written by Morgan Schaafsma

So, I have finally sat down to write this blog about the home products I made around Christmas time. I am not a writer, I express myself through painting not words, but here I am sharing my ideas!

Everyday I ask myself how can I live a more sustainable life? What can I try to change in my household? What can I replace with a more environmentally friendly option? I am currently all over the place, living in between 3 different houses, so I struggle to be consistent. Every Christmas I get really creative and dive into arts and crafts, last year (2019) I decided to make these ECO homemade hampers for my friends.

I really wanted to share with you how easy it is to make these natural home products. I will tell you what works and what does not work but remember this is just my experience and it is all about experimentation. Some products might not agree with you and it is just about tweaking the recipes.

Natural Laundry Powder:

This was a no brainer for me. A few years ago, I made the change from liquids to powders, choosing the Earth selection at Coles, that only comes in a cardboard box, no plastic! But I wanted to do better, so I decided to make my own! I handwash most my clothes now, so it makes sense to pair that with homemade laundry powder.

Recipe:

1. 2.5 cups Bicarb Soda (Sodium Bicarbonate)

2. 1.5 cups Washing Soda (Sodium Carbonate)

3. 1 cup Borax Powder

4. 1 bar Natural Soap (Grated)

5. 10 drops of Essential Oil

Combine all ingredient in large bowl and mix.

I chose a lemongrass essential oil and I put double what the recipe says. About 20 drops, because I really did want a strong fresh smell. Depending on your strength of essential oil, put as much in as you like. Do a test wash, then you can always add more.

You can also add the essential oil straight into the washing machine, not the mix. This is useful if you want to test different smells, and different ratios.

You will see in the photo above I used a regular grater size for the soap. I later found this clogged up my washing machine and did not dispenser properly. Still works, but I would recommend using the SMALLEST grater size. So, it almost turns into a powder itself, more time consuming but worth it. The soap I am using is a natural goats milk soap bar from my local eco shop (Vic Park).

Natural Deodorant:

This is my favourite! I have remade this three times because I keep running out! It lasts all day and smells great!

Recipe:

1. 1 tbsp Arrowroot Power

2. 1 tbsp Coconut Oil

3. 1 tbsp Shea Butter

4. 1 tbs Baking Soda

5. 1-2 drops of Essential Oil

Mix it all up in a bowl then scoop it into a jar!

I did this in summer, so my coconut oil was a liquid and the ingredients were really easy to mix. It might take some elbow grease to mix them together if they are all solid. You will also notice once you have put it in a jar, in summer it turns runny and in winter it is solid. To apply the deodorant, you use the heat from your hand to melt it into your skin, so it really does not matter either way. If you prefer you can keep your mixture in the fridge.

I think lemongrass is the nicest deodorant smell! Also had some great feedback from my friends about this one!

Toothpaste:

Not for everyone! It is quite different to the toothpaste you might be familiar with. I am still adjusting. I brush my teeth at night with my dentist approved toothpaste, then I brush my teeth in the morning with this homemade recipe 😊

Recipe:

1. 4 tbsp arrowroot powder

2. 2 tbsp coconut oil

3. 2 drops of food-grade peppermint oil

Mix it all up in a bowl then scoop it into a jar!

Again, if you want to you can keep this jar in the fridge. I personally don’t; I think it’s fine just leaving it on my bathroom bench 😊

Those are the main three!

I get all my ingredients from Range Products Welshpool. They do come in plastic containers, but you can bring them back and ask them to refill them. (Still looking for a place to source all ingredients without plastic packaging, if you know of any in Perth?)

Due to COVID-19 they are currently not open for walk ins, but you can order everything you need on their website, pay for it, and then go pick it up!

(You will be able to find arrowroot powder at The Source Bulk Foods shop in Vic Park.)

Hope you found this helpful, please feel free to contact me to have a chat about any of these homemade products. Have fun!

We will be releasing a BEESWAX WRAP DIY KIT & Workshop soon. Also coming soon: soy candle making. Stay tunned 😊