Homemade Laundry Detergent

Today, I made our first batch of homemade laundry detergent. I know it may sound strange to some of you, but I honestly don't care. Laundry detergent is expensive, and we are trying to save every little bit that we can. With Robby cutting back to part-time work in the Fall, we have to live frugally.

The cost savings are unbelievable. The initial ingredients only cost around $10, and everything but the soap (which is only about $1.50) will last for several batches. The cost comes out to around a penny a load! The recipe makes 10 gallons (yes, you read that correctly)! I don't think we'll ever run out.

Anyway, for those of you who have asked about it, the first load just came out of the dryer, and I would say it was a success. The clothes smell and look clean, and are very soft. All in all, I'd say it worked better than the store-bought stuff! Also, I've heard it's good for people with sensitive skin. My husband is one of those, so we'll see if it helps with that, too.

If you're concerned about the amount of time and effort it takes to make the detergent, don't be. It took me a total of about 45 minutes (most of that was spent stirring the water and waiting for the soap to melt).

Here's what you'll need:

• Borax
• Arm & Hammer Super Washing Soda
• Fels-Naptha Soap Bar
• Essential Oil Drops for Fragrance (Optional...I didn't use it for this batch)
• 5-gallon bucket with lid

You can find all but the bucket at your local grocery store in the laundry aisle. I got my bucket from Lowe's for around $2, but Wal-Mart & Home Depot should have them, too.

Here's what you need to do:

1)  Grate the Fels-Naptha soap bar. I used a cheese grater, but I've also heard you can use a food processor.

2) Put in a pot with 4 cups of hot water. Stir constantly over medium-low heat until all of the soap has melted. There shouldn't be any flakes at all (this is the most time-consuming part). It will be slightly foamy.

3) Fill the 5-gallon bucket halfway with hot water and add the soap mixture.

4) Add 1 cup of Arm & Hammer Washing Soda and 1/2 cup of Borax and stir.

5) Fill the rest of the bucket with hot water until full.

6) Cover and let sit overnight to thicken. I would suggest stirring it a few times periodically while it's thickening so it doesn't get too clumpy.

7) When you open the lid the next day, it should have thickened and gelled slightly. Stir. It will be clumpy, so don't worry about that. Just stir it until you've gotten it into small chunks (this is why I suggested in Step 6 to stir occasionally while it's sitting).

8) Fill an empty laundry detergent container or milk jug (or any other container you wish to use) halfway with the soap mixture. Then add water until it is full.

9) Shake well until all the lumps are gone.

This is just 1/8 of what the batch made!

 To use:

• Be sure to shake the jug to mix up the detergent before each use, as it will thicken and gel.
• For a top loading machine, use 1/2 cup of detergent; for a front loading machine, use 1/4 cup
• I've heard some people say their whites did not come out as bright. I would use Oxyclean or bleach if that happens.

Hope this helps! I know we will be saving a ton of money by doing this!

Until my next DIY project...

A New Endeavor

For a reason I have yet to find out, I woke up in a sad state of mind this morning. I don't know if I'm just overly exhausted from my busy life, or if it was just one of those days that we females tend to have occasionally. You know the ones - when we're sad/irritable/upset for no known reason. All I have to say is, our poor husbands who have to be there for the unexpected mood swings. Luckily for mine, he was downstairs when I felt this dark cloud come on.

I've been contemplating taking up running for the last few weeks. It started with a particularly stressful week. When I had finally reached the end of my rope, I felt this sudden urge to put some tennis shoes on and just run out all of my frustrations (it passed before I got home). You see, I absolutely HATE running. I could do Pilates or Yoga all day long, and can manage to do strength training if I'm forced to. But running? I'd rather die. I've always loathed it, from the time we did the mile runs in P.E. The very few times I've started it as an adult, I've quickly reverted to "fast-paced walking," convincing myself that the results would be the same. I never stuck with that, either. But for some reason, the thought kept creeping back into my mind. The more I thought about it, the more it seemed like something that would be really good for me. It would be a way for me to channel all of my negative energy from the stress of life, it would hopefully help to lower my cholesterol (which is borderline high), and I could take Toby with me and help get some of HIS energy out.

Today, I surrendered. I owe it in large part to my mom, who was enthusiastic about it from the beginning. She knows how much I despise running (and she does, too), so I knew if SHE was encouraging me to do it, then I probably should.

Because I'm likely (left to my own devices) to alternate between running for 5 seconds and walking for 2 minutes, I found an app on my phone for the Couch to 5k program. Now, I'm not saying I want to run a 5k or anything. But the app is really helpful because it tells you when to run/walk and for how long. That's for those cheaters like me, who really shouldn't be allowed to answer to themselves. It also helps by starting you out slow and gradually escalates so you can get to your desired level. Still, I was pretty sure I would get tired and cheat by walking most of the time.

So, what's the verdict? I DID stick to the app, and didn't cheat once. It was tough, and while I was doing it I was wondering why. When I got home, I was exhausted. But after about 5 minutes, I felt GREAT. I came back with a cleared mind and a new attitude. I think this just might work. And who knows, maybe one day I will run a 5k.

Over-Commercialized or Romantic?

Today is Valentine's Day. It's one of my favorite holidays because, well, I'll just admit it - I'm a hopeless romantic. I love the fact that my husband and I have been together since I was 15, and that he was the first and only guy I ever truly loved. We have so much history together, and it's amazing to see where life has taken us.

It could also be because it is the anniversary of our engagement. Yes, he proposed on Valentine's Day, and yes, it was perfect. It was a day I will never forget. For the sake of being real, I'll say that marriage has not always been the fantasy I naively thought it would be the day I said "yes." I had concocted this completely unrealistic idea of what being married was like, based on the "happily ever after" we see in fairy tales and Hollywood. But you know what they say: "Love is blind."

While not always the blissful fantasy of my imagination, marriage has exceeded some of my wildest expectations. I have learned more than I ever thought possible over the last 4 years. I love Robby more now than I thought I was capable of, and more than I ever have. I have learned to love and respect my husband unconditionally. I have learned that the "bad" experiences we endure together make us stronger, and behind those difficult circumstances, there is so much love, and that's what pulls us through.

There are plenty of people out there who truly dislike Valentine's Day and all that it entails. I think the majority of those people are the ones who don't have someone to share it with. And honestly, I'd probably hate it if I were them, too. But there are plenty of people who do have someone and think it is overrated and just a way for companies like Hallmark to make a buck. Do I think Valentine's Day is an over-commercialized holiday for companies to make millions on poor saps like me? Yes. But I think it's also a wonderful opportunity to share love with others and to let them know how important they are to us. Why not join in on the fun and embrace it?