Chemical-Free Laundry - Dryer Balls!

A while back I began thinking about how I could reduce the amount of chemicals in my family's life.  It was really overwhelming as it seemed like EVERYTHING had chemicals in it!  I began reading labels more than I already did and was trying to use more natural products.  During that time, my cousin's wife had posted in Facebook about how she uses wool dryer balls in place of typical dryer sheets when doing laundry.  She also noted that she was so glad that her mom had always taught her that a chemical-free lifestyle is best.  That gave me a little direction - wool dryer balls to eliminate the need for typical dryer sheets.  How hard could that be... Until you look on the internet and see a million options!  Ahhh!  More overwhelming feelings.

So at Christmas I asked for wool dryer balls.  (Let someone else figure out which ones to buy!)  And lo and behold, I received some!  A six pack!  Yay!  Now my cousin's wife had also mentioned using Essential Oils to add an all natural scent to your laundry.  That sounded like a great idea!  I remember seeing Essential Oils as some of the natural food stores.  Surely I could pick something up there to scent my new dryer balls.  I added it to my grocery list...  And NEVER bought any!  What scent would I use?  Would I like it?  Overwhelmed again.  But I was using my dryer balls and had eliminated the dryer sheets!  I was making progress.

A friend from high school was using Essential Oils and was posting about them on Facebook and I was reading her posts and was impressed with how well she and her family responded to the use of the oils.  But I still didn't understand what Essential Oils were or why they were so "essential" so I never researched them.  Until one day I decided to reach out to my high school friend, my cousin's wife and my wonderful friend (who gifted me the wool dryer balls) - all who use essential oils!  After a few quick e-mails and a couple nights of research, I was SCRAMBLING to get myself a Young Living Essential Oils Premium Starter Kit!  I was a bit irritated with myself for not researching them sooner!  These essential oils sounded so useful and I wondered why more people were not proclaiming their greatness!  I'm making it a priority to make sure people know what Essential Oils are and how they can use them simply and easily in their lives!

What was the first thing that I did when I received my Premium Starter Kit??? You guessed it!  Added some drops to my wool dryer balls!  I had 11 different and wonderful scents to choose from.  After smelling them all, I decided that for most loads of laundry, I liked to use Purification Essential Oil.  It has a great fresh scent!  Occasionally I'll use Lavender Essential Oil, especially if the load is mostly my children's clothes or blankets.  Lavender has such a nice relaxing scent, just what you need at bedtime.

Here is what I do:
I keep all 6 wool balls in my dryer. (Occasionally one or two get lost in a shirt or sheet until I fold it.)   I'll put 1-2 drops of one type of Essential Oil on 3 of the wool balls.  Then I run the dryer as normal.  Every few loads I'll reapply the oils.  Easy!

Now why did it take me a year or more to get to this point???  Hopefully it won't take you that long!  Just follow my links to my Essential Oils and Monthly Promotions Pages and get started using Young Living Essential Oils right away.  You won't be disappointed!

These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration.  This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

So Now it is Fall...

I'm not sure where you are located, but the weather here today sucked!  I started my day off with only getting a quick nap for my entire night's sleep, to waking up in the dark and rain to get my oldest ready and out the door for school and to top it off my two younger children woke up before they were supposed to!  That meant I would not be going back to bed any time soon...

I needed something to get me going, so I turned to my ever growing arsenal of essential oils!  This is what I concocted for my Rainy Day Pick-Me-Up:

First, I started up the diffuser.  I put in one drop of Clove Essential Oil and one drop of Tangerine Essential Oil.  It gave the air a refreshing fall scent.  Now when I want to change the smell of a room or remove a foul odor, I prefer to diffuse Essential Oils.  I don't have to worry about children and flames or matches or anything associated with fire and candles!


Next, I prepared my hot Green Tea.  After heating the water and as the tea bag steeped in my mug, I added in ground cinnamon (I'll have to get Cinnamon Bark EO to try later this fall!).  Once I took the tea bag out, I added a spoonful of my friend's local honey, one drop of Thieves Essential Oil and one drop of Lemon Essential Oil.  When that cooled below disfiguring hot, it tasted soooo good!  I have a feeling that I'll be adding these to my tea quite often this fall and winter. 

About half-way through my tea I started putting puzzles together, playing with the wooden train sets and reading books with my children.  The diffuser combo and my green tea blend was just what I needed to get going on this gloomy fall morning!  Yay!




Interested in finding out how to get your hands on these Young Living Essential Oils?  Check out my Essential Oils and Monthly Promotions Pages!

These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration.  This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

All Natural Facial Toner!

Home made, all natural facial toner!  No scary chemicals!  Removes dirt & grime gently & helps manage your blemishes.  I use 1 - 3x per day.  Smells great too!

Simply dampen a cotton ball or cotton pad with the toner and rub over face and neck.  Use caution around your eyes.  You will be surprised how dirty the cotton ball/pad gets!  It's wonderful for a mid-day freshen up.

2oz Witch hazel

- Witch hazel is a natural astringent derived from the Witch hazel shrub!  Be sure to look for Witch hazel without any added alcohol or other ingredients.

6 drops Lavender EO

- Lavender Essential Oil is a relaxing addition to skin care products.

4 drops Purification EO

- Purification Essential Oil is a blend of essential oils that can be used to improve the appearance of healthy-looking skin.

4 drops Frankincense EO

- Frankincense Essential Oil may be used to minimize visual blemishes and add a healthy-looking glow.

4 drops Geranium EO

- Geranium Essential Oil may help soothe and maintain the appearance of tender skin.

Interested in finding out how to get your hands on these Young Living Essential Oils?  Check out my Essential Oils and Monthly Promotions Pages!

These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration.  This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

In the Beginning...

Ahhh... Isn't this the life?  So serene.  So beautiful.  So simple.  Lucky for me this is my view every day!  (My iPhone actually captured this moment perfectly one evening this summer.)  

Are you looking for ways to live more sustainably?  Would you like to try to remove as many chemicals as possible from your home?  Do you like home remedies and do-it-yourself projects?  Is your health and the health of your loved ones important to you?

If you have answered "YES!" to any of the above questions, then you have come to the right blog!  I am here to offer tips, ideas and suggestions for a simpler, more natural and sustainable lifestyle.  My posts will focus on Young Living Essential Oils, Chemical Free Living, Natural Health and Wellness, Sustainable Eating, Environmental Sustainability, Low Impact Development, Native Plants and more!  

Thank you for following me and enjoy!

Emily