Tips: How to Depill Clothing (The Impossible Lint)!

Have you ever heard of fabric pilling? I hadn't, but I sure have experience with it! It's the mysterious fuzz that appears on your clothing during washing, but cannot be removed with a lint-roller. It usually happens after accidentally washing a new towel or fuzzy robe with your regular load. It seems nearly impossible to fix unless you have the time and patience to pluck the fabric like a fresh chicken. lol. Neither do I...

As luck would have it, there are two tricks that can tame this furry mess. One being this funny tool called a Fabric Comb, Sweater Comb or Clothing Depiller. These can cost around $5.00 and are great for sweaters, cashmere, etc., but I wanted an easier, cheaper, "it's already laying around the house" kind of option.

Disposable razor??

Yup, under the right conditions, you can remove pilling from your fabrics easily with a simple disposable razor. The cheaper ones are perfect, in fact you'll want the ones that have a single blade if you can find them. Since you'll only use one or two, this should cost mere pennies to fix your garment (or sofa pillows, stuffed animals, etc.).

What you'll need:

• Disposable razor
• Lint roller
• Ironing board

1. Pull your garment over the ironing board like you would if you were planning to iron. This will give you a flat and taught surface to work with. Some suggest using a table or your lap, however this will not hold your item in place and cause potential snags. For delicate fabrics, you're best bet is using a board made for clothing.
2. Try finding a hidden or inconspicuous spot to start. It's best to test! Gently pull the razor over your garment, much like shaving your legs, lol.
3. Be cautious around buttons, hems and seams. These can easily snag and you may find it's better to work around them.
4. As you go along, use the lint roller to remove the lint you've trimmed. The lint roller will reveal stubborn or missed spots along the way, plus keep your project tidy.

And here's an after photo... The lighting in my hallway changed the color of the dress, but I promise, it's the same. As you can see, good-bye lint!

I also used this trick on my sofa cushions / decorative pillows. They had reached the point of "fix it or ditch it" and honestly, I wasn't sure about finding a matching pair to replace them. The razors worked well on the upholstery fabric, but I couldn't use an ironing board for this. I was simply careful to pull the pillow taught and the results were great!

Do you have other sewing tips? I'd love to hear them! Share with us in the comments below...

Tips: How to Affordably Fill Your Kindle Book Library

My friend Elli just messaged me about this great service from Amazon called Kindle Unlimited. Have you heard of it? It's just $9.99 per month which can save you a bunch if you read on a regular basis! Check this out:

Kindle Unlimited is a new service that allows you to read as much as you want, choosing from over 700,000 titles and thousands of audiobooks. Freely explore new authors, books, and genres from mysteries and romance to sci-fi and more. You can read on any device. It's available for $9.99 a month and you can cancel anytime. You can even try it out FREE for 30 days!

There are even more ways to enjoy Kindle books and eBooks. If you have Prime AND own a Kindle, you are already set up with the Kindle Owners' Lending Library; a free service from Amazon that lets you borrow a few Kindle books every month. There are thousands to choose from. See a list of eligible books for borrowing, here.

The local library also has some great digital content online. As I mentioned earlier this week, you can borrow from the library itself, or it's content partners by simply entering your library card. These eBooks are free to borrow and expire when "due". So no more "mad-dash" to the return bin or late fees. Check out Hoopla Digital, Comics Plus​ or the Greater Phoenix Digital Library.

Want even more FREE resources? Justen English has put together an exhaustive list of free (and legal) sources to download literature. You can find plays, textbooks, classic novels and more; choose from more than 100 websites!

UPDATE: Fran just introduced me to BookBub, a free daily email that notifies you about deep discounts on acclaimed ebooks. You choose the genres you'd like to get notified about — with categories ranging from mysteries to cookbooks — and BookBub alerts you to limited-time offers matching your interests. It's more than a book club, it's BookBub!

(Thank you Elli and Fran!)

Do you have a Kindle, Nook or eReader? Where do you like to go for great reading material? 

 

Tip: Clean Kitchen Appliances with less Elbow Grease

I love cooking with my crock pot. It's a great option for a not-so-busy morning - There's something relaxing about "set it and forget it!" I thought I would share my recipe on Janie Girl today when I realized a common problem. I try to keep clean surfaces, but the grime that appears on my small appliances is a challenge. Tons of scrubbing and experimenting with different cleaners... Does anyone else have this issue? My crock pot never looks as clean as the day we brought it home. Yuck!

I put so much effort in scrubbing, but achieve so little. Then I realized one small detail: this baked on crud was cemented on by heat during the baking process. So what if I cleaned with heat instead of blood, sweat and tears?

Turn it on!

Either after serving dinner or before the next - while the crock pot is warm but not too hot - use basic dish soap and water to scrub your appliance surface. I like to use my padded cloth scrubby because the pot can get super hot if it's on high and scold. Be cautious! Only clean when the crock pot is first warming up or cooling down. 

That's it! Do you have cleaning tips for the kitchen?

Tips: How to Make a Gift Closet

You might remember I mentioned gift boxes and gift closets as a great way to stockpile for future celebrations. I love having mine because it designates a place where I can keep items I know I will buy. Birthdays, holidays, promotions - they come every year, - but instead of buying a gift or card at last minute, a gift closet gives me permission to purchase in advance, without the rush of finding the perfect "Congratulations!" gift in a pinch.

Keeping a gift box is a tradition my mother passed on to me. We would find a beautiful item on sale or discount during our frugal adventures and she would say, "Oh, this reminds me of Janie." lol. We would keep a special drawer or a box on the top shelf of a closet and keep the treasures we found until it was Janie's special day. This past Christmas, I had all the presents on my list purchased before Black Friday.... Haha, it sounds crazy, but I saved a ton, and you can too!

The trick is the same as frugal shopping at the grocery store. Never settle to pay full price! If you can get a sale, use a coupon or do both - grab that super deal and stockpile it. Put it away until you need it and keep your wallet happy.

Some items to look for when stocking your gift box or gift closet:

• Wrapping: Grab wrapping paper, ribbon, bows, bags and tissue on sale. After Christmas sales and the 99 Only Store is great for this. Check out the "It's Gotta Go" section at the 99 Only; I've scored wrapping items for $0.29!
• Generic gifts: Since you're purchasing in advance, you'll want to look at getting generic gifts (i.e. something any young boy would like, something great for a co-worker). This way when a surprise event comes, you're prepared.
• Cards: Look for discounts on card sets that have a variety of occasions. Or, if you're in a "season of life" keep an eye open for a wedding or baby shower set. You can get beautiful Hallmark cards for $0.50 - $0.20 each instead of paying $5.00 on the shelf.
• Go 99 first: From unique gifts to wrapping and cards, the 99 Only has great items at amazing prices. And now they are offering even better gift items for $1.99. I love this - check out some of my finds from the 99 Only Stores. 
• Check on Amazon: If you found an awesome deal, always double check on Amazon. They are known for having rock bottom prices. You can download the app, so you can check on the go. Many stores now price match with Amazon too (Fry's Electronics, Best Buy and more) - so checking may pay off at the register!
• Don't buy food: But if you're planning to gift something like a filed mug of candy or fruit basket, do buy all the other items in advance.
• Keep a gift log: I haven't tried this, but keeping a log of the gift you've purchased, for whom and which occasion is a genius idea to keep organized. If you want to try this, go here and grab a FREE printable gift closet inventory. Print and keep in your gift box or fill in your log strait from your computer with this helpful PDF. (Thanks Organized Christmas).

Here's more on how to start a gift closet by Colin from Hip2Save:

   

* This post my contain affiliate links, please see my disclosure policy.

Tip: Quick Wall Fix with Soap

I had to move some artwork around today and realized there were several pin holes in my living room wall - many of which were overlooked during the last coat of paint. What a bummer! Instead of pulling out spackle or some wall repair (which would need to be painted over) I turned to my handy Olay bar. I know it sounds crazy but the easiest way to fix nail, staple, or pin holes is to grab a white bar of soap. It blends in nicely and takes seconds to do!

Here's the step-by-step: 

1. Use a piece of newspaper or brown paper bag to smooth out the tiny drywall that might be popping out. There shouldn't be much since we're talking about small holes, but you definitely want to start with a smooth surface. The results are much cleaner. 
2. Use a white bar of soap and gently rub across the holes you trying to fill-in. 
3. If there's some residue, you can use your newspaper again to smooth it out or a damp dishcloth - since it is soap you will get a nice smooth surface.

(finished on the right, identical pin hole on the left) 

This works on color painted walls as well. The soap glides on light or almost clear. If you are unsure, you might want to try a test area in a corner or behind a piece of furniture. Also, a damp cloth will wash away any soap on the wall - in case you don't like it, you can undo it! And you don't need to use an Olay bar per se, it's just what I had available. Ivory, Dial, Dove, etc. Any bar soap will do. Enjoy!

DIY: Making Laundry Detergent

I started making laundry detergent about six months ago. It was more necessity than frugality. We have some serious allergies in our family and I tried everything that the store had to offer that might be friendlier to my skin (and sniffles!). Frankly I've heard about homemade soaps for years, mainly from my sister who thought I was a walking contradiction buying frugal everywhere but the laundry aisle, but I thought the process was a nuisance. It was so much work boiling, bottling, etc. I didn't have the time for all that. As the saying goes "time is money" - the trade-off didn't make sense to me.

But eventually I came around, specifically when I found some time saving tips and altered the recipe to fit my family's needs. To make this "hypo-allergenic" detergent, you'll need:

• 1 c. Borax
• 1 c. Baking Soda (my sister swears by Washing Soda, but this works great too)
• 1 bar Zote
• Canister, scoop and cheese grater
• Optional: Table Salt, Rice, Sock

1. First grate your Zote bar into the canister/container. Make sure it has a good seal. You don't need this to be fine, just small enough to dissolve easier in the water during washing. I have a separate cheese grater I use just for soap and non food grating, however the Zote website says it is safe to wash your dishes with (it's multipurpose!) so if you don't have a spare just be sure to wash it well before using next time. OR Use Zote Flakes. This is a new product that I recently spotted at Walmart, no grating needed! Each box equals two bars, but you'll pay about twice the price ($2.68).
2. Now add 1 cup borax and 1 cup baking soda. 
3. Mix well. I like to do this with my hands because it allows me to break up any large Zote pieces. 
4. Add a desiccant. What's a desiccant? You know, those white packets you see in your snack foods or pill bottles that keep the product fresh and "crisp"? That's a desiccant. To make one, simply add rice to a clean sock or dish towel and tie it shut. The rice will draw out extra moisture from the detergent preventing clumping (which can be such a hassle down the road!).

Optional: Add a tablespoon of salt to each load to preserve it's vibrant color. Salt helps set the dye and borax can be a bit harsh. I found without salt, my deepest darks faded a bit those first few washes. Salt stopped this from happening altogether.

This recipe fills half a coffee canister, but the best part is how much I go through. It takes about two tablespoons per load! That makes just one batch last months! Ok, now for the cost break down:

Borax: $1.38 with coupon at WinCo
Baking Soda: $0.59 at 99 Only or $0.52/lb at WinCo in bulk
Zote: $0.59 per bar at 99 Only or $2.68 per box at Walmart
Salt: $0.24 at 99 Only
Total for supplies = $3.15 per batch or $0.02 per load!

Bag of Tips: Making your bananas last

This trick actually works! If you're like me you probably price match your produce at Walmart. It's a nice program, it saves me so much at the register. My only problem is the produce isn't as fresh as I would like. My bananas never last more than a day. But then I found this handy trick. Have you tried it?

Simply wrap the ends of your banana bunch with plastic wrap. That's it! I don't know the science-y part about it. It keeps something-something from releasing, LOL. But it works! My bananas last several days longer. Where do you like to get your produce?

Quick Tip: Cleaning Jewelry, Easy and Cheap!

Silver jewelry is probably my biggest love when it comes to accessories, but with this Arizona heat my silver doesn't stay bright. I've tried several cleaning products, most of which fill the house with toxic fumes, and all of which cost a pretty penny. Polishing cloths are handy too, but hard to find and last not so long. So when I found this great cleaning tip using things around the house I just had to try it. To my surprise, this works better than anything I've tried before!

What you need:

• Hot Water
• Aluminum Foil
• Baking Soda
• Small Bowl

 How to clean:

1. Heat some water on the stove top or in the microwave. I used a kettle, but you can use whatever, just to make the water steaming hot, not boiling.
2. While the water heats up, line a bowl with aluminum foil.
3. Pour baking soda in the bottom of the bowl and add the hot water making a "soup". You can use a spoon to stir, but not too much. The fizzing is the chemical reaction that will remove the tarnish.
4. Add your jewelry to water mixture. Let sit for 5 - 10 minutes.
5. Almost done! If your jewelry needs a little more cleaning and shine, try gently rubbing each piece between your hands along with baking soda from the bowl.
6. Rinse under cold water and pat dry with a towel.

As you can tell, some of these aren't real silver and they came out great too! There were some spots on the heart necklace that have worn away, but everywhere else shined up like new. I suggest watching yours closely until you know if this is safe to use.

The bracelet above was extremely tarnished, starting out brown. If you have some pieces that need a little extra cleaning power, try this approach before soaking:

1. Add hot water to baking soda making a paste in a small dish or mini Dixie cup.
2. Take a medium square of aluminum foil and ball it up (loosely).
3. Dip your crunched aluminum foil into the baking soda paste and use it to scrub tarnished areas. Try avoiding inlays and jewels because this may scratch other materials.
4. Follow up with above soaking method to get an even greater shine!

The scrubbing method is a life saver and works faster than anything I've seen. (And funny enough, it was a complete accident. Oops, for reading directions carefully!)

Do you have a great cleaning tip?