Make your own natural toothpaste

I have been avoiding traditional toothpastes for a while (check out our article, “Is your toothpaste safe?”).  There are some good natural toothpaste options on the market, but lately I haven’t been wowed with them or their hefty price tag, so I decided to make my own.  After a lot of experimenting, tinkering and tooth brushing, I came up with this simple recipe that is a tooth powder, rather than a paste.  I store it in a small glass bell jar with a lid. 

I wish I could say that my whole family uses this but my family is very particular.  I use it and I have to say that I love it!  Converting to this tooth powder takes a week or so to get used to.  The chemicals in toothpaste make it creamy, foamy and palatable... and omitting those agents takes a little adjusting.  Natural toothpastes are not the same, but after several days, you will notice instant results and not miss the other kind.  Here are four great reasons to go home-made with toothpaste:

natural oven cleaner recipe

Who wants to clean their oven?  Definitely not me!  When something spills to the bottom of my oven it makes it impossible to use without major smoke filling the air--- afterwards I always know that it's time for a good cleaning (a much dreaded task)!  Luckily I have discovered the most natural and most effective cleaner thanks to the book, The NaturallyClean Home.  Their oven cleaning recipe works super well and is completely safe!  Best of all, I typically can cut this recipe in half and with a little elbow grease, get the job done very quickly. 

Steer clear of conventional oven cleaning sprays!  They are extremely toxic and loaded with poisonous and dangerous chemicals!  Try to avoid them at all costs (especially if you have children at home).

This recipe is easy on the lungs and the pocket book!  Give your oven some lovin’ with this quick-to-make recipe:

Serious Oven-Cleaning Formula

½ cup salt

¼ cup washing soda or borax

1 box (16 ounces) baking soda

scant ¼ cup water

¾ cup white vinegar

10 drops thyme essential oil

10 drops lemon or lemongrass essential oil

1.)     Combine salt, washing soda and baking soda in a plastic container or glass bowl.  Add just enough water to make a paste.

2.)    Remove oven racks and preheat oven to 250°F for 15 minutes, then turn off oven and leave the door open.  Carefully spread the paste on oven walls with a sponge or cloth and allow to set for 20 to 30 minutes.

3.)    Combine the vinegar and essential oils in a spray bottle and shake well.  Spray the oven walls and wipe clean.  Rinse well.

Note:  If you have a lot of baked-on grease or food splatters, you may want to use fine steel wool to scrub those areas.  Use a bit more salt if necessary.

***  We've written several e-cookbooks {all $1.99} that are quick, easy & guaranteed to bring yummy, fun times in the kitchen!  Pull out the spoons, put on your oven mitts and get cooking with one of our cookbooks.  Get them here!  ***

17 household uses for vinegar

Our good friends at MotherEarth Living compiled a wonderful list of 17 ways to use vinegar around the home!  We loved their ideas and wanted to share them with you!

1. Grease Cutter: Vinegar’s acidity lets it cut through grease with ease. Dip a sponge in vinegar and wipe to degrease stovetops, microwaves, dirty dishes and more.

2. Disinfectant: A natural antibacterial, vinegar makes a great base for any nontoxic cleaning solution. For an all-purpose disinfecting solution, dilute 1 part vinegar in 4 parts water and use anywhere germs are found, such as countertops, keyboards, shared phones, doorknobs and remote controls.

3. Toilet Bowl Cleaner: Clean, disinfect and deodorize your toilet by pouring 1 cup of vinegar around the inside of the bowl. Let sit for an hour, use a brush to remove rings, then flush.

Unplug!

Did you know that, “technology overuse is related to child attention problems, poor academics, aggression, family conflict, impaired sleep, developmental delays, attachment disorders, impaired body image, obesity and early sexuality?”  “ The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends no more than 1-2 hours per day of combined technology use, yet elementary children use on average 8 hours per day!”?  Holy cannoli!  That’s a ton of online time.  Way too much for adults, let alone children!  

Going Microwave-Free… one month and counting!

I decided to conduct a little experiment, could our family forgo a microwave and not miss the convenience?  I am so happy to report that it has been very easy and extremely doable!  With little kids, a microwave is a great convenience for zapping leftovers and getting things heated up and on the their plates, quickly.  The speed, convenience and predictable outcome make microwaves feel like a must have… but they are super easy to omit. 

Reports and safety information on microwaves are very conflicting; the FDA states that they are perfectly safe, but there is a ton of contradictory information stating otherwise. Reportedly, with each use there is radiation leakage (the FDA states that the leakage levels are “insignificant” and “well below the level known to harm people” but radiation is radiation… NONE is the amount I would like circulating in my home).  Reducing our exposure to radiation is the main factor, but in addition, it is also well documented that microwaves change the chemical structure of food and reduces the vitamin and antioxidants levels in the foods after being heated.  I spend a lot of money, time and energy buying & preparing nourishing foods and I don’t want the microwave zapping away the nutritional content of our foods, so eliminating this appliance was a no brainer for me! 

If you want to do a trial or total elimination, here are a couple of tips to make the transition easier:

• I placed ours in the basement so we weren’t tempted to use it; but that it was still in our home just in case there was a microwave-needing-emergency (stranger things have happened in our house). 
• I only had one little saucepan and quickly realized that I needed to invest in another one.
• I have started using my toaster oven more often to quickly heat things. 
• I try to plan ahead more than before.  I safely pull things out of the fridge in time to let them somewhat come to room temperature before heating.
• I coordinate oven time and try to optimize any oven usage much more wisely now.  Before I would have zapped any leftovers, now I try to throw any leftovers into an oven safe dish and re-heat while I am cooking anything for dinner.
• When baking, I always allot a teeny bit more time because melting and cooling butter & coconut oil takes a smidgen longer.

Overall, I am so surprised at how easy the transition was, and the best litmus test of all, is not one complaint from the hubster!

*** We've written several e-cookbooks {all $1.99} that are quick, easy & guaranteed to bring yummy, fun times in the kitchen!  Pull out the spoons, put on your oven mitts and get cooking with one of our cookbooks.  Get them here!  ***

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Make your own laundry detergent

I am so excited about this!  I started tinkering with making a more natural laundry detergent and I created a recipe that works better, smells better and is much cheaper than my natural detergent!   Considering how frequently I do laundry, it’s fun to actually get excited when I get to make my home made concoction.  It’s extremely simple to do!  A lot of homemade detergent recipes call for shredding a bar of soap, baking it, etc.  NOT THIS RECIPE, it comes together in 30 seconds. 

This recipe is for one large load, but you could easily modify it based on the load you are doing.  Just remember that there are 3 teaspoons in a Tablespoon… so adjust the recipe based on your load size.

For a large load, empty the washing machine of any clothes.  Turn the water to HOT.  Add 1 Tablespoon baking soda, 2 Tablespoons Borax powder (found in laundry detergent aisle), 1 Tablespoon natural liquid laundry detergent (for the sudsing action) and 6-12 drops of bergamot essential oil (natural antibacterial that smells wonderful).  Once the ingredients are added, adjust the water temperature to your normal setting and put clothes in!  Your clothes will smell amazing and feel super clean after every wash! 

1 Tablespoon baking soda

2 Tablespoons borax

1 Tablespoon natural liquid laundry detergent

6-12 drops bergamot essential oil (or your favorite essential oil)

***  We've written several e-cookbooks {all $1.99} that are quick, easy & guaranteed to bring yummy, fun times in the kitchen!  Pull out the spoons, put on your oven mitts and get cooking with one of our cookbooks.  Get them here!  ***

Photo courtesy of All Things New.  If you want to buy a natural laundry detergent for a loved one or don’t feel like making one, this is super close to my recipe and super green!  Buy Here!

  

Reusable Batteries… a greener choice!

He’s got a bag that is filled with toys for the boys and girls again  ...

… and most of the toys will be battery operated.  What should green parents do?  

Invest in reusable batteries!  For approximately $20 you can purchase a battery charger and four batteries making it easy to recoup your investment in a year or less and quickly save money. 

Reusable batteries can be charged between 1,000 – 1,500 times and are easy to recycle when they have maxed out.

If you have used traditional batteries at home and are not sure where or how to recycle them, check out 1800recycling.com to find the closest place to recycle.

***  We've written several e-cookbooks {all $1.99} that are quick, easy & guaranteed to bring yummy, fun times in the kitchen!  Pull out the spoons, put on your oven mitts and get cooking with one of our cookbooks.  Get them here!  ***

lunchbox lessons

I packed my son’s lunch every day last year for his preschool.  It wasn’t until the end of the year at the parent/teacher meeting that his teachers told me, “You know that Ike can’t open any of the lids to the containers you send in?  Right?  We have to open them.  And next year the elementary school lunch teachers won’t have the time or availability to open them for him.”  Well, ‘No’, ‘I didn’t know that!’.  It turns out that all of my fancy stainless steel containers were kid-UNfriendly!  Yikes.  A whole year of Ike not being able to open any of his containers and he never told me!  Now that I realize a lot of these stainless steel containers have tight-fitting lids (too tight for a 5-year-old), what is a green mom to do?  Test the goods before purchasing!  Let your kids maneuver the products and see if they can easily open and close them.  It’s sometimes hard to test the containers because a lot of the greener ones are not available at a store near you and have to be purchased online.

Stainless steel water bottles and reusable sandwich bags are an easy and safe bet no matter where you buy them.  For containers that hold fruit or other wet ingredients (or easily smushed foods), I am on the lookout for an easy-to-open lid.  Typically, I try to avoid plastics at all costs, but if it seems to be the easiest to open, I may be going with going with a BPA & PVC-free plastic container.  I’ll keep you posted! 

Share with us your best lunch-packing tips!   
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Attracting butterflies, hummingbirds & ladybugs to your garden!

While bees need little enticement (beyond a few flowers) to visit your garden, other helpful bugs & birds benefit from some coaxing.  A garden pro shares the easiest ways to attract these natural beauties!                                     

Butterflies

Why your garden loves them:  Because pollen sticks to their legs as they flit from flower to flower, butterflies help both flowers and vegetables flourish – and help the gardener too (studies show that just watching butterflies lowers blood pressure)!

Invite them by:  

• Making a mud pie!  Male butterflies have a serious salt tooth, says Sharon Lovejoy, author of Trowel and Error.  “They like to feast on the proteins and minerals in salt.”  Just fill an 8”-10” wide plant saucer with a little soil, water and 1 Tablespoon salt, and put your ‘mud pie’ in a sunny area, because “butterflies are solar powered,” she says.
• Planting “pizza” herbs!  Butterflies make a beeline to both colorful flowers (sunflowers, zinnias and butterfly bush) and herbs.  So Lovejoy suggests you combine the two:  Grow the herbs they most love- basil, oregano, rosemary and thyme and place sunflowers around them.  Small butterflies will land on the herbs, while the sunflowers will entice bigger Monarchs.

Safe make up & beauty products

Hello gorgeous!  Looking for some lovely beauty products without the nasty chemicals?  Then this article is for you!

Feeling and looking beautiful should not come with the price tag of our health.  It’s important for makeup companies to know that we want beauty products that don’t hinder our wellbeing in any way.  I vote with my money, and will purchase products that are free of:

• Benzophenones (oxybenzone) – Can have photoallergic reactions and is a hormone disrupter.
• Paraben (butylparaben, ethylparaben, methylparaben, propylparaben) – The most widely used preservative in cosmetics and personal care products.  It can mimic estrogen in the body, may disrupt hormones and possibly increase the risk of breast cancer.  (see this video -http://envirocancer.cornell.edu/research/endocrine/videos/makeup.cfm)
• Phthalates – A chemical additive that can disrupt the endocrine system, mimic estrogen, cause thyroid problems, allergies and asthma.
• Sulfates (sodium laurly sulfate SLS or sodium laureth sulfate SLES) – This thickening, lathering agent is a skin irritant (despite being used in products that you put on your skin!) and can mimic estrogen.  SLS has been linked to cancer causing carcinogens.

A resource is the Environmental Working Group’s Skin Deep Cosmetics Database.  Just type in your make up brand and it will give you the lowdown on that product http://www.ewg.org/skindeep/  My complaint with this site is that it does not state why some products don’t get better marks than others.  So, use it.  But sometimes question how they came to their conclusions.

Here’s what is in my makeup bag!  I am very happy with all of these safe beauty products:

• Zuzu liquid eyeliner
• Gabriel foundation
• Mineral Fusion lipstick
• Badger lip tint & shimmer
• Pacifica Hawaiian Ruby Guava perfume

What products do you use and love? 

Grow Great Grub

Do your summer plans include growing great grub or a garden that fits your space & schedule?  If so, we have two book recommendations that you need to check out: 

1. Grow Great Grub: Organic Food From Small Spaces by Gayla Trail is a wonderful how-to gardening book loaded with great photographs & nuggets of tips!  I love that this book gets to the point and doesn’t waste reader’s time with extra words.  There are pictures and oodles of excellent tips to get started and apply immediately!
2. I Garden: Urban Style by Reggie Solomon and Michael Nolan is packed with gorgeous photographs and helpful information to identify what you want out of your garden and how to get it.  It focuses on the urban garden, but their information is pertinent for anyone starting small or working with window boxes and container gardening.  

8 natural cleaning ingredients

If your spring involves any cleaning, we’ve got 8 natural cleaning ingredients to get the job done well & safely!

Our good friends at Natural Home Magazine put together this list of 8 products that you probably have at home that can naturally and thoroughly clean without the nasty & dangerous chemicals that are in most traditional products:

Baking Soda: A truly multitasking cleaner, baking soda is a perfect substitute for cleaning powders that scour sinks and tubs without scratching. It’s also great for wiping down and deodorizing the fridge. Combined with an equal amount of vinegar, baking soda can freshen drains and prevent them from clogging.

Is your toothpaste safe?

Have you ever looked at your toothpaste and read the “warning label”?  Probably not.  Why would consumers?  We trust tooth paste companies to provide us with safe products.  Fluoride toothpastes carry a warning that says something like, “Keep out of reach of children under 6 years of age.  If more than used for brushing is accidentally swallowed, get medical help or contact a Poison Control Center right away”.  Hmm… contact a Poison Control Center?  Something isn’t right with traditional toothpaste if you need to contact a poison control center if ingested!

Once considered a beneficial additive, fluoride is now turning out to be a potentially scary chemical.  We were raised believing that fluoride fights cavities, keeps teeth strong and fights tooth decay.  Well it turns out that it could possibly damage the tooth-forming cells which lead to defects in tooth enamel!  Really?!?  Worst of all, ingesting fluoride can detrimentally affect the pineal gland, thyroid, brain, kidneys and bones!  The fluoride information is not pretty.  To read more about the dangers of fluoride, please check out: http://www.fluoridealert.org/!

If it’s disconcerting to you to have a “warning label” on your toothpaste (I think it is!), it’s not the only thing that’s wrong with traditional toothpastes!  They are also loaded with:

·         Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS) – This chemical is a foaming agent and skin & eye irritant.

·         Triclosan – An antibacterial property that can possibly disrupt the endocrine system and liver.

·         Cocamidopropyl Betaine – It provides a lathering property.  It’s a known skin, eye and lung irritant.

·         Tetrasodium Pyrophosphate – Listed on the CDC’s ‘Guide to Chemical Hazards’.  An eye, skin and respiratory irritant.

·         FD&C Blue #1 – This food dye is synthesized from petroleum.  It can cause allergic reactions, asthma attacks, headaches, nausea and nervousness.

Our household brushes our teeth with natural toothpastes!  I see first hand how my kids swallow the toothpaste (despite telling them to spit it out), and even if they don’t swallow it, the mucus membranes in the mouth absorb the chemicals!  Go natural in the tooth care department.  There are some great and refreshing toothpaste options on the market.  If you want to brush up on some alternative choices, check out these:

Fig + Yarrow Tooth Powder

Desert Essence Toothpaste

Himalaya Toothpaste

Kiss My Face

houseplants for a healthy home

Did you know that indoor air can be 12 times more polluted than outdoor air?  There’s an easy and pretty way to clean up ugly indoor airborne toxins (like benzene, formaldehyde & carbon dioxide).  Get some houseplants!   Not only does every home look better with plants, these green sponges can absorb most homes indoor toxins!

Keep your home healthy and your plants happy by:

• Grouping them together!  Plants do better when they are placed close together.  They benefit from each others humidity, moisture and oxygen.
• Playing classical music!  Who knew that your ferns were Bach afficiando’s?  It’s true… soothing music helps plants grow.
• Talking to them!  Plants respond to human voices.  Interestingly, according to Britain’s Royal Horticultural Society, “women’s voices speed growth much more than men’s”.   Plants also react positively to soothing kind words and wither when there is a lot of noise and yelling. 
• Primping!  Keep the leaves dust-free so they can get the air that they need (use a lightly dampened cloth and gently wipe dust off of the leaves). 

Read our "3 cheers for houseplants" article!  We've got 3 more reasons why houseplants make a home healthy! 

switch fabric softeners to something safer

I will admit it, in winter I have cheated on my ‘green’ fabric softeners with traditional ones.  I LOVE my green fabric softener sheets but during the winter, our laundry sometimes has a lot of static.  And static cling clothing drives me bonkers (it’s like nails on a chalk board to me)!  But, after hearing all of the bad news (again) associated with conventional fabric softeners, I have decided to go completely green and not look back.

Conventional fabric softener sheets can contain some really nasty chemicals… chemicals that I DO NOT want touching my children’s skin… remember skin is the largest organ in the human body!  It’s safe to say that bypassing traditional softeners will also avoid the possible exposure to ugly ingredients like:

• A-Terpineol -  Associated with central nervous system disorders
• Benzyl Acetate – A carcinogen linked to pancreatic cancer
• Benzyl Alcohol -  An upper respiratory tract irritant
• Camphor – It’s listed on the EPA’s Hazardous Waste list (enough said)
• Ethyl Acetate – Another culprit on the EPA’s Hazardous Waste list and an irritant to the eyes and respiratory tract

So what can you do to dry your laundry and keep your clothing from sticking together (and the dreaded electrical charge if you have to pull them apart)?  Try these 5 tips for cling-free & chemical-free laundry:

1. Line dry when possible!  It’s the best choice.
2. Safety pins!  Who would have thunk it?  Place 2-3 safety pins on a cloth or rag and dry with your clothes.  I am not sure how this works, but it does work!
3. ¼ cup of Vinegar added to the ‘fabric softener dispenser’ of the washing machine is a natural fabric softener.
4. Wool dryer balls!  This is a fun new discovery.  The balls bounce around in the dryer and keep the laundry fluffed, static at bay, and it reduces the drying time!  They last for a long time too.  After an initial investment of $20+, you will be good to go for years! 
5. Avoid over-drying.  Additional (and unnecessary) drying time typically leads to additional static cling.  If your dryer has a sensor to automatically turn off when clothes are dry (rather than a set time), use that option!

dryer balls photo courtesy of Clean Sypria

upcycling clothing for kids

I am not crafty at all!  As a matter of fact, I think I have a craft deficit, so when I see super cute ideas like upcycled kids hats, toys and tops, it makes me wish that I had inherited my mom’s crafty abilities (and while we’re at it, her green thumb too!).  Luckily these projects are relatively easy for anyone with a small amount of craft ability.  Just to be safe, I am having my mom come over before I venture into my next craft project.

Not only are these projects typically simple, they are also super green and a great (and cute!) way to use items that might get donated or tossed. 

Here are instructions for:

Upcycled kids hat pattern

Upcycled kids toy

Upcycled kids skirt

happy crafting!

switch to soy candles

This holiday season light soy candles for a greener home!

You’ve made a delicious dinner; set a gorgeous table that includes a candlelit glow and, cough, cough… you don’t realize that you are inhaling the equivalent of secondhand smoke with your petroleum-based candles.  Keep your family safe & still enjoy candles by switching to soy.

Soy is a healthy alternative to petroleum-based candles.  Petroleum-based paraffin candles contain possible carcinogens or toxic chemicals like benzene, toluene, ethyl ketone, naphthalene and possibly lead in the wick.  Soy is easier to clean up and burns cleaner.  It is usually more expensive but burns a lot longer (sometimes twice as long as paraffin candles, which offset the higher cost)! 

Image courtesy of Coco & Bubbles

Shop here for their soy candles!

E is for Environment

Looking to encourage a little more green in your offspring?  Check out the lovable book, E is for Environment!  Brother and sister, Elliot & Lucy are featured in 26 engaging stories filled with ways to make a positive difference for the environment.  The stories are cute and charming while teaching kids fun lessons and examples of how to be eco-friendly! 

Each story has an adorable illustration (we wish there were more of the sweet pictures!) and features questions at the end of each story (for the record, my son wasn’t into the questions, but he loved each of the stories).

Written by Ian James Corlett and Ilustrated by R.A. Holt, this book would be a perfect holiday gift or addition to a child’s library! 

Check out E is for Environment on Amazon!

2 for tuesday

421,000 units of bacteria (including E. coli!) can be found on the soles of shoes.  Another great reason to leave the shoes at the door.

98 percent of non-organic apples have pesticide residue on them, which is why they top the Environmental Working Group's "Dirty Dozen" list of the 12 most pesticide-laden fruits and vegetables.

We've written about the importance of taking shoes off in the home and the dirty dozen list.  Read all about it!  



1 source, photo.  2 source & photo.

10 places to donate unused items

Most homes are stuffed with items that may hold a sentimental value, but are truly taking up precious space.  Here are 10 places to donate the unused items that you love, and in return, help people in need!  

1. Bridesmaids Dresses- help a teen attend prom!  That dress that you wore down the aisle at your friends wedding can help a disadvantaged teenage girl proudly attend her school prom with the rest of her class (and you'll get a tax deduction).  Formal gowns in every size and style are needed all over the country.  To find an organization: go to DonateMyDress.org and click on "where to donate and receive".
2. Wedding Gowns- help a cancer patient!  Instead of being stuffed in the back of a closet, the Brides Against Breast Cancer organization will sell it in a wedding show to a new bride and use the proceeds to grant the wishes of a terminal cancer patient, just like Make-a-Wish, but for adults.  The charity also accepts mother-of-the-bride and flower-girl dresses, and donations are fully tax deductible.  For more information: go to BridesAgainstBreastCancer.org or call 503-491-8091.
3. Halloween Costumes - help an underprivileged kid trick-or-treat!  Sewed or purchased a beautiful costume for your child last year, and now it's sitting in a box somewhere?  You can give that great costume a second life on another child who might now have been able to afford one - so it can provide a wonderful Halloween memory twice!  To donate: In South Florida, go to FreeCostumesForKids.org; in Philadelphia, contact TheHalloweenHelpers.com.  Both have local drop-off spots and accept mailed donations.
4. Stuffed Animals - help comfort a traumatized child!  Not only are they one of the things we feel most sentimental about, "used stuffed animals are the most difficult to find a home for,".  Stuffed Animals for Emergencies, Inc., to the rescue!  They distribute gently used stuffed toys (as well as other toys, books and blankets) to organizations and homeless shelters that help kids in times of crisis.  Donations are never sold; all go directly to children in need.  To find a chapter near you: click on "Chapters" at StuffedAnimalsForEmergencies.org.
5. Baby Gear - help a struggling new mom!  Remember all the stuff you had to buy when your little one was born?  You can ease the way for a single mom just making ends meet while making sure those outgrown items - from clothing to strollers - go to good use.  "Most take maternity clothes, too".  To donate:  In the New York area, check out BabyBuggy.org (212-736-1777) or RoomToGrow.org (212-620-7800).  In the Los Angeles area, contact Baby2Baby.org (323-933-2229).  Around Boston, try CradlesToCrayons.org (617-779-4700) and RoomToGrow.org (617-859-4545).  Near Philadelphia, contact CradlesToCrayons.org (215-836-0958).  Can't find a charity near you?  Log on to HandMeDowns.com to place a free ad to give your baby gear to someone who needs exactly what you have.
6. Furniture - help furnish a needy family's home!  Because so many charities don't have the space to store it or the capacity to move it, furniture is the second hardest thing to donate.  Enter the National Furniture Bank Association (NationalFurnitureBank.org), which makes tax-deductible furniture donations easy.  "They arrange pickups, then match your donation with people in need.
7. Old Greeting Cards - help better the life of a neglected child!  Think nobody would want all those old, hand-written on cards you haven't been able to throw out?  The kids at St. Judes Ranch for Children (StJudesRanch.org) will turn those used greeting cards into brand new cards, then sell them and use the money to help abused and neglected kids.  They accept all but Hallmark, Disney or American Greeting cards.
8. Costume Jewelry- help someone get a job!  Don't want to wear it yourself, but want it to go to someone who will appreciate it?  Donate it to Dress for Success (DressForSuccess.org), which provides disadvantaged women with gently used professional clothes and accessories to wear on interviews.  "A unique necklace makes a great conversation piece," explains Jamie Novak, author of The Get Organized Answer Book.  "It can be a good way to break the ice in an interview!"
9. Communion Dress - help a girl experience Communion!  You know how much it meant to your daughter, and you also know that some families just can't afford one - which is the reason Gail Roca collects donations at her Long Island consignment network, TheKidsKloset.com (click on "Communion Dress Donation" and you'll get a $5 Kids Kloset gift certificate and your donation receipt).  Another option: Junior Scout Makayla Shinnick and her mom, Teresa, do the same at the education center of St. Francis of Assisi near Chicago (708-460-0155).  Looking for someplace near home: check for local drop-off options at DonateMyDress.org or call your church's outreach program or a teacher or counselor at the local school a few months before communion season starts.
10. Graduation Gown - help a student receive a diploma in style!  Did you know that in many places, high school and college students who can't afford to buy a cap and gown aren't allowed to walk at graduation?  They need to either get their diploma at the school office or have it mailed to them!  To do:  call your high school's office or nearby college or unioversity to ask if they have a service that accepts donations.  If they don't?  Post a "for free" ad on a local bulletin board or site like Craigslist.

article adapted from Woman's World 'Clutter Cures that Make the World a Better Place'