As you all know I am a busy gal, a busy gal who is working from home 100% now. So in between meetings, I’m able to get more done around the house.
Surprisingly it has taken quite a bit of stress of my shoulders that I didn’t realize I was carrying. Now managing and maintaining a house is more attainable, and balancing mom life and work life is a little easier. As I said before, I like to stay busy. So here are some things I’ve been doing during Covid to still keep myself busy and save a little bit of money.
DIY Grade A Laundry Detergent
When I first found her recipe I was ecstatic. No borax. She provides natural alternatives and explains the cost saving point. She doesn’t use epsom salt, but I do because where I live we have hard water.
I did try another recipe from Holiday Housewife that did contain borax, it was too smelly for me. This recipe I use now to clean the toilets, because I didn’t want to waste it and there are only so many house warming gifts I can make out of it.
Here is also another similar recipe from Beauty in the crumbs. She has a printable recipe vs. taking a screenshot of from BREN DID’s post.
HINT: To grate the soap, I bought an old food processor from Goodwill.
Toilet Cleaning Powder
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 Cups – Baking Soda
- 1/3 Cup – Citric Acid
- 10 drops of essential oil (Lavender, Tea Tree, or lemon)
Cleaning toilets is possibly the worst household chore of all. This recipe at least makes the bathroom smell good. Of course, I still need to scrub the toilet as much as I would with any other toilet cleaning product. Although it is fun to watch the water fizz.
DIY Hair Oil
I was running out of UNITE hair oil and I wanted to purchase my favorite Moroccan hair oil, but that price point just not something I can justify anymore. (I’m a mom, I can’t justify spending high-end prices on myself anymore. Especially since I do just about the minimum with my hair).
So I decided to make my own in an attempt to save a little money and learn something new.
I decided to go with Jojoba Oil, Argan Oil, and Castor Oil. Since I dye my hair blonde I wanted something that would help strengthen and repair my hair.
Here is a list of oils and their beauty benefits:
Ingredients
- Jojoba Oil (The Vitamin shoppe)
- Argan Oil (The Vitamin Shoppe)
- Castor Oil (The Vitamin Shoppe)
- Ginger Essential Oil (Homemade)
- Amber Glass bottles (Amazon)
There are a lot of benefits to ginger. Benefits for your hair and skin. Here is youtube video that I watched to make Ginger Essential Oil.
Reusable Clorox Wipes
Ingredients
- Ziploc 2 CT Round Twist ‘N Loc Container – I would advise sticking with the ziplock because the generic band tends to leak. (Walmart)
- Reusable wipes (Menards – $1.99 – 50 count)
- 1/2 cup – White Vinegar
- 1/4 cup – Water
- 1/4 cup – Rubbing Alcohol
- 1 tsp – Liquid Dish Soap
- 10 drops – Essential Oil
NOTE: Do not wash the reusable wipes on the sanitize cycle of your washing machine. Mine fell apart and I had to throw them away š
DIY Disinfectant
I was going through so much disinfectant spray at the beginning of the pandemic, and I was purchasing natural alternatives which got pretty pricy. I chose more natural products since I have a toddler running around at home and I feel that is the better choice for him. So I found this recipe from Beauty in the crumbs that is simple and works great. She also has essential oil combinations in her post that smell great.
Ingredients
- 1 cup – Water
- 1/2 cup – Alcohol
- 1/2 cup – White Vinegar
- 15-30 drops of Essential Oil
- Glass spray bottle (Amazon)
Sewing Crafts to Keep Busy
Baby blankets are my favorite craft to make and I’ve made quite a few baby blankets this year š You can check out all the baby blankets I’ve made on my Facebook page.
I made some eye makeup remover pads, I used flannel cotton on both sides and it works great for removing makeup and applying toner. I just throw them all in a laundry bag when I wash them. When I wash the I only put in detergent, no fabric softener.
The napkins I made look great, but of course I didn’t have enough fabric to make an abundance of napkins, so they will likely end up being a gift for someone š
The pillow covers I made turned out great! I even used a Heat Transfer Vinyl to add a bear to the front of it. It worked great for Christmas decor š You can find more on this craft in my CRAFT FAST – Holiday Bear Plaid.
Wishing happiness and health to you and your loved ones.
What are you up to during this pandemic?
