I like my home to run efficiently and I also like it to be cozy, comfy, and attractive. Did I mention that I like to do all that on a realistic budget? Combine that all together and you have created a wonderfully comfortable home space for yourself and your family.
Below are some of my favorite dollarwise home products and how we use them ...
If you've struggled to get food into a Ziploc bag, this tool is great. My hubby loves using it! It worked perfectly for bagging cooked rice that will go into the freezer.
Have a chair that's in good condition but is no longer your upholstery taste? Vacuum it, steam clean it and let it dry well, and then slipcover it! It's an economical way to brighten up your furniture.
If you want more dollarwise decorating tips, you can find those here.
If you want to add cottage style to your home, you can find my tips here.
Before our slipcover: Nice, clean, plus I once loved this elegant fabric for a former more formal apartment of ours but I was going for a more "cottage-y" look in my current more casual home, so the pink floral slipcover achieved that.
A hanging zipper jewelry case works great for storing essential oil bottles or Bach Flowers. Great when you travel too as nothing falls out nor rolls around. I cut labels out of heavy card stock and labeled them in large red print with a Sharpie pen which makes the right Bach Flower bottle easy to find in the dark of night if needed. It's also an easy way to check your inventory to see if you are out of a remedy, because the system is so visual. I just tucked the card label in the front of each pocket. It's not attached in any way. I alphabetize my remedies and the cards can easily be moved around as the inventory changes. I use and love Bach Flowers!
Now here's an old trick we used a few years ago in our kitchen. Key hangers don't have to just hold keys! The measuring cups and spoons here are from Pioneer Woman.
Trouble getting a jar to open? Use a piece of this shelf liner cut to size. Wrap it around your jar lid for a great grip! Just run through your dish water in your sink to clean it off and air dry it in your dish drainer on top of your drying dishes. How easy and inexpensive too! It comes in a roll so you can line your drawers or cupboards while you're at it. :)
Large labels work great for labeling bigger bins. Beware though that they are not always removable even if the manufacturer says they are. I have had to just cover a printed label up with another new label as I could not get them off.
Also, I have switched to buying bulk all white inexpensive washcloths to save money in the kitchen as we are clean freaks so we go through many dishcloths and towels. When you buy inexpensive washcloths, they are thin with a lot of nap for easy kitchen counter cleanup. Once they are ratty, I cut the corner off and put them in the rag bin. The corner cut off tells me they are a rag and no longer a dishcloth. I bleach them once in awhile so they stay (somewhat) white. I like non-toxic and fragrance free Charlie's bleach and I find the best price for that usually at Vitacost. The best dollarwise dishtowels in my opinion are flour sack dishtowels like our grandmas used way back in the day. Do my same m.o. for when they need to become rags.
NOTE: If you use Vitacost, be sure to watch for their coupons and promo codes. Wonderful discounts! Sometimes multiple coupon codes etc. Also before you go into the Vitacost website, go through Rakuten and then search Vitacost in there, click to get into Vitacost. Rakuten gives cash back by percentage and sometimes it is quite high. I have earned over $2000 from Rakuten over the years. Just for using their site to shop for what I would already buy anyway. Sometimes by using Rakuten plus Vitacost's coupons and discounts I save 30% or more. That's a lot!
Dollarwise shopping for things to run your home and life will help you avoid this stress. We know because by practicing dollarwise living ourselves, for a long time, we have no debt. Zero. Nada. None. But we don't live a miserable miserly life. We spend carefully on the things we need so we can pay cash for the nice things we want.
Like our secret garden patio.
All of which we paid cash to set up and decorate.
BTW, I don't recommend debting to decorate your home! Use your creativity and some of my tips here instead, and take your time and let it evolve.
Living in a small house, condo, or apartment also helps your money go further.
"People do not understand what a great revenue economy is." --Cicero
If you need help managing your money better, these books are all helpful.
May you have ease and beauty in your home, money in your bank account, and grace in your life.
Kathryn :)
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