DIY Fabric Softener in 5 minutes

One of my favorite things about this softener is getting to choose the scent! I don't know about you, but I love the smell of clean laundry! What I don't love: paying buckoo bucks for the scent. This fabric softener is very cheap and easy to make and a little bit goes a long ways!

What you need:
2 cups Hair Conditioner (cheapest you can find in a scent you love! I use Sauve and V05)
3 cups White Vinegar
6 cups Hot Water
Several Drops of Essential Oils (this is optional, sometimes I add it, last time I didn't)
Large Mixing Bowl
Whisk
Measuring Cup
Bottles to hold the Fabric Softner (I re-used some old detergent bottles)

Whisk hot water and conditioner together in bowl until fully incorporated.

Add in vinegar and essential oil (if using). Mix until combined.

Pour mixture into container of choice (I like to re-use an old fabric softener bottle because then I can use the measurement cap).

We add half a capful to each load of laundry.

Super easy and super cheap with a customize-able scent (I love mixing Lavender and Vanilla conditioners together)! What scents would you use?

Easy DIY Super Concentrated Laundry Detergent

We've been making and using our own laundry detergent for about 6 months now. I got sick of paying $8-10 per bottle and was determined to find a cheaper way. The internet is loaded with various recipes, most of which are pretty similar. We started out by making the regular strength detergent. The first gallon was such a success that I made a batch big enough to fill about 5 gallons worth. I made the 5 gallons in September and we just ran out this week (in February). During those 5 months, I stumbled across a few recipes for super concentrated laundry detergent.

The only thing I didn't care for with my old detergent recipe was that it would separate and we would have to shake it up really well before each load. Not to mention, housing 5 gallons of laundry detergent does take up a bit of space. The advantage with the concentrate is that it can be stored in a single quart sized mason jar. Another thing I loved is that both recipes use the same ingredients, so I didn't have to go out and buy something new! I went off of this recipe. As usual, I tweaked the recipe a bit to fit my needs and what I had on hand.  

What you need:

1/2 bar of Fels Naptha Laundry Soap

2/3 cup Super Washing Soda

2/3 cup Borax

3 cups Hot Water (plus a little more for later)

Bowl

Soup Pot

Grater
Wooden Spoon or Wisk
Measuring Cup
Quart Sized Mason Jar
Blender

Heat 3 cups of water to boiling. Meanwhile grate the bar of soap.

Mix the Borax and Washing Soda together in a bowl.

Once the water is boiling, pour in the grated soap and stir till all melted. This will take about 10 minutes.

Take soup pot off the heat and pour in the powder mix. You want to make sure the powder fully incorporates or else the detergent will be grainy. Stir until you don't feel any more grit on the bottom of the pan.

Pour mixture into the mason jar. Fill the jar with warm water till its about an inch or two from the top.

Cap and set upside down on the counter. Let sit for about 4 hours.

After 4 hours, pour into a blender and whip. The consistency should look like mayonnaise. Pour back into the jar and label.

We've been using 2 teaspoons per load (plus our homemade fabric softener) and its been working great!

Check back later this week for our DIY Fabric Softener recipe!

Five "Shirt into a Skirt" Ideas

As I was rummaging through my closet this morning, trying to decide what to wear on this cold day, I ran across a pair of fleece lined leggings. They seemed so cozy and perfect for today's weather. The only problem was, the only skirt I had to wear with them was too big because of all my weight loss this year.

I hopped on Pinterest and searched for "DIY no sew skirt." A ton of pins came up with everything from drawstring skirts to t-shirt skirts. The t-shirt idea seemed easiest and really inspired me. So I went into my closet and started looking through my shirts to see if I could come up with any ideas. I tried on about 8 different shirts and 5 of them looked good!

From experience, let me suggest that if you are a curvy girl, it may be best to slip the shirt over your head and arms instead of trying to step into it... The basics: You just roll up the collar of the shirt around your waste until it is the desired length and then tuck the sleeves into the part that you rolled. Once you put a shirt or cardigan over it, you can't even see the little bit of extra fabric.

My first try was with this tunic shirt. This is the one I've been wearing all day and I'm here to say that it stayed this way without a problem!

My second try was this light weight, sparkly black sweater. I was pleasantly surprised by the results! Because of the stretchy material, it was easy to put on and tuck into the right shape.

Next I decided to try something without sleeves. I found my sweater vest/tank topish thing (I'm actually not sure what it was originally designed for, but I use it to layer over button-ups). I really like the look and it was an added bonus not have to deal with tucking sleeves in anywhere!

 Fourth was a cardigan. I was not sure how I would like it with the buttons going down the front, but I actually don't mind the buttons. If I was going out somewhere, I probably would not pair it was another cardigan on top though. All those buttons look a little funny to me, but with a solid top, I think it would be cute!

Lastly, I grabbed my poncho. I thought the asymmetrical fabric might give a cool look. It's harder to see in this picture because of the black, but I felt cute in the outfit! It was definitely something different from all the other looks, but still very fun.

This was such a fun way for me to invent new looks without having to pay a cent or spend time sewing anything! I'm sure you have some unique things to try in your closet, so I hope you were inspired by this post to have some fun and try on some different looks!