I've had for years, and cleaning up after a raw chicken adventure with Clorox.] However, I decided to tackle all of the other cleaning products. I dreaded cleaning our hardwood floors, because the scent of the swiffer cleaner sent my kids into coughing fits, not to mention the money I knew I could save if I made my own.
So, recently I decided to just go for it. I happily loaded up all of my old cleaners, recycled what I could and passed others along. I hit up the dollar store for empty spray bottles, then the health food store for some yummy essential oils and I was on my way. Now, does it make you a bad person if you still prefer Windex over a vinegar and lemon cocktail? Of course not! We all have our faves… I’d encourage you to try out a homemade cleaning recipe some time! You just might be hooked!
Okay, bust out those basic items and have some fun!
For the windows
Mix equal parts of the following into a spray bottle: white vinegar & water. spray onto windows and wipe with a newspaper for a streak free shine!
For the potty
This is something you will create with each cleaning. The kids will think this is great, so be sure to get them in on the fun! Grab your glass jar and mix 1 cup of white vinegar and 1/4 cup of baking soda. It will fizz, so go ahead and pour it into “the potty”, let it sit for a bit, then return and scrub-scrub away.
For the air
This is one of my absolute faves, and is where your yummy essential oils come into play! Fill one of your spray bottles with water, then simply add about 12 drops of any combination of essential oils. I recently made a lavendar / lemon freshener. Mmmm. Shake & spray around your home for a lovely burst of fresh. [Sidenote: this blend also works well as a surface cleaner, as the oils are naturally anti-bacterial!]
For the mold
In another empty spray bottle, combine the following: 2 parts water + 1 part hydrogen peroxide. spray on areas of nastiness, leave for at least 30 minutes, and return for a good rinse.
For your floors
Our previous home was equipped with 90% hardwood floors. As I mentioned, the swiffer being as awesome as it is, leads us all to nearly choke from the strong aroma of the hardwood floor cleaner. I was ecstatic to come across this recipe, and have found in our new home [equipped with tile floors] the recipe works just fine! Yes, another spray bottle… very simple. cCombine 1 part water with 1 part white vinegar and 10 drops of essential oil. Tea tree oil is a great one to mix in, you could also add lemon or orange for a nice fresh scent. Spray directly onto the floor and go ahead using the swiffer [why not recycle it this way eh?] : )
For your veggies
This was an exciting find for me! Especially if you are like us and can’t afford to strictly buy organic, cleaning those fruits & veggies prior to eating is so important. Simply add 1 cup of water to 1 cup of white vinegar, 1 tablespoon of baking soda and 15-20 drops of essential oil [i use lemon] or if you have fresh lemon, squeeze the juice into your mix. Clean those freshies and let them dry, love it!
For everything else
In yet another spray bottle, mix 1 liter of water with 1/4 cup of baking soda and 1/4 cup of white vinegar. Add 10-12 drops of essential oils [i like sweet orange & lavender personally] and shake. This is an all purpose cleaner that has the added benefit of the essential oils which of course are a natural antibacterial. Use this on surfaces, your shower and bathrooms, in the kitchen and more.
I’ve even created a free, down-loadable PDF with green cleaning recipe cards. Click the image below to get yours!
by Marci on July 29, 2010
We’re on blogcation, & will be back with all new content
August 2! Until then, please enjoy some of your favorite articles
from the last year. Originally published March 10, 2010.
planting seeds
One of the things I love about homeschooling is the ability to learn hands-on. Over the past couple weeks, we turned my garden starts into a full science unit. We spent a couple days learning about seeds and plants from a textbook and then got to work. My daughter took a clip board of notes and questions to the local seed store and after spending sometime with the garden specialist there, she decided what to plant. She figured out what supplies and seeds we needed and we headed home to start our garden.
growing seedlings
Within 10 days, the seedlings started to grow large enough to separate. Since we planted various seeds in the same flat, it was very interesting to see the differences in germination and growth rates. Much more so than from reading it in a book. We, also, learned that seeds and very young seedlings need to be covered to keep them warm and moist, but the larger seedlings are stronger and don’t have to be pampered as much. Do they teach that in school?
my favorite – making a terrarium
I love finding information about a subject we are studying from various sources. One publication we enjoy is the The Old Farmer’s Almanac For Kids. This year, it has a large section on plants. It contains an eclectic mix of plants, plant stories and projects. The project that caught our eye was the terrarium. My aunt had a terrarium when I was growing up and I thought it was the coolest thing. I didn’t realize how easy they are to make. We just picked up a pretty glass vase and some small plants at Wal Mart. Layered the rocks and soil. Planted the plants. Added some water and a lid. Now, we have a great little ecosystem going, a homeschool lesson learned and a beautiful terrarium on my mantel! I love homeschooling!
What are you looking forward to learning with your children next?
We’re on blogcation, & will be back with all new content
August 2! Until then, please enjoy some of your favorite articles
from the last year. Originally published January 6, 2010.
Over Thanksgiving dinner a conversation started about Twitter. The main gist of which wasn’t favorable. It started out harmless enough (I kept out of it considering I’m a Twitter fan) but got pretty intensely negative, albeit in a half joking tone. Ten minutes into it my 12-year-old daughter leaned over to me and asked under her breath, Are they making fun of you Mom? They weren’t but I couldn’t help but feel totally misunderstood.
That same week my husband, while flipping the channels, landed on a Dr. Phil episode where Dr. Phil insisted that internet relationships weren’t real relationships. I understood for the most part the point of the show and that he wasn’t talking to me, or about me or about my online relationships specifically but I still chose not to watch it.
I spend a lot of time online. Probably too much time, I’ll admit. But, that aside, I will stand firm in defending the kinds of connections and relationships that I have made on the web over the last few years. Blogging has been the catalyst that created and continues to create a circle of people that I deeply care about in my life. I have dear, cherished friends that I would have never even met if it weren’t for the internet. And I know that many of you reading can say the same. These are friends that I look forward to reaching out to everyday (via Twitter or Facbook) and friends that I cannot wait to see at BlogHer (or Mom 2.0 or the Alt Summit) and friends that I now talk to on the phone and plan gatherings with because I value their friendship THAT much.
It’s real; this thing we do online everyday. And it cultivates the kinds of real relationships that have made my life that much more rich and complete.
As for the people that don’t understand it, don’t believe it, or won’t support it, well, that’s just their loss. As for me? I’ll just keep enjoying and celebrating it…this authentic and real thing we’ve got going on here. Care to join me?
