Homekeeping | Saved By Grace

So, It’s Been About A Month…

August 10, 2024 By Christine Leave a Comment

I bet you think I dropped off the face of the planet, didn’t you? I have been here, alive and kicking.

Photo by Jenn of Mountain Pearl Photography

I just spent the last week moving from Montana to the state of Washington. This was my first big move, ever. I decided rather than stress myself out more than necessary, I would take a break from my blog. Sorry for not giving you notice, but things quickly got stressful and I just had to give up the worry about it.

The good news is, with this move, I have learned so much.

If you set your mind to a goal, with hard work, it can be done. Don’t let anyone tell you it can’t. Including yourself.
It is essential to have a plan if things don’t go as planned. I learned this the hard way with a couple things.
You have more strength in you than you know.
It is possible to work so hard you literally fall down.

There were a few bumps in the proverbial road getting here and there are still some now that we are trying to establish ourselves in the community, but, I would be ever so grateful if any bloggers in the Spokane area of Washington would welcome me and help me out with finding things. Even with a TomTom, it has been quite a journey.

From a Montanaian at heart and now a Washington resident, I am excited for what the future brings and will be back to my regular blogging schedule soon!

Filed Under: Homelife

10 Uses for Plain White Vinegar

July 1, 2024 By Christine 2 Comments

It’s amazing what you can do with simple ingredients. Vinegar is a household product that most people have in their kitchens. Vinegar is cheap. It makes awesome salad dressing, but did you know vinegar is so versatile it can be used in so many more ways? Take a peek at my list for 10 ways you can use plain everyday white vinegar.

1. Have you ever forgotten a load of laundry in the washer and gotten that musty smell? Don’t re-start the whole cycle wasting time and laundry soap. Just put 1/4 of a cup in and run it on rinse. The smell will be gone in a flash!

2. Mix it with equal parts vinegar and water and you have an odor neutralizing all purpose cleaner. If you don’t like the smell of vinegar, try adding a citrus peel to the mix.

3. Clean your windows and mirrors with it. It is much cheaper than window cleaner and it will leave it streak fee just as well.

4. Clean that mess in your microwave with it. Just put a bowl of equal parts water and vinegar in the microwave and warm it up for 30 seconds. Let it sit for a minute and take a cloth and wipe clean. The vinegar will loosen all the stuck on grease and grime.

5. Soothe a bee sting or a mosquito bite with it. Just dampen a cotton ball and dab it on. (for more mosquito bite fixes, see this post)

6. Run a cycle of vinegar through your coffee pot. This will get rid of any built up hard water spots and refresh your coffee maker to like new condition. Don’t forget to run a cycle of water after or you may be in for a nasty cup of coffee!

7. Use it to tone your face. For most people a 1:1 ratio of water to vinegar will work. Adjust if you have more oily or dry skin.

8. Looking to make your locks shine? Rise your hair with vinegar (either plain white or apple cider) and you will see it improve!

9. Clean stuck on foods with it. Just fill the container with water and add 1/2 to 3/4 cup of vinegar and let soak over night.

10. Weeds got ya down in the garden? Spray undiluted vinegar on them.

Filed Under: Crafts & DIY, DIY Cleaners, Frugal Living, Green Living, Homekeeping Tagged With: Cleaning, DIY, Frugal living, Green Living, Homemaking

4 Ways to Save Money on Your Next Move

June 29, 2024 By Christine Leave a Comment

Whether you are moving down the street or across the country it can be expensive. Since you can’t avoid moving, you can take several precautions to ensure you don’t go broke during the process. Here are a few tips to make your moving life that much easier:

#1. Plan Ahead

This may sound like the simplest tip, but it’s the one that people forget the most. When moving, you need to plan ahead from every angle. Canceling the Internet on time can keep you from having extra charges.

Even the time of month you choose to move can save you a lot of time and money. Also, make sure you get your mailing address changed and even your electric, gas, and water transferred. All of these accounts may not seem urgent, but if you miss an important bill, you can receive large late fees!

#2. Ask Friends and Family

It seems as though when it’s time to move, everyone disappears. However, do not be afraid to pick up the phone and ask for help from friends and family. Hiring movers is not only expensive, but almost unnecessary if you can find enough people to help you. Keep in mind that you will need help packing and moving, so recruit as many warm bodies as you can. Don’t forget to pay them in food and drink currency though.

#3. Part with Items

No one likes to part with items that they love. However, moving usually means getting rid of things you haven’t used in a while. That old chair sitting in the corner that no one as sat in for 15 years can probably go. Also, grandma’s old tapestries that are just taking up storage can probably go to.

Although the parting will cause sorrow, it will limit the amount of unnecessary items you need to take with you on your move. Have the kids get rid of some of their toys. Maybe it’s time that mom and dad part with some of their toys as well. You know that elliptical that’s been sitting in the corner for 15 months? Time to go!

#4. Sell Those Items

Maybe you are moving across country and need to make some quick cash. You remember all of those items you can’t use anymore? Sell them for dirt cheap, to someone who will use them. At the end of the day, if no one buys the items, you can simply donate them. Moving is the perfect time to dig through your storage items and sell items that you no longer need.

Are you ready to move? Thankfully these tips will help you save some money and your sanity. What are you waiting for? You’ve got packing to do!

Thanks to Jess Weaver for this wonderful post!

Filed Under: Frugal Living, Homelife Tagged With: Cleaning, Family, Frugal living, Homemaking

8 Natural Mosquito Bite Remedies

June 27, 2024 By Christine 1 Comment

Summer’s in full swing and so are the bugs. If you live anywhere near water like we do, (we live a couple blocks from a river) you know all too well that these little buggers show up out of no where and ruin your day. While the best way to not deal with bites from them is to prevent them with sprays or citronella candles, that is not always something you think of when sitting outside to take in the cooler evenings in your backyard and once the bug bites are there, they itch enough to drive a person crazy!

You can try just taking some allergy medication or using an anti-itch cream from the store, but if you don’t have any of that on hand or prefer to go a more natural route, try the following ways to solve that annoying urge to scratch.

Here are 8 natural Mosquito Bite Remedies:

1. Mix baking soda and water to make a paste and apply this to the bite.

2. Try using the inside of a banana peel to get some itch relief.

3. If you have a huge spot with a lot of bites, or one that is particularly big and swollen, try ice.

4. Apply essential oils. Lavender and Tea Tree seem to work the best. You can find these at most health food stores.

5. Although smelly, onions are said to relieve itching and burning associated with bites. Just rub a freshly cut one on the affected area.

6. Clean the bite as soon as you notice it with soap. A clean bite is less likely to itch as bad in the long run.

7. Soak a cotton ball on vinegar and apply it to the bite.

8. Make a tea compress by using a tea bag that was just used and applying it to the skin. I find that camomile works wonders.

Filed Under: Family, Frugal Living, Green Living, Health, Homekeeping Tagged With: DIY, Family, Frugal living, Green Living, health

Pure Wisdom

June 25, 2024 By Christine Leave a Comment

Thanks to Nestlé® Pure Life® Purified Water for sponsoring today’s discussion!

It’s amazing how the generations before us have so much to share to help us live an awesome life. I am lucky to have had some awesome women in my life that have filled both my mind and heart with all I will need to make my way through this hard and often beautiful life.

My mom and I have not always had the most harmonious of relationships. Through all the heartache (on both of our ends) has been some major growing taking place, however. One thing my mom has always taught me has been to hold tight to family. While our relationship has had major ups and downs, one thing has always been there: family. Recently, there have been some major changes in the dynamics of my relationship with my mom. These have taken place in very emotional strides the last couple weeks. There have been tears of joy and pain, a whole lot of love and a lot of growing. It has been a change that has effected a lot of members in my family, but it is one of those things that helps as all be reminded how important family is. I am thankful for my mom bestowing this piece of pure wisdom on me.

Another woman in my life that has passed on some great wisdom was my aunt Sharon. She taught me that judgement of others is not something anyone should focus on. She loved anyone, to a fault sometimes, and she was probably the most nonjudgmental person I have met in my entire life. She truly believed everyone was worth something. Her heart was so big.

Being that all three of us-my mom, myself and my aunt before she passed-were/are type 2 diabetics, we talked about how to stay healthier a lot and my mom and I still do. It is funny that this campaign came at this time from Nestle Pure Life, because I have recently stopped drinking soda, especially after I experienced a major sugar crash at work that made me very ill, and opted for drinking more water. What is even crazier, is, the amount of weight I have lost since taking this pledge almost 2 weeks ago: 8 lbs!

Overall, I think it is extremely important to pass onto the next generation the importance of living healthy. Here are some of the things I am trying to instill in my daughter:

Make healthier choices. Instead of chips if you are craving something salty, try popcorn.
Get active, even if its just a walk or dancing in the living room, at least once a day.
Skip drinking pop to quench thirst at home and go for water.

I also encourage her during the summer to stay hydrated because staying hydrated is very important in the warm months. Here are some tips to stay hydrated for kids:

Drink water throughout the day, even more if you are going to be very active.
Avoid sugary or caffeine laden drinks as these don’t help and actually may dehydrate you more
Take time in the shade when you need to.

Speaking of water, I really like Nestlé® Pure Life®. #Pure wisdom should be shared with others! Visit the Nestlé® Pure Life® Facebook wall and leave a comment with the hashtag #momswisdom sharing what your mother told you and how it has made you a better person.

Nestlé® Pure Life’s® Facebook page is powered by almost 400,000 fans! Last year, over 100,000 fans joined the Nestlé® Pure Life® Hydration Movement by pledging to swap one sugary beverage a day with water for a year to cut 50,000 calories from their diet, and then share their family’s story of healthy hydration on the Facebook page mosaic.

Become a fan of Nestlé® Pure Life® on Facebook and stay tuned for the launch of this year’s Hydration Movement in late July! Nestlé® Pure Life® will continue to focus on healthy hydration, while also embracing Mom’s Wisdom – sharing and discovering all of the little things that moms have shared over the generations that make our lives better. And one thing all moms can agree on is that it’s important to keep the family healthy, hydrated and happy.

This year, Nestlé® Pure Life® is asking fans to take a simple online pledge to drink more water. They can also enter a sweepstakes for a chance to win prizes and share their own wisdom through the Facebook mosaic.

For Today’s Discussion:

What is one piece of wisdom about healthy lifestyle that you share with your kids?

Filed Under: Family, Health Tagged With: Family, food, health, Kids

Homemade Liquid Laundry Soap Concentrate

June 25, 2024 By Christine 8 Comments

One of my most popular posts here on Saved By Grace has been my tutorial on how to make powdered laundry detergent. I promised a while back that I would follow up with a liquid laundry soap version and I finally was able to do it.

This recipe is for the concentrated version of liquid laundry soap. There are many recipes out there for liquid laundry soap, but most of them are not concentrates. I made this one because I don’t have room for a large tub in my home as I do not even have a washer and dryer set and must utilize the laundry mat. Besides, who wants to haul a huge tub with them every time they need to do laundry at the Mat?

I love the concentrate because you use less of it. Only 1/4 of a cup per load.

The savings? Just like with the powdered version, its just pennies per load. I made this for less than $1.00 and it will give me about 40 loads.

You will need the following to make liquid laundry soap concentrate:

1/2 cup Washing soda
1/2 cup Borax
10 cups of Water
1/4 bar Zote soap

All of these, besides the water obviously can be found in the laundry department. A word about Zote: I prefer it over Fels Naptha for this recipe because it melts better and faster and does not separate after it cools.

1. Start by simmering 6 cups of water in a pot.

2. Using a grater, grate a 1/4 of a bar of Zote soap.

3. Add the Zote to the simmering water and give it a stir until it melts.

4. Add the washing soda and borax and mix until dissolved. Remove from heat.

5. Add 4 cups hot water to your container. I use a 2.5 quart bottle from a bulk container of hand soap. It works great because this recipe fits perfectly and it has a pour spout.

6. Pour the Zote mixture into the container with water.

7. Allow to sit overnight, until cool. Use 1/4 cup per load.

Please note, you may not get a lot of sudsing with this and that is fine. It is still doing it’s job! Also, don’t worry if it looks strange the next day, just give it a shake or stir and it will be fine. Since this is a concentrate, I recommend adding it to the water before you put the clothes in so it can “melt”.

Do you plan on making this or the powdered version and giving it a try?

Filed Under: Crafts & DIY, DIY Cleaners, Frugal Living, Homekeeping Tagged With: Cleaning, DIY, Frugal living, Homemaking

Neater Feeder

June 22, 2024 By Christine 4 Comments

It is a problem faced by almost every pet owner out there: messy eaters! The Neater Feeder is out there to solve that problem for pet owners!

The Neater Feeder is a two part system that makes dealing with spilled food and water all over your floor a thing of the past. Like traditional pet food bowl holders, it looks nice and makes the food and water easier to reach for your pet. However, unlike traditional pet bowl holders, the Neater Feeder keeps the food and mess contained.

The Neater Feeder is named as such because it really does create a neater feeding system. The system contains two parts:’ the section for the bowls with an area that has a drain and a tray underneath that to catch what drains into it. It also features high sides so food does not go all over when fido or fluffy chows down.

Check out this awesome video of it in action:

Pros:

I absolutely am in love with the Neater Feeder! Not only is it stylish and chic, it really solved one of my biggest pet peeves (no pun intended!) with my messy cat. I no longer have to be driven nuts by food on the floor nor do I have to get angry when my clumsy self or daughter accidentally kicks the water bowl and water goes everywhere. We have been using the Neater Feeder in our home for a little over a month now and I have not had to sweep up one piece of food or clean up water off the floor. That is absolutely amazing!

Cons:

The only con that I found was my cat likes to drink a lot of water, so the bowl provided was not really sufficient in size for the water he wants. The site does offer larger bowls for sale, but I do find them to be a bit pricey.

Verdict:

This is the messy pet solution you have been waiting for! Not only does it come in the size I got (cat/small dog), but it comes in sizes all the way up to HUGE . The Neater Feeder also has add-ons such as leg extenders so you can get the system at a more agreeable and comfortable level for your pet.

To Purchase:

The Neater Feeder is just $19.95 for the cat size and goes up to $39.95 for the larger sizes. You can buy on the website or through retailers.

Win it!

The folks at Neater Feeder have generously offered to allow one reader of Saved By Grace a chance to win a Neater Feeder system in the color and size of the winner’s choice! To enter to win, please use the rafflecopter below. Open to US residents who are 18+. Please make sure you read my updated COMMENT POLICY and my giveaway policies. Ends 6/30.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Filed Under: Homelife, Product Reviews Tagged With: Cleaning, pets, Product Reviews

Double Duty Household Items

June 18, 2024 By Christine 2 Comments

Plastic wrap, paper clips, cotton balls, toothbrushes..we all have these in our home. But other than the use we usually use them for, they seem to only serve one purpose. Until now! Let me show you my favorite ways to use these common household products!

: sun dazed / Foter.com / CC BY-SA

Cotton Balls:

What you usually use them for: Cleaning your nails from nail polish, applying makeup and using in first aid.

New Use: Slip one into a rubber glove to protect your gloves from getting snagged on your nails, doing fine detail cleaning in hard to read areas and even for play with kids with crafts or games.

: Nicole Lee / Foter.com / CC BY-NC-SA

Plastic Wrap:

What you usually use it for: Keeping foods fresh in the fridge.

New Use: Wrap your utensils in it when moving to keep them clean and together, make your rake or hoe have a tighter grip by wrapping a few layers around the handle and store a paint roller or paint brush overnight without having to rinse.

: ccharmon / Foter.com / CC BY-ND

Paper Clips:

What you usually use them for: Keeping papers together.

New use: Use as a book mark in a magazine, replace a lost zipper pull and clean under your nails after gardening.

: Orofacial / Health Photos / CC BY-SA

Tooth Brushes:

What you usually use them for: Keeping those teeth pearly white.

New Use: Detail cleaning on grout, a mini paintbrush for small chipped areas of furniture and to polish your jewelry.

What household products do you use in unique ways? Do you use any of the above products in other ways I did not mention? Tell me in the comments!

Filed Under: Frugal Living, Homekeeping Tagged With: Cleaning, Frugal living

Diva-licious Inspiration from Miracle Gro’s “The Gro Project”!

June 13, 2024 By Christine 1 Comment

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Miracle-Gro. All opinions are 100% mine.

A couple weeks ago, I did a post on Miracle-Gro ‘s The Gro Project. I showed you how easy it is to make a terrarium, for indoor gardening. Since I live in Montana and gardening outside can only happen this time of year, I am going to show you another project you can do indoors (and transfer outdoors later if you desire!)

I will be making a succulent garden in a pair of old high heels! I admit, I never really learned how to even walk in high heels without killing my ankles, so these heels I am using for this project are over 10 years old and have never been worn, just shuffled around on my shoe rack. If you like all your heels, I suggest hitting up a thrift store and finding a cheap pair for this project.

To make this Diva Succulent Garden, you will need:

A pair of high heels
2 Plastic food storage bags
Scissors
Moisture Control Potting Mix
Succulents of your choice

To start, place the plastic food storage bag into each heel. Cut to size. You will be using these as liners. You may skip this step if you want, but since I have open toed heels, I decided this would make it neater.

Add Moisture Control Potting mix from Miracle-Gro to the heel-pot. Don’t fill all the way as you will need room for your plants.

Gently position your plants into the heels any way you like. With scissors, trim away the plastic liner to make it fit better. Tuck it in.

Done! You may also add Shake’n Feed All Purpose Plant Food to give your succulents an extra boost!

This is just one project I have made up after finding inspiration through Miracle Gro’s The Gro Project. There are a ton of fun garden projects to do on the Miracle-Gro Pinterest Page as well!

Find your inspiration with The Gro Project!

Filed Under: Green Living, Homelife

Sun Safety for the Whole Family

June 2, 2024 By Christine Leave a Comment

Can I just say, I am so excited for summer?!

I was just reflecting the other day on what a vacation meant to me in my early 20′s when I was unmarried and what it means now. While I miss my wild and fun younger years, I am also satisfied with what I do for recreation now. No matter what your age, summer recreation often means lots of time spent outside in the sun and that means proper sun safety.

Although I am a prime candidate to look after my skin in the sun, being a redhead and very fair skinned, sun protection is important to everyone, no matter what their skin is like.

Not only is skin safety important, but there are more dangers by spending time in the sun such as dehydration to be aware of.

To avoid dehydration, it is important to do the following:

Drink water! You can loose as much as a liter of water every hour you are outside in hot weather doing physical activity. It doesn’t have to be anything fancy, but make sure to drink water before you feel thirsty during rigorous outdoor activity.
Avoid caffeine and alcoholic drinks. These can actually dehydrate you further.
Take Vitamin C supplements. They help your body more evenly distribute liquids.
Don’t stay in the hot sun without taking a break in the shade once ion a while.
Watch for signs of dehydration such as fatigue, loss of appetite, red skin, feeling dizzy and dark colored urine.

: Boudewijn Berends / Beach Photos / CC BY

For proper sun safety, you must not only use sunscreen, but use it in conjunction with other protections such as:

Proper clothing. When not at the pool or lake, make sure you cover your skin. This may seen crazy in the hot weather, but it is vital to keeping your skin protected.
Wear a hat that can protect your ears, eyes and neck.
Use sunscreen that is 15 SPF or higher with both UVB and UVA protection. apply liberally and often, even if it says “waterproof”.
Wear sunglasses. You can actually cause serious issues with your sight by not protecting them from the sun.

Sun protection is important for the whole family. As moms, we often make sure our kids get covered, but not ourselves. Be diligent in making sure you are covered as well!

Filed Under: Family, Health Tagged With: Family, health, Kids