If you’re a lover of living a more natural, clean life, particularly on a tight budget, you’re probably someone who knows the value in keeping items around the house that serve multiple uses.
If you haven’t quite caught on to the awesomeness of multi-purpose items, or you’re still in the learning process in converting to a natural lifestyle, check out the list below of my top 10 must haves, all of which I own in bulk!
In no particular order:
Vinegar – while apple cider vinegar is great, I prefer the cheaper white vinegar for its many uses that don’t require the extra flavor of ACV.
Uses: hair washing, spray cleaner, laundry, dish rinse, bodily yeast killer, cooking, weed killer
Baking Soda – there is also something called Washing Soda that is slightly different, I just stick with the big boxes of baking soda for everything.
Uses: hair washing, bodily deodorizing, home deodorizing, grease removal, stain removal, fire extinguisher, heartburn relief, toothpaste
Clay – there are many different types of clay that have varying uses and you would find it worthwhile to read up on the different types because clay in general is wonderful to have around.
Uses: bug bites from mosquitoes to brown recluse spiders, skin cleanser/detox, ingested detox, great source of trace minerals
Arnica – a homeopathic remedy safe for all ages, it’s a great item to have in your first aid kit, car, office, diaper bag or purse
Uses: primarily pain and swelling caused by trauma, but like all homeopathic remedies, it fits with many different symptoms and requires all users to read up on it first
Raw Honey – remember the keyword here is “raw” and honey sourced locally to your home is always best
Uses: antibacterial, antifungal, antitussive, allergy treatment, skin and hair conditioning, amazing unprocessed natural sweetener
Tea Tree Oil – make sure you look up the correct dilutions for each specific use, this stuff is strong!
Uses: antibacterial, antifungal, pesticide, skin cleanser, deodorizer, spray cleaner
Borax – very similar to baking soda, but still worthwhile to have
Uses: abrasive cleaner, laundry, dishes, pest control
Dr. Bronner’s Liquid Castille Soap – high quality, eco-friendly, great scents!
Uses: hand/hair/face/body wash, dishes, laundry, spray cleaner
Coconut oil – Throw out every lotion/chapstick/conditioner you have, you only need coconut oil!
Uses: eat it straight up for healthy fats and appetite control, baking, frying, body/face/hair/diaper area moisturizer, antifungal, antibacterial, toothpaste, carrier oil for homemade products
Canning jars – I keep well stocked with pints, quarts, half gallons, plus the metal lids have their own extra uses!
Uses: canning (duh?), drinking glasses, food storage, fermenting, baking, organizing, gift containers
What natural multi-purpose items do you love to have on hand?
Looking for more natural cleaning recipes check out:
–Mama and Baby Love blog post recipe roundup {free online}
–Homemade Cleaners: Quick-and-Easy, Toxin-Free Recipes {Print Book}
-DIY Non-Toxic Cleaning Supplies {eBook}
CiCi
June 28, 2012 at 1:29 PMCan you list sources to find quality ingredients?
Cassandra
June 28, 2012 at 3:42 PMEach item has a product link to Amazon to give you an idea of a quality brand. You can always use a search engine to find more information about each specific one.
Ashley
June 28, 2012 at 1:37 PMHydrogen peroxide! Besides its medical use, it can be used to remove stains and as a laundry brightener.
Cassandra
June 28, 2012 at 3:43 PMGreat idea! I haven’t used that one yet, though I know some people use it in place of bleach. It would have been a good replacement in this list for Arnica, but I love Arnica so much and have about a dozen bottles floating around, haha.
Lacey H.
June 28, 2012 at 1:50 PMThis is a great list, Thank you! I love the little hand in the picture lol 🙂
Michele H
June 28, 2012 at 3:16 PMWhat is the bentonite clay used for?
Cassandra
June 28, 2012 at 3:46 PMI list general uses underneath the description. You can use a search engine to find out more information on each specific one.
Selia
June 28, 2012 at 3:58 PMCoconut oil makes a great intimate lube. If you chill it solid in the fridge you can get a small chunk and stick it in mess free. Smells nice and is safe and, um, edible. ;P
Cassandra
June 28, 2012 at 3:59 PMAhahaha oh somehow it doesn’t surprise me that you would leave that comment Selia. Thanks 😛
Becky
June 28, 2012 at 6:14 PMOh Sella, that’s a great idea!
Amelia
June 29, 2012 at 12:07 AMI have heard that it’s not latex-friendly, however. Wanted to mention that just in case 😉
Lisa
September 4, 2015 at 11:29 AMI have been using coconut oil for personal lubricant for a while now. i get bad yeast infections from any other kind of intimate lubricants. i also put about a teaspoon of oil into a round ice cube tray with essential oils to combat yeast infections and use them like a suppository.
KarinSDCA
June 28, 2012 at 5:30 PMFor once I have and use everything in a top ten list for healthy, natural living! Narrowing it down to ten must have been hard, though. 😉
Haley @ Carrots for Michaelmas
June 29, 2012 at 11:57 AMLove this! What a great post, Cassandra!