Thrifty Cleaning Ideas

I'm a clean freak. And nearly anyone who knows me knows that. And I'm fully aware that I overdo it. I like to use more laundry detergent than necessary just to guarantee that my laundry has that fresh, clean smell. When I decide it's a day to vacuum, I will vacuum all areas multiple times that day.

So, I came across some thrifty household cleaning ideas that I decided to try. Because, I'm all about saving money and I'm all about finding more ways to keep on cleaning. Some were hits and some were total busts.

1.  Mattress Cleaner - Combine a fragrant essential oil with baking soda and sprinkle on your mattress and let sit, then vacuum it all up.

I was really happy that I found this handy house-cleaning tip. I tried this one when I was cleaning the guest room after having some guests stay overnight. I stripped the bed and while the sheets, duvet cover, mattress cover and comforter all got washed, I sprinkled the baking soda mix and let it sit. Then, I vacuumed it all up right before making the bed and it smelled delightful.

2.  Microwave Cleaner - Microwave a bowl of water and vanilla on high for 5 minutes, then wipe down your microwave.

This one was actually a surprise that it did work. After microwaving the mixture, I was already prepared to just resort to my Clorox wipes. But, I gritted my teeth and attempted a wipe with a paper towel. And everything just came off so easily.

3.  Iron Cleaner - While your iron is on low, wipe down the soleplate of the iron with a dryer sheet.

This one didn't really seem to work for me. None of my gunk came off.

4.  Dishwasher Cleaner - Put a packet of lemonade Kool-Aid in an empty dishwasher and run a cycle to remove stains and lime deposits.

I think this one worked? Since, I love to overclean, I did this one despite the fact that my dishwasher isn't that dirty. So, I can't totally confirm its effectiveness.

5.  Bathroom Cleaner - Use halves of grapefruit and salt as a bathroom surface cleaner.

This was a total bust for me. They say it's supposed to be better than Scrubbing Bubbles, which is my best friend, so I had to try it. And it didn't seem to cut through any of the grime on the shower floor. I also was nervous that the pulp was going to mess up the pipes.

So, those were my attempts at being thrifty. Do you have any go-to thrifty techniques for cleaning your house?

Sprucing up the Scenery

I've been getting dying to spruce the house up. Ever since we finished filling up the house with furniture, I'm pretty sure nothing has changed in that year and a half...and it's getting a little boring to look at, not gonna to lie. But, before you judge me, I do work from home, so I have to keep things visually stimulating. Or I die. My scene's not the most exciting. So, Jason sweetly allowed me to redo our bedding. Which can add up super fast, since I'm a duvet girl. So, once you purchase the duvet and all the numerous individual shams, it turns into hundreds of dollars, not to mention we have a king-size bed. However, those 20% off your entire purchase coupons from Bed Bath & Beyond come in handy! I love my Pottery Barn, but now with a man in the house, I figured we should pick something less floral. And when he was in his bachelor phase he had always wanted black bedding. So, we picked something gray, with a touch of feminine. I love it and it definitely gives the room a different feel, a more modern feel. I added in the yellow throw pillows for a splash of color and hopefully I'll find something to put on the wall over the bed to give it a bit more color.

My next project was to do a version of this project from Pinterest. They're maps of special places in a couple's life.  So, my mom with her scrapbooking skills helped me one day while I was in Edmond and we came up with this! I didn't really have any idea of where to put them, but once I got home, they found a spot in my office by the doorway. And it's helped liven up the office. So, it was a fun project. We did, where Jason was born, where I was born, and where we met/live.

Source: everythingfab.com via Jaclyn on Pinterest

                   

Now, I'm chomping at the bit to get all the Christmas decorations out and decorate the living room, because that should hold me over till next year for doing anything crazy to the living room, dining or kitchen. But not till after Thanksgiving!

Expanding My Horizons

So, my new hobby is Pinterest.

It's addictive and so easy to get caught up in all the really cool ideas for clothing ensembles, recipes, photography ideas, home decorations and so much more. It's basically a bunch of virtual pinboards where you can bookmark pictures from websites of things that you like. You can also view what everyone else is pinning and get ideas from them too. To be honest, I'm pretty sure I've only pinned a handful of things straight from websites. I spend so much time just pinning other peoples' pins. Regardless, it's a lot of fun and a great way get inspiration for just about anything. If you haven't had the opportunity to become addicted to this website. Please allow me to indulge you with an invite.

OK, so now that the unofficial plug has been done, let me say that I took on my very first DIY project!! I've never been dying to do DIY projects because let's face it, I have expensive taste and a very critical eye. So, I never thought I would like anything done by my very uncreative hands and mind. But, Pinterest challenged me to take some on. So, here was my challenge. A necklace holder.

Source: flickr.com via Jaclyn on Pinterest

I have started to rebuild my accessories collection as it had dwindled to practically nothing over the past five years and was beginning to grow again with lots of long necklaces. My tiny jewelry box can only hold my simple silver necklaces well, so all my other pieces were getting thrown into a box to keep them hidden and out of the way. But then, because they're hiding I fail to actually use them. So, I thought this framed necklace holder would be a great way to prettily display the necklaces that I have while keeping them in easy reach!

The image I was trying to copy was a frame backed with plywood and the cabinet pulls screwed in. But, considering this was my first DIY attempt, I figured I would cheat. So, I bought a framed cork board from Target for $12 and 5 cabinet pulls from Lowe's all ranging from $2-$4, slapped them on there, commissioned my sweet husband to hang it up for me and called it good. And I love it!!

And I'm totally aware that this is probably like the absolute easiest DIY project ever. I mean I didn't paint, sand, Modge Podge, hot glue, or sew anything, but this was an inspirational baby step for me! And let's not get too crazy, because this girl still loves her expensive, ridiculously-priced home accessories and decor, but maybe there will be ways I can continue to save some money in the future and challenge myself to expand my horizons. Until next time, I'll see you on Pinterest!! :)