A Little Elbow Grease Can Save a Lot Of Money

By making your own things, up cycling or repurposing used containers, and cooking from scratch; a family can really save a pretty penny. I buy what i need in bulk put it together and store it as best I can in the space I have. An added bonus is that bread or cookie mixes, spice combinations, pasta and dry ingredients, etc. placed in pretty containers (even up cycled containers) make great gifts.
Here then are a few things I either up cycled or repurposed recently
1. An old face cleanser pump bottle: I took the label off using baby oil to clean away the sticky residue and filled it with my dish soap. It sits on my sink ready to dispense the right amount of soap and is much more pleasing to the eye than a big bulky gallon bottle.
2. old candle jar: I've done this one several times before and it's always a success. I take a jar cantle that no longer has a wick or is out of wax, and set it in a sauce pan filled with water about half way to the top of the jar, then I heat it until the wax becomes liquid. I pour the wax on to a paper plate or into a smaller jar (a wick can be added to create another smaller candle), wipe the rest of the wax away with a paper towel, and wash with dish soap. these jars make great candy dishes, pencil holders, hair tie holders, or you can even set small flowers and colored rocks or water in them to decorate a room or office.
3. Toilet paper rolls: Once the toilet paper has been removed completely, I do 1 of 3 things, I have the kids color them and write their name and year or date on them, then they select a few paintings or other papers to keep, we roll them up and slide them in the roll for safe storage. I slip hair ties around the outside and place a brush in the middle to keep my or my daughter's hair items organized. Last but not least; I cut the roll in to several 1inch rings, decorate them and use them as napkin rings for a special event such as a theme birthday party.
4. clothing: There are a large number of options for clothing. Here are just a few. Cut linen or T-shirts with pinking sheers (this prevents fraying) in to squares and add solution to make wipes (i.e. Cleaning wipes, baby wipes, hand and face wipes) these can be washed and reused over and over again. Jeans make great purses, coin purses, or even water bottle cases. Use a pillow case to make an apron or dress for your little ones. The possibilities are truly endless.
5. Cereal boxes: If you cut a cereal box from the top diagonally leaving 2inches from the bottom, cover it with either fabric or paper, and add embellishments; you have a place to store homework papers, books, or office documents to be attended to on your desk. Use smaller boxes such as gelatin boxes for things like paper clips, macaroni boxes for envelopes, or a square shaped box for pencils and scissors. YOu can leave them as individual holders or tape them together to create an all-in-one organizer. empty food cans make great organizers as well, just remember to place a strip of thick tape over the opening to cover any sharp edges. A tuna can for small items, soup cans make great pencil holders, and papers can fit in a large coffee can; don't forget to tape or paper the bottom as well so as not to scratch a desk or other surface.
These are just some of many different things you can do to upcycle or repurpose the "would be garbage" in our houses. But there is another often over looked benefit to these projects. I have to say that elbow grease makes
a great confidence booster. If you teach your babies to do things like cook, sew, and even household tasks; they will take pride in having worked to accomplish these things, and that skill will be something they take with them when they inevitably leave the nest. And these projects are a great way to teach resourcefulness and build great memories as well.
What lessons do you make an extra effort to teach your babies? I'd love to hear from you.
Until next time my friends. God bless and Make it a great day!