Condo Blues: free
Showing posts with label free. Show all posts
Showing posts with label free. Show all posts

Friday, May 3, 2019

California Design Den Luxury Sheet Giveaway!

Let’s face it, soft luxurious sheets Step Number One to getting a good night’s sleep.
I should know. I have battled insomnia for as long as I can remember. One of the ways I can sleep through the entire night is by treating the quality of my bedding as Priority Number One. I’d rather lay out the cash and have two sheets of super soft sheets to rotate in my linen closet between washings than a dozen horrible, stiff, and scratchy cheap microfiber sheet sets. Ew! Ew! Ew!


I want to share a lovely and luxurious night’s sleep with you courtesy of our friends at California Design Den who are kind enough to sponsor this California Design Den Luxury Sheet Giveaway!

Tuesday, April 23, 2019

6 Ways Plastic Helps Me Live Zero Waste

Almost every blog post I read that offers tips and tricks how to live Zero Waste they almost always use plastic free as a synonym. They say something like, “We got rid of all of our plastic stuff and bought the same exact thing in wood/bamboo/natural fiber to replace it and wow how cool we are living zero waste now!”

It. Drives. Me. Crazy.

Throwing away usable items to buy a cool looking replacement is the exact opposite of zero waste living folks!

Zero waste living means giving up using disposable single use plastic and items as much as possible, not no plastic at all.

Plastic free is great but that is a different goal.


6 Easy Ways to Live Zero Waste (ish) and Save Money Doing It!

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Photo used with permission  by Sophia Marston on Unsplash


Wednesday, April 25, 2018

How to Make Reusable Zero Waste Makeup Remover Pads

I have a very bad habit of by passing the wash cloth by the bathroom sink at night and not washing the makeup off my face before I go to bed.

Why? Laziness I guess.

The only time I remember to do it at night is when I have leftover disposable face wipes I use when I travel for the convenience.  I try to limit the amount of one time use disposables I use on a regular basis and let’s face it, wash cloths are reusable and paper face wipes are not.

 

How to Sew Super Soft Flannel Cloth Makeup Remover Pads


Wednesday, March 28, 2018

8 Zero Waste Lies

If you are trying to be a Zero Waste or Trash Fee home you try to reduce the need to use the landfill by refusing, reducing, reusing, repairing, recycling, and donating your household waste to get your output to as close to zero as you can.

There are some in Internet Land who show you how they do it with Pinterest perfect photos of bamboo toothbrushes like these, stylishly minimalist rooms (you can learn about the minimalism movement here), and  haughtily looking down their nose at people who  – gasp! – follow low waste practices because their primary goal is to pay off bills, live within their means, or save money, with environmental concerns coming in a close second or even lower down the list.

Disclosure: I am including some affiliate links in this post for your convenience.

8 Truths of Trash Free and Zero Waste Living

In my over 10 years of blogging about green living and doing it in one form or another for even longer, I know there are some truths to Zero Waste Living and I also know that the reality is not always what you see in those Pinterest perfect Zero Waste Kitchens either.


8 Truths of Trash Free and Zero Waste Living
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Tuesday, March 6, 2018

6 Ways to Use Less Plastic without Going Crazy

Many folks in the United Kingdom are looking for ways to live plastic free or with less single use plastic for the 40 days of Lent. This is as part of a national Plastic Free (Less) Lent Challenge influenced by the BBC TV program Blue Planet 2: Seas of Life (this show has such gorgeous nature photography and information that I have no problem recommending it to you and using my affiliate links to do it!)

So far, the folks I’m working with are excited when they find a plastic free bamboo toothbrush (read more about it here) or their grocery store allows them to use reusable cloth produce bags and that's fantastic! 

But as they have been living awhile with the low plastic challenge, there are many people who are becoming overwhelmed, or are too time poor to DIY plastic free everything, or worse, being shamed when they admit that they can’t afford the perfect plastic free option. That’s not cool.


6 Ways to Go Plastic Free without Going Broke or Crazy
Pin this list of ideas for later and share it with your friends!


I feel for ya, because I think I am the only person in the world who lives in an area where my farmer’s market, bulk food bins, and fresh vegetable summer CSA subscriptions are typically more expensive than a conventional grocery store. I want to do my bit but I don’t always have the time to regularly grocery shop at three or more markets every other week when one conventional grocery store has everything I need.

Sunday, February 4, 2018

How to Clean an Essential Oil Nebulizing Aromatherapy Diffuser

 I’ve been poking around at upgrading my candle essential oil diffuser. I didn’t realize how many types and choices are available since I bought my ceramic diffuser ages ago:
1. Candle Essential Oil Diffuser – Good for a start but it’s too easy for the candle to boil the essential oil and water dry. Not to mention the whole never leave a burning candle unattended thing.

2. Reed diffuser – Swing and a miss. Slow acting and only good for small rooms like a bathroom. You need new reeds every time you want to use a different essential oil in it.

3. Ultrasonic essential oil diffuser – Uses water and heat to produce a mist of essential oil in the air. They are often made out of a ugly hunks of plastic. The last thing I need (per my allergist) is to add humidity to the air in my home due to my (rather annoying) seasonal allergies which makes it a no go.

4. Nebulizing essential oil diffuser -  Uses an air pump to release the essential oil from the diffuser as waterless mist. Many people feel a nebulizer is a better option because it doesn’t change the makeup of the essential oil with heat or weaken the aroma with water – which makes it the perfect type for me!

Tuesday, April 25, 2017

9 Ways to Replace Plastic Wrap in the Kitchen


I have a like – hate relationship with plastic cling wrap. I like on those rare occasions that it actually and fully sticks to a container to keep food fresh. I also hate it most of the time because, no matter what type or brand, it never sticks, food dries out or gets freezer burn, and I end up tossing the spoiled food and the plastic wrap in the trash.

So it was no great stretch for me to find a way to keep food fresh without plastic wrap. Once I started using my Swiss Army knife of easy alternatives,  I noticed we also reduced the amount of weekly household trash by quite a bit. Yay!


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Wednesday, November 9, 2016

Amazon Echo Dot Birthday Giveaway!

Today is my birthday!

Yay!

I'm throwing a reverse birthday party and you are invited. What is a reverse birthday party you ask? It is a birthday party where I give YOU gifts! 

One of the things on my vacation shopping list a few years ago was to bring back either a Minion or a House Elf from Universal Studios. Husband thought I wanted a toy. No. I wanted a REAL one to help around the house. Sadly, they are fictional but flash forward to right now this minute in time and there IS a real live way to make your life easier - The Amazon Echo Dot! Best of all it doesn't need feeding, or clothes, or has a nasty habit of punching things.

And I am giving one Amazon Echo Dot away on Condo Blues!!!


Wednesday, May 18, 2016

How to Make Motivational Chalkboard Art the Easy Way!

I learned in my garage organizing post Organize Your Garage in Three Simple Questions that hanging and storing items high on a wall doesn’t work well for a short person like me. If I can’t easily reach it without a step stool I won’t put it away in its proper place.

That’s why the wall above my recycled cabinet workbench (read the tutorial on Condo Blues here) is blank. All of my tools and DIY supplies are stored low to the ground – like me! – in the workbench.

Since that area is pretty much dead to me for tool storage, why not fill it with some motivational DIY décor?


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I read several interviews from local resident Kelly Harris when she was on Face Off. (Which is the only reality show I watch because it is all about creating cool movie makeups and not about manufacturing drama between the contestants and judges.) When asked in interviews how Kelly learned to how to do  makeup special effects, Kelly always says her personal motto is, “Try. Suck. Get Better. Repeat.”

I immediately scribbled her motto on a Post It Note and slapped it on my computer stand because she summed up how I go about doing just about every project you read about on Condo Blues. My plan was to hang Kelly’s motto above my workbench for DIY inspiration when I hit a spot in a project that makes me sing the blues.

Sunday, May 15, 2016

How to Make a Pallet Wood Clamp Storage Rack

The small downside to insulating the garage walls is I lost my free wood clamp storage organizer. I can’t store my clamps on wall stud like I used to now that they are filled with insulation.
Currently my wood clamps are stored in a pile of stuff on top of my workbench. At least I think they are. There is too much junk on top of the workbench to tell. Sigh.

During Operation: Clean and Organize my Workbench and Clear My Recycled Materials Stash, I added a woodworking clamp storage rack is a quick and easy wood pallet stash bust project that took practically no time and with very few tools to make to my punch list.


Quick and Easy Workbench Woodworking Clamp Rack

 

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You will need:

Wednesday, May 11, 2016

Mega $200 Pioneer Woman Giveaway!

This spring’s big giveaway to thank you for supporting all we do here on Condo Blues is inspired by my butter dish. I’ve been looking off and on (mostly off) for a cute and fun casual butter dish. I wasn’t having much luck because they were either plastic (no thank you), ceramic plain Jane, or cost more than the bone china butter dish I use when I set a formal table.


I added affiliate links to this post for your convenience.
Shortly after I met Ree Drummond at BlogHer, she launched the Pioneer Woman collection of cookware and dishes that look like she picked them up at a country flea market. Her butter dish was just what I was looking for and the price can't be beat. I by passed the big box store and bought my happy polka dot Pioneer Woman butter dish from Amazon.



Thursday, May 5, 2016

Win a Naturepedic EOS Standard Organic Mattress Giveaway!

Welcome to the Naturepedic EOS Standard Queen Organic Mattress Giveaway ($2599 Value), sponsored by Naturepedic and hosted by Happy Mothering and the Green Moms Network.


  naturepedic-giveaway-may-square 

Shopping for a new mattress can be an intimidating experience. It seems like there are so many mattress brands to choose from, and it can be dizzying to find the one that's right for you. Before you go mattress shopping, let's talk about why most mattresses on the market these days are toxic. Did you know that most mattresses are full of lots of toxic chemicals?

Wednesday, April 20, 2016

April Cricut Explore Air $250 Cash Giveaway!

 One of the things I cherish most is just like my in real life condo, my virtual condo is full of  super fantastic awesome people. You, yes you, the one reading this right now, makes making Condo Blues not just a blog, but a community.

I'm always looking for giveaway opportunities to thank you for being part of the Condo Blues community.


A bunch of my blogger friends want to find a way to reward their readers in the same way. We got together and thought what would people like? Warmer weather makes us want to get out there and start a creative project. Unfortunately spring rain often keeps us inside and looking for an indoor creative project. Hey! We thought....

What would you do with your choice of a Cricut Explore Air die cutting machine or $250 Paypal Cash to spend this spring?!


That's right friends, if you win you will have your choice of accepting 250 dolla, dolla bills or your very own Cricut Explore Air! Sweeeeeeeeeet!
 

Enter the April Cricut or $250 Paypal Cash Giveaway!

Thursday, March 24, 2016

Recycled Pallet and Pot Planters

A big wood barrel planter is so welcoming at the end of a driveway,  on a front porch, deck, or patio. Unfortunately those expensive buggers start to crack and rot a few years after you buy them.

If only there was a way, to get a lasting  wood barrel planter look for less. Then we can get down to the business of buying and growing pretty plants and not replacing their planters every other year.

There is something to say for a lasting rustic garden like this one.


Photo courtesy of  Make the Best of Things

Monday, March 7, 2016

How to Make Bottle Cap Tiles

I want another ear phone, phone, and table charger organizer for the living room to hold the overflow from the Cigar Box and Wine Cork Storage Box I made last month.

I found a decorative Indian spice box during a 10 minute tidy in the kitchen that will a few quick tweaks will fit the bill just fine thank you.

 
The interior wood dividers easily popped out of the box in my hand. I wanted to add feet to the bottom of my DIY decorative storage box.  What to use?

Bottle caps!

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