I am frequently asked to share pictures of my stockpile, well here you go! (I used a new panorama app on my phone, so pictures are a bit blurry.) Mind you I do have a regular pantry that I use for opened items and a deep chest freezer in my garage. I do store some household items in my garage that are not pictured, but here is the majority of it.

I am asked frequently how to stockpile. “If I only have $50.00 a week to spend on groceries and toiletries, how can I stockpile without spending more money?!?” This was a question I had when I first started to coupon, and it comes with a pretty simple answer.

If there is a sale going on at Foods Co. for Crest Toothpaste, 6.4oz for only $.99 each when you buy 4, and I have (4) coupons for $1.00/1 Crest Toothpaste, then I am going to use my coupons and get 4 toothpastes for FREE. This is how you build a stockpile! When you see items go on sale and you have a coupon to use towards that sale item, then you are getting that product for the lowest possible price! Remember though, not all sales in grocery ads are good sales.

This is the secret though, you must stockpile coupons in order to stockpile products! You can find coupons through the Sunday paper and also online through coupon websites or Facebook.

If you can purchase an item for more than 75% off it’s retail price, then stock-up to last your family until the next sale cycle, which is typically every 3 months. Now you can go out and build a stockpile for your family!

What’s even more fun than stockpiling? Donating!!! After reorganizing our stockpile this morning we have lots to donate to Flood Ministries!

Kitchen sponges can get gross real quick, but don’t toss them in the trash just yet! Here’s a simple tip that I use every few days. It’s quick, easy, and effective at keeping my kitchen sponge clean! You’ll get several more uses out of your sponge before it’s ready to be replaced!

Sterilize Your Kitchen Sponges:

To a bowl add 3 Tbsp. vinegar and 1 cup water. Soak your sponge in the solution, then put the sponge in the microwave for 1 minute (do not ring out solution). Let the sponge sit for a few minutes in the microwave to cool, it will be really hot! That’s it! Now you have a sterilized sponge ready to clean up some more dishes!

Are you looking for a homemade non-toxic shower cleaner that gets the job done?!? I have found an easy recipe that works! Just spray your shower after you shower and let this solution do it’s magic for 2 hours or so, then rinse clean!

Ingredients:

Spray bottle

1/2 cup Dawn dish soap

1/2 cup vinegar

Directions:

Add both ingredients to spray bottle, swoosh together and you’re ready to spray that shower clean! Easy and cheap!

Wish you had Microsoft Office, but you just can’t afford it? Here is a great alternative for you! Go to www.OpenOffice.org and download this FREE program that will enable you to use all the programs Microsoft Office has to offer, but at no cost to you! Once you download Open Office you will be able to write documents, use spreadsheets for maintaining budgets or lists, and so much more. Check out www.OpenOffice.org to see if this is the program you need on your computer!

Ok I realize I’ve been talking a lot about homemade cleaners using vinegar, lemon, water, and baking soda, but it really works! I was very skeptical though on using it as a floor cleaner.

I don’t know about you, but I can use a can of hair spray in 2 weeks or less! I love hair spray, but it can really make my bathroom floors sticky, so I always use harsh cleaners like Lysol or Mr. Clean to really get the grime up; however, I typically mop when my daughter is sleeping so she doesn’t inhale those harsh chemicals.

Today though, I tried just using vinegar and water to see if it would pass the test, and it did!!! I was shocked, amazed, and thrilled! I couldn’t feel any hair spray residue on the floor, it wasn’t sticky, just clean!

Ingredients:

water

1/4 cup vinegar

essential oils (optional)

Directions:

Fill your sink or bucket up with hot water, and few gallons I guess (no exact measurements needed). Add your vinegar, mix, and you’re ready to go! If you really don’t like the smell of vinegar, then you could add some drops of essential oils.

For each month out of the year I’m trying to stay on schedule and deep clean something different each month. Lets review:

January- deep clean closets (not completely done with this one…)

February- deep clean blinds and curtains

March- deep clean ceiling fans and light fixtures (just getting started!)

If you’re not caught up, which I’m not either, then you have a few weeks because April will be here before you know it!! If we all take time to deep clean something different each month, then our house won’t look so overwhelming to us when it needs a little TLC! Happy weekend!

So this weekend I was preheating my oven to do some serious baking, ;) and all the the sudden smoke started coming out from the oven and stinking up my house!!! YIKES! I didn’t realize until then that some pan drippings from a few nights prior had spilled onto the bottom of my oven. I panicked for a bit…, then quickly opened the doors and cleaned the oven before I had an even bigger problem!!!

I say all this to give you some easy tips on ways to keep your oven clean (without using harsh chemicals), so you don’t encounter the same problem I did!

Tip 1:

If you already have a bit of a messy oven, like I did, pour some baking soda over the area that’s got black “stuff” stuck to the surface. Then pour vinegar over it and let the party begin! After a few minutes of letting it do it’s magic, take a scrub brush/sponge and clean it all up. It should just wipe away clean, easy as pie!

Tip 2:

Put a piece of foil on the bottom of your oven to catch any drippings, then just throw it away and the mess is gone!

Tips 3:

When cooking/baking, put a cookie sheet underneath your dish, so any spill overs won’t drip to the bottom of your oven!

Have any other useful tips to clean your oven, we’re all ears!!!

Disinfecting You Plastic Cutting Boards:

Plastic cutting boards can be quite infected with all kinds of lovely germs if used for raw meat, veggies, and whatever else you use them for. If you don’t have a dishwasher to really disinfect them, then use your microwave! Simply clean your cutting board, then cut a lemon in half and rub the cut side on the cutting board. Place the cutting board (as long as it can fit in the microwave) and microwave for 1 minute. This will disinfect your cutting board and make it good as new!

Sterilize Your Kitchen Sponges:

Soak your sponge in a vinegar and water solution, then place the sponge in your microwave for 1 minute.

How To Soften Brown Sugar:

If you have brown sugar that seems to be old, then never fear because your microwave has come to your rescue! In the plastic packaging that the brown sugar comes in place a few drops of water inside and microwave the bag for 10 to 20 seconds. This will soften the sugar and make it ready to use!

Decrystalize Honey:

Have honey that is crystalized, take the top off of honey bottle and microwave for 30 seconds to a minute.

Get More Juice From Your Citrus:

Ever feel like you lemon or orange is too hard, place your whole fruits in the microwave for 20 seconds before you cut it open.

Find more tips and tricks on what your microwave can do for you by going to www.realsimple.com.