Merger

I merged all my old posts from this blog into my main one. Eventually I'll get around to logging into the account I have this under so I can delete it but I will keep it around for now.

Thanks!

Por Neglected Blog

I haven't been writing here much. I have been having problems with shopping again, kind of going against my desire for simplicity. I found this video on YouTube and it's both hilarious and sad at the same time. It's called Big Box Mart and is about how cheap junk for China has a hidden cost. The part where he is hypnotized in the aisle sounds like me, lol!



I need to get on the decluttering boat again soon. Right now I'm on the "trying to keep up with things" ship. The kids have way too much stuff and I need to go through the next phase of decluttering.

Homemade Laundry Soap Tutorial

I have been meaning to write more lately but I'm so busy with other blogs.

BTW, right now is a great time to buy local! I've had two flats of local strawberries this week and they're sooo good!

Laundry soap is so very, very simple and fast to make. It saves a ton of money too. Borax and Arm and Hammer Washing Soda are both around $5 a box and you need a cup for each recipe. You also need a bar of soap, which can be from pennies to how ever much a person would want to spend on specialty soap. The best part about this is you can customize this to your preferences and tastes. If you are allergic to soap, simply don't add. I often use it without soap and it works fine.

This is highly concentrated so you also only need 1-2 tablespoons per load of laundry. Yes, it really works well with that small amount! It's also low sudsing so don't expect tons of bubbles. Oh and it rinses out really well.

In today's tutorial, I am making a double batch and I am using ivory lavender scented soap, mmmmm! Some people like to make it into a gel to ensure that it's dissolved but I like powdered since it's less messy, takes less space and I find that this dissolves fine without extra help.

Supplies: Washing soda, borax and bars of soap.

Grate the soap into a large container (I use an ice cream bucket)

Add 1 cup of borax

Add 1 cup of washing soda

Mix together well. I find mixing with my bare hands works best. Shaylee likes to help (with supervision of course)

Finished product


Up close macro shot of laundry soap goodness!

Food Crisis

This article is pretty scary! Is the time coming that we won't be able to afford to feed ourselves??

And people wonder why I'm stocking up on food like a mad woman!! I hope it never gets to the point we are 9 meals away from anarchy here, but it is becoming a real possibility!

Update

Gee, I haven't been writing much. I certainly go through spurts.

I do have great news.... The basement is almost done!! Whoo!!! The floor is clean, all the junk is gone and everything else is on shelves. We need to get the BBQ out and I have a few totes of garbage to sort (I should be glad it doesn't all end up in the landfill, but it can be a pain to go through when you're getting rid of stuff).

Best part is I know I can go through and get rid of even MORE stuff!! I am loving being able to ruthlessly declutter. I have also been doing a better job of keeping the house clean. On a scale of 1 to 10 (1 being disaster and 10 being perfect), I have gone from about a 3 to a 7. Amazing!!! There is more to be done but Babysteps, babysteps. I am working on it every day.

I need to clear some more space for food storage. I joke to DH that I get rid of so much stuff and turn around and buy food in it's place. Well, we need to eat and it sounds like prices are going to skyrocket (many already have). So we will greatly appreciate having plenty to eat in times of trouble.

I love being able to give stuff away. It's such a great feeling. It's kind of funny as MIL sometimes buys items I have donated and will ask if it's something that used to be ours. Yeah, which is why it's there and not here!

This coming week I will be working on our bedroom. I need to help DH learn where things go. I need to reteach the kids that toys do not belong in my sleeping area. I have been doing a good job with my stuff; it's everyone else's that is causing problems! It will come. I think we are all loving living in a cleaner environment.

Great Stuff!

No, not mine (although I do have a personal attachment to it ;) ) but this one: http://lentilsandrice.blogspot.com. Excellent! I highly recommend reading about her simple life, her stretchy bean and/or lentil meals and their quest for sustainable living. They are so much further along their way than we are, but we are all in different places. I appreciate reading about others journeys so I can learn more.

This post in particular struck a cord since I am hard core into cleaning and decluttering right now. That and the Wii are the main reasons I haven't been posting much (yes, we did break down and buy it. I have to honestly say I don't regret it a bit!!). We're having DS's birthday party on Tuesday and I want the house in order by then. I can do it! I can see the finish line! The entire upstairs for once is entirely CLEAN! Whoooo!!!! I am making great progress downstairs. I think if I had some kid free time, I could get it done in a couple of hours. They just tend to take things out when I am in the middle of doing things. After it's all done, it's just a matter of maintenance, which I am going to work very hard on. I am also putting off the basement until the rest of the house is done but all I need is a couple of days and a couple of energy drinks to get that in order ;)

Oh, we got a piano! I don't even have to feel a bit of guilt over it. It was left in an abandoned community center building and a friend rescued and repaired it about 20 years ago. They no longer need it and they let us have it! That mother is heavy, lol! It's about a hundred years old, the days before compact pianos, so it weighs a ton. It left deep marks in the kitchen floor...eeps! Our kitchen floor is in dire need of replacing after we move, as is our living room carpet. I would love to see hard wood floors, but I doubt it with public housing. We take what we get :)

Well, so much to do and not enough energy at the moment. I've been cleaning since about 6:30am and I'm starting to drag. But I know if I work, I can get everything I want done today and I can spend tomorrow with a scrub brush.

Try Explaining It!!

OK, At church I am responsible for holding a monthly activity for the women. I have been wanting to have a Story of Stuff night all year and finally presented it to the person who is responsible for approving these things. Of course the way she was staring at me made me feel like a blubbering idiot. She had a blank look in her eye and basically said that no one would want to come. That the whole idea made her feel blah. I also wanted to talk about simple things we can do to help the environment and maybe make or hand out reusable bags. Pah! Well apparantly that wouldn't be very interesting either.

So many things I've wanted to do have been shot down. Now I finally have something I am passionate about and no one would care. Oh well. Lets make silly cards and write love notes instead.

Grrrrrr......