Since I started using the essential oils from my Premium Starter Kit at home, I have realized that I need them with me in my diaper bag or purse when I am out and about! I tried just throwing them in a zipper pocket on my diaper bag and even a plastic zipper baggie. Then I started searching for an oily zipper pouch – but I decided to embellish one I have before spending money on a case! So I dug through my stash of little zipper pouches and found this perfect black pouch!  All I did was sew elastic to the inside to hold the bottles in place like this:

The best thing about my black pouch is that I can pull out the lining!  If you are going to add elastic to a makeup bag you already have, it would be best for the lining to come out.  I pulled the lining out, measured how much elastic would be needed to hold different sizes of bottles, then pinned the elastic like this:

Yes, black elastic would look much classier but this is what I had on hand AND it makes it easier for you to see! Win/win! After you have your elastic sewn on, stuff the lining back into your case and BAM! You are ready to take your oils with you wherever you go!

Which oils do I keep in my case?

Well, it depends on where I’m going and what oils I’ve been using on my kids at home that day!  But the oils I usually grab are Thieves (roller bottle), Purification, Lavender, Di-Gize (roller bottle), PanAway, and my favorite – Stress Away!

New to oils?  Feel free to browse my blog, read my KindaKrunchy journey, and learn how and why I became a Young Living member.

Oh how I love the sweet smelling vanilla scent of Stress Away! When things get hectic — or when I just want to smell it — I rub it on my wrists and temples! Young Living must know that it is a favorite because it is the bonus oil in our Premium Starter Kit!!

After I ordered my kit I knew I had Stress Away but I didn’t pop it open for weeks. I was so busy oiling my babies that I didn’t really look into anything for me!  But now I can’t believe I waited so long to open it! And PanAway! Another favorite for Mamas, but more on that oil later! 🙂

And if you want to relax with a nice Stress Away Salt Bath, try this recipe:

In a glass bowl mix together 1/4 cup Epsom Salts and 5 drops of Young Living Stress Away Essential Oil! Place the bowl under warm running water and enjoy! Be sure to drink plenty of water before and after your soak since the salts are detoxifying!

I love good smelling things but first lets get some facts straight! Synthetic fragrances from plug-ins and other various scented smelly things really do nothing to freshen the air. In fact, they are toxic and make people like me feel crummy. But they can do so much worse than that!

According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), most store-bought air fresheners consist of formaldehyde, petrochemicals, p-dichlorobenzene and aerosol pollutants [source: EPA]. The agency’s “Indoor Guide to Air Quality” also notes that air fresheners “release pollutants more or less continuously [source: EPA].

One of the active ingredients in mothballs, 1,4 dichlorobenzene, also is present in many air fresheners. The EPA’s air quality guide lists this chemical as toxic since its vapors can affect respiratory function. Likewise, the U.S. National Institute of Health Sciences reported that the chemicals in air fresheners can reduce lung capacity and may hasten respiratory diseases [source: ScienceDaily].

Clearly these products do NOT belong around small children, much less in homes! If you really want to freshen the air and make your house smell good, consider using a diffuser to diffuse 100% pure essential oils instead. Many teachers diffuse Young Living oils in their classrooms, which the students love! It helps increase concentration while purifying the air. Unlike synthetic fragrance, essential oils are safe for asthmatics and are known to improve respiratory function.

Want to learn more about Young Living Essential Oils? Browse around my blog!

This is the diffuser I have and it came with the Premium Starter Kit I use with my family. It has been amazing to use at home! I just pour some filtered water into it, add a few drops of the oil I need and turn it on!

You can find out more about the toxicity in air fresheners from these articles:

How Air Fresheners Are Killing You

The dangers of indoor chemical pollution

Are air fresheners bad for your health?

-Post from FB wall of Alyssa Francis

Young Living gives away free oils when the Point Value of your retail or wholesale order is 190 PV or greater! Check out the freebies for August!

You can learn more about these free oils on Young Living’s Blog!

With little ones it is always nice to have some multi-purpose wipes handy in the car and the diaper bag! I use them at restaurants, wiping down shopping carts, and so much more.

I have discovered how to make my own multi-purpose wipes just using Dr. Bronner’s Castile Soap and Thieves oil!

Here is what you need:
Half a roll of paper towel (cardboard piece removed)
1 tablespoon of Dr. Bronner’s Organic Castile Mild Baby Soap (Amazon or Sprouts)
3/4 cup water
20-30 drops of Thieves Oil
Empty and cleaned circular container

Here is how:
1. Cut a roll of paper towels in half and take out the cardboard piece. (I use an electric knife and cut about 4 rolls at a time since I also use them for my homemade baby wipes.) Remove enough paper towel sheets for your roll to fit into your container. (I put them into my baby wipe container and just mix up some more solution!)

2. Pour the water and Dr. Bronner’s in the bottom of your container then gently swirl to mix it. Drop in your Thieves oil then quickly insert your paper towel roll into the container. Let it sit for a few hours to allow the mixture to soak through the towels.

Tips:
The amount of water you use depends on the brand of paper towels. If you buy thin paper towels then try a little less water so your wipes won’t be sopping wet!

I have decided to find a deodorant with no controversial ingredients. What could it hurt?! I thought I might be smelly while testing recipes but not once did I notice odor! Not while carrying kids outside in/out of stores, or going on a walk, or cleaning the garage, or walking (fast-ish) on the treadmill!!

I tweaked a recipe from Passionate Homemaking:

Ingredients:
3 tablespoons Organic Coconut Oil
2 tablespoons aluminum-free baking soda
2 tablespoons arrowroot powder
1 empty baby food jar or little container
2-3 drops of your favorite Young Living Essential Oil (I use Thieves!)

Directions:

1. Measure the oil, soda, and arrowroot powder.
2. Mix the ingredients together. If the mixture seems too wet, add more arrowroot. (Mine is a little wet but I apply it with my fingers so it doesn’t bother me!)
3. Scoop it into a container – the baby food jar is the perfect size for this amount of deodorant!

I like making it in small batches because I have fresh deodorant about every 6 weeks!

If you want to know how your deodorant scores from an independent research group, check out the Environmental Working Group or the Think Dirty Shop Clean app!

Thanks to Pinterest, I found several recipes without crazy chemicals. I tried this recipe first from Live Simply (awesome photographer!) and fell in love with it! It is safe enough for me to use for body wash and shampoo on my little ones. (I try not to get it into their eyes, just in case it may hurt.)

I don’t miss my old chemical-filled name brand soap and my hubby even says my skin is softer! Win-win!

Mix the following ingredients into a squeeze bottle and try it out!
½ cup coconut milk
2/3 cup Dr. Bronner’s Baby Mild Organic Soap (from Amazon.com or Sprouts)
3 tsp. coconut oil (or vitamin E oil)
5 drops YL Essential Oil (I use Lavender)
2 teaspoons vegetable glycerin (from Amazon.com or Sprouts)

Tips:
Shake the coconut milk before opening it! Store left overs in the fridge for your next batch.
Use the soap within 2-3 weeks. (This hasn’t been a problem for us!)
The kids and I use a washcloth but my hubby likes to use the sponge and make it all bubbly.

My husband sent me the article about the toxicity of the anti-bacterial triclosan that is in so many hand soaps and foaming soaps. Since I already knew Young Living Thieves Oil has exceptional cleaning power, I started my search for an oily foaming hand soap! I found one and we love it!

Here is how I made my foaming soaps for the bathrooms and kitchen:

I found a deal at Kroger on these Dial Foaming bottles! I bought them for cheap, poured out the Dial, and rinsed out the bottles.

Then I added ½ teaspoon of vegetable glycerin (found at Sprouts or Amazon). You could also use a few drops of vitamin E oil, but I didn’t have any on hand so I used the glycerin.

Next, add 5 drops of your choice of Young Living Essential Oils. I chose Thieves for the kitchen, Lavender for the guest bathroom, and Purification for the other bathroom.

Add 3 tablespoons of Dr. Bronner’s Baby Mild Organic soap, then slowly fill it with filtered water.

Gently shake to mix and you are ready to enjoy the chemical free soap!

Want an even easier DIY?

I have recently discovered how to make Young Living’s Thieves Foaming Handsoap Refill last longer — I refill the foaming pump HALF full with the Young Living refill and fill the rest with water! Fastest DIY ever! And even easier on my budget! 

If you’re ready to go chemical free with your housecleaning products, I recommend the Thieves Starter Kit! You can get everything in this picture — it even comes TWO bottles of Thieves Household Cleaner, foaming hand soap, and other Thieves products to help you on your journey to a chemical free lifestyle!