I just received my August (2019) Simply Earth Essential Oil Recipe Box and wanted to reveal the goodies inside! As a member of their Squad ambassador team Simply Earth sent me the box for free AND they have provided me with a coupon code for you! If you use coupon code BACKTOCALLEYFREE you’ll get a bonus $40 gift certificate when you subscribe to their monthly subscription box. To learn more: http://bit.ly/2XfM77e (referral link) I'm learning more and more about Essential Oils and how to safely use them thanks to their fun subscription box and website. They even have a FREE ebook; Essential Oils for Beginners, that is packed full of useful information, dilution guides, and tips for using essential oils with children and pets. It's such a great resource. Want to see what's in the August Essential Oil Recipe Box by Simply Earth?? Inside the August Recipe Box you'll find: -Clear Skin Essential Oils Blend-Frankincense Essential Oils-Rosemary Essential Oils-Clove ... [ Read More ]
Are you Green Enough? {Book Review & Tips}
Hint: There is no wrong answer here! You ARE enough and we can all make changes in our lives to be a little more green. About a week ago I received a book from a friend and fellow blogger, Leah Segedie. The book, Green Enough, will be available on Amazon starting March 20th. You can preorder it now! To shop my Amazon Affiliate Link: http://amzn.to/2HOCmAG Green Enough is available in hardcover and on Kindle. ...before you start rolling your eyes, I need to confess something. I am NOT the super "eco chic" that many of my followers once considered me to be. Way back in the days when I first started this blog it went by a different name, The Eco Chic. A few years ago I was struggling with identifying with that title any longer because I felt like I was more than just someone who wanted to write about eco-friendly living. I also realized that there was so much more to being a green influencer/blogger than recycling, cloth diapers and menstrual cups. Several years ago, the ... [ Read More ]
10 Ways Housekeepers Clean Better Than You
Do you enjoy cleaning your home? I mean REALLY enjoy it?? I personally find that it's the very last thing that I do each week and usually only if we're expecting guests. As a mom who works full-time I find that my energy level after work is minimal. To be honest, since I work from the home, work never really ends some days. Pro Housekeepers of Tampa reached out to me a few weeks ago and offered to send a cleaning crew to my house, how could I possibly say no to that?? I've used housekeepers 2-3 times in the past 20 years and each time I wonder why I don't make the leap and sign up for regular cleanings. I'm always so relieved when they leave and my house is always WAY cleaner than I would ever get it. The kids and I will pick up throughout the week, but we usually save the deep cleaning for the weekends. ...and by "deep cleaning" I mean I may vacuum, mop, and clean the bathroom sink. The really deep cleaning is saved for before company visits. Want to try Pro Housekeepers of ... [ Read More ]
Bathroom Life Hacks with a Green Twist
A few weeks ago I was contacted by the local news channel to help out with a segment on life hacks. The second part of the series was Life Hacks for Cleaning the Bathroom. I do not enjoy cleaning the bathroom, no one does, but these tips will make this daunting task a little easier. Watch this video on WFLA News Channel 8: Life Hacks for Mom - Cleaning the Bathroom Tips included in the segment: Use e-cloths (affiliate link) for a chemical-free mirror and glass cleaner. Use vinegar, water, and essential oils for a natural cleaning solution. Use lemon essential oils (or real lemon juice) to remove hard water stains. Use denture cleaning tablets to clean your toilet. Just drop them in the toilet and let them site for 10-15 minutes. Prop the toilet brush between the toilet seat and the bowl and let it drip dry before placing back in the storage container. Use lemon essential oils to deodorize the toilet brush and trash can. To create the DIY spray bottle ... [ Read More ]
Kitchen Life Hacks with a Green Twist
A few weeks ago I was asked by Lindsey Mastis of WFLA News Channel 8 to help with a series on Life Hacks for Mom. It was fun to try a few new hacks in my own kitchen to see how well they worked. For me, cleaning the kitchen is something that needs to be done daily. The deep cleaning tips are only used every few weeks, about 1-2 times a year on the oven cleaning. To see the full segment on WFLA: Life Hacks for Mom - Kitchen Cleaning For the tips shown in the video: DIY oven cleaner: Mix baking soda, water, and vinegar. Dab onto oven grime. Turn oven to 212 degrees Fahrenheit (100 Celsius) and bake for 45 minutes. Wipe clean. (Source: http://bit.ly/1Px0KcN) DIY Kitchen Cleaning Solution: Mix one part vinegar with four parts water and add a few drops of lemon essential oils. Put it in a spray bottle. To create the DIY spray bottle shown in the video I used a mason jar and a reCAP Mason Jar Sprayer attachment (affiliate link). Olive oil for shiny stainless sinks! Rub ... [ Read More ]
Baked Spaghetti Bowls #ClassicoMakeItYourOwn
This post contains affiliate links. Are you bored with your "go-to" spaghetti night? Our family relies on spaghetti a few times a month and I'll be the first to admit that it's rather boring most nights. Tonight I reDEFINED our dinner to make it fun with CLASSICO® spaghetti sauce and a few simple ingredients. You'll need spaghetti noodles, ground beef, onion,CLASSICO® spaghetti sauce, taco bowls, and shredded cheese. Brown your beef with some chopped onion while you are boiling your pasta noodles. This only takes about 5-10 minutes depending on how many hands have decided to help me in the kitchen that night. Tonight my six year old decided she wanted to help mommy cook. I love how excited she gets when she's in the kitchen with me. Once your noodles and ground beef are ready, you'll want to place your taco bowls on a baking sheet. Fill each bowl with drained noodles and top with ground beef,CLASSICO® spaghetti sauce, and shredded cheese. This is seriously one of ... [ Read More ]
Angelic DIY Liquid Laundry Detergent
I've always wanted to try to make my own laundry detergent but I really wanted something simple. I had read that you can use the Earth Mama Angel Baby Shampoo & Body Wash by itself as a laundry detergent, but I really wanted something with a little more....ooomph! After reading several different versions of recipes consisting of castille soap, I decided to try my hand cooking up a batch myself. It was really simple and only took me about 15-20 minutes from start to finish. Supplies needed: 1 cup HOT water, 1/2 cup Borax, 1/2 cup Washing Soda, and 1 cup Angel Baby Shampoo & Body Wash (Castille Soap) Directions: Boil 2 cups of water (or bring it to almost boiling, you want it to be really hot). In a bowl or jar, dissolve Borax and Washing Soda in 1 cup of really hot water. You don't want any powder left in your mixture. Allow to cool. Once cool, slowly add 1 cup of Angel Baby Shampoo & Body Wash. Gently stir the mixture but do not shake or you'll ... [ Read More ]
Paying Homage to My Dirty Home
The bottoms of our feet are dingy. There are dust bunnies under my bed. There is soap scum in the shower. There is pet hair on the sofa. Clutter and me? We're BFFs! ...and I'm OK with that! Before you cross me off your "must visit" list let me clarify a few things. I work a LOT, I have 2 kids, I have a cat AND a dog, and I also have one of those husband things. I'm sure if you follow me on Instagram you know we don't stay around home much; karate, gymnastics, baseball, tball, etc. When do normal people find the time to clean their homes? They can't ALL have maids can they? Can I tell you something else? I hate cleaning supplies! My husband and I disagree on the types of supplies we need in the house. I would rather use the "all natural" cleaning supplies and he has a hidden arsenal of bleach ridden poisons. I have asthma and using his stash of poison sends me grabbing my inhaler, so I let him clean the bathrooms! It's his "job" to do the tubs, toilets, and ... [ Read More ]
Green Cleaning Tip: Shiny Stainless Sink
Green Cleaning Tip: How to get your sink to shiny naturally. The first thing you want to do is clean your sink. I just use hot soapy water, but for a really deep clean I'll follow up with a vinegar rinse to sanitize. Once your sink is clean, you'll want to dry it well. The trick to getting that new shine on stainless steel is olive oil! Using a dry rag, rub a thin coat of olive oil on all of the surfaces of your sink. Your sink will sparkle like the first day it was installed! To keep the shine, take the family out for dinner! ... [ Read More ]
5 Tips for Greening Your Kitchen
How "green" is your kitchen? Do you still have a roll of paper towels sitting on the counter? How eco-friendly are those cleaning products? Transitioning your kitchen to be more eco-friendly is actually one of the easiest places you can "green" in your home. 5 Tips for Greening Your Kitchen People Towels - these organic cotton clothes are a great alternative for paper towels. They are small enough to clean up small messes but thirsty enough to soak up toddler spills. They come in cute prints and can even be used as napkins. My daughter loves the "Wise Owl" print from the Protect Earth set. SKOY Cloths - another paper towel alternative, SKOY are more absorbent like sponges. They are made from natural cotton and cellulose pulp and can be used over and over again. When soiled they can be tossed in the washing machine or dishwasher to clean. Once they are too soiled to clean they will biodegrade in about 5 weeks in a functioning compost bin. Natural Cleaners ... [ Read More ]