Homemade Laundry Soap - 1 year later review and updated recipe

So, a year ago I adopted this laundry detergent recipe.  It says it will last a whole year and it really does!  And I love it!!  I just made a few changes this year.  So, here is my updated recipe: 

Here are the ingredients.  

And here are the things I changed: 

First of all, I miscalculated the size of the canister I'd need, so I upgraded to this larger size.  I really love these canisters from {Target} and I use them to store flour and sugar as well. 

The other thing I changed about my recipe is that instead of using a normal cheese grater to grate the soap, I decided to try a zester to get the pieces as small as possible.  It worked like a charm.  I set up my bucket and grater like this and my third time doing this was definitely a charm.

The reason I made this change is because sometimes my washer had a hard time disolving the larger soap shavings, especially on a cold water cycle.  The smaller pieces seem to dissolve much easier.

Once the soap was grated, I just threw all the rest of the ingredients into the bucket and mixed them all together.  And it rubbed my hands raw...so next time I'll be wearing gloves for that step. 

Anyway, the result is a wonderfully beautiful detergent that looks and smells like summer. 

I ended up using the smaller canister to store my Oxiclean White Revive which I add to loads of white laundry in place of bleach.  I really love that stuff.  It does the trick without ruining anything! 

There you have it!  All in all, this laundry detergent costs about $20-$30 to make, and it lasts for a whole year!!  That's a pretty good deal, if you ask me.

Spring Cleaning

{Brown Paper Packages} totally inspired and revitalized me with {this post}.  I am going to try to be as on top of my cleaning as this woman is.  She's got it down.  And she shared her game plan with us.  Love this cleaning list:

Father's Day Service

Here's a cute idea for things you can do for your Daddy this Father's Day.

{Cardigan Empire} shared a link for this {printable}.

{here} is a clothing memory tag. 

{here} is a tidy drawer tag. 

{here} is a shoe shine tag. 

And {here} is an ironing tag.

You can find all the downloads at {Cardigan Empire}

Happy Father's Day!

Gas Stove Miracle

This miracle brought to you by {Nannygoat}. I saw this on her blog and I about died.
If you have a gas stove, you know how yucky gas stoves get. Mine used to be WAY worse than this. I was so ashamed, but not strong enough to scrub the gunk off. Well nannygoat just put her burners in a ziplock and sprayed some ammonia in there. Then she let them sit overnight and the next morning all that grime just wiped off - so she says.
And they looked like this. I was amazed, because I could never get mine clean. So, I tried it. And I was too ashamed to take a before picture of my burners...seriously they were nasty. But it worked really well. I wouldn't say it was as easy as she made it sound - I definitely had to rub hard and it took a while to get all those corners clean, but the point is that they came clean. Totally clean. Like brand new. It's amazing!

Upping Your Curb Appeal

Better Homes and Gardens has a set of tips called {Making the Sale Before They Walk in the Door}. I think they're some great ideas if you're trying to sell, or even if you just want your house to be the best looking one on the block. Here they are:
Make the Front Door Special
Spruce up your front door with a coat of glossy paint in whatever color best suits the style of your home. A cottage-style house may look great with a country blue door, a Colonial may be crying out for a cheerful red door. As long as it's fresh and not too trendy, it'll attract positive attention. Make sure the door doesn't squeak when it opens, too!

Ring Their Bell
Impress potential buyers with attention to detail. Clean or replace all front-door accoutrements, whether it's the doorbell (if you don't have one, install one; some actually run on batteries), the address numbers, the doorknocker, the doorknob and key lock -- even the mailbox. A stylish new set of hardware can help make a great first impression.

Dress the Porch
Say "Welcome" with a few pots of seasonal plants and a decorative door mat. If the porch is large, make sure there's a comfortable seat or swing in good condition. Check that steps and railings are stable and in good repair.

Make It Sparkle
Wash your exterior windows until they shine. Don't forget to clean shutters, gutters, and siding, as well. It's never a bad thing to look like an overachiever in the home maintenance department.

Clear the Path
Power wash the sidewalk, driveway, and any other surfaces leading up to your front door. Let the area dry before prospective buyers arrive. Make sure garbage cans and recycling bins are empty, clean, and put out of sight.

Go for a Great Garage
If your garage is visible from the street in front of your house, make sure it's as good looking as your house -- and matches the style of your home. If your garage door has seen better days, consider painting it, or replacing it with one of the newer models that add architectural interest with rows of windows or carriage-house styling.

Simple Landscaping

You don't have to have the fanciest flora and fauna in the neighborhood to impress a potential buyer, but you must have a well-maintained, nice-looking yard. Flowerbeds, foundation plantings, paths, and borders can make a huge difference in your home's appeal. If you buy small plantings and let them grow into their role, you get a particularly high value per investment. Mowed grass, well-kept flowerbeds, and a fence that's in good condition will all get a thumbs up. If your outside looks good, buyers will already be anticipating a great inside.

Store the Clutter
The tricycle, the wheelbarrow, the sprinkler, the Frisbee that finally slid off the roof -- put it all out of sight so that your yard looks bigger, cleaner, and more appealing. If Fido usually parks outside, clean up his area (including doing doggy doo-doo duty and removing "Beware of Dog" signs!), and put away his bones and toys. Send all pets "on vacation" during buyer visits.

Perk Up the Patio
If your deck or outdoor wooden furniture is looking tired, give it a new coat of stain or paint to freshen it up. Make sure your grill is covered or in great condition; if not, put it away. Place a few well-positioned pots of flowers or herbs near the back door along with another doormat.
Trim the Trees
Make sure no large trees are too close to the house or to power lines. Not only can trees cramp a home's style by making the home dark or obscuring interesting architectural details, they can lean over dangerously and fill the gutters with leaves. Careful pruning will let the sun shine in and keep your home safe.