Helpful Household Hints

Long before being "green" and recycling were cool, I've always been looking for a way to save money and resources. I blame my grandparents who taught me to recycle aluminum foil and bread bags even. I've discovered a "new" way to save water.

My bedtime ritual includes brushing, flossing, taking out my contacts, brushing my hair and washing my face. I also like to wash my feet. The water in my apartment takes forever to warm up and I've hated how much water I've been wasting. Most of the time I've given up and washed my face with cool water. As the colder weather is coming, I've dreaded the cool water face wash.

But I've discovered something. Heating up a pot of water on the stove! Revolutionary! (yeah, I think they did this in the olden days...) So now, I put a small sauce pan on the stove to heat, go brush and floss, take out the contacts, turn down the bed. By this time my water is getting to a simmer. I take the pot of water to the bath room, and blend a little heated water with normal tap water in a basin. (big Target mixing bowl actually) Wash my face in nice hot water.

After I'm finished with washing my face, I take the basin of water and set it down in the bath tub. I take the remaining hot water in the sauce pan, poor it into the basin, sit down on the side of the bath, and stick my feet in for a nice 10 minute soak while I read a magazine, scriptures, or homework.

The cats usually come for a visit as well. They think this is the strangest thing ever.

But now I've only used one basin and one small sauce pan of water, had a thorough face cleaning, a relaxing foot soak, and got my scripture reading in.