Learning to be mindful

Ok, here is the deal. I have started my 3rd year of the Compact. Please check out the Compact blog for all the information there. But in a nutshell, this is a group of people who have decided that we all have enough brand new *stuff* and have made a commitment to try and stop and think before buying. Think whether there may be a better option, is there a way to get by without said item, can it be obtained used, or borrowed, or whatever. Just to stop and think and use your money wisely.

Any of you who know me, know that this it totally opposite of my mindset. This is EXACTLY what my Papa tried to teach us and we laughed. So, who is laughing now?

I have made some major changes in my life in the last 2 years. I am using my pretty cloth napkins and have not bought a paper napkin or paper plate or disposable fork or any of that nonsense since Jan. 2007. This was the easiest change I have made. Easy-peasy. I started making my own non-toxic cleaners. This is also easy and dirt cheap to make. Think about how much $$$ you spend when you drive your shopping cart down that aisle. That is scary. I am making my own laundry soap now. So far things still seem clean and there are no set in stains and horrific odors coming from my clothes. This is also an easy and inexpensive thing to do.

Here is my question: why do we fall for the marketing ploys to sucker us in to buying all this other toxic crap that we don't need and most of us don't want in our houses??

The easy alternative is right there under our noses.

Here is the recipe for the laundry soap:

Fels-Naphtha soap (or any vegetable based soap like castile, Dr. Bronner's bar, or even the great big bars of Mexican laundry soap Zote, or Vel Rosa) Some people even use the small hotel soaps or the left over soap bars that your family won't use any more. Save them up and use them.

Arm & Hammer Super Washing Soda. This is NOT baking soda. This is found in the laundry aisle at the stores next to the Calgon water softener, Biz, Clorox 2, all the laundry booster products.

Borax. This is right next to the Washing Soda.

Grate the soap. For every 1 cup of grated soap add in 1/2 cup of the Washing Soda, and 1/2 cup of the Borax.

that's it. Now, how easy was that?

Use 1 - 2 Tablespoons per load. You can start with 2 and then decrease down to 1 Tbsp. until you notice that your clothes are not as clean. Then you can see you should add a bit more in.

The reason it only takes a small amount is that unlike the Tide and Cheer people, you didn't throw in a whole boatload of fillers. Now, aren't you clever for not putting things you don't need?

Pat yourself on the back and take the money you saved and buy yourself something wonderful. Like chocolate, or shoes, or wine, or a set of cute napkins at Goodwill that someone donated because they never used them.