I’m in the midst of another “No Spend” month in order to pad our bank account before the holidays. And while my “No Spend” months don’t apply to household essentials or daily necessities, I still find myself looking for ways to get creative and go the DIY route rather than purchasing. I’ll be the first to admit I’m not a DIY person. Crafts are not my jam and when it comes to most things, I’d rather buy them than spend painstaking hours making my own. But there are a few things I find DIYing on a regular basis to be a lot easier and more cost-effective in the end. So you don’t have to be a crafty goddess to make these everyday items for yourself, trust me!

Cleaners

So many household cleaners are packed with toxic chemicals that do more harm than good. You can make your own with a few simple pantry staples.

Get the tutorial: DIY Natural Cleaning Tutorials

 

Seasonings/Spices

Dried spices are grossly overpriced at conventional stores. All you need is your own little herb garden, a wooden towel and some twine to create your own DIY herb drying rack.

Get the tutorial: DIY Herbal Apothecary 

 

Textiles

Before you head out to buy new napkins or table runners for your next get-together, consider repurposing ones you already have with a simple DIY natural dye. It gives them new life and you get a “brand new” set!

Get the tutorial: All-Natural DIY Dye Napkins

Bath Salts

I’ve seen bath salts priced at upward of $100, which blows my mind. You can make your own variety of dreamy floral bath salts at home for the ultimate self-care DIY.

Get the tutorial: DIY Romantic Floral Bath Salts

Body Scrub

Body scrubs are another one of those beauty products that have an insane markup in the retail world. You probably have a lot of the ingredients already in your pantry. You’re just one short DIY away from glowing skin.

Get the tutorial: DIY Lavender Lemon Sugar Body Scrub

Candles

Candles are actually really easy and really fun to make at home. You can create jar candles, taper candles, whatever your fancy with a few simple ingredients or a DIY kit.

Get the tutorial: DIY Dipped Candles

 

Stock/Broth

Instead of paying $3-4 for a box of stock or broth the next time you hit the store, make your own! You can freeze whatever you don’t use right away for later use. Plus, you cut down on kitchen waste, so it’s a win-win.

Get the tutorial: Easy One-Pot Vegetable Broth

 

Gift Wrap

Gift wrap is a huge landfill menace each year. Rather than shelling out $5+ for a roll of paper that’s just going to go in the trash, make your own! Use it as an opportunity to get creative while also reducing your carbon footprint in the process.

Get the tutorial: Star Garland Gift Wrap DIY