Why I set the table every day.

I always wanted to have sit down meals around the table but we got into the habit of eating while sitting on the couch, on the go or wherever.  My husband worked non-traditional hours, I was in school, kids had various schedules which contributed to different meal times for all of us. Not to mention, when my husband worked during meal time hours and wasn't home, it felt like it was 'time off' for me. I'd make simple, snacks more than meals for myself and family.

Not having my husband/dad in the home anymore, we obviously feel the loss. I experienced a new freedom too. I could make decisions for my family, alone. I didn't have to cater to my husband's schedule or preferences.

If I wanted us to start eating around the table, then we were going to start eating around the table. I made this change just this year. My goal is at least 5 meals together, around the table, a week. Which is usually not more than one meal a day.

I started out clearing the table completely. My oldest had been using it as his computer desk. The table was covered with a fresh table cloth. This inspired me to bring out my nice serving pieces that were always hidden away in the cupboard, brought out only for special occasions.

My children are special. Special enough to use the good dishes...everyday. I have one of a kind, vintage dishes that can not be replaced. I unofficially inherited them when my grandma and mother died. They are gorgeous. But what good are they, what appreciation is shown for their beauty if they are hidden away forever?

Accidents happen. Dishes might get broken. That is part of the learning process. learning to be gentle, use manners and not stand ON the table.

The other part to this is the healing of the trauma of not having a husband and father in the home any more. There is no better word, or a softer way of putting it than trauma. Especially if you are raising your children in a Faith based home.

There are scriptures, a standard of living we subscribe to. Dads moving out and no longer wanting to be married to moms, is not one of them. For my children, it really felt like the end of the world. I guess, to them, it truly was.

I want to reassure my children that their life is going to be beautiful, regardless. A beautiful life is not determined by or dependent on anyone else. As long as they continue to follow Christ, their life will continue to be amazing and lovely.

Yes, we all want 'dad' in our lives, but if not, and it's his choice, we can {and will} still live a beautiful life with out him.

We can still have lovely meals, great conversation, and all while using the good dishes.

Even if we are only eating pizza, YES, I still set it out on a glass cake plate. I use what I have. Yep, I've already lost a couple of glass serving pieces. They were lovely. They were vintage.

They weren't humans. They can be replaced. So what? My children can't be replaced. They are *worth* more than the good dishes. I'd rather a beautiful dish break because it had been used and enjoyed, than it fell out of the cupboard, having never been enjoyed.


It was definitely awkward at first. We'd eat the meal and then feel antsy and ready to leave. A few months in, it's become normal. If I had gotten discouraged and given up, we'd never be able to enjoy it like we do now.

It looks a lot more elaborate than it is really. Which is why we sometimes eat pizza, or good old fashioned spaghetti. I light candles at night and sometimes in the afternoon. I believe life is romantic. We aren't disqualified from a romantic, beautiful life because daddy doesn't live here any more.

My children have needed me more than ever before, during this season. They needed a stable adult to give them hope and reassure them of their prosperous future. This is one way I can do that for them. I show my love for them by setting a lovely table. I affirm their individual value by taking the time, putting in the effort to prepare a meal and set a table as beautiful and creatively as I can.

Life is going to be painful at times. It's unavoidable. As parents, I don't think we need to shield our kids from every heartache, but why not soften the blow a bit? Childhood is preciously short. My kids have been forced to grow up  in some ways, prematurely. I don't want them to remember only trauma. I want them to remember at least one small space in their home that was lovely. It's peaceful. In the coldness of the harsh realities that can strike us unexpectedly, there is a beautiful space and time they can look forward too. No matter how busy we are, we can come together, at least once a day and reconnect. It's the least I can do.

If you are interested in creating a beautiful space to enjoy your meals, here are a few tips that make it simpler:

• I leave the table set, every day. After a meal, dishes are washed {usually!} and then set right back out, ready for the next meal. Yes, this DOES make the table pretty much useless for anything else. I don't mind.


• Stack the dishes on the table. Since the table does become useless always being set, I started stacking the dishes on the table sometimes if we might need the space. This is only for the plates and bowls. Cups, wine glasses and silverware are put away since they are easy to get out again.


• I involve my kids in the process. I ask them for suggestions on table settings, meal preferences, creative input on what to include or exclude from the table. We *are* intentionally trying to make it *look* good.


• Ignore the awkwardness if you aren't used to it. It gets better. It gets easier. My kids are now so used to it, if it's not a *family* meal time, they still sit at the table to eat. Sometimes I will use the time to share a scripture verse or prayer for the day from a book. It helps break the ice and set the tone for peace and faith focus.


• Use what you have. I took down serving pieces from the top shelves of my cupboards. I pulled out China pieces that were being neatly displayed on shelves. I have real silverware that doesn't match. I found a whole bag of it, on sale at the thrift store.


• Keep the menu simple. Even hot dogs look fancy when stacked on a cake plate! Water is froo-froo when you toss in lemon slices. 


• Don't limit the meal to dinner. Choose a meal time that works for your family and your schedule. My goal is at least one meal a day and it isn't always dinner.


• Enjoy yourself and relax.

Natural Laundry Freshener

 I stripped my bed today & washed all the linens but that is because I was waking w/ spider bites so I figured they needed a good shaking.

But...I think I FINALLY found a natural laundry freshener that WORKS!

I make my own laundry detergent & at first the laundry REALLY smelled *clean*. No scent, just very fresh. Then my washer broke & I've went through 2 used ones since & they never smelled as *fresh* again...I was tempted to start buying expensive chemical laden detergent again from the store.

I began to put vinegar in the bleach part in the washer for the rinse cycle...it does help dispel odor but doesn't necessarily create a FRESH smell. kwim?

 THEN TODAY: I added 5-10 drops of Tea Tree Oil AND the vinegar & VOILA'!!! Totally FRESH laundry again!

 I can't really stand the smell of TTO - I can verify the laundry does NOT smell like TTO. It just smells clean & fresh!

First camping trip of the summer

ready to set up camp!

camp all set thanX to biggest brother and sister.

We just got back from a short two night excursion to San Gorgonio campground. It is part of the San Bernardino National Forest. It is 24 miles below Big Bear City, a popular recreation and tourist area of the mountains.

We left on Monday afternoon, a little later than expected--okay two hours later than I planned--but it's all good. I am a pretty flexible person and mom so there was no stress about it. We had been to this camp ground before and we didn't have a reservation. They offer first come-first serve site options but what I did not know was that changed the day before we arrived--it switched to reservation only. Which only means reservations take priority. There was virtually NO ONE there! Maybe about 3 other sites were taken so we had our pick of the park. It was great and we had all the privacy we wanted. That is a perk for going during the week instead of during a weekend.

My big camping *splurge* this year...$8 hammock I found at the grocery store!!!

We spent the first afternoon hanging around camp, simply relaxing. I did a little magazine reading, the middles chased lizards and the 3yo--well he basically spent his time getting dirty. His face was covered within 10 minutes of our arrival. Birdy actually helped oldest set up the tents this year. I usually leave it to the Mr. & the boys but the Mr was not with us and Sammy decided he didn't know how to do it. Birdy was very helpful and I'm glad she participated. Those are the types of situations and moments you witness your children literally, grow, right before your eyes. 

We enjoyed night fall around the bonfire, roasting marshmallows and making smores. This campsite has nice, clean restrooms and running showers with hot water. No extra fee to use them either. (some campgrounds charge $.50 for 3 minutes of shower use) This may seem insignificant but if you really think about it--it's NOT! ;-) The showers do turn off in intervals (felt like every minute & a half. lol) but you easily push a button and turn it back on. 

It was colder than we expected during the night time but the day time hours produced gorgeous weather and nice temps. We did not bring nearly enough blankets. I forgot and almost didn't bring a blanket at all. It happens. We also could NOT find our air mattress pump--not good, not good at all. But we survived. You adjust and you learn to make due--even if you do lose some sleep over it. You learn to practice and exhibit more self control and patience than usual. These are good virtues to practice regularly. ;-)

The first night was actually Sammy's 12th birthday. Birdy was the one who said she wanted to go camping for her birthday but our plan did not coordinate w/ the Mr's work schedule so we postponed the trip a week.

This year their birthdays have been a little 'off' to say the least.

We didn't stay up very late, just long enough for the stars to come out and show their twinkling beauty.  Little did I know what a long night we'd have ahead of us or I might have stayed awake longer. I was too cold and the reality of sleeping in a tent, on hard ground with out an air mattress is exactly what you'd imagine it to be!

Being with your family, in nature, is ALWAYS worth smiling about though. No complaints about that. 

Yes! I run AND camp in a skirt.

I started running again a few days ago with a new goal of 1 mile every day for a year. Yes, even while camping, I stuck to my new goal.


The next day our plan was to head to Big Bear and check out the Discover Nature Center they have. Unfortunately, it is closed on Tuesdays and Wednesdays...the days we were there. That was a bummer but we still had a nice afternoon.

We stopped at this little scenic park/picnic area. We were able to get a beautiful view of the lake and walk around a bit before heading to "Big Bear Village".

I've spent a few mini-vacations in Big Bear so I was able to show the KtBunch a couple sentimental locations that are still there. Some have been there nearly 20 years (or more--I visited them the first time almost 20 yrs ago)--the place has NOT changed much, obviously.

chronological order.
I love how the boys are all sitting the exact same way!

The weather was warm but  not too uncomfortable.

I took a picture in front of this SAME clock post, nearly 20 years ago!
A lot has changed in my life since then--primarily these 4 beauties. 

We stopped at a candy shop and got a triple chocolate caramel apple. Oh! It was so delicious. Sam preferred a nice scoop of cookie dough ice cream in a sugar cone. It was a nice treat to end the afternoon with. We headed back to the camp site to take a hike. There is a trail connected to the site. I think we hiked about 2 miles round trip.

The views were lovely. We could see the mountains and the whole valley below. Simply lovely.

I think we'd all agree the very best part of the trip was on our way home. At the base of the mountain we stopped at this picnic area. It has steps and a trail to lead to a creek (is that was it is exactly? I don't know). We had to cross over water a few times. There are rocks of mini-rapids that create pools. Clear, cool pools of water. It was exactly what we needed and a great way to end our trip. The Ktbunch's entire attitude changed. I'm sure I saw Kurtis grow a little right before my eyes. It's amazing how that works. All whiny-ness stopped, he became more sure and self confident of himself as he crossed natural rock bridges, jumped in water up to his waist. It was sweet to watch.

A funny thing: initially I wasn't even going to get IN the water but I accidentally got the toe of my tennis shoe wet. The ktbunch had ditched their shoes immediately & were barefoot...WHY was I not going in the water myself? I have no idea. But I remembered, I'm the adventurous mom, wife and person and if I don't step into the water, I was going to regret it later, for sure. 

I was glad I quickly remembered WHO I was. The water was not even cold. It was cool and refreshing and beautiful and amazing.

Don't ever be afraid to step into the water and GET YOUR FEET WET!

Then it was time to head home...

I have the BEST kids ever!!!

Fresh Priorities

New Year's is such a special time. Everyone feels like it's an opportunity to start fresh. Reflect and reevaluate our lives. What worked? What didn't? What can we change, improve, let go, add more of etc. blah, Blah, BLAH!!!

Here are some great links to check out that I think are fabulous! It's truly about priorities and creating a life that will have an impact, right?

The reason I've specifically chosen the links below is because they are the type of plans and guides that can basically be picked up and started right where you are, regardless of the day or date. No need to play catch-up or think you can't start if it isn't exactly Jan 1st. You can start at ANY time.

What are you waiting for? Get started! :-)

First, I think prayer is the number one life changing act we can participate in, on a daily basis. As wives, it is our responsibility and privilege to lift up our husbands in prayer *daily*.  Here is a free printable prayer guide I absolutely LOVE. You pray each day of the month and then repeat the next month. If you like to write and keep logs you might enjoy this free printable prayer journal that goes along nicely with praying for your Mr.

Children are not forgotten. As mothers, the same obligation applies. And really, what mother DOESN'T call to God each day? Sick kids, explosive diapers or vomit, rainy-stuck-in-the-house-for-3-days anyone?

Here is a free printable prayer calendar of virtues to pray each day for your children. This one is just slightly different and basically the same but I wanted to give you the option.

I print out these calendar pages and store them in my One Year Bible. I LOVE my OYB. Seriously! It makes reading through the Bible so easy. Just start where you are and keep going. Next year, just start over. Personally, having grown up in church, I found it took a good year just to get everyone else's opinions and sermons out of my head while reading. It was so worth it though. Even if you don't have a OYB you can still follow the reading plan. Guess what? There's a free One Year Bible printable schedule for that too!

Of course, decluttering your soul will probably lead to a desire to declutter your life. So here's a link for that too.

This is a great link. A FREE calendar with tasks to do each and every day of the year to keep you DECLUTTERED and on track to enjoying the space you call home. It's absolutely FREE!
A decluttered environment allows creativity to flow freely, thinking to be clear, peace and tranquility.

Hahahaha! Of course NOT! For some reason my mind thinks staying fit is NO fun & lots of boring hard work. However, staying ACTIVE always sounds like fun. I try to avoid *exercise* as much as possible in this life. Honest. But I DO love riding my bike, a lot. I love the outdoors, hiking and {wistful sigh} I even used to love running. I'm not making any promises...but I am determined to be a better pet owner and walk my dogs regularly this year. So far so good!

If you do want to start running, and trust me, you won't regret it, this is the best beginner plan. Really. Hey! No pressure though.

While we're at it....why not create your very own customizable Owl themed calendar? Use card stock to print each months page. Then use a large file clip to hold them together. Flip the ends of the clip upwards to use as a hook to hang on a nail. Easy peasy!

You are beautiful. You are going to have a fabulous year, I just know it! Don't be afraid any longer. You can do this. Relax and CREATE something beautiful. 

First event of the season

We attended this event last year and I made a mental note to attend this year. I love this historical site, Rancho Los Cerritos. It is decorated in the Victorian era. During the Christmas season, they decorate and host a festive event complete with pinata, hand crafts, live music and of course, Santa! They request a donation of $3 per person or $10 for a family of four or more. That's US!





It's worth it because the children (or parents?) can make lots of hand-made and old fashioned ornaments and cards. Volunteers also host a table with hot cider (or was it wassail?) and cookies. It's a lovely way to spend an afternoon and welcome the season.

The home itself is lovely and the scent of pine strong, as natural decorations are used around the house. Garlands of small seashells that would have been collected from time at the beach, pine boughs on every candle lit sconce, wreaths of pine and berries sit on side tables and hang from doors.

Oldest enjoyed listening to the live music the most. There were volunteers in each room of the house, telling how life was in Victorian times.

I met a lovely woman outside when I complimented her scarf. She told me she was visiting another country (I wish I could remember which one) when a woman fell in front of her. She rode with her in the ambulance to the hospital. She said the people wee so surprised that she did that & they gifted her with the scarf.

The afternoon cooled down quickly, encouraging us to return home. Before we left though, I got this shot of Kurtis with a very nice Santa. We don't really promote Santa but he is recognized as a classic icon of the season. (I hate that I even feel the need to explain myself.)

He's wearing footwear. It looks like he's bare foot--he's wearing flip flops.

Kids Staycation

Even in rough economies, summer fun doesn't have to be expensive or elaborate. A pup tent & a back yard is all you need for a night of memory making.

My brother invited us over to "Camp Lopez" on Sunday night. We had a bonfire (notice a trend w/ us & fires? lol) and roasted our standard bonfire fare: hot dogs & marshmallows! We set up the accommodations: aka tents. My middles, my brother, his wife & their 2 boys all 'camped out' over night. 

We cheered on a race between my oldest & uncle & auntie to see who could set up their tent the fastest.  The kids ran around, K had a grand time shouting "Look! Look!" every 10 minutes, to be sure we all could see him climb on the tire swing himself & get it moving. We snacked on fresh fruit topped with plain yogurt and granola.  Once we started the bonfire, the roasting foods started. My sister-in-love also invited her nieces which was a nice surprise for Birdy since she is usually the only girl between her cousins and brothers.

Once it got dark, we even caught glimpses of nearby city fireworks shows. The Mr. & I went home to our own comfortable beds while the middles stayed up late giggling the night away. The next day the 'cool' uncle & auntie took the whole crew to the park for some major tree climbing and bike riding.

We all already owned tents so that didn't cost us any extra. I also had the giant marshmallows left over from the last bonfire but my sil provided more s'more making supplies & the hot dog dinner fixings & wood for the fire. Over all, the costs were pretty low for a priceless night of back yard adventures.

FUN with water ideas for Summer!

Sure you can go buy water guns from Target, super soakers are NOT cheap though. OR you can save your dish soap bottles! Seriously, they work great as 'water shooters'. They are also the perfect size for small hands to grip & squeeze. It's simple: save your empty dish soap bottle, rinse well, remove the label (optional), fill w/ water, make sure the cap/spout is on, then SQUEEZE! You'll get a great stream of water AND save some plastic from the land fill.

To save water & your sanity when kids are running in & out to refill the bottles, just place a bucket of water outside for *refills*. 

OF COURSE, it goes w/o saying to use extra supervision w/ little ones around bucket of water: they tend to be top heavy & can flip into a bucket in an instant.

As an alternative to 'water bombs', you know those round, cloth balls or football shapes, sold by the water toys? Well, you can purchase giant sized sponges at any $.99 cents store or Dollar Tree and have the kids toss those around. These also make great replacements for water balloons.  Water balloons leave a bunch of tiny bits of rubber/latex all over your lawn--not fun & not good for your lawn or birds that might pick them up. Forget the mess and toss a soaking wet sponge back and forth instead! This way you also have a product you can reuse around the house when everyone is done 'playing'. Again, keep a bucket of water *outside* for instant 'refills'.

If you're feeling really crafty you can sew a nifty cloth cover over your sponge, like the brand name 'water bombs' have...OR....check out these super crafty & adorable 'wet water sponges' (aka: DIY water bombs).

Aren't these the cutest water toys you've ever seen? Don't you want to run out *right now* & buy some fresh sponges to make these? ME TOO!

One last tip for outside fun with water...a friend said she sends her kidlets outside w/ a small bucket of water & paint brushes to 'paint' the sidewalk. Great! Call it secret, invisible spy art, when it dries & you're set!

Scrub-a-dub-dub

Yesterday, my friend Megan & I hosted a soap & detergent making workshop. We all had so much fun. making new friends, meeting new women, chit-chatting & of course, learning a money saving new skill. She instructed us in how to make our own bar soap & I showed everyone how to make powdered laundry detergent.

We ran out of lye (apparently we use all our mental energy being creative & have none left for basic math skills--go figure) so the two of us weren't able to make our own soap.  I knew I had some lye @ home and couldn't wait to try out the basic recipe.

A quick google research resulted in lots of various methods and recipes.  I decided to stick w/ the basic recipe Megan taught us and added oatmeal, cinnamon, nutmeg and bit of sweet almond oil. Sounds yummy doesn't it? If it wasn't for the LYE--it would be edible. haha. Instead of using plain water, I boiled a cinnamon stick in it first, (just lightly) to test if it would altar the color and scent. It did make it a bit more tan tinted but the true color won't be fully known for a few days at least.

Who knew it was SO simple? and SO inexpensive? Proctor & Gamble has been making a KILLING off our ignorance! sheesh.

The picture above is the soap freshly poured into a disposable pan just because I didn't have anything else to pour it into. For some reason *my* mixture wasn't thickening like everyone else's was yesterday.  Therefore, when I tried to pour it into a cute, flower shaped bread pan mold--it seeped through the end cap--FAIL!...ugh. So I had to put my double batch into this flat pan instead. I think if I hadn't been experimenting w/ my own concoction--it would have thickened nice and quick and held in the flower mold. You can see the oatmeal grains and spices--this makes the bar an exfoliate.

Yesterday we had a few scented oils and fresh herbs to work with. The rosemary smells so good and I was tempted to go with that today but I also wanted to use oatmeal...so next time. You can't really smell anything with this batch but I'll let you know when it is all cured and ready to use. It is safe to touch within 24 hours--so I will cut it tomorrow. Then you let it sit to 'cure' for about 3 weeks, which is letting it dry out more.

I found so many different recipes online. Instead of plain water you can use various teas to create green tea soap, for example. Or the new trend is to have caffeinated soaps to invigorate the skin which can be accomplished using black tea. You can also tinker with various 'fats', which are the oils you use to create a soap that is more moisturizing or vegan. Pretty cool huh?

Oh and of course it is very inexpensive! I mean super cheap.  Yesterday's batch created about 56 bars--depending how they will be cut--for about $20! That is comparable to Ivory soap which is around $4 for about 10 bars.  The big difference is that this soap uses no animal fats and is a higher end type of soap that normally sells for around $4 *per bar*! So for the price of the *cheap* soap you get the *good stuff*. And these home made bars make FABULOUS gifts!!!

I'll let you know how my oatmeal experiment turns out...so far it just smells really oat-y!

DIY Deodorant

All you need are two simple ingredients to create your own deodorant for super cheap! Tea Tree Oil (found @ Walgreens) and Baking soda--found anywhere else (local grocery store should be the cheapest place).  Really that's it.

 

Otherwise this is the recipe:

1/2 cup of baking soda

3 drops of TTO

Mix with spoon. 

Voila'!

 

How do you use it you wonder? Because you are so used to store bought, white solid bars of chemicals and crazy additives that are suspected cancer irritants? (there isn't any real evidence linking deodorant use to cancer but there have been studies linking the use of deodorants & antiperspirants to increased risk of Alzheimers)You simply dip your fingers in the powder and apply to your underarms. If you prefer something more traditional but still safe, you can add the coconut oil until it is a paste and even put it into your old, empty deodorant container. Store it in the fridge to remain in a solid form.  You can also add various essential oils to fragrance it like lemon or orange or lavender, whatever you prefer.  That does raise the cost factor a bit but what is cost when you smell good, right?

Why does it work?

Well, we all know baking soda absorbs odors right? That is why one of the most commonly recommended uses for it is to stick it in the fridge to absorb odors and help prevent freezer burn flavored food. (or you could just keep your fridge clean) The TTO is naturally antibacterial. Odor is caused by bacteria under the arms.  Sweating doesn't produce odor on it's own, if your body is clean and you sweat, you don't smell bad, you just smell like sweat. After awhile though, bacteria forms and *that* is what begins to cause what is commonly referred to as 'body odor'.

If you are not used to going au naturel', it might take a week or so for your body chemistry to adjust and get used to working the way it's supposed to. Which means sweating like your supposed to and not because you've been telling your body not to sweat, no matter what you are doing, when you wipe on that artificial chemical laden deodorant. Truly.

The TTO is not particularly cheap when you first purchase it. But it has tons of uses and is well worth the initial investment cost. For this 'recipe' you only use but a few drops.  Most other uses of it are only a few drops at a time as well.

A small box of baking soda can be purchased for around $.60 on average.

The total cost for this is less than a dollar and pennies per use. I don't think it can get any cheaper than that. I tried using baking soda alone, it was ok but the addition of TTO knocks any *hint* of odor right out!

I've been using this 'recipe' for a few months now and it works fabulous! No odors--trust me I checked. ;-)

Oh and btw: you can brush your teeth with this too. If you are so inclined. 

 

   

DIY laundry detergent

I, like most people these days, am always looking for ways to save money.  It's one thing to cut costs down to the basic and most bare essentials but can you cut more? Actually, yes you can. For example something as essential as laundry detergent. I already purchase the cheapest brand for our area, Arm & Hammer Laundry Detergent.  I have seen the cost rise dramatically over the past year though. Even though I use less than the recommended amount--with no ill effects, I knew there had to be a cheaper way.

I have heard of making your own laundry detergent but didn't make time to do it. I finally found the ingredients and went online last night for the exact recipe. Most online sites for DIY detergent instruct you how to make the liquid kind. It gets rave reviews but I prefer the powdered and with a toddler in the house, I can store the powdered kind much safer than a huge bucket of gelatinous liquid detergent.

Whoa! I should have done this YEARS ago! It was RIDICULOUSLY easy to do. Who knew!?!

I looked online for the price of powdered Arm & Hammer detergent--I couldn't remember what I paid last I bought it, myself.

120 loads: $28.93 = $.25 per load  (this looks high to me--I think it's cheaper in the store-my local Target)

The liquid (from Walmart) is 35 loads: $4.97 = $.14 per load.

TIDE powdered detergent (from Walmart) is 120 loads: $17.97 = $.14 per load

14 cents doesn't sound too bad, right?

I purchased a BOX of washing soda & calculated the price per oz.  I was then able to figure out the cost of how much I actually used in this first batch.  Same thing with the Borax and the bar of soap.

Ivory brand bar soap is the cheapest where we are and what I usually purchase. At Walmart you can get a 10 pack for $3.76. Each batch uses 1 bar = $.37

I used a bar of Dr. Bonner's Castile soap it was much pricier but I've heard great things about it & it smelled wonderful. It also created about 1.5 cups of grated soap. So I made 1.5 'batches' detergent.

 Recipe I used:

1 bar of Dr. Bonner's Castile soap: $4.49

1.5 cups washing soda: $.87

1.5 cups borax: $.48

TOTAL: $5.84 = 96 loads = $.06 PER LOAD!

& that was w/ the EXPENSIVE castile soap!

If you used IVORY it would be $1.72 = 96 loads = $.01 PER LOAD!

Isn't that RIDICULOUS!?!

Convinced yet?

You can play with the measurements to find what works best for your laundry needs.  There may be variances according to your washer type (like HE for example) or water (hard or soft).

Here is the BASIC powdered detergent recipe:

1 bar of soap OR 1 cup of grated bar soap

1 cup washing soda (usually it's Arm & Hammer brand NOT baking soda)

1 cup Borax

Grate bar of soap

Mix ingredients together until it is as fine as you can get it or are comfortable with.

Voila!

YES, it's THAT easy!!!

Use 1 tbsp per load. 

Yes just ONE tablespoon is all you need. Possibly 2 if it's heavily soiled laundry.

This recipe should be enough for 32-64 loads of laundry. (I based my calculations on 64 loads & remember I made 1.5 batches worth = 96 loads)

 And I found another detergent/soap free option for those who are more naturally minded. I have no experience w/ these. I calculated their cost per load to be the same: $.01 PER LOAD.

Laundry Ball

You can google if you prefer the liquid, there are lots of instructional sites & blogs.

Also research if you have septic systems. I found contradictory info on whether home made detergent is safe or not. It's YOUR call to make.