By now you guys know that I am a bit of a clean freak. But, its often overlooked that having a clean home and having an organized home are two very different things. While I am pretty good about making sure my ceiling fans don't have dust on them, and making sure my kitchen cabinets are free of any food or grime, the organization in my house is seriously lacking. The biggest excuses I make for myself are that I am too busy to worry about organizing EVERYTHING, and that my house is too small ... [ Read More ]
10 Plants to Help You Sleep
If you haven't ever struggled with falling asleep, while you should consider yourself lucky, you're definitely in the minority. A lot of people struggle with falling asleep and staying asleep, and there are tons of issues that could be leading to your issue: anxiety, stress, even low amounts of oxygen. Rather than trying sleeping pills, try an all natural solution! There are herbal teas, essential oil blends, and even this list of household plants that can help you sleep! While a lot of ... [ Read More ]
Holiday Simmer Pot Recipes
I want to start by wishing you all a Merry Christmas or Happy Holidays! I hope you all are able to enjoy time with your families and stay safe! Since it is Christmas, and as a continuation for some natural ways to keep your house smelling great and essential oil blends for winter, today I just want to share a few simmer pot recipes that will make your house smell all festive and Christmas-y! Orange 5 - 8 cups of water 3 - 5 cinnamon sticks 1 - 3 orange peels / 10 - 15 drops of ... [ Read More ]
5 Common Types of Tea and Their Benefits
During the winter, hot tea is one of my favorite treats. Not only does it taste great (usually) there are so many different types that I never get burnt out, plus they're natural healing agents! There have been a couple specific tea recipes shared here at Old Fashioned Families, including a cinnamon honey tea and an elderberry tea, both of which have a long list of benefits. Since tea is great for warming you up and keeping you healthy during the cold winter months, I thought we would take it ... [ Read More ]
6 Medicinal Herbs You Need This Winter
Since I hate the cold and love herbal remedies, it should not come as a surprise that I'd like to do a round up of the best herbs to use during winter! We have already discussed some herbal remedies that can help you stay healthy during the cold season, like elderberry tea, cinnamon honey tea, and a DIY vapor rub but there are still so many possibilities out there! Read on! Echinacea Echinacea is a beautiful flower that's part of the daisy family. It has been used for centuries in combating ... [ Read More ]
8 Surprising Ways to Use Epsom Salt
Epsom salts have a really wide variety of uses, some of which might come as a surprise to you! The salts are rich in magnesium and sulfates which have a variety of health benefits, but Epsom salts are good for a few other things as well. With its multitude of uses, it would be silly not to use Epsom salt. It's super cheap to buy, you can easily get a pound for $2. After reading this 8 unique ways to use Epsom salt, you'll always keep a supply around the house! 1) Soak in a bath This one is ... [ Read More ]
5 Simple Salad Dressing Recipes
There is no reason to ever spend your hard earned dollars on store-bought salad dressing ever again. These recipes are so simple that it won't take much longer than opening the bottle of dressing to make, and you'll be able to memorize the recipes after giving it a couple go's. Aside from the issue of price, salad dressings are usually pumped full of chemical additives, sugar, and salt. By making your own you can really monitor what ingredients you are putting into your body, and adjust the ... [ Read More ]
All Natural DIY Vapor Rub
It's that time of the year again. It's freezing outside, snow is on the ground, and everyone takes their turn getting sick. Stuffy noses and coughs are no fun, though sometimes unavoidable. At this point, you guys probably know that I am not much of a fan of store-bought medicinal supplies and I prefer to look for an all natural remedy. If you haven't yet started a journey with essential oils, I really really recommend doing so. They open up a bunch of different DIY healing options, from ... [ Read More ]
Creamy Potato Soup Recipe
I went home to visit my mom this past weekend, and I bugged her a little bit to pass on some of her kitchen wisdom. While I was aiming for some more difficult stuff, what exactly I'm not quite sure, she decided to give me a classic instead— her creamy potato soup recipe! I absolutely love my moms potato soup, it's perfectly rich and creamy and overall just delicious. Plus, now that its cold outside here, soup is the perfect treat to warm me up. Creamy Potato Soup Recipe Print ... [ Read More ]
Top 11 Items to Barter With
Preparedness has a special place in our hearts here at Old Fashioned Families, since we are all about being self-sufficient. While there are a lot of misconceptions about preppers, namely just how intense they are, in reality they've got the right idea. Being prepared to survive is not all about the world ending— though preppers would be the most equipped— but rather surviving any kind of adversity that life throws your way. This could mean a natural disaster, losing your job, or even war. If ... [ Read More ]