Old Clothes

Yesterday I had a little time on my hands and decided to go through some old clothes.  I took some to a consignment shop to sell and made $68.  I sold them at a place called Plato's Closet. I don't know if they're nationwide or not, but they pay a pretty good amount for clothes.  

Next, I separated some into a pile to give to Goodwill.  Then I had some shirts that were really stained, ripped, etc.  I didn't really want to give those to Goodwill because they were incredible hideous and I don't think they would even keep them.  But, I didn't want to throw them away either. So, being my cheap self I decided to make little rags with them.  I have been trying to reduce the amount of paper towel I use, but I don't like to dirty my nice dish clothes. Cutting up these yucky clothes were a good solution.  

I made three sizes.  Big ones for the hubby when he washes the car, does yard work, etc.  Middle size ones for larger clean ups and little ones for wiping the counter and other kitchen things. Now, I know you are wondering to yourself if I use them in the bathroom too. Ummm...maybe for the occasional light counter cleaning, but this girl will NOT be using these on the toilet.  I'm simply not green enough for all that.  The idea of washing anything with toilet rags makes me a little icky.  And I don't think it's worth wasting a load of laundry to wash them alone.  I'd might as well use paper towel with all the water I'd be wasting.  

So here they are:

Have a great day!!

In Honor of Earth Day

To honor Earth Day I thought I would post a few tips for becoming more "green" as well as some interesting things I've found about being green in general.  Some of these things are really shocking and it's amazing how a little change can make such a big difference.

1.  Wash clothes in cold water.  Up to 85% of the energy used in machine washing clothes goes towards heating the water.

2.  Line dry clothes to reduce drying costs.  Obviously though that just isn't going to happen for most people.  These dryer balls are said to reduce drying time by 25%. 

3.  If every household in the United States replaced one regular lightbulb with one of those new compact fluorescent bulbs, the pollution reduction would be equivalent to removing one million cars from the road.

4.  Recycled glass reduces related air pollution by 20% and related water pollution by 50%. If glass isn't recycled it can take a million years to decompose.

5.  Register with the Direct Marketing Association's Mail Preference Service here and you'll see a significant reduction in mail after three months.  I did this about 6 months ago and you really do see a huge decrease in the amount of junk  mail you get.

6.  Consider joining a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) program in your area to support local farmers.  You can go here to check out where they are in your area.  This is one of my goals for the summer!

7.  Look into making your own cleaning supplies using things like vinegar, baking soda, or lemon.  You can check out my post on the many uses for lemons here.

8.  Use reusable grocery bags.  Check out this site here to see why it makes such a difference.

9.  Unplug appliances that aren't used all the time.  By doing this you could save 5-10% on your monthly electric bill.

10.  Last but definitely not least, sneak in a shower with your loved one to start the day. Not only have you made a wise choice for the environment, but you may notice some other added...um...benefits.

Have a great day!!

Lemon Love

In my recent issue of Martha Stewart Living I found some interesting things that you can do with lemons.  I love lemons and usually buy too many and I thought some of these tips were great for two of my favorite things--living green and saving money!  There were other things you could do, but honestly, I don't have much copper or lace hanging around my house, and I didn't want to bore you.

Air Freshener: Simmer a half dozen lemon slices and a handful of cloves in a pan of water. Especially good for removing food odors.

Linen Whitener: Fill a large pot with water, and a few lemon slices, and bring to a boil. Turn of heat, add linens, and let soak for up to an hour. Remove, and launder as usual.

Household Cleanser: Mix half a cup of baking soda with enough liquid dish soap to make a paste.  Spread over half a lemon, and use it to scrub basins, bathtubs, and stainless steel sinks.

Stain Remover:  To remove berry, coffee, and tea stains from clothing, soak soiled areas in lemon juice for about an hour.  If some of the stain remains, dampen the area, make a paste of equal parts baking soda and water, and scrub gently.

Dishwasher Detoxer: Place half a lemon in top rack of dishwasher, and run it with dishes to freshen the appliance.  

Or you could screw all of the above and just do this:

Have a great day!!!