My Frugal Baby Tips: Miscellaneous

I re-use an empty Foaming Hand Soap dispenser for all liquid baby soap I buy, and I've found it makes liquid soap go way further.

Shampooing my baby's hair or washing a slippery baby is much easier when I can squirt foam soap out of a dispenser.

Cuisipro foam pump dispenser

I usually put an inch of liquid baby soap (Johnsons, Aveeno, etc.) in the dispenser, fill the rest of the bottle with water, give it a good shake, and it's ready to use.

I have also bought an empty Cuisipro foam pump dispenser from a kitchen/bath store, which also works well.

Many products now come in foam pump bottle styles, which can be rinsed out and used for this purpose.

I've been saving lots of money by stretching one bottle of liquid soap about five times instead of using it straight from the container.

Thanks to Suzie Mah for this Frugal Baby Tip!

Image: Teddy bear bookends, by Camila Sanabria (cahmeelah), on Flickr

Decorating a little one's room can be so much fun! And can be so expensive!

But it doesn't have to be!

Steiff Teddy Bear

I took a look around and a Teddy Bear Bookend can cost you as much as $200 EACH!

Did you know... you can make your own matching stuffed toy book-ends out of your own adorable stuffed animals?

Simply undo the back of your stuffed toy, take out some of the stuffing and fill with marbles for weight.

Re-sew the back opening by hand.

Image: teddy bear sewing another teddy bear

To prevent sliding, glue a non-slip rubber /silicone mesh pad on the bottom of the stuffed toy.

This works great for matching the decor in your baby's room.

Thanks to Renata for this Frugal Baby tip!

Image: Country Teddy Bear Bookends, Adorable Teddy Bear Bookends, Bear Bookends, Books Are Fun Bookends

Shopping Suggestions:

🧸 Teddy Bear in a Jacke

🧸 Vermont Teddy Bear Cuddly Toy

🧸 Mega Marbles

🧸 Non-Slip Jar Lid Rubber Pad

Image: Twin Girls with their dolls, on Pixabay

I made my own dolly diapers (though my daughter thinks all her dollies should be naked) from a cheap Gerber prefold.

It was pretty easy - just cut one in half, cut them into contour shapes sort of, and then put on some Velcro®.

Image: DC-BEAUTIFUL 4 Pack Baby Diapers Doll Underwear for 14-18 Inch Baby Dolls, American Girl Doll

Baby Doll Diapers

Here are a few patterns to make doll diapers:

🧷 Free Doll Nappy / Diaper Pattern and Tutorial | Willow and Stitch

🧷 Baby Doll Diapers and Accessories TUTORIAL

🧷 No-Sew Baby Doll Diaper | artsy-fartsy mama

🧷 Small Doll Crochet Diaper pattern by Victoria Stewart - Ravelry

Doll Diapers

🧷 Frilly pants/nappy/diaper cover knitting pattern for reborns and baby dolls

🧷 How To Make a Doll Diaper - Made Whimsy

🧷 How to make a diaper for a child's doll | Skip To My Lou

🧷 How to make cloth diapers for a baby doll

🧷 Goodness Gracious Preemie/doll diaper pattern

🧷 DIY Doll Diapers – Free Pattern + Tutorial!

🧷 Felt Baby Doll Diaper Pattern

One Size Diaper Patter

And if you want to make diapers for your own baby, here's a few great links:

🧷 Zany Zebra | Free Diaper Patterns

🧷 Making Baby Cloth Diapers – 18 wonderful Patterns {FREE}

🧷 Free Cloth Diaper PDF Patterns and Tutorials

🧷 Adorable Knitted Diaper Covers - DIYS.com

🧷 Make Your Own Diapers and Covers | BorntoLove.com

Thanks to Angela for this Frugal Baby Tip!

Image: zefen Reusable Baby Diaper Cover/Knit Co | Natural, so soft, breathable, waterproof. Perfect with prefolds for hot climate

Reusable Diaper Cover

More Frugal Diaper Covers and Soakers:

🚼 Frugal Diaper Sewing: Easy Homemade Soaker

🚼 Frugal Diapering: Free Crochet Wool Soaker patterns

🚼 FREEBIE: Knit/Crochet/Sew Soaker patterns

🚼 Frugal Diaper Sewing: Free Diaper and Cover Patterns

🚼 Frugal Sewing: Make your own diaper cover pull-ons

🚼 Diaper Sewing: Making a fleece pull-on pant

🚼 Frugal Diapering: Make Your Own Baby Bum Sweaters

🚼 Diaper Sewing: More Free Wool Soaker Patterns

🚼 Diaper Sewing: 2 layer fleece soaker

🚼 Diaper Washing: Washing Wool Soakers

Image: Ice and Snow on Windshield, by Davie Bicker on Pixabay

Windshield De-Icer

I guess this isn't really a baby tip, but when you have the kids already strapped into their car seats in the middle of winter, and the windshield is frosted over, anything to gets you moving quicker is a good idea!

What I did was fill a small spray bottle I bought at the Dollar Store with windshield washer fluid, good to 45 degrees below zero.

We start the car, have the heat settings on defrost, high and hot, and I spray the windshield quickly before strapping in the kids.

Windshield Snow Cover

Once I am done, the ice scraper does a quick job of any remaining ice.

Another idea: Cover your windshield with an old bedsheet when snow or ice is in the forecast.

Hold the sheet in place, by closing it in the door on each side.

In the morning, just peel the sheet off the windshield.

Thanks to Cathy for this Frugal Baby Tip!

Image: Personal Creations | Baby Shower Diaper Cake

When your baby outgrows the need for diapers, and you still have disposables left or cloth still in decent condition, what do you do with them?

1. Make a heating pad
-- Soothe your aching neck. Or, for that matter, your aching back or shoulder. Use a disposable diaper's high level of absorbency to your advantage by creating a soft, pliant heating pad. Moisten a disposable diaper and place it in the microwave on medium-high setting for about 2 minutes. Make sure it's not too hot for comfort, then apply to your achy part.

2. Keep a plant watered longer
-- Before potting a plant, place a clean disposable diaper in the bottom of the flowerpot -- absorbent side up. It will absorb water which would otherwise drain out the bottom and will keep the plant from drying out too fast. You'll also cut back on how often you have to water the plant.

3. Pad a package
-- You want to mail your friend that lovely piece of china you know she will love. But you don't have any protective wrapping on hand. If you have disposable diapers, wrap the item in the diapers or insert them as padding before sealing the box. Diapers cost more than regular protective packaging wrap, but at least you will have gotten the package out today, and you can be assured your gift will arrive in one piece.

4. Protect an Injury
-- I once used a cloth prefold diaper to wrap up and protect a gaping wound till we got to the hospital.

5. More Uses
-- Flat and prefold diapers can be used as sunscreens, burp cloths, thin blankets, nursing cover-up, pot holders, Swiffer pads, dust rags, reuseable paper towels, window cleaners, face washies for after meals, traveling diaper changing pads, reusable travel washies, bibs, to wash the car, and so much more!

Wilton Diaper Cake Kit

And of course, there is always the diaper shower cake or diaper wreaths - there are patterns for both cloth and disposable diapers.

6. Cloth Diapering Fun and Printables
-- Diaper Quiz, Diaper Slime, Cloth Diaper Printables, Cloth Diaper Memes, Fluffy Bum on Board Clear Sticker, Diaper Friendly party, Funny Things Cloth-Diapering Moms Do, Baby's First Diaper Change, Cloth Diaper Cake Tutorial, Types of Diaper Loads, Diaper Quotes, Cloth Diaper Rap Song, Printable Cloth Diapering Cards, Cloth Diaper Charity Directory, Real Diaper Association Coloring Book, Celebrities Use Cloth Diapers, Unusual Uses for Disposable Diapers, Things You Should NEVER Ever Do to Cloth Diapers, and Make Diaper Changes Fun!

Make Other things into Diapers

👶 Make receiving blankets into new diapers
-- Too many receiving blankets? Make a couple dozen of them into great prefold diapers.

👶 More Free Diapers Sewing Projects

👶 Free Cloth Diaper Patterns
-- Free cloth diaper pattern links for everything you need to cloth diaper your child.

More cloth diaper ideas:

👶 The MANY Different Uses for a Prefold Cloth Diaper

👶 Quick Tip – Non-Cloth Diaper Uses for Flats and Prefolds

👶 Nine More Uses for Used Cloth Diapers

More disposable diaper ideas:

👶 16 Fun and Practical Uses for Clean Diapers

👶 9 Things Disposable Diapers Are Good for Besides Poop

👶 11 Unusual Uses for Diapers

👶 Other uses for Disposable Diapers?

And here's one more use for diapers...

Thanks to Catherine for this Frugal Baby Tip!

Image: Our bedroom - wall to wall bed, by William Heaton (billheat) on Photobucket

We, like many have posted, bought an expensive crib, decked it out in beautiful bedding, painted her room, etc.

Then she slept in our bed from birth.

We did decide there wasn't enough room in our bed, and moved her crib into our room, rather than buy one of those bedside cribs.

Our bed is high off the ground, and the top crib mattress setting is exactly the same height.

So we just stuck it right next to the bed and left the side down on that side.

But now she is getting more mobile, we were a little worried, so our newest solution was to dismantle our beautiful one-year-old cherry Queen Anne bed (yes, we are still paying it off...), and put it in the basement.

The mattress and box are on the floor, and next to it we have an older style full-size box and mattress (we don't own a twin or we would have used that) that has the wall on two sides, us on the other and a changing table at the foot.

So pretty much she is secure from falling off the bed.

It is also about four inches shorter than our set.

All of our more mainstream friends think we're nuts.

We figure she needs the security, and we like having her nearby.

But this way, we have a bit of room and at least a bit of privacy.

We figure if she is asleep, she has no idea what we're doing in the other bed, so our love life isn't on hold.

In fact, we keep trying for number two, we just haven't managed yet.

Thanks to Carla for this Frugal Baby Tip!

Here's what I like to do to comfort a teething baby.

Babies, especially when they are teething, love to suck on pretty much anything.

Get a clean washcloth, tie a couple knots in the corners.

Nuby Soothing Teething Mitten

Then wet the washcloth with either water or breastmilk, and freeze it.

The cloth won't get hard enough to damage anything.

It will be easy to grab, and not too cold for baby to handle.

Another idea is to let your little one suck on a chilled, soft tip spoon.

The coolness of the spoon will help comfort your baby's swollen gums.

NOTE: Be sure to place the spoon in the refrigerator to chill, not the freezer.

A frozen spoon might stick to your baby's gums.

Thanks to Ann for this Frugal Baby Tip!

Image: Wife and Baby, by Csaba Magdo (Ywerd) on FreeImages

Image: NeatoTek 2 Pack Large Size 35x27 Bed Pads Washable WaterProof Mattress Protector, Reusable Pee Pads for Bed Wetting Toddlers, Adults, Elderly, Women or Kids, Children Waterproof Mattress Pad

Waterproof Mattress Pads

We use a waterproof crib pad under the baby in our family bed.

Actually, we use half of one -- we got two waterproof crib pads and cut them in half, so now we have four to rotate.

So if my son's diaper ever leaks (very rarely), all we have to do is change the pad, not the sheets.

Thanks to Linda for this Frugal Baby Tip!

Image: Homemade Soap, by silviarita on Pixabay

These recipes were in The Dollar Stretcher this week, hope they help...

Liquid Hand Soap #1

• 1 bar Ivory soap, grated

• 1 cup washing soda (NOT baking soda)

• 1 saucepan

• 1 bucket

Put soap gratings in the pan, and cover with water.
Heat on medium heat until the soap has dissolved.
Stir constantly and do not let boil.
Add soapy water to 3 gallons of hot water in the bucket.
Stir, then slowly add washing soda.
Keep stirring until all is dissolved.
Put into the pump when cool.
Shake before using.

All Natural Handmade Goat Milk Soap

Liquid Hand Soap #2

• 1 bar hand soap (any type), grated

• 1 cup boiling water

• 1 T. honey

• 1 tsp. glycerin (available at most drug stores)

Put grated soap and boiling water into a blender and whip.
Add honey and glycerin and stir in a blender.
Let it cool for 15 minutes and whip again.
Add cold water until the mixture reaches the six-cup mark.
Whip again.
Pour into a storage container, and let cool for one hour with lid off.
Shake before using.

Other uses for leftover soap bits are marking hemlines (instead of chalk), rubbing gliders on drawers to glide more smoothly, and running over metal zippers to ease the pull.

Whipped Soap

Other recipes for soap, including shampoos, can be found at:

• Bar Soaps Basic Bar Soap

• How to Make Completely Magical Moisturizing Whipped Soap

• DIY Foaming Hand Soap

• DIY Homemade Liquid Hand Soap

• How to Make Natural Homemade Shampoo

• Making Your Own Laundry Soap

Thanks to Cynthia for this Frugal Baby Tip!

Image: Feeding Baby E by Rocket Ship, on Flickr

When I had my first baby, I used these tips - they work like a charm!

Image: EST Mothers Day Gift | 3 Pcs Family Mugs | Mom Dad and Baby | Coffee, Water, Juice, Cup/Mugs | Couple Matching Drink Cup

Mom, Dad, and Baby Cups

Baby Meals:

I used an ordinary-sized coffee mug to keep the baby's cereal warm.
Plus, it has a handle so you can feed the baby with ease.

After you are done, rinse out and fill with a cup of coffee.

Animal Paper Cups

Toy blocks:

Why not use paper cups?

Stack them, sort them, pile them up, build a castle!

When the baby is finished playing, the cups are cheap to replace too.

Laundry Drying:

Tension Curtain Rod

If you're low on cash and do your own laundry, an extra shower rod placed in the middle of shower stall works awesome for drying clothes.

Just make sure a piece of cheap bath mat (rubber) is placed between wall and rod so it won't mess up the paint (something I wish I had done ahead of time.)

Thanks to Sarah Corinne for these Frugal Baby Tips!

Image: Baby with puzzled look reclining in highchair, by Ben Husmann on freeimages

When my son started feeding himself, I got tired of cleaning up the sticky mess he left under his highchair.

Highchair Splat Floor Mat

So I went to Walmart and found they had rolls of heavy-duty clear plastic in two thicknesses, about 60" (152cm) wide.

I bought a 60"x30" (152x76cm) piece and cut one to fit under his high-chair - 30"x30" (76x76cm).

You could use a tablecloth from the Dollar Store, but since it's on the floor, I found the heavy-duty plastic lasted longer and didn't tear.

Splat Mat for Under High Chair

I still had a second piece of plastic left, so I put the second piece under his car-seat in the car, to protect our seats from wet, muddy or snowy boots and any food or drink spills.

You could reuse it when your little one gets older, and starts doing fingerpainting, easel painting, arts and crafts.

Or a picnic mat at a park, as a table cover for playtime, and just about anywhere you need extra protection.

Another idea is a Clear Heavy Duty Tablecloth Protector available in most dept stores, and maybe your local Dollar store?

Thanks to Cathy for this Frugal Baby Tip!

Image: Wool Blanket photo, by Pascal THAUVIN on FreeImages

QUESTION:
I am curious if you know any tips for making a wool mattress protector or puddle pad? I searched your site but didn't see anything. I figure it doesn't hurt to ask.

Thanks, I love your site, Jen

ANSWER:
A frugal wool mattress protector would be to buy a used wool blanket or rug from Goodwill, Value Village, Salvation Army, etc. and put that under your sheets.

Readers - any other suggestions?

Image: Baby Changing Table, by HeyMattAllen on Pixabay

Summer Infant Ultra Plush Change Pad Cover

I borrowed a changing table from a relative with MAJOR splits in it.

I used duct tape over the splits, then I bought a cover -- it is a stretchy terry one that works great -- at Walmart for about $5.00.

I also have some from Kooshies made of super soft flannel -- I bought them at Toys r Us -- they sometimes have sales on all Kooshies stuff. These were about $10.00.

Image: 4Pcs Bed Sheet Holder, Luxsego Fasteners Suspenders Gripper, Adjustable and Elastic Straps Clips for Various Bed Sheets, Mattress Cover, Sofa Cushion, Hospital Beds, Inflatable Beds

Bed Sheet Holders

After using these covers for a while -- I realized I could achieve the same thing with receiving blankets and those elastic clip thingy's you use to keep sheets in place.

Anyway - I love my new DIY covers -- the baby never has to touch cold plastic, and my DIY covers are super easy to keep clean - just throw in wash!

Thanks to Lisa for this Frugal Baby Tip!

Image: Photo credit: Looks like a crayon melted on the passenger seat?, by Ken Starks

Danielle asked: Does anyone know how to get melted crayon off a car seat? We left one in the car.

And it got close to 100 degrees today! All that was left was the wrapper.

What is even worse is that it was my son's Blues Clues crayon!

Mona replied: Try using an iron (steam setting) with newspaper to blot the wax.

I did this when I spilled candle wax on my carpet, and it worked fine.

Carla added: Actually, it is better to use a brown paper sack or plain newsprint with no ink, or the ink may transfer and stain also.

More Help!
How to Remove Melted Crayon from Car Seats

Thanks to Danielle, Carla, and Mona for this Frugal Baby Tip!

Image: Placemats photo, by Charles Knott (djvexd) from PhotoBucket

This one is not really a baby tip, but anything that makes keeping the house clean quick and easy is a good tip for me!

I find the job of wiping out the cupboard one I tend to put off.

But then I thought of buying hard plastic place-mats from the Dollar Store.

Check your local store - the placemats I found only cost me $1.00 for two placemats.

Because they were hard plastic, I was able to easily cut them to fit perfectly inside my cupboards.

Now they are so easy to wipe clean.

I can even take them out and clean them in the kitchen sink.

Much prettier too!

Thanks to Cindy for this Frugal Baby Tip!

Image: Plastic Shopping Bags, by BRRT on Pixabay

One day I noticed the paper gift bags were costing more than the cloth shopping bags grocery stores are now offering!

Since then I have made the gift bag part of the gift I am giving.

I either fill up the cloth bag with my gift and add tissue paper, or buy some cellophane bags (3/$1 at the dollar store) to put the gift in first, then place it in the cloth shopping bag.

There are all kinds of cloth shopping bags available now, some even seasonal!

Since many stores have decided to start charging 5-25 cents each for their plastic bags, I think people will appreciate my reusable gift bags more and more.

Thanks to Catherine for this Frugal Baby Tip!

Image: Knitting on a clothesline, by Michael Kauer on Pixabay

I wanted to share my cleaning article - Keeping Your Home Clean and Safe

You might be able to get Sodium Hexametaphosphate in most natural food, environmental or alternative stores, or Amazon.

OK, here's the article...

-----------------

#1 - Laundry Bleach
--Sodium Hexametaphosphate doesn't work like a chlorine bleach to get your cloth diapers, bedding and clothing white.
Rather, it disposes of the dull, shabby, dim or yellow film that develops on your clothing after several piles of washing with soap or detergent.
Indeed, you will be shocked to see all the suds discharged from your clothing and bedding you thought were spotless.
By using sodium hexametaphosphate every wash, it will keep away that dull film and keep your whites and colors bright.
How much you should use depends upon the hardness of your water.
Begin with 1/8 of a cup per load.
Add more, a bit at a time, until the water feels slippery.
To get rid of years of dull film, run your washer load through an entire wash cycle using twice as much sodium hexametaphosphate as you would normally use, without any soap or detergent.

Sodium Hexametaphosphate

After that, add sodium hexametaphosphate first, then just half the amount of soap or detergent you normally used.

#2 - DISHWASHER DETERGENT
-- Sodium Hexametaphosphate is going to be the best substance you use in your dishwasher.
It cuts oil and will leave your dishes spotless, acts as a scale inhibitor and will even clean your dishwasher with each washing.
Use the same amount of Sodium Hexametaphosphate as dishwasher detergent and watch your dishes sparkle!

#3 - DISHWASHING LIQUID BOOSTER
-- As a water conditioner, it will boost the cleaning activity of your soap or detergent.
Simply add a couple of tbsp. to your dishwater (use the amount that makes the water feel slippery) and half as much dishwashing liquid.
No more water spots on your hand-washed dishes either!

#4 - WINDOW CLEANER
-- Works as well on your windows as it does on your dishes.
Simply add about a tsp. each of Sodium Hexametaphosphate and liquid soap with warm water in a spray bottle.
Use this solution on glass shower doors to dissolve mineral build-up (if really bad build-up, make the solution a little stronger).

#5 - BUBBLE BATH
-- No, Sodium Hexametaphosphate won't froth up into bubbles on it's own, however what it will do is make a little liquid soap foam up even more.
Add a little at a time, letting it dissolve in your bathwater till the water feels slippery.
A wonderful bath recipe is Sodium Hexametaphosphate, liquid soap and a couple of sliced lemons.
Gives you a fragrant, luxurious bath that will make your skin softer and smoother than ever before.

#6 - HAIR RINSE
-- Do natural shampoos leave your hair feeling sticky?
Try rinsing with a solution of Sodium Hexametaphosphate and that dull soapy film will rinse right out.

Thanks to Rebecca for this Frugal Baby Tip!

Image: Spa Equipment, by Michael and Christa Richert on FreeImages

Baby's room not smelling so fresh? Make your own frugal air freshener.

You will need:
• 2 packages Knox Gelatin
• 1 cup of water
• 1 cup scented liquid potpourri
• pinch of salt

How to Make:
Heat 1 cup (250ml) of water with 1/2 cup (125ml) of liquid potpourri.

Add two packages of the Knox gelatin. Stirring constantly, heat until boiling.

Remove from heat.

Add remaining 1/2 cup of potpourri.

Pour into two 8oz. (250ml) jars.

Place in the fridge for a few hours until set.

Thanks to Char for this Frugal Baby Tip!

Image: Itty Bitty Ant, by Christopher Patterson on Flickr

I use the peppermint Dr. Bronner's as a natural bug spray.

I swear it works!

If I find ants in the kitchen or something, I kill them and wash the area with Dr. B's and they don't come back.

I just squirt some on a sponge directly from the bottle, and wipe the area and rinse it well.

I have heard of people diluting it and putting it in a spray bottle and actually spraying with it, but I don't do that.

Thanks to Wendy for this Frugal Baby Tip!

StarPack Kids Sandwich Cutter

This tip is probably for bigger kids than babies, but I thought you might find it a good one.

When you make a sandwich for your child, use a knife to cut a shape in the center.

StarPack Kids Sandwich Cutter

Or use a cookie cutter, and cut the surrounding bread from the cut-out shape to the edge, to create a puzzle.

Scramble up the pieces before serving, and tell your child to put the puzzle back together again before eating it.

Adds a bit of fun to lunchtime... and might even help get those picky eaters to eat more!

Thanks to Susan for this Frugal Baby Tip!