Make Your Own Miniture Hoop House

This year I found a simple, cheap, and effective way to cover my vegetables. I built temporary, miniature hoop houses.
All you need is wire, wire cutters, and old sheets or clear plastic!
I used a roll of thick old wire that had been sitting under leaves in my father's back yard. I cut my wire in big half circles (or more like 3/4 circles), their shape was already perfect for my minutes hoop house. I took the pieces of wire and poked the ends into the ground on either side of the garden bed. I could have bought clear plastic to cover the hoop houses, but instead I tried just using old bedsheets, since I had them lying around already. All season I left the hoops bridging the beds and just threw the sheets over them when there was a chance of a freeze. It was much easier than I would have thought and cost me nothing. Most importantly, it saved my little plants!

Stripping Cloth Diapers

This winter my son's diapers became unbarably stinky! The ammonia and bacteria build was intense! In desperation, I tried everything.
In the end, the best solution happened to be super cheap and easy:

Washing Soda -- Pour two or three tables spoons of washing soda into the load like you would powdered detergent.

Hydrogen Peroxide -- Pour two or three tablespoons of hydrogen peroxide into the bleach cup on your washer.

And Sunshine -- I would also recommend drying your diapers in the sun. The sunshine really helps bleach them white and takes out the smell.

Though this works great for regular stripping, rinse the diapers well, since the hydrogen peroxide is a little harsh for some skin. Also, I would not advise doing this as everyday washing since that hydrogen peroxide can build up and may irritate delicate skin. (This disclaimer is a new edit because I used this method of cleaning instead of soap for 6 months and my newborn son began to have a reaction to it.)

Make your own Cloth Wet Wipes

I used cloth diapers for years before I started using cloth wet wipes because I assumed cloth wipes would make cloth diapering harder. But I would wipe my baby's butt with a disposable wipe and put the dirty wipe inside the cloth diaper. When it came time to wash the diapers, I found myself pulling out the disposable wet wipes and throwing them in the trash. Turns out, this act of turning towards the trash can was more work than just throwing the wipes in the same place the diaper was headed.
Cloth diapering is challenging, but cloth wet wipes are an easy addition! It is really not any more work, it costs nothing, and it is better for the ecosystem and, therefore, our troubled world!
Here is how I do it:

Cut cotton cloth into squares with pinking sheers. I made my wipes out of old recieving blankets. They are cheap and easy to come by. But you could use an old fannel shirt. I like fannel because it is assobant and soft, but any soft cotton fabric will work. I am sure you could cut and hem the edges of your wipes, but I wouldn't bother. I mean they don't need to be pretty right? Just cut the cloth into squares with pinking sheers.

Soak them in a solution of water, baby soap, and tea tree oil. Some people put a solution in a spray bottle and wet each wipe when it is used. This way you only make the solution once. I perfect making a wet wipes batch after each wash so when I am up to my elbows in poop that wet wipe is ready! The solution I use is just warm water, a little squirt of natural baby soap, and a drop or two of tea tree oil to prevent mildew, mold, or bacteria. Just lay the cloth wipes in an old plastic wet wipe container, pour the solution over the wipes, and vuala! Wash them along with your diapers.