Clean It Up: All Natural Homemade All-Purpose Cleaner

All the organizing and cleaning during the January Cure had me going through my cleaning products like wildfire.  Luckily I make my own all-natural homemade cleaners which are healthy and inexpensive.  I've already shared my recipes for liquid laundry detergent, powdered laundry detergent and lavender room spray.  In addition to those great cleaners, I also use an all-purpose spray to get all my surfaces sparkling clean.  Like all cleaners - you can add essential oils to give your home a fragrant boost.

All-Purpose Cleaner:

• 28 oz spray bottle
• 3 tsp. borax
• 1/2 tsp. liquid castille soap (like Dr. Bronner’s)
  
• hot water

Mix all together in the spray bottle then shake what ya mama gave ya.  This cleaner is safe on all surfaces and works great.  I used it on some tough stains (FYI:  coffee and unsealed grout Do.Not.Mix.)  Not to mention, it smells great!

So are you a loyal commercial brand cleaner or have you dabbled in some homemade versions?  What's your favorite?

A Smaller Home Proves Size Does Matter

I had the pleasure of working for one of the most ground-breaking organizations in terms of green building back in the day.  There was never a moment that went by that I wasn't amazed by the people I worked with and the passion they had for a more sustainable built environment.  Because of that amazing influence, I've always been driven to the "tiny house movement" and the idea that great design is the key and you don't need a large home to live comfortably or happily.

In a time when the U.S. home size averages to roughly 2,000 square feet - which is 4 times the international average - I love seeing the development of these tiny homes which are sustainably built.  They are absolutely beautiful, well designed and are proof that the right design and efficient living makes all the difference.  We try to live under that philosophy - keeping our ownership of "stuff" to a minimum when we can and using our vertical space to take advantage of every inch of space our home has to offer - but for a couple of book lovers, sentimentalists and my fascination with furniture we aren't always successful.

These homes by Tumblweed Tiny House Company range in size from 65 square feet to 874 square feet.  The B-53 and the Whidbey are two of my favorites for the larger sized options.

B-53 - 3 bedroom home with 874 sq. ft.  Estimated cost to build:  $58,000

LEED for Homes Made Easy

Happy St. Patrick's Day!  Now let's talk green.

I spent a few years working in the Green Building movement.  I learned an amazing amount about sustainable design and how harmful home products affect a person's health, but the biggest thing I learned is how uninformed the average person is when it comes to all things green.  Going green typically equals lots of greenbacks in many people's minds, but if you choose the right products you could be putting money BACK in your pocket in the long run.

And it looks like Home Depot and the US Green Building Council knows just that.  They've stepped up and made it a whole lot easier for people to implement sustainable design elements into their homes with their new database, which lists affordable LEED eligible products.

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What is LEED for Homes?

The LEED rating system is the most recognized international standard for green buildings and stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design. LEED for Homes measures green building performance across a range of categories, and products play an important role in achieving certification.

Check out the new tool and read more about LEED for Homes.