by Kati Kiefer | Mar 16, 2023 | DIY, DIY Cleaning Supplies
You know I have a big family with lots of kids and cats, and that means I am constantly trying to learn how to deodorize carpet and rugs… fast! Usually right before guests are about to stop by (because being prepared is no fun!). And usually, like the mad momma...
by Kati Kiefer | Mar 15, 2023 | DIY, DIY Cleaning Supplies
Have you seen the prices of ammonia free glass cleaner lately? Wow! It is so expensive. Over $4 for just one bottle! I was astounded the last time I had to purchase a bottle and my gut just sank. Buying my family good quality food is something we really strive for, so...
by Kati Kiefer | Mar 14, 2023 | DIY, DIY Cleaning Supplies
There are several furniture pieces in my home that I love, my leather sofa and my leather office chair. While they are great, they seem to get the most dirt, and I'll admit, coffee spills from me especially on my office chair. We paid the extra money to buy the bottle...
by Kati Kiefer | Mar 12, 2023 | DIY, DIY Cleaning Supplies
They say “judge not, lest you be judged”… so please remember that when you look at my “before” pictures of using my DIY wood furniture cleaner. You see, my name is Kati Kiefer, not Martha Stewart. I do not have a cleaning crew nor a maid....
by Kati Kiefer | Mar 11, 2023 | DIY, DIY Cleaning Supplies
You know that I love to use old jars but I needed to find the best adhesive remover to get those sticky labels off the front. Spaghetti, salsa, and jelly jars are prime examples of jars that I love to save and reuse. After my kids kept breaking the good drinking...
by Kati Kiefer | Mar 10, 2023 | DIY, DIY Cleaning Supplies
It was cleaning day and I ran out. I simply ran out of stainless steel cleaner and polish and I didn't want to run to the store again. I was going to have to make my own homemade stainless steel cleaner and polish if I was going to get my cleaning done. I'm sure you...
by Kati Kiefer | Mar 9, 2023 | DIY, DIY Cleaning Supplies
Does your laminate floor cleaner work well? The floors throughout my entire house look like wood, but they are actually a laminate. I love them because they are so strong. They don't show scratches and they are easy to clean. You know that I am a crazy cat lady and I...
by Kati Kiefer | Mar 7, 2023 | DIY, DIY Cleaning Supplies
I had just peeled a second orange for James to take with him for lunch at work and I was lamenting about throwing the peels away when an idea popped into my head – Why can't I make some kind of vinegar citrus cleaners with these peels? You see, I've been on a...
by Kati Kiefer | Mar 5, 2023 | DIY, DIY Cleaning Supplies
With six people in our house, we were in desperate need of the best toilet bowl cleaner around. Plus we have guests…lots of them. I wondered why the toilets were always in bad shape, but then I counted how many times the toilet is used in just one week. Over one...
by Kati Kiefer | Mar 4, 2023 | DIY, DIY Cleaning Supplies
While it's a fact of life that we all go poo, my toilet time is not something I want to share with the world. But it happens… the smell… no matter how healthy you eat, it's there. The one thing you don't want to happen is for your toilet time smells to...
by Kati Kiefer | Mar 3, 2023 | DIY, DIY Cleaning Supplies
I was in need of the best shower cleaner to keep my shower clean. Desperate need. You see, I kept forgetting to clean it. I know, it's gross and I realize the reason it got so gross because I kept forgetting about it. You know that “out of sight, out of...
by Kati Kiefer | Mar 2, 2023 | DIY, DIY Cleaning Supplies, Reader Favorites
I have been on a quest to make cheaper things for my house and it was on my list to learn how to make Castile soap – the liquid version. Just in case you didn't know, Castile soap is natural and free of toxins! Plus, it's environmentally friendly. Now, who...
by Kati Kiefer | Mar 1, 2023 | Easter
Let me suggest some candy-less things to do on Easter. When did Easter become surrounded by candy? The Easter Bunny is more famously known as the rabbit who delivers all things sweet. However, Easter doesn’t have to bring the same sugar high as Halloween. You can...
by Kati Kiefer | Mar 1, 2023 | DIY, DIY Cleaning Supplies, Reader Favorites
12 hands that need washing several times a day requires some kind of natural soap. I'm a couponer, but I was so tired of trying to find the latest deal on a natural soap. Trying to figure out if I had the coupons or not and how many I could actually buy, even with the...
by Kati Kiefer | Feb 10, 2023 | DIY, Recipes, Trim Healthy Mama, Valentine's Day
Have you ever enjoyed biting into your own creation of DIY Chocolate Covered Strawberries? The hard outer chocolate exterior melds with the sweet juicy strawberry on the inside. It's a little bit of heaven right here on earth! Years ago my Mom and I would take the...
by Kati Kiefer | Feb 8, 2023 | Spend Less, Vacations
It's hard to find cheap spring break trips for families…but I've got the best ideas to get your spring break trip started! Spring break is right around the corner so it's time to break out the bathing suits and sunscreen! And you might be looking to do something...
by Kati Kiefer | Feb 6, 2023 | Spend Less, Vacations
If you are looking at how to save on your spring break vacations, then I've got some tips for you! Spring break is one of the largest travel seasons of the whole year. With students ranging from elementary all the way up to college age off all at one time, competition...
by Kati Kiefer | Dec 17, 2022 | DIY
After making this DIY organic lip balm for my family as a creative (and wildly successful) Christmas Present, I thought it would be fun to share with you how easy and inexpensive it is to make your own Organic Lip Balm (aka chapstick). You can whip up a batch in about...
by Kati Kiefer | Dec 15, 2022 | Christmas
Despite our best planning and intentions, by the time the Christmas season rolls around, our bank account is squeezed just too thin. If you are on a tight budget this holiday season, you can still create an enjoyable and even a magical Christmas season for you and...
by Kati Kiefer | Dec 14, 2022 | Christmas
Is your house holiday celebration central? Our house is too! Everyone always gathers at our house for all the holidays. The holiday season can be a time of unexpected events and expenses, instead of being very merry and bright. They can also leave you and your wallet...
by Kati Kiefer | Dec 14, 2022 | Christmas, DIY
Are you looking for a DIY holiday centerpiece vase project for Christmas? One that also is very cheap to make? You're in the right place! With Christmas right around the corner, we're sure you’re preparing your home with all the Christmas decor, Christmas trees,...
by Kati Kiefer | Dec 13, 2022 | Christmas
Hanukkah and Christmas are two very special holidays. Christmas is my absolute favorite holiday, and I look forward to the holiday season each and every year. Just a few short years ago was the first year I'd ever celebrated Hanukkah with friends who are Jewish. Our...
by Kati Kiefer | Dec 13, 2022 | Christmas, DIY
Are you needing some cool Christmas gifts? It’s getting down to the wire for Christmas shopping, isn’t it?! And I honestly think the closer it gets the less creative my brain gets also! Thankfully for both of us, I wrote this article when I was of sound mind before...
by Kati Kiefer | Dec 12, 2022 | Christmas
Do you have a Christmas Eve dinner? We didn't use to, but our family loves to eat and so our Christmas Eve dinner has become just as fun as our Christmas Day dinner. As the Christmas holiday gets closer, the presents are almost wrapped, the stockings are hung by the...
by Kati Kiefer | Dec 11, 2022 | Christmas
We all would like to have lots of money in the bank, but maybe having a nicely padded Christmas Savings Account would be a great start! This is one of the tips included in my Jump-Start Your Savings Guide (how to add $500 to your bank account in the next 30 days,...
by Kati Kiefer | Dec 11, 2022 | Christmas, DIY
Need some frugal and cheap Christmas ornaments ideas? Here are 5 great ones! The holidays are approaching quickly, and we're already so busy and usually, our budget is running thin too! Getting crafty with these fun & easy DIY Christmas ornaments is one way we force...
by Kati Kiefer | Dec 9, 2022 | Christmas
Do you and your family have fun family traditions for Christmas? In my family, it was reading The Night Before Christmas each Christmas Eve before heading off to bed. We would all sit down on the couch together, while my mom read it to us. As we got older, sometimes...
by Kati Kiefer | Dec 8, 2022 | Christmas
After weeks, and maybe even months, of planning, shopping, baking, wrapping, parties, and holiday prep, it’s finally Christmas Morning. Did you give yourself a smart start to the day? By the time Christmas morning comes around, you may be exhausted and done with the...
by Kati Kiefer | Dec 6, 2022 | Christmas
If you are having trouble finding a great gift for the Jedi in your life, there are plenty of choices for you to pick from this list of the best Star Wars Novelty Gifts around! No matter what your budget, you can make something yourself, or order it online and kick...
by Kati Kiefer | Dec 5, 2022 | Christmas
Are you looking for some good deals after Christmas? Going shopping during the after Christmas sales is a big deal at our house. There are items that you just can't get cheaper any other time of the year. Oh, don't get me wrong, I still shop on Black Friday and Cyber...
