Simple Homemaking (frugal hair coloring tip)

Tip of the Day!

I discovered a way to get super soft hair, while coloring hair at home...

the big secret is

(you will keep it a secret, right)

...

well, if you add a Tablespoon of coconut oil to your mixture.

*it doesn't matter what type of hair coloring you are choosing,*

 (meaning: temporary, permanent, highlighting...)

just stir it right in. 

(my coconut oil had been sitting in a small container on the counter, as I also brush my teeth with it and use it as a skin moisturizer too, so it was nice and soft.  If you keep yours in the fridge, then melt it in the microwave before you add it.)  Mine just melted right in with a couple of stirs.

Apply mixture and rinse when your chosen time is up. 

Shampoo. 

Condition. 

Do final rinse.

 Be amazed at how soft your hair is!

Enjoy letting your inner hair stylist out and also take joy in your shiny super soft hair!

More tips on coconut oil coming...its some amazing stuff!

Cleaning Rituals

As I cleaned out under my kitchen sink the other day I found this very glamorous box of latex gloves.

I couldn't just toss the box, so I captured the moment for you on film. 

I can promise you that I never look like her when I wear them, not saying that to say I wouldn't want to, just saying there hasn't been a day yet that I am wearing red lipstick and patent leather slides when I tackle cleaning chores.  

Hmmm, maybe she's on to something? 

What do you think, should I change my ways?

Simple Homemaking

Simple Homemaking Tip of the Day!

Out of your normal laundry whitener

...well try dishwasher gel.

Dissolve in warm water and give your clothes a soak in it.  It is a great stand in in a pinch. After soaking, launder as usual...before your clothes go into the dryer be sure to check that your stain is thoroughly removed.
I am amazed at how it whitens and brightens.

I also use dishwasher gel on hard
to clean gunked-up pans (is gunked-up a word?)

Squeeze about a 1/4 cup full into your pan
and then add water at least an inch or two of water.
Heat up pan to boiling, lower heat and cook
long enough for your pot to be totally ungunked!

Keeping an eye that you have enough water in the pan, so it won't reburn.
Continue until all your stuck on stuff is floating about and ready to be dumped.
I find that a little stir with a spoon, helps the process along if you are in a hurry.
 Dump, rinse and finished!

For really bad burnt on items,
let soak overnight and reheat in the morning (adding water if needed).
It has worked every time at our house!

Simple Homemaking

Simple Homemaking

Homemaking Tip of the Day:

A cleaning tip that might be helpful as we straighten things up around our homes...

• A simple tile cleaner is shaving cream!  Shaving cream is really just a foamy soap.  Spray it on, let it soak, scrub with a brush, sponge or rag and rinse.  Stand back and smile.  Great cleaner to tackle grime and stains. 

 So simple and so good.

~Your friend~

Kimmie

Simple Homemaking

Dirty Dishes

Housekeeping tip of the day:

Burnt pan rescue tips.

• fill pot with 3 inches of water or to cover all burnt or baked on areas. Add a 1/4 of a cup of dishwasher liquid. Stir to dissolve. Let sit overnight (put pan in oven if you have animals that might take a sip ;-) Pan should wipe clean.
• For really bad burnt pans, try the above treatment, but first bring the mixture to a boil. Then allow pan to sit overnight~ with soapy mixture slowly eating away at the burnt mess.
• fill pot with water. Add 1/4 cup - 1/2 cup of baking soda and 1 tsp. of dish soap. Bring pot to a boil. Stir. Burnt bits should loosen and float up into the water. Rinse and repeat if necessary.

Always rewash pots when all burnt areas are clean.

And guess how I know...blushing!

A Simple Touch of Home

We have a pot of water simmering on the stove. Into this post I have added, a handful of whole cloves, a whole cinnamon stick broken in half, the peels left over from the oranges we ate for snack.

Left to simmer with a watchful eye, as it is necessary to occasionally add a bit more water to the pan.

The house smells so yummy. Let's go sit in the living room and read a good book together!

Simple Homemaking-housekeeping tips

Welcome to Simple Homemaking!

Tip of the day:

Are you having back pain? Not getting good sleep at night and waking up with aches or pains? Before you run to the doctor, how old is your mattress? The life of a good name brand mattress is about 7-10 years. Have you turned your mattress lately? By rotating your mattress you make sure that it is wearing evenly and not becoming 'rutted' because of your body weight. Also a mattress cover is a great investment, it will keep your mattress clean and stain free.

• A bed board (plywood can be used) under a mattress can firm it up and bring relief to back pain.

• When you buy a mattress, always buy the box spring that goes with it. If you don't you've chosen to shorten the life of your mattress by 50%. We all can understand that this would be no savings.

• A good mattress doesn't have to be the most expensive mattress- remember anytime you have a store that has a lot of advertising...their products prices will reflect that ($$$$). Shop around and don't be afraid of going to more than one mattress supplier.

• And those mattress tags...it is NOT illegal to cut them off, but you'll need them if you have any type of warranty on your mattress. Don't lose sleep if one falls off...the police won't be coming with a warrant for your arrest.

Sweet dreams friends!

Obsessed with LAVENDER

I feel like Mrs. Meyer is my new special friend.

I have an obsession with lavender and she hooked a sister up!

I was blissfully happy when I looked at last months Natural Food Co-op catalog, it had a new section of Mrs. Meyer's products! I ordered three: window cleaner, counter cleaner and an all purpose cleaner.

With my Food

Co-op we have to order things by the case...joy, oh lavender 'casie-joy!'

Everyone wants to clean at my house. We have divided up the bottles into all the bathrooms, kitchen cupboards, with a few to spare. The house smells heavenly.

What a better way to welcome spring and to create new lavender addicts...

Simple Homemaking Tips

Homemaking Tip of the Day:

• Need a kids table, but don't have the money? Check your attic or the side of the road for an adult size wood table. Just cutting down the legs, makes a child size table in a snap!

• Do you homeschool and wish you had a large chalkboard? Do you have artists that never have enough paper for all of their creations? Well, any door or wall can become a chalkboard with the help of chalkboard paint from the paint store or your local Home Depot. A sponge makes a handy-dandy eraser without money being spent. Most local dollar stores also carry many varieties of chalk for your chalkboard needs.

• want a place to keep the chalk? Check that Home Depot, they have moldings that can be turned into a chalk holder!

Simple Homemaking-cough syrup

Just to have a go at it, I decided to try some homemade remedies this year, instead of running to the pharmacy for another bottle of cough syrup that doesn't work.

I did research and came up with a few new recipes. This one is a cough syrup using ginger, garlic , lemon and honey. No exact measurements, which will not surprise my face to face friends.

I used both fresh ginger and some that I had picked up in a jar at my local Indian market, as I liked the kick to it. The honey is a good humectant and is antimicrobial. The lemon juice is a great added source of vitamin C. The virtues of garlic are many; it is a natural antibiotic, it is an anti-viral and a fungicide. Garlic stimulates your immune system too, so it was a good choice to add to my recipe.

You could make this cough syrup with a base of equal parts water and honey (as a simple syrup is with 1 cup water to 1 cup white sugar), if you are leery of using whiskey in it. I used whiskey which aids in helping you to sleep, versus coughing out a lung.

After you have your ingredients in your jar, keep it in a dark place. Shake it several times daily. At the end of this time (depends of which base you chose), you can sift out the ginger and garlic -though we are keeping it *as is* and we don't mind that it is a little thicker, with either a chunk of raw ginger or garlic to chew on.

Take 1 Tablespoon as needed, to sooth the cough.

Most cough syrups are a simple syrup base, with chemical compounds added, coloring and alcohol, with perhaps some herbs added in. Mine doesn't taste like candy, but remember, it isn't supposed to. It works I tell you.

Your amounts will depend on the size of the jar you choose. Fill it up halfway with the liquid of your choice, the alcohol does a much better job of drawing out the natural properties of the other ingredients though. Make sure to add 1 cup of honey if you are using the whiskey base.

Peel, slice and chop your ginger and garlic, drop it in. (I used 8 cloves of garlic and about 1-2 inches of fresh ginger). I used a whole fresh lemon (no seeds), but you could use only a tablespoon or two. I added 2 Tbs. of the minced ginger garlic (not necessary) from the store and then screwed the lid on and began 'the shaking.'

I left mine on the counter for the first day (to get me in the shaking mentality), then moved it to the refrigerator.

If you are using the simple syrup route, the syrup will be ready to use within a week. If you are using the whiskey recipe, then continue to agitate it for 4-6 weeks, this will really draw all the natural healing properties out of the ingredients.

Store in the refrigerator, and always use a clean fresh spoon. (as if spoons could be naughty!)

Be well and God bless you!

The unstrained beautiful cough syrup-forgot to snap the picture before I threw out the lemon

Ready and waiting

Simple Homemaking

Housekeeping tip of the day:

Did the bananas start turning overripe before you could eat them. Don't sweat it, throw them in the freezer and when you want to bake banana bread, make a smoothie, or banana chocolate chip muffins, you'll be styling.

You don't even have to unwrap them, just put them in with peel and all, or put them peel and all into a freezer bag (this helps them not pick up other flavors like the dreaded 'fish-y' taste), or you can peel them and put them into a freezer container. Thaw them or not (for a smoothie the frozen are perfect) for your recipe. The peels will blacken, but fear not...it doesn't effect the inner bananas quality.

The bananas are good for 3 months or so in the freezer. Remember you can pick up ripe bananas in the reduced for quick clearance section of your grocery. The plus is also, that you'll be saving money this way!

Recipe for a yummy banana smoothie -(serves one)
ingredients:

one frozen banana (if frozen with peel run under hot tap water for a few seconds to release the blackened peel)
1 cup of milk, or soy milk
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 Tbs. chocolate syrup or instant coffee flavor (if you want a mocha smoothie, both)
*optional-a handful of ice

Add all ingredients into the blender until the desired consistency is achieved. Pour into your favorite glass and enjoy!

Now I am not a not a 'sugar' girl, so I don't even use the chocolate syrup, but I know my kids like it that way. You can also try it with 1-2 Tbs real maple syrup instead of the coffee or chocolate flavor. Increase the ingredients if you want to share.

Simple Housekeeping

Tip of the day: Septic tank booster!

You are probably wondering what this could be...and why I would know this. Well, with 8 bodies using our septic system these days and me being frugal and all, this seems to fit with my philosophy of don't wait until it's broken.

So if you have been taxing out your septic OR if things aren't smelling quite like roses around your acreage, well then follow this recipe and see if things don't sweeten up-air quality that is.

Septic bacteria booster:

• hot water (doesn't have to be boiling, just really hot)-a quart should do

• 2 tsp. dried yeast (you can buy yeast at the grocery store, I buy mine in bulk at Sam's Club)

• 1 pound brown sugar (light or dark, it doesn't matter)

With your hot water, dissolve your brown sugar, allow this to cool down to lukewarm. Add the yeast, stir to incorporate. Jog to the nearest toilet and immediately flush your concoction down. This recipe will help to create sewage digesting bacteria that will help your sewage to correctly breakdown. Of course it may be time to call the 'Honeywagon,' to have your system pumped.

Simple Housekeeping

Housekeeping tips of the day:

My sweet friend Shawnda asked me if I had any tile cleaning tips that I could share.

Well, I have lived in houses that had some tiled rooms, mainly bathrooms or mudrooms. These floors tend to take a beating on a daily basis, with all kinds of dirt and muck to battle. I find these simple cleaning tricks keep the floor tidy.

Tips of the day:

• mats in the doorways are excellent dirt catchers-I have one at each entrance, both on the inside and outside of the house.

remove all rugs from the floor (thinking bathmats) and anything that may be hiding extra dirt.

• sweep, dust/dry mop or vacuum tile floors daily or as needed (here with all the 2 legged and 4 legged creatures, well it is sometimes twice a day).

once a week or as needed, wet mop floor with either a tile cleaner specific to the type of tile you have (terra cotta, unsealed tile, stone or ceramic sealed tile)or use a homemade tile cleaner. Two of our bathrooms are sealed tile and I use this solution weekly.

Homemade floor tile cleaner:

1/2 cup white vinegar

1 gallon hot water

a squirt of clear dish soap (mine is lavender bergamot.)

Mix ingredients together, wash floor, rinse. Drying the floor by using a soft dry towel or chamois will make sure it is shiny...I know extra work, but use it as prayer time. You can open a window and let it air dry of course.

Grout cleaning tips:

If needed I will give my grout a little extra love (if it is looking dingy.) This is a once a year only type of job, though if you want to do it more, go crazy. In front of toilets may be done more often if needed.

need:

1 cup baking soda

1/4 ammonia

juice of 1-2 lemons (optional, but helps to lighten the dirty tile- lemons are a natural bleach- you also could use 1/3 cup of 3% hydrogen peroxide)

*depending on which ingredients you chose, you may need to add a bit of warm water to achieve paste consistency.

toothbrush

bowl

bucket

mop

hot water-add a drop or two of essential oil as a treat! (peppermint or lavender is nice!)

Mix ingredients in a bowl, add enough water to make a paste. Get an old pillow to kneel on and go at the grungy grout areas with the toothbrush and your handy-dandy cleaner. Scrub in the paste- let sit. I then come back with a mop and bucket of hot water to rinse away the cleaner, you might have to rinse twice. I add a drop or two of my favorite essential oil to the last rinse, for a nice clean scent. I let it air dry.

Mildew tile/grout cleaner (for sealed areas only):

spray bottle (recycle one!)

1/2 cup chlorine bleach (not green, but will kill mold and mildew!)

2 cups hot water

old toothbrush or scrub brush

large sponge or rag

spray on mildew areas, let sit, scrub with a toothbrush to get into the crannies. I let mine soak 15-30 minutes, respray and then rinse with a large clean wet sponge. Towel or air dry.

Simple Housekeeping

Housekeeping tips of the day:

Oh, For the Love of Vinegar!

• Is your garbage disposal in need of a pick-me up cleaning? Well, make yourself some white vinegar ice cubes. Make sure you have your water running as you dispense your little vinegar cubes down to do their cleaning job.
• Do you have laminate counter tops? Shine them up with a rinse of vinegar. Spritz on the white vinegar and wipe down to a sparkly surface. The smell disappears once the vinegar is dry.

A little cast iron tip:

Do you have a cast iron pot that needs a little reconditioning due to rust? Last week I found such a pot in my cupboard and I brought her out and filled the cavity (for her it was a donut size circle on her bottom) with apple cider vinegar. I got out a nylon scrubby and within an hour she was ready to be reseasoned. Rust free I tell you!

How do you reseason cast iron cookware? Make sure it has no rust, then rub it down with a vegetable oil (or canola), Do both the insides and outsides and handle of the pot. Just enough oil to cover, don't leave puddles. Place cookware in upside down in a 250 degree oven for 1 hour, put it into a cookie sheet (with sides) to catch any dripping oil. Leave it in the unopened oven for several more hours and once cool keep your cookware in a dry place. Take a paper towel to dry out any remain oil from your cookware before storing it. Never use soap in your cast iron pan, wipe out with water and be sure to dry thouroughly. Re-season (or cure) when necessary.

Simple Housekeeping

Homemaking tip of the day:

Oh, for the love of vinegar~

• 2- 3 cups of white vinegar poured into the bottom of your empty dishwasher. Turn on a normal cycle for the wash and rinse cycle, stopping prior to the machines drying cycle. The vinegar will be dispersed throughout and your dishwasher will be sparkly clean.

• As needed I take either a soft cloth or an old toothbrush, and clean the sides and top of the door of my dishwasher. As this doesn't ever see the actual inside of the dishwasher, but wedges in to keep the water in, it needs a gentle cleaning now and then to get rid of spills and grime. I make a paste of baking soda and water and scrub down those not so clean areas. Rinse with a wet clean sponge or cloth, then dry with a soft cloth.

• And finally I take a little white vinegar mixed with water (equal parts) and wipe down the front of my dishwasher. Finishing it with a dry cloth, it is clean and ready to serve you with a sparkle!

Homeschool homemaking skills

A glimpse at a little basic training that went on here early one homeschool morning. The funny thing is, is that I am not 'One Who Irons.' It definitely wouldn't be my Native American name, but as I think everyone should be introduced to the skill of ironing, I let some of my wee ones have a morning of it. They thought it was the cats meow and then asked if they could scrub the kitchen floor again with the toothbrushes .

I kid you not, at our house this is 'fun times!'

Simple housekeeping

Tip of the day: Simple Housekeeping

A little freshener for your car-take a handful of whole coffee beans (your choice of kind) and put them in your cars ashtray, which I assume is clean and empty. Crack it open and drop your beans inside, leave the door cracked and as the car warms up you will be surprised how much coffee scent your car puts off. You will be slow roasting these beans, they will bless you with their amazing aroma!

For you coffee junkies out there, this one is a good little trick, for you non-java lovers, you can do the same with a handful of dry lavender flowers. The lavender flowers do better if you make them a wee little sleeping bag. Take a square of fabric and either hand sew or machine stitch around the sides (the fabric was folded to begin with, right sides of fabric together), leave an opening to drop your lavender or coffee beans into, now stitch the top up. Wallah, a cozy sleeping back to house your fragrance. If you don't smell your lavender any more, give you bag a bit of a squeeze and your lavender will once again give off its lovely scent.

Happy homemaking!

Simple housekeeping

Tip of the day:

Homemade linen spray

You can also use this to freshen closets or drawers!

Collect:

*spray bottle (can recycle a Windex style bottle, just clean it well)

*essential oils (Brambleberry is where I buy most of mine)

(my favorites are lavender, bergamont or patchouli. I love to make my own blends, as I am a soap maker, I have tons of essential oils in a dark drawer in the barn.)

*2 ounces of isopropy alcohol (buy at the pharmacy/drug store)

*1-3 Tablespoons of essential oil (depending on you preference.)

*2 ounces distilled water (you can buy it, or recycle it from your dehumidifier)

Always test spray to make sure it won't harm your furniture finish.

Spritz and enjoy-breath deep, you did it!

Warning: Creating this can become addicting!

Simple housekeeping

I think I will begin a new category related to home. I enjoy a clean home, though as you know it is a challenge even without children or a zoo. I have been picking up tips here and there along the course of being a wife and mother. I am sure some of these are ones you know, maybe not though. I will share them as I use them in my life or as I come across something new and dandy.

Home is a haven and our God is a God of order. We are made in His image, so I think each of us has the ability to put order to good use in our lives and homes.

Of course if you have a bit to go in order to achieve 'neat', well then bite off a bit at a time- keep at it. Rome wasn't built in a day, however it was built, and well at that. Don't let discouragement lead you, kick its butt out the door and let's push up our sleeves and get busy!

Housekeeping tips:

Vinegar, as most of you know is a cheap and easy cleaner. Do you remember a few weeks back I used it as a weed killer?

• if your storing vinegar, its best to keep it in a glass container. It can draw chemicals out of plastics. I wouldn't worry yourself, but if you'll be using it in food or cooking, switch it out into a glass container for sure.
  
  
• bleach and vinegar are a NEVER MIX. They set each other off chemically speaking and the chlorine gas they produce can be deadly.
  
  
• Does your laundry need a little softening? Vinegar makes an excellent laundry softener, add a cup at your machines rinse cycle. You won't smell vinegar, vinegars odor disappears when dry.