Our Attempt at Natural

When Jackson came into the world we knew we wanted to do things as naturally as we could feasibly do. What did we do or change?

-We use cloth diapers. Besides being good for the environment, and saving our son from daily exposure to chemicals in diapers, it also save's us a lot of money.

-We use natural cleaning products. Not store bought natural, but homemade and 100% chemical free. This is another natural thing that has saved us $.

-We have a programmable thermostat. We keep our house at 21 celsius when we are home during the day, and 16 when we are out, it is 17 at night. We keep little man warmer by closing all the vents in the house except in his room. (so his room is warmer than 17 when he sleeps)

-We wash all of our clothes in cold water. Cutting energy costs.

-We use perfume and dye free detergent, better for Jacksons skin, and all those extra additives aren't necessary.

-We use a clothes line in the summer (in the winter i use one inside, but i can't dry 100% of my clothes on it). Using a clothes line can also help preserve the life of your clothes.

-We donate all of our clothes that we no longer wear, instead of throwing them out. If they are in bad condition, we make them into rags.

-I use mineral makeup. It saves me money in the long run, and my skin can't handle the chemicals in most other makeup products.

- We recycle, A LOT. We have three recycling bins, and usually have one half full bag of garbage a week.

-We have a compost bin. I haven't used the "dirt" that is in the bottom of it yet, but we do keep adding to it.

-We TRY and eat more healthfully and naturally. I stopped using sweetener, and margarine. I drink 80% less diet pepsi than i used to, as does Marcus. We make our own salad dressing, and try and eat more seasonal vegetables. (we definitely still treat ourselves on the weekend, and Sunday is ice cream night!) We generally don't keep things like, chips, cakes, cookies etc in the house.

-We use a shower timer, at least i do. (ahem)

Who knows what difference we are really making. My goal is to try. We do our best to set a good example for the J man. Hopefully we are making at least a small dent in our ecological foot print.

What do you do to try and live more naturally, or be ecologically conscious?

Cleaning The Natural Way

When i had a baby i knew i wanted to cut down the chemicals used in our home as much as possible, what i didn't realize was how easy it would be!


Some of the things i use (that can be found in your home) :

White vinegar. It is mildly acidic and disinfecting. It removes calcium deposits and is a potent grease and stain remover.  It can be used to clean almost anything. We use this in the bathroom; to clean the sink, toilet and bathtub. In the kitchen; to clean the sink, stove top, counter top, appliances and floors.Once dry the vinegar smell disappears.

Baking soda can be used in place of commercial abrasive cleaners. It is also a fantastic deodorizer. We use this to scrub hard to clean surfaces.

Castile soap. This is a soap usually made of olive oil, but can also contain coconut, hemp and avocado oils. It is 100% natural and gentle, with no foaming additives, which damage waterways. We add this to our all purpose cleaner, it is an excellent grease cutter.

Essential oils. Lavender, tea tree and lemon. Tea tree and lavender essential oils are natural anti-bacterial and anti-fungal agents. Lemon essential oil is a natural antiseptic and astringent, killing many types of bacteria. We use essential oils in almost all applications.

I can honestly say that all natural cleaners do as good of a job as chemicals. The added bonus, i never have to worry that my son will accidentally ingest something that is dangerous (as far as cleaning products go) They are also A LOT cheaper!

All purpose cleaner:

1 part vinegar 

3 parts water. 

Scent the mixture with a couple of drops of essential oils. (Tea tree oil is a great disinfectant.)

Tub and Tile Cleaner: 

Combine 2 cups of baking soda with enough water to make a smooth thick paste. Apply the paste to the tub or tile and let sit for 20-30 minutes. Rinse off with a soft rag moving in a circular motion. Once the paste is off spray the tub or tile with a 50/50-vinegar/water rinse. The rinse will remove any residue and disinfect the area as well.

I hope this may help other to switch to all natural cleaners, it is a great way to be "green"