Method: Spring Clean Kit for $24!

spring clean kit

everything you need to tackle every room.

yours at $9 off full price.

the calendar says it’s time to clean house. so we put together this spring cleaning kit to get the job done. there’s all purpose cleaner, dish soap, laundry detergent, cleaning wipes, daily shower spray, glass cleaner and a reusable microfiber cloth – all the non-toxic, biodegradable goodness you need in one kit that cleans like heck and smells like heaven.

you'll get:

• — method laundry detergent, 25 loads - fresh air
• — all surface wipes - cucumber
• — multi-surface spray - cucumber
• — dish soap - cucumber
• — best in glass cleaner
• — window + glass microfiber cloth
• — daily shower spray

You can order your here.

Sustainable Saturday - What’s lurking in your bed?

I read somewhere if there is one thing you do for your kids, launder their sheets once a week. Why? To remove dust, body oil and dust mites that love to set up camp in your bed.

Sheets and pillow cases provide protection for both your mattress pad and keep the top covers (blankets, comforters, quilts, etc.) protected from your skin, oils, etc. Launder your bedding once a week to keep the dust, body oil and dust mites at bay. Another great tip is to pull back your top covers to allow the bed to air out (while you are in the shower) and then make your bed afterwards. This too will help to keep dust mites to a minimum.

If you are in the market for new sheets try to avoid labels such as “easy care” or “no iron”. Look for sheets that are made of earth-friendly materials like bamboo, hemp and organic cotton. There are affordable options available from retailers like Target and JCPenney.

Now that you’ve taken care of your sheets, what about the other components of your bed?

Mattresses because they are made from flammable material, are treated with fire retardants PBDE (poly-brominated diphenyl ether). Look for mattresses that do not contain toxic chemicals from fire retardants, foam or stain-resistant chemicals. Look for mattresses that are green with no toxic chemicals, latex mattresses or cover your mattress and pillows with protective covers. An affordable green mattress company is keetsa.

Wash the mattress pad at least once a month and vacuum the mattress itself to remove dust mites. Look for mattress pads that are made of earth-friendly materials like bamboo, hemp and organic cotton.

Top covers including blankets, comforters, quilts, etc. should be laundered every 3 to 4 months. Look for blankets that are made of earth-friendly materials like bamboo, hemp and organic cotton.

Symhomemom is now also a featured blogger on Big Green Head. You can also read this article on Big Green Head, a local resource for all things green. 

$2/1 Method Coupon! - Holiday Hand Soaps Reg. $2.99

Print a coupon for $2/1 Method product here. This coupon is for ANY Method product.  There is a large line of these non-toxic cleaning products available at Target and Bed, Bath & Beyond (Select Stores).  Hand soaps sell at my area Target for $2.99 making this a sweet deal!

You can combine a 20% off Bed, Bath & Beyond coupons with the $2 off coupon making this a terrifc deal on Method products!

Save 15% on Seventh Generation Product Kits

Looking for a last minute gift idea:  give the gift of "Green"!

Save 15% on Seventh Generation Product Kits!

Click here for more information and to purchase. Use code SGKITS15 at checkout.

$2 off ANY method product!

Print a coupon here for $2/1 Method product. This coupon is for ANY Method product.  There is a large line of these non-toxic cleaning products available at Target and Bed, Bath & Beyond (Select Stores).  Hand soaps sell at my area Target for $2.99 making this a sweet deal!

You can combine a 20% off Bed, Bath & Beyond coupons with the $2 off coupon making this a terrifc deal on Method products!

$0.99 greenworks laundry detergent at Meijer

I have posted many times about the different types of products that we use in our home.  I have said in the past that I would prefer to support companies like Seventh Generation, Ecover and Method to name a few in lieu of buying products produced by large companies like SC Johnson.  However, you can't really beat free (especially in the "green" world) so I'm going to give it a try.  

Meijer has Greenworks Laundry Detergent on sale for $6.99 this week and you'll get a $3 catalina when you buy one. Here's how to get it for $0.99:
Buy 1 GreenWorks Laundry Detergent (45-oz.) at $6.99
Use $3/1 coupon
Spend $3.99 plus tax out of pocket
Get $3 catalina good off your next order AND get a $3 off coupon for another Greenworks Laundry Detergent
$0.99 after coupon and catalina

You can roll this deal over and over and over (you get the idea).  I did this deal 3 times today.  That was all my patience would allow for as their was an issue with the catalina/ coupon printer.  

I paid $5.97 + tax and still have a $3 catalina left to spend on something else.  Each bottle of detergent will do 30 loads of laundry each.  That is $0.03 per load!

FREE Samples of Seventh Generation Products

 
Login or sign up here to request a free sample of Seventh Generation dish detergent.

Sign up here for Seventh Generation sample packs of their Blue Eucalyptus & Lavender Dryer Softener Sheets.

I use the Free & Clear and love it!  It is one of the top rated dish detergents according to the National Geographic Green Guide.

You can also purchase Seventh Generation products for a reasonable price and have them shipped to you home from Alice.com.  You can read my post here.

FREE Sample Green Works Laundry Detergent

First register your cell phone online by going here to Shop Text and registering online:
-Register your cell phone number.
-Enter in the code that is text messaged to you.
-Fill out your address information. Credit card info is not necessary.

After completing that:
Text NATURAL to 467467 to receive a free sample of Green Works Natural Laundry Detergent!.

Alice.com

Alice.com is here to help.

It's an online store where you can find household products like toilet paper, toothpaste, shampoo and some dry food goods. At our house we certainly believe in buying local. Now while shipping goods may not be the most "Green", there are products that may not be available in your part of the country. Alice.com is located in Middleton, Wisconsin.

An excerpt from Alice.com

Alice provides you a better way to manage all of your household essentials online. You tell Alice what you buy—choosing from great deals on 1000’s of products—and Alice goes to work. We organize all of your products, find coupons and deals for you, remind you when you might be running low, and help you order just the items you need so you can avoid that trip to the corner drugstore or the big-box store. And all this convenience comes direct to your door with free shipping included.

Go here to sign up for an account with Alice.com.

Here are a few good deals on Alice.com:

Variety of Kashi cereals: $2.67 to $3.63

Tom's of Maine
Natural, Fluoride-Free, Children, Silly Strawberry
4 oz, $0.83/oz
$3.32

Seventh Generation
Natural Dish Liquid, Free & Clear
25 oz, $0.13/oz
$3.19

I think you will find many of these items are cheaper at Alice.com that the grocery store or even Target. Tom's of Maine, Fluoride-Free, Children, Silly Strawberry for instance.

Go here to order these and see the other top 50 deals of the week offered on Alice.com.

A few things you'll want to note:

• ::Alice.com offers free shipping all the time. There is a 6-item minimum order requirement. However, you only have to order one item if it's first time to order.

• There are clip-free coupons available. These are often the same as are found in the newspaper inserts and come off automatically when you order.

$1/1 Method product available at Target and Bed, Bath & Beyond (Select Stores)

Print a coupon here for $1/1 Method product. There is a large line of these non-toxic cleaning products available at Target and Bed, Bath & Beyond (Select Stores).

You can combine a 20% off Bed, Bath & Beyond coupons with the $1 off coupon making this a terrifc deal on Method products!

Tuesday's Green Tip - A Green Sweep

As I am learning and growing as a Working Mother, I am finding ways to streamline our everyday lives and allow the most quality time with my kids and husband! One thing I have learned over the course of the last 3 years is that I cannot do it all!

One way I have decided to help myself is to hire a Cleaning Company. Not just any cleaning company, but one that would embody the same standards that we have at our house in terms of earth-friendly, kid-friendly, safe products in our quest to maintain the best indoor air quality environment we can for our kids!

A Green Sweep are my helping hands! They provide earth-friendly products (many they make themselves) and cleaning services at a very reasonable price!

In Celebration of Earth Day - Save $5 at True Value and DIY greener this month

There are plenty of projects you can do around the house that are good for the planet as well as your pocketbook. Just in time for Earth Day, we've stocked the Idea House with projects designed to make your home more eco- and budget-friendly. And with this $5 coupon, you can save even more. Head to your local True Value hardware store for the products and advice you need to do-it-yourself a little bit greener.

True Value $5 off a $25 purchase available here along with lots of green tips for your home.

Tuesday's Green Tip - Method at Big Lots!

Big Lots has Method (Rt. 23 and Lazelle in Columbus) this week and there are many great deals to be had. I purchased the Method, 32 load, Free & Clear Triple Concentrated Laundry detergent for $3.00!! I also purchased Pink Grapfruit All Purpose Wipes for $2.50. There were also air freshners, dryer sheets, hand soap, dish soap, all purpose cleaners and a variety of their holiday scents as well.

Now I have said previously that I was phasing out purchasing cleaning products in lieu of making my own . . . and I am still doing that. However, there are some products which I will continue to purchase like laundry detergent, hand soap and dish soap from companies like Method and Seventh Generation.

"Phase It In"

This idea of "Phase It In" is one I heard in a presentation at work. The phrase was coined in reference to a school district that wanted to "Phase Out" pick up trucks for their district fleet and "Phase In" more fuel efficient vehicles that better fit their needs.

This story reminded me of a question a friend asked awhile ago in regards to cleaning products. Her question was whether she should use up the products she had already purchased and Phase In the new, more earth friendly products as needed. I don't know that I ever formally responded to her question, so here is what I think:

It is perfectly fine to Phase It In! My personal belief is that if you are going to throw out cleaning products, laundry detergent, trash bags, paper towels, etc. without using them up first, that is simply counter productive. It's just like the vehicles in the above example, the school district could not financially change out all their vehicles at one time, but it was something that could easily be accomplished as the leases were up on the current trucks.

Some real world examples:

At our house we have started purchasing 100% cotton sheets. Our daughter has organic cotton sheets on her bed, but my husband and I still have the regular cotton sheets. We will replace ours in time as they wear out.

We have also taken this approach with replacing light bulbs. Since our house had previous owners, we have allowed the existing bulbs to burn out before replacing them with more energy efficient compact fluorescent bulbs.

So I encourage you to, in any way you see applicable for your own life, to Phase It (Green) In!

Tuesday's Green Tip - Grandma's Going Green and you can too!

Grandma's starting to go green in her own way. We spent several days with my husband's parents and I happened to notice a few ways in which Grandma is in fact going green.

In the laundry room I noticed Windex with vinegar (although Grandma can make her own at a fraction of the cost, it's a starting place), Method wood cleaner and Hefty Recycled content kitchen bags! What a great example she will be to her grandchildren!

Change is Coming

I feel like I'm part of a presential campaign . . . I've been absent from the blogging world for a few weeks, but with good reason. I am in transition to a new job . . . yea! It's a very exciting time for our family and we are excited for the new opportunities that lie ahead.

I am hoping to get back into the swing of things as I have many articles, tips and deals to share in regards to green living.

For those of you in the Columbus area, I have discovered a new Green cleaning service and I want to share! They are called A Green Sweep.

Tuesday's Green Tip - Eco-Me

Want to make your own cleaning products, but need a little boost to get going?

Check out Eco-Me - a company who provides you with the tools to make your own cleaning products. They also have kits for body and baby.

Tuesday's Green Tip - Method at Big Lots

Big Lots has Method (Rt. 23 and Lazelle in Columbus) this week and there are many great deals to be had. I purchased the Method, 32 load, Free & Clear Triple Concentrated Laundry detergent for $3.00!! I also purchased Pink Grapfruit All Purpose Wipes for $2.50. There were also air freshners, dryer sheets, hand soap, dish soap, all purpose cleaners and a variety of their holiday scents as well.

Now I have said previously that I was phasing out purchasing cleaning products in lieu of making my own . . . and I am still doing that. However, there are some products which I will continue to purchase like laundry detergent, hand soap and dish soap from companies like Method and Seventh Generation.

Sustainable Saturday - Saving some Green

Want to go Green, but don't want to go broke doing it?

Replace the toxic household cleaning products in your home with environmentally cleaners that you can make with common household items!

Ingredients to get started:

White Vinegar
Baking Soda
Borax
Lemon Juice
Essential Oils
Olive Oil
Spray bottles made with recycled plastic

How they work:

Vinegar and lemon juice cut grease
Baking soda cleans and deodorizes
Borax cleans, deodorizes and disinfects

Sink and Tub Cleaner

1/2 cup Borax
1/2 cup Baking Soda
3 tsp Lemon Juice

Toilet Bowl Cleaner

Flush toilet once to wet
Sprinkle 1 cup Borax
Drizzle 1/2 cup Vinegar
Let set for an hour, then scrub with a toilet brush

Window & Glass Cleaner

1/4 cup white Vinegar
1 quart warm water
Lemon Juice
Tip: Use newspapers to clean windows.

Furniture Polish

2 parts Olive Oil
1 part Lemon Juice
Apply with a soft cloth

Fabric Softener

Add 1 cup Vinegar or 1/4 cup baking soda to final rinse

Oven Cleaner

1 part Vinegar
4 parts water
Spray on cool oven
For tough spots use baking soda as a scrub

Happy Cleaning!

Environmentally Friendly Cleaning Products

During my adult life I have used many cleaning products. Should I even dare say that I have sprayed a certain Kitchen antibacterial cleaner on my countertops . . . that was years ago at a place of residence in which I no longer reside. I have tried many products mostly from Method (huge fan!) and Seventh Generation. Most recently I have been exploring making my own, but I will discuss that at length at a later date.

Symhome mom's favorites:

General cleaning - Method All Purpose Spray in Pink Grapefruit

Dish washing soap - Method Pink Grapefruit

Dishwasher detergent - Seventh Generation, although I will say I don't think it cleans all that well unless you pre-rinse. I have tried Palmolive's new eco + which is phosphate free although I will admit I have not done research on this product.

Hand soap - Method - variety of scents

Window Cleaner - Method with Method microfiber cloth

Furniture Cleaner - Method Wood for Good with Method microfiber cloth

Wood Floor Cleaner - Bona Hardwood Floor Cleaner with Bona microfiber cloth - Bed, Bath & Beyond or Stanley Steemer

Bathroom Cleaner - Method

Toilet Bowl Cleaner - On going battle

Laundry Detergent - Method Baby, Method Free & Clear and Seventh Generation

Dryer Sheets - On going battle, Method Dryer Sheets and Bounce Free.

Method is always, always cheaper at Target even cheaper than buying directly from Method. Check out Big Lots for discontinued Method. Method is very design conscience and they are constantly changing bottle designs and changing fragrances. My favorite time of year to buy Method is after Christmas when they clearance it out at Target. I have noticed this past year though the clearance items go really fast! People are catching on to this great company!

I did notice in the store this week that GreenWorks has expanded their line of products. Please, please don't pay $3.49 for a GreenWorks dish soap when you can get a Method dish soap for $2.99. Method is a great company and we should be supporting them by purchasing their products! Along this line, I have also noticed that Windex now has a product made with vinegar. You too can make a product that will work for the bathroom, kitchen, windows and mirrors and save yourself a few bucks in the process.

All Purpose Household Cleaner:

1/4 cup white vinegar
1 quart warm water
Fresh lemon juice
A spray bottle (look for bottles made from recycled milk bottles - Delta Industries)

Seventh Generation Coupons click here

As for Method I have only ever seen one coupon offering and it was in the Rochester, NY market years ago.