Homemade Is My Future

I was born in the wrong century. Ya, I said that right. Being alive in the late 1800's or early 1900's would have been hard and steady but in my mind it sounds like a wonderful time. Life was simple. Men and women's roles were clearly defined. I am obsessed with organization and I feel that the day-in day-out chores and routines of the old times sounds perfect. You had a wash day, a baking day, etc.. No electricity, using a hip tub, heating water over a cook stove to fill the tub or to wash dishes. No T.V.s or outside entertainment. Kids found things to do, they were aloud to be innocent. Families pulled together more for the good of the whole family. Cost of living was less expensive and a family could survive off of a mans income alone. Neighbors seemed more generous and stores didn't run our lives and control our needs. Homemade goods were common and safe. Having a kitchen garden and canning foods to survive the winter. It all sounds too good to be true! I know, I am crazy. Right?

Well, because I find myself often fantasizing about this type of life I have set a challenge upon myself. I will try each month to find a new way to become more domesticated and self-reliant. What a better time to start this challenge, than these days where the current state of economy is forcing us all to be a little more frugal and make what little we have stretch. My homemade adventure is trying to encompass making as many homemade household items myself, in my own home.

A century ago making these common household products was common and not thought twice about. Now, with the economy at a low point and this push towards being "green" I feel encouraged to re-establish the norm of making these goods on a constant bases.

I started my adventure with the encouragement of my "cheap", I mean frugal husband. I love to cook and began making almost all my foods from scratch. He RAVED about them. I felt special because he began to brag about and share my foods. (I am not big headed really!) But, after the great reviews I just kept on it and continued to find new ways to make common foods from scratch. I couldn't just stop there. I was curious about making other items such as cleaners, clothes, and foods. Thus, I began this adventure of homemade living.

Here are some benefits of a homemade adventure:

Self-reliance- the more you make the less you depend on outside resources and big name distributors.

Creativity and Handiness- creating your own homemade products and materials will boost your creative thought. You will reach out to try new things and be encouraged by the new things you can make. When getting the supplies needed to make new products buy in bulk. This brings the cost down and allows you to have stock available. This is wonderful at the moment when you realize you just ran out of dish soap, but no worries, all you have to do is whip a batch up and you are set!

Green Living – because you make the products, you choose the building blocks and the method of production; use of chemically laden ingredients can be kept to a minimum if you so choose.

Savings– The more products you make, the more money you will save; I am speaking from personal experience as I save more money with each additional homemade item I tackle.

Health – when you create your own products you will undoubtedly be very choosy as to the health considerations each product will have on you and your family; and because you are in full control of production, you stand to cut out more and more items that can be detrimental to your health.

In the coming posts I plan to show you some of the recipes and ways I have already changed to become more self-reliant. I will also continue to post on new things I plan to try and let you know how they work! Please share any suggestions you may have to become more self-reliant.

Thanks!