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What is Upcycling?

For years, the mantra shared by both practitioners of frugal living and those interested in keeping it green was: “Reduce, Reuse and Recycle.” These three things not only can save money but can also conserve resources for the planet. You may have heard of a fourth term, “upcycling.” How is this different from the others and should you be doing it? Chances are that if you have been living frugally for some time you are already participating in upcycling. This fancy term describes taking ordinary materials, objects that you might have recycled anyway, and then transforming them into something more … Continue reading →

Clever Cooks: Upcycling in the Kitchen

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I love upcycling. I love a good repurposed sweater, one made out of old sweaters. I love finding great finds off Craigslist and using them for novel purposes in my home. And yes, I love upcycling in the kitchen too. Yuck, you say? Not really. Clever cooks have been upcycling for years. When you save that last bit of rice in the pot or the three leftover apple slices from snack and put them in a pudding the next day, you’re upcycling. Having a limited student budget made me a good upcycler. After that, it was the child that did … Continue reading →

Upcycle Your Holidays

If your home is already crammed to the gills with “stuff,” the prospect of adding even more items during the holiday season can make your skin crawl. One way to alleviate this uncomfortable feeling and save money at the same time is to learn the fine art of upcycling.  Pinterest has made a fortune from the fad, so there’s no reason you can’t benefit as well. Before heading to the mall to drain your wallet on expensive Christmas-themed paraphernalia, gather your kids and take a tour of your home.  Look for items that can transformed into amazing holiday presents and … Continue reading →

So Not My World

I barely have time to wash my hair in the morning, let alone shave my legs on a daily basis. So, how then is it possible for some moms to find time to post DIY tutorials featuring step-by-step instructions on how to create crocheted cozies for disposable Scotch Tape dispensers on YouTube? Pretty, little, intricately handcrafted covers for 99-cent tape dispensers that are designed to be THROWN AWAY. The tape dispensers that is. Clearly, you want to reuse the cuddly soft cozy you created to warm the cold plastic covering and disguise the unsightly green tartan plaid insert of any … Continue reading →

How to Reuse Flat Ware (Silverware)

If you have an abundance of flat ware, or have access to a thrift store, you can turn all of those pieces into usable items. You can get rid of your clutter while saving money on items that you might otherwise have to buy. A couple of weeks ago, I was browsing in a fancy store and noticed some trendy home decor. Nestled in among the staged room were wall hooks on rectangles of painted and distressed wood. The hooks were made out of bent forks and spoons. The price tag on each wall hook? $25. You can adapt this … Continue reading →

Storing Christmas Wrapping

It’s snowing wrapping paper, or at least it’s about to be. Every Christmas, it’s easy to get overwhelmed by the stuff. After present-opening, one of my favorite Christmas traditions as a child was rummaging through the bags, boxes, and bits of wrapping paper to decide what I would keep. Yes, I guess I’m a natural scavenger, although I prefer to call it upcycling.As an eco-minded and budget-minded person, I hate to see these items go to waste. It is in this spirit that I suggest that you too go through the bags and boxes and paper and decide what you … Continue reading →

Homeschooling Groups and Resources in Idaho

Getting involved with other homeschoolers is very important to a family’s success in homeschooling. It is important to join a homeschool network or support group in your area, There are also many homeschooling groups as well as many homeschooling classes, and programs that your students can enjoy. In this series, we are covering home schooling groups and resources across the country. This installment is for Idaho. Homeschool North Idaho is the website of a homeschool mom/realtor who provides homeschool information around Idaho. She also gives information about relocating to Idaho, a homeschool friendly state. Rocky Mountain Education Connection RMEC Is … Continue reading →