The 7 Best Things We've Learned to Make at Home

Here at Re-Nest, we're big on DIY. But that doesn't mean that each DIY project has to be a huge undertaking involving hammers and nails; we enjoy much simpler home projects that allow us to make easy green moves (and of course, save money). Our theory? Don't buy anything we could make at home. And here are the things we like the best...

The practice of not buying what we can make saves us a lot of money, not to mention cuts down on our packaging and waste (since we only make what we need). Granted it takes a little more time on our part, but we think it's worth it. When we first began, we were making everything from yogurt to (attempting) clothing. But we've narrowed it down to our favorite things that really work, saving us money and making our lives a little greener one DIY at a time.

• Pillowcases: We shop for discounted organic cotton fabrics and re-use interesting thrift store finds to make our own snazzy pillowcases. We have done some fancy ones with nice hems, but most of 'em involve about four seams. With each hand-made pillowcase, we can save at least $6. Meanwhile, we're honing the sewing skills in hopes that this expands our DIY horizons and giving our living space an on-the-cheap update.

• Bread: The bread machine changed our life for the better. Now, we can make all-organic and healthy loaves for a fraction of the cost. Not to mention, we're cutting out the middle man and saving all that packaging and production. The success with loaves

• Candles: We might be cheating a little bit here, but a talented family member (our "green hero") happens to make highly fragrant soy candles out of her home. Instead of purchasing new candles every time a flame goes out, one trip back home yields a box full of safe-burning candles in recycled containers.

• Canned goods: Oh, for the love of pickles! We have enjoyed the canning comeback this year. Despite the extra effort, we love putting all our extra fruits and veggies to good use. We're fully stocked on housewarming gifts (who doesn't love homemade pickles and jams?) and our friends are kind enough to return their jars for next year's bounty.

• Crackers: Crackers are expensive! And they usually contain random food additives--not to mention, boo-coos of wasteful packaging. Now we make our own small batches of crispy crackers and cut down on waste. They're actually extremely easy, taking only 15 minutes from start to finish.

• Dog treats: We like to feed our dog the same way we like to eat: sustainably-produced, healthy, and natural. But buying all-natural (and even organic) treats was getting to be expensive; and since they're packaged in small batches, we found ourselves recycling a bunch of little plastic zip bags. Now we make a double batch to freeze (or share with other canine comrades).

• Cleaning agents: Since we've eliminated chemicals from the household, we are always well-stocked with vinegar and baking soda. This comes in handy because we're able to constantly re-use those old spray bottles, and we're fond of the fact that the homemade cleaners are much easier on the lungs.

(Images: Amber Byfield for Re-Nest.)

Comments (5)

Great ideas! For us, we make granola and yogurt at home. Once you get used to it, they're both easy and quick. Steps can be done while cooking something else.

I like to make bread at home too. My friend who lives in Hawaii says bread is priced too high there so I suggested she make her own, slice, and freeze. Unfortunately, yeast scares a lot of people so they don't bother. You hear that you have to let something rise for hours and one imagines sitting for hours staring at the bowl until it's time to bake.

@ Graciela, For the past year or so, I've been using a no-knead, foolproof recipe for bread that ran in the New York Times -- I'll bet you can find it archived online somewhere. Really, you basically just dump everything in a bowl and let it sit somewhere warm. Granted, it takes a while, but 99% of the time is spent not paying any attention to it at all. In the winter, I start a new batch every other day, and we're kept in luscious, crunchy-crusted bread with about 10 minutes' effort.

Jkopftwins - I've been using something similar to the NYT bread recipe (Mark Bittman's?), but it's from the book Artisan Bread in 10 Minutes a Day...the basic recipes are fabulous and truly no-nonsense, and the same dough can be used to make different types of bread, including pita, boules, and flatbread. I think the authors are coming out soon with a follow-up book focused on the same type of easy bread but with more whole grains.

This is a little off the wall, but I make my own tomato paste. I make the slow-roasted tomatoes that were featured last year on The Kitchn, then puree them in the blender and freeze them in ice cube trays. I can't believe how much better it tastes than the store-bought stuff.