Still Settling In - Downsizing/Repurposing Furniture

We didn't officially move into our new home until the kids were on winter break from the university. It seemed like the most logical decision because of the travel involved, plus it was exciting coming here all at the same time as a family. The kids love our new home, even though it is small. They say they love the cozy feeling plus the area is amazing - an added bonus!

One of my largest issues at this time is the downsizing we need to do. Storage space is almost non-existent, so I'm at that point of deciding what really is important and what can I live without. Not only that, but most of our furniture won't work here, so we are slowly acquiring "new" furniture.

One of the items we won't be using is our old waterbed - sorely outdated and one of the few things I was glad to get rid of. Instead of tossing it all, hubby repurposed it into a nice new bed for us!

Waterbed frame cut, resized and legs added.

Next came the support posts.

Then a nice stable surface to put our new Memory Foam type mattress on - But only after we covered the plywood with something that would protect the mattress.

The finished product.

We still need to add a headboard. I want to make an upholstered headboard (like this one), but am waiting until I find the perfect fabric. I'm thinking of a red and white print or something with red in it.

I have many projects ahead of me - refinishing, repurposing, and making new. I plan to furnish our home as cheaply, yet beautifully as possible! I would love to hear what you have done for your home.

EveryDayWillow Wool Dryer Balls - Favorite of 2011

Going through different stores and websites, I have come across different versions of dryer balls - all claiming that they can soften your clothes and reduce dryer time. I've been skeptical at the very least. Most balls were synthetic and heavy and somewhat pricey (in my opinion), just to put in my dryer, make lots of noise and possibly ruin my clothes and still not make any difference.

When I got the chance to try EveryDayWillow Wool Dryer Balls, I jumped at the chance, because I wanted in the worst way to prove that these things were nothing more than an expensive "gimmick". I just couldn't comprehend HOW a couple balls in the dryer would reduce the drying time of my clothing and not come out all full of static. I was prepared to write a review warning every consumer to save their money.

Well, that's not going to happen. The EveryDayWillow Wool Dryer Balls have blown me away. These very simplistic items ended up being my absolute FAVORITE item that I was able to test and review for 2011!

I received three balls, very well packaged and in a box like the one shown above. They appeared to be very well constructed and in the most gorgeous jewel tones: Spearmint, Dragonberry, and Grape Jelly. They were made of 100% wool and had a somewhat firm feel to them. They came with directions and also a claim that these colored balls would not harm whites. I was skeptical that these beautiful dark jewel tones would not transfer any color to my whites.

The first load that I used the balls with came out full of static. See - I was sure these wouldn't work. I emailed Catherine at The Willow Store and she told me I had over-dried my clothes and to lessen the time next time. I knew that wouldn't work, because we have an OLD dryer (from 1970) that normally won't dry a load of clothes without adding extra time.

The next load, I backed off a bit more and still had static. BUT my clothes were dry the first time through! I continued this experiment and found we were knocking off 20 minutes or more with DRY clothes and NO STATIC!!

Then it was time to try the whites. I was so skeptical that I used with a load of white work rags to make sure  there would be no transfer of color. I had no problem at all. I became braver, and did out white towels and finally our good clothes.

All this took a lot more time than I had expected to do a review for The Willow Store. My turn-around wasn't as fast as I had originally thought. When I found the balls really did cut down on my dryer time, then it was to see how much I was going to save.  The first full month's electric bill was down $20. The second month was down about the same, even with the per kilowatt price increase!!  That's INCREDIBLE!

The balls are holding up nicely. They did seem to get a little firmer and are getting those balls that wool sweaters get, but outside of that, I see nothing that says these guys won't last a long, long time!

A set of three balls like those that I received cost $19.95 (at the time of this review). We are normally a household of two now that the kids are in college, and with the savings we saw, these guys paid for themselves in the first month, just in the electric bill alone. Imagine the savings one could see over the next year in the electric bill alone. Plus no more smelly dryer sheets or liquid fabric softener and less wear and tear on the dryer. With a larger family, one could see an even more substantial savings!

You will need to experiment as I did to find out how much time you can cut off your drying time, as each dryer is different. You will also find different clothes, fabric weights and types of cloth will also require different lengths of time to dry. It is a bit fussy at first, but in just a few loads of laundry, you will be able to determine how long is needed and for what type of clothing. For me, the hardest thing about using these balls is sometimes finding them. I've found them in pockets, sleeves, and pant legs before, but certainly a small inconvenience next to the savings I see on my electric bill!

EveryDayWillow Wool Dryer Balls are most definitely the best product I've used and tested in 2011! Thank you to Catherine at The Willow Store for providing me a set of these to use and honestly review.

Homemade Mixes

Homemade or from scratch foods and mixes can normally be made for a fraction of the cost of the convenience foods you find at the grocery store. Not only are they cheaper, but they are better tasting and you know what ingredients are in them. Look at a cake recipe and you can easily pronounce the ingredients. Now pick up a cake mix. Can you pronounce the ingredients - let alone know exactly what they are?

There are numerous mixes listed on the web, including some of my own favorites. Although there are lots out there, you really don't need to follow a mix recipe to make your own. Pull out your favorite cake recipe. You can mix all the dry ingredients together, put them in a baggie or other air tight container, label it, and put it away for the next time you want to make a cake. Now all you need to do is pull it out, add the wet ingredients, and your finished making a scratch cake with the ease of a mix! You can do the same with pancakes, brownies, etc. Just use your imagination.

Breakfast is usually the most rushed meal during the day, especially on weekdays. According to a report on Good Morning America this morning, store purchased cereals can contain up to 50% it's weight in sugar! It's so easy to make some wonderful homemade granola that you control the sugar and the ingredients to fit your family's needs and preferences. Maybe you like the ease of instant oatmeal. Did you know that you can just put one part quick oats to two parts milk in a bowl and microwave it - and it's done about as quickly as instant. If you like the flavors, add raisins and cinnamon, brown sugar, maple syrup, dried fruits, nuts.... the sky's the limit. Save some time by measuring out and putting a serving in a baggie with the dried fruits,nuts, & flavorings of your choice (no wet ingredients). Make enough for a week, and you'll have the ease of the packets for a fraction of the cost.

Maybe you love pancakes or waffles. On the weekend, you can cook up a batch, cool them, then stack them with a sheet of waxed paper between each one. (pancake, waxed paper, pancake, waxed paper...) then put in a container and freeze. During the week, you can pull out the amount of pancakes (or waffles) you want and just warm them up in the microwave. Waffles can be warmed in the toaster. If you have problems with the pancakes sticking together, put them single layer on a cookie sheet, then freeze for an hour or so, take them out and stack with waxed paper between each one, put in a container and freeze.

Start looking at the recipes you use most. Ask yourself if you can measure out and pack some of the ingredients ahead to save you time. Just by doing this, you'll be buying less convenience foods from the store, and making more from scratch in the same amount of time, with the wonderful taste of homemade. And the best part - you're saving money to use elsewhere!!

Review & Giveaway Info: Bootcamp for Lousy Housekeepers

Bootcamp for Lousy Housekeepers
Author: Heidi Schaap
Publisher: Shepherd's Gate Press
Audience: Adults
Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Synopsis: (from author's storefront)

You're buried under piles of unfolded laundry. You can't set the table because all your dishes are dirty. You need to dust, but every countertop is covered in newspapers and last month's unpaid bills. Every drawer in your home is a junk drawer. Does this sound familiar? Do you want to manage your home better, but just don't know where to start? Bootcamp for Lousy Housekeepers is the book that can help you transform your home from "messed" to "blessed" in a month (or less!) and keep it clean FOR GOOD! Drill Sergeant Heidi Schaap teaches you what to clean, how often to clean it, how to maintain your newly-cleaned home and more!

My Comments:

OK - I'll admit it. I have much better things to do with my life instead of housecleaning... reading, blogging, knitting, gardening.... ummmmm - just about anything that doesn't involve cleaning the house. It isn't so much that I don't like cleaning as much as not knowing how to do it efficiently. My mother took care of all the chores while we were at school, so as far as I knew, the place just always looked the way it did with not much effort. That is, all except for my room.

When I left home and was on my own, there still wasn't a lot of effort with just myself, but after being married and with children and homeschooling, things can quickly get out of hand. Just the papers and books alone can quickly pile up and grow into monsters that take over the house with just a blink of an eye!

I received Heidi's book last month, and told her that to do an honest review of it, I would be using it and putting it to the test. The test results are in....

First, a little about the book's appearance:
The book arrived VERY well wrapped. It was backed with cardboard and was wrapped in strong plastic, and then in a box that had 2 plastic straps holding it closed. It arrived in perfect shape. The book itself is spiral bound, making it a dream to use! It can be left open with no worries of losing a page when you need to be working out of it. The book has many forms designed to be reproduced and the spiral binding makes it so easy to copy those forms.

I won't lie and tell you that the book will be the answer to all your prayers and have your house clean in a snap. Sorry. There's work involved and forms to fill out and schedules to make. I'll admit, when I first saw that there was time to invest before I could start cleaning, I balked at the idea. As a home school mom, the last thing I need to be doing is making out more lists and schedules. Right? WRONG!! Schedules keep me on track, so why wouldn't I be using them in my housekeeping routine as well. Ah, there's the magic word - routine. I didn't have one! No wonder I was having trouble.

I sat down and worked with Heidi's program and although it was a bit time consuming at first, it really was a blessing to me. The book is just jam-packed with information from planning a menu to cleaning to lawn and garden care. The outside care surprised me. I certainly didn't expect to find that listed in a housekeeper's guide!

As I went over the lists and made my own tailored to my needs, I found things that I was neglecting and really didn't think much about doing. I also appreciate that Heidi included an example of how each of the forms were to be filled out. She has also broken jobs down into what needs to be done when - daily, weekly, monthly, seasonally. It makes things not seem so overwhelming when broken down in this manner.

Yes, I could go on and on about this book. It is worth the time to set up the system and work it. After the system is set up, there's not much effort on your part besides following your lists and schedules that are tailored to your needs. This is one book that NEEDS to be in every housekeeper's home, or should I say in every home. I really will work if you put the small amount of effort in it in the beginning. I know my home looks much nicer now!!

Author Giveaway:

Heidi is giving away 2 copies of her book in celebration of Spring. On Saturday, March 20th, she will be picking the winners at random, so hurry and hop on over to her blog and enter today!!

This book was sent to me by the author for an honest review.