These DIY recipes for household cleaning will help you clean and organise your home naturally. Plus, I share helpful tips on how to avoid toxins in household products, water, and air.
Latest posts
Why I Shop at My Local Organic Farmers Market
The average farmer in Australia makes just 18 cents of every dollar when you buy from large supermarkets. The other 82 cents goes to various middlemen. While farmers help to feed our communities, they often cannot afford the very foods they grow. This, among other reasons, is why I shop local… Every Sunday I bike […]
Why I Op Shop: I Haven’t Bought Any New Clothes for ONE Year Now… I’ve Op Shopped Everything!
I made a commitment to myself when I moved back in June last year that I would only buy clothing secondhand. If I did buy anything new, it would be only after I couldn’t find it secondhand in op shops or on Depop. On average, we as consumers throw away 60% of our clothes within […]
DIY Dreamcatcher: How to Make a Simple Dream Catcher
Dreamcatchers originated with the Native Americans, but rose to popularity in the Western World back in the 1960’s and 1970’s with the hippies. From there the love spread and they’ve since become a well-loved favourite by just about everyone. Do you know the meaning behind dreamcatchers? According to One Tribe Apparel: Native American cultures believe […]
Life with a Bike: My Life WITHOUT a Car Over the Past 8 Months
Since June 6, 2021, I have lived my life without a car. Why? One of the biggest reasons was to cut expenses – it’s way cheaper to not own a car – but also as a challenge to see if I could, in fact, get by without one. I left my family and my car […]
DIY Peppermint Oil (Made Without a Still)
How to make peppermint-infused oil without all the distilling equipment! This is the method I use for making peppermint-infused oil from scratch, that doesn’t require distilling. Infused oils have become one of my favourite DIYs to make at home myself. I’ve made a couple before, lavender and grapefruit, but I wanted to experiment with making a homemade version of peppermint “essential” oil. It’s summer […]
How to Make Extra Sticky Beeswax Wraps DIY
Beeswax wraps are a great plastic-free alternative for storing food, however they can lose their stickiness relatively quickly. Here is a beeswax wrap recipe that gives an even stickier wrap to keep it lasting a lot longer (up to 12 months or more!) and requires less effort to keep it sticking over your bowl or […]
How to Compost Without a Compost Bin: Composting in Your Kitchen
Not all of us have land or space on our property suitable for a compost bin. Here’s how to compost without a compost bin, in your very own kitchen. I grew up in a household where we had our own compost bin – or I should say bins – out the back, where we would […]
DIY Grapefruit Oil (Made Without a Still)
How to make grapefruit-infused oil without all the distilling equipment! This is the method I use for making grapefruit-infused oil from scratch, that doesn’t require distilling. After having such success in making my own lavender oil from the fresh lavender out in my garden, I wanted to take it a step further and make my […]
Takeaway Coffee Cups: How to Recycle them Properly
Single-use coffee cups can now be recycled in Australia!! Since launching in January 2019, we’ve been able to divert over 150,000 single use coffee cups from landfill! This was about four months worth of takeaway coffee cups I’d collected from my family to take to our local coffee cup recycling station. Did you know: 3 billion single-use coffee […]
Palm Oil: Where it’s Hidden & How to Avoid it
This a topic that’s very close to my heart. Palm oil is something we’ve all heard of; especially when it comes to the impact it’s having on our environment, ecosystems, animals, and planet. But what is it found in? And how can we avoid it? According to Ashley Schaeffer Yildiz from The Understory; Palm oil […]
DIY Spa Day Products You Can Make from Ingredients in Your Kitchen!
Pamper yourself at home with these easy DIY spa products made from natural ingredients you’d find in the kitchen. What better way to pamper yourself than with an at-home spa day!! Here are a few all-natural pamper products to help improve skin health, de-stress, and increase feelings of relaxation and calmness. I’ve customised a basic […]
My Zero-Waste Shopping Routine: How to Grocery Shop Sustainably + Zero-Waste
Since I’ve moved out of home and up the coast to Queensland, I’ve really put in the time, effort and research to make my shopping routine as low-waste, sustainable, and ethical as possible. I looked at this move as a fresh start, and I wanted to make all areas of my life line up with […]
How to Harvest, Dry & Use Calendula Flowers
Calendula is one of my absolute favourite flowers to grow in the garden. I could probably say that about all my flowers – I do love them all! – but calendula definitely deserves its place in my top 5. It’s beautiful, easy to grow, has a long blooming season, is easy to save seeds from, […]
How to Dry Herbs at Home + Italian Herbs Seasoning Recipe
A great way to use up veggies and herbs leftover in the garden is to make seasonings with them. After making a super greens powder using fresh greens from my garden, I thought I’d make something in the same ballpark… a herb seasoning. Our herb garden is just booming with thyme, oregano and mint at […]
How to Recycle Pool Inflatables
Do you have an old pool toy that’s seen its last day in the sun? Inflatables that are destined for landfill can now be turned into beautiful, one-of-a-kind bags! I first heard of I Used To Be from Ethically Kate on Instagram. I fell in love with their mission and started collecting as many old, […]
How to Soak & Sprout Nuts, Seeds, Grains & Legumes
Did you know that you should ALWAYS be soaking your grains, nuts, seeds and legumes before eating them? Nuts and seeds can make a wonderful, nutrition-packed snack to take with you on-the-go. However, what a lot of us don’t realise is that, like grains and legumes, they can also contain substances (known as antinutrients) that […]
DIY Soothing Bug Bite Balm
Not only can this balm deter mozzies and bugs from biting you, but it may also help to soothe itchy, sore, red bites from the ones that do get through. With the wonderful rain we’ve been having this summer, the local eco-system has been alive with life (a lot of that life being bugs). I […]
Ways to Upcycle & Recycle a Stainless Steel Water Bottle
How to recycle a stainless steel water bottle properly (as well as ways to upcycle it!). If you, like me, have a stainless steel water bottle that’s lasted the test of time, there might come a point when you look at what to do with it once it’s reached retiring age. A stainless steel water […]
How to Extract Aloe Vera Gel from the Leaf + DIY Face Mask
How to extract the gel from an aloe vera plant, and a DIY face mask you can make with it! Aloe vera gel has some of the most diverse uses out of any plant, from treating burns to helping with constipation. It’s one of the most common ingredients in many of my home DIY products, […]
Homemade Natural Moisturising Body Washes
Making your own all-natural body wash is easier than you might think. Here’s how to make a natural honey body wash AND an all-natural green tea and shea butter wash that are both incredibly moisturising for the skin. I’ve been using this tried and tested all natural homemade body wash for a couple of years […]
Homemade Coconut Wax & Beeswax Candles
Did you know that indoor air pollutants are often 2-5 times higher than outdoor levels, with some cases exceeding 100 times that of outdoor levels! Candles are one of the top contributors to indoor air pollution, as the most common types of candles – paraffin candles, derived from petroleum – can release chemicals like soot, toluene, benzene […]
How to Dispose of Your Bamboo Toothbrush Properly
How to dispose of a bamboo toothbrush properly. Full step-by-step guide – plus ways to upcycle a toothbrush! I been using bamboo toothbrushes for the past couple of years now, and have loved it! Brushing my pearly whites knowing I’m not contributing to the ever-increasing piles of landfill is a good feeling. Plus, pairing my […]
DIY Lavender Oil (Made Without a Still)
How to make lavender-infused oil without all the distilling equipment!! I share two different recipes for making lavender oil from scratch, that don’t require distilling. Let me know which is your favourite!! Making my own essential oils has been a dream of mine for many years now. I’m always using them, whether in my homemade […]
How to Keep Caterpillars Away from Your Garden (Without Chemicals)
My newly planted spinach, kale, cauliflower and broccoli leaves have been developing gaping holes. I’m an organic gardener, so I avoid using any chemicals or toxic sprays on my plants, but this means my garden is left wide open to your not-so-friendly neighbourhood bugs and pests. These are some of methods I’ve found to help […]
Sustainable Living: A Day in the Life
What does sustainable living actually look like on a daily basis? We all have a different version, and this is mine! I started my journey of low-waste living a few years ago, after having been vegan for a while I wanted to take it a step further and help the planet more by cutting down […]
Tips I’ve Learnt Since Going Zero-Waste(ish)
I’ve been slowly transitioning over to a more zero waste lifestyle (with a lot of bumps along the way), but some of the biggest tips I’ve learnt have been… My journey to zero-waste all started with going vegan. After learning about the harmful impact mass animal agriculture is having on our planet, among many other […]
DIY Remineralising Tooth Powder
I’ve shared how to make a remineralising toothpaste that not only whitened teeth, but could help re-strengthen teeth from the inside-out! However, if you have a septic system at home, or want to take your toothpaste on your travels with you, it may not be the most practical of products… that’s where this tooth powder […]
DIY Healing Balm: for Scars, Blemishes, Cuts & Abrasions
How to make an all-natural cream to help moisturise and heal skin abrasions, cuts, bruises, scars or blemishes. This balm contains rich oils and herbs, including coconut oil, olive oil, and calendula and lavender oil, to create a soothing balm that can relieve inflammation, pain, dry skin, itchiness, and promote healing. Nothing like rubbing mystery […]
DIY Low-Waste Garden Bed (Anyone Can Do!)
How to build a raised garden bed with old bricks – anybody can do this! You’ll get great results, and at the same time it’s different and unique from all the stone bed borders (and a great way to reuse old bricks you may have lying around). One of my big goals for this year […]
DIY Natural Jewellery Cleaner
Exposure to dust, dirt, lotions, soaps, even air and moisture can dull our favourite jewellery over time. No need for getting it professionally cleaned or spending money on a jewellery cleaners full of harsh chemicals, you can make your own DIY jewellery cleaner at home with simple ingredients! A natural homemade jewellery cleaner for all types […]
DIY Natural Shampoo Recipes for Oily Hair
Shampoo often has a lot of unnecessary harsh chemicals in it, which strip our hair of oils, making our body produce even more to compensate. This often results in super oily hair. These natural shampoo recipes for oily hair types avoid nasty chemicals, are cruelty-free and eco-friendly, too! A lot of us turn to ‘no […]
DIY Antibacterial Foaming Hand Soap
How to make antibacterial liquid handwash with just 8 ingredients and 5 minutes from start to finish. Made with all-natural, skin-loving ingredients, it’s a safe and gentle way to clean hands, and won’t dry out skin. When we use products containing antibacterial chemicals, we’re promised that it will remove 99.9% of germs on our hands […]
DIY Natural Insect Repellent (That Actually Works!)
How to stop insects biting when you’re living it up in the great outdoors using Mother Nature’s bug repellent. This insect repellent will help repel insects and bugs, and is toxin-free and all-natural. I started looking into making my own homemade bug spray when I began working out in the garden more (you see some […]
DIY Disinfecting Wipes: Reusable All-Natural Antibacterial Wipes
Ditch the landfill-destined antibacterial wipes, and instead make your own reusable cleaning wipes at home! Here’s how to make disinfectant wipes that can be washed and reused, they even smell lemony-fresh! If I’m being completely honest, I’ve never been one to use antibacterial wipes. In our family, we see having a little bacteria around as a good thing. It’s important […]
DIY Natural Hand Sanitiser
A natural and effective hand sanitiser you can make with simple ingredients. I’m not a fan of commercial hand sanitisers (no surprises there!). This may sound a little strange, but I’m not one to use antibacterial soaps, sprays, or strong cleaners at home because I believe that having a little bacteria around is a good […]
DIY Healing Calendula Cream
This has by far been one of my favourite things to make! It’s so much easier than you would think, and such a great healing cream to use on your skin. It’s 100% natural, no nasties, chemical-free, toxin-free and made completely from scratch! Calendula was the “Windex” of my childhood… Whenever we got any bumps, […]
How to Begin a Sustainable Veggie Garden
There are few things more satisfying than growing your own vegetables. Today, I share the HOLY GRAIL of hacks on how to start your own sustainable veggie garden! Having the opportunity to pick homegrown veggies fresh, straight from the garden, and knowing you’ve cared and nourished these plants for their lifetime, is so fulfilling. I […]
DIY Eyeglasses & Sunglasses Cleaner
Here’s how to get your glasses from cloudy to crystal clear using a natural, homemade lens cleaning solution. I’ve got something to confess, I don’t actually wear glasses for sight. BUT, I do wear glasses. The glasses I wear are for blue light. Why would I want these? Blue-light blocking glasses have filters in their […]
Trash Walking
This is a new habit I’ve added to my weekly routine to help reduce waste in my local area. One loaded bag of trash. 45 minutes of walking. I’ve made it a New Year’s resolution of mine, or for a better word “goal” – I find New Year’s resolutions rarely stick – to go around […]
Soft Plastics: How to Recycle them Properly
Did you know: Soft plastics are the number one form of contamination in recycling plants. According to 1 Million Women, this is because; They can damage machines inside sorting facilities and even cause some to break down, preventing other materials from being recycled. Soft plastics are often thought to be “worthy” of the recycling bin, […]
DIY Hair Ties: Made Out of Old Stockings
How to make your own hair ties using old materials like stockings, tights, pantyhose, or other old clothing you have lying around. I think I’ve lost about a million and one hair ties over my lifetime. I’ll go out and buy a new pack of 20, and lose 19 of them in the first week. […]
DIY Natural Remineralising Toothpaste
Rather than just whitening your teeth, what if you could re-strengthen and build your teeth up again from the inside out! No more super sensitive teeth! This really simple DIY toothpaste not only helps to whiten your teeth, but remineralises them too! Strengthening and improving the health of your teeth using only natural ingredients! No […]
GMO Foods: How to Tell the Difference?
When shopping at the grocery store, you can often tell what’s organic and conventionally grown, but how can you make sure it’s not genetically modified, too? Here’s a super simple guide to identifying GMO foods from conventional and organic produce. How do you know if a food is GM or not? I personally choose avoid […]
Indoor Veggie Garden: How to Regrow Veggies from Kitchen Scraps
Repurposed kitchen scraps. You can regrow certain vegetables with just a little tray of water and a spot near the window. Grocery shopping can be pricey, and some of us don’t have a backyard to create a little veggie patch. This is where an indoor garden comes in handy. You can actually grow certain foods […]
DIY Vegetable Wash: How to Remove Wax & Pesticides from Fruits & Veggies
Pesticide residue on fruits and vegetables can be a problem when buying conventionally grown. But there is a natural homemade solution to help with this – a DIY fruit and veggie wash to help remove dirt, bacteria, wax, and pesticides easily. Wax on, wax off. In an ideal world, we’d have money growing on trees […]
Why I Choose NOT to Use Antibacterial Soap
Skip the antibacterial soap and use plain soap and water instead. Choosing NOT to use antibacterial soap, in this day an age? With Covid, germs, bacteria, viruses… the spreading of disease. There’s a reason behind my “madness.” My decision is backed by science. Furthermore, these soaps target bacteria, not viruses such as the flu. Viruses […]
DIY All-Natural Foaming Hand Soap
An all-natural, toxin-free hand soap you can whip up in minutes (literally!). I started making my own hand soap for a few reasons; 1) Because it was way more cost-effective; 2) It was better for the environment, as I didn’t go through so many plastic dispenser bottles, and the ingredients used were less harmful on our […]
How to Naturally Purify Indoor Air (Without Chemicals)
Did you know: Indoor air pollutants are often 2-5 times higher than outdoor levels, with some cases exceeding 100 times that of outdoor levels! Indoor air is often more polluted due to lack of air flow coursing through the building. In today’s chemical laden world, we’re exposed to toxins all the time, making it almost […]
DIY All-Natural Bath Bombs
There’s nothing like a warm bath, and these bath bombs just take it to the next level! Rather than large round balls, these DIY bath bombs are half the size, meaning you can make twice the bath bombs with the same amount of ingredients! You can feel good knowing that the ingredients are natural and […]
DIY Natural Probiotic Toothpaste
As I’ve been moving towards a more natural, toxin-free, zero-waste lifestyle, I figured the next area I needed to address was oral care. Conventional toothpastes are chock-a-block full of toxic ingredients that can have a huge impact on our health over the long-term, plus, toothpaste tubes are just plain wasteful. They’re generally sold in not […]
DIY Natural Homemade Bar Soap
Over the past few years I’ve transitioned to making my own versions of all kinds of different essentials, such as homemade shampoo, natural toothpaste, and natural deodorant (just to name a few). I’ve found it’s a really effective way to reduce the amount of unnecessary toxins I come into contact with on a day-to-day basis; from […]
DIY Natural Sunscreen (Safer for Marine Life)
There is much controversy around sunscreen. Does it actually increase our risk of skin cancer rather than decrease it?
How to Reduce Food Waste & Start a Compost!
How to reduce household food waste plus DIY composting.