Stuff Parents Need

Easing the chaos in the nest, one find at a time.

How I’m Getting Ready for Swimsuit Season

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Disclaimer: I am sharing my own personal experience, but I am not offering medical advice of any sort. Please take great care when deciding whether or not to ingest essential oils, and if you decide to do so, carefully research the brand you choose. Please consult your physician should you have any questions or concerns. Essential oils have not been tested by the FDA.  Affiliate links included. I love promoting what rocks my world! 

I’m 21 days away from spending an entire week pretty much only in a swimsuit.

Yup. 21 days.

I prefer to spend my time daydreaming about how much fun my family is going to have and minimizing the amount of time I spend feeling uncomfortable about how my body currently looks in a swimsuit (it looks like it needs a lot more exercise, to put it simply). I’m not going to look like a cast member of Baywatch three weeks from now, but I am taking steps to shed a few pounds by making some healthier eating choices between now and then, by upping my water intake and by doing some exercises that offer maximum impact in minimum time.

Additionally, I’m making good use of my essential oils to help me feel energized and to offer support for healthy metabolic function. I have a pill I take every morning that makes a BIG difference in how I feel throughout the day (see ya later, 2 o’clock slump!), and for me at least, in how tempted I am to reach for snacks mindlessly. That might be one of the areas where this trio of oils that I use makes the biggest difference. I simply don’t feel as tempted to snack, which means I’m not loading up on pointless calories. I wish I could credit my awesome discipline with my habit change, but I have no discipline when it comes to snacking. I’m a grazer, people. It’s what I do. So the whole not snacking thing is a pretty big deal.

swimsuit ready with oils 6

So let’s take a closer look at this powerhouse trio of oils that helps support a healthy lifestyle regimen and helps kick cravings to the curb! I take this trio of oils in a pill form, and I make a fairly large batch in one sitting to be efficient with my time. Here’s how it works!

How I Mix My “Swimsuit Ready”Trio

Ingredients

The ratio of coconut oil to each essential oil is 2:1. So for every drop of essential oil, I need 2 drops of coconut oil. One capsule needs 2 drops of lemon, 2 drops of grapefruit, 2 drops of peppermint and 12 drops of coconut oil. If I were to make every capsule by measuring out each oil, I would want to hurt someone. But there’s an easier way! 🙂
swimsuit ready with oils 4

Since I already knew the ratio of essential oils to coconut oil, I started measuring by glass dropper fulls of oils. In a small glass container I added 2 dropper fulls of lemon vitality, 2 of peppermint vitality, and 2 of grapefruit vitality (and a dropper full for me is when you put the glass dropper into the essential oil container with the top of the dropper squeezed, then let go so that it naturally fills…that point at which it fills on its own is 1 dropper full. Make sense?).

essential oils for weight loss 5

Now that my essential oils are all combined, it’s time to put them together in the amber vial. I didn’t make very much since I wasn’t sure if I would like it or not, but next time I will make a large amount so that I have my essential oil blend mixed and ready in this amber vial any time I want to make a new batch!

The next step is to heat the coconut oil to the point of melting. This time of year where I live, you can accomplish this just by putting your container of coconut oil outside for a bit (I believe the melting point is somewhere around 82 degrees). I don’t recommend using the microwave because many folks contend that the microwave zaps the health benefits of the oils. A stove top will work just fine and should not take long. No need to measure the amount of oil right now; I’ll do that when we add it. And whatever you don’t use you can pour back into your container, as it will become a solid again in a few hours. Here’s what melted coconut oil looks like:

essential oils for weight loss 3

Since coconut oil is solid at room temperature,  I did not add it to the essential oils blend that I put in the amber vial. That would result in quite a mess later on! So best to keep the carrier oil and the essential oils separate for storage.

swimsuit ready with oils 3

Now it is time to fill the capsules! I removed the small end of the capsule, and took the glass dropper and filled it with my essential oils blend. Each capsule should have 6 total drops of essential oils added. Then I took another glass dropper (I bought a set of vials and just borrowed one) and filled it with coconut oil. Each capsule should have 12 drops of coconut oil added. 

I was able to make 25 capsules with this amount of essential oils. I put the capsules in the freezer. I don’t fear them going bad, as Young Living essential oils (other than citrus) don’t go rancid, and even that takes a long time. It was more about safe keeping. Also? I think they go down easy when they are cold! But perhaps most importantly, I’ve learned that if the capsules aren’t frozen once made, they will quickly start to break down the veggie capsule shell and leak. So if you want to make a large batch ahead of time, freezing them is a must. The other alternative is to keep your essential oil blend on hand and make your capsules every day. The only pain point there is ensuring that you have melted coconut oil daily.

 

swisuit ready with oils 1



If you are looking to make a few lifestyle changes to help you feel more confident before you hit the beach or the pool this summer, I think you might really love what this trio can offer. Always keep in mind, of course, that essential oils are amazing, but not magical. They don’t take the place of making healthy choices like drinking your water, moving your body, and fueling up with good foods.

What About Cellulite?

As you get toned up for swimsuit season, are you also struggling with cellulite? (Who isn’t? I hate that person, whoever it is!). I’ve got some great solutions for getting rid of cellulite naturally, too. Combine those 2 secret weapons with this trio and get ready to shine from the inside out!

get rid of cellulite naturally

DIY Honey Sugar Scrub with Frankincense

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Affiliate links may be included. I only promote what I love! 

This DIY gift idea is so darn indulgent. It’s also a little sticky (just being honest) so you’ll want to make sure that you let the person you are making this Honey Sugar Scrub for know that ample opportunity will be needed to rinse it off! 🙂

I added Young Living’s Frankincense oil to this honey sugar scrub because it is an oil that is well-known for how kind it is to the skin! I personally use it for the banishment of fine lines. I also use it for overall wellness. It’s such a precious, fantastic, oh-so-good-for-you oil, and a little really goes a long way.

honey sugar scrub with frankincense

Here’s what you’ll need to make this amazing scrub!

  • 1/2 cup honey
  • 1/3 cup sugar (I used cane sugar for a more coarse effect, but refined white sugar is fine)
  • 1 Tbsp avocado oil (or other carrier oil of choice)
  • 3 drops Frankincense essential oil

Combine all ingredients in a glass container (one with a lid is ideal!). To use, apply small amounts to areas of the skin that need more intense TLC (for example, rough elbows, calloused heels and hands). Allow to soak into the skin for a minute or two before rinsing off thoroughly.

Since Young Living is a referral-based business, you have to go through a distributor to get this great product. I’d love to help you get all set up with your own bottle of frankincense (and give you tons of other ideas about how to use it!). I can help you get signed up as a retail customer, a wholesale customer, or I can take an order from you that I’ll place with my next monthly wholesale order (you can try an oil or two that way for the wholesale price!). Reach out to me at stuffparentsneed (at) gmail (dot) com and let me know how I can help!

One of the Best Upset Stomach Remedies I’ve Ever Tried

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Affiliate links may be included. I am not a medical professional and no information contained in this post about upset stomach remedies or any other post I have written about Young Living essential oils should be misconstrued as medical advice. Please consult with a medical professional for questions about how essential oils might interact with any medication you are already taking. Essential oils have not been tested by the FDA.
Isn’t having an upset stomach just the worst? It can come out of nowhere and just knock you down for a day or even longer. And as someone particularly fond of food, I really dislike losing my appetite! One of the things my family uses when we are feeling “off” with our digestive system is to reach for Young Living’s DiGize essential oil blend. This blend contains Tarragon, Ginger, Peppermint, Juniper, Fennel, Anise, Patchouli and Lemongrass. For me, it promotes wellness support during those upset moments better than anything else I’ve tried. But standing by all my oils and diluting out a dose of DiGize can feel a bit taxing when all you want to do is lay down somewhere, which is why I created this tummy cream to reach for when I need it.
Ingredients:
  • 1/2 cup coconut oil
  • 1/3 cup shea butter
  • 1/4 cup almond oil
  • 20 drops DiGize essential oil blend
  • 5 drops Peppermint essential oil (optional, but peppermint is great for upset stomachs and I think it helps improve the smell!)
To make this soothing tummy cream, start by melting the coconut oil and the shea butter together over medium-low heat on the stove. Once this has completely melted, remove it from the heat and allow it to cool for 5 minutes before adding the almong oil. Mix those ingredients all together with a spoon, and then allow to sit for an additional 10 minutes, at which point you add your essential oils, give it a stir, and then transfer the oils to a glass bowl and put in the refrigerator for an hour.
After an hour has passed, remove the blend which should appear solid, and taking a hand mixer, mix it all together until the consistency is creamy. You are all set! I recommend storing the product in the fridge for best results.
If you are new to Young Living and would like to try DiGize and/or Peppermint essential oil, I’d love to help connect you! You can sign up directly for a retail membership if you only want to purchase them, or you can sign up as a wholesale customer if you’d like to try our premium starter kit (it comes with our 11 most loved oils, including DiGize and Peppermint, as well as a diffuser and other goodies). I also place an order once a month and would be happy to include you in it if you’d like to try either or both oils at the wholesale price. Reach me at stuffparentsneed (at) gmail (dot) com and let me know how I can help.

Homemade Furniture Polish

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Time for another thrifty gift idea! This is perfect for new homeowners or even for people on your list who already have anything (including lots of beautiful wood furniture!). Check out this recipe for a simple homemade furniture polish that will nourish and protect wood furniture so that it can be enjoyed for many years to come!

homemade furniture polish

Ingredients:

To make your homemade furniture polish, add your essential oil to the glass bottle, followed by the vinegar and the olive oil. Give it a very good shake, and remember to shake it thoroughly before each use. That’s it! 🙂

This product works so wonderfully well and is also so affordable. Your biggest expense is the spray bottle, which will last you for decades (as long as you don’t break it!). And currently lemon oil is about 4.5 cents/drop. Vinegar is super cheap, so 1/4 of a cup would cost mere pennies, and the cost for the olive oil just depends on the brand you use.

 


DIY Bath Salts to Send Stress Away (Gift Idea for $1!)

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Affiliate links may be included. I am not a medical professional and no information contained in this or any other post I have written about Young Living essential oils should be misconstrued as medical advice. Please consult with a medical professional for questions about how essential oils might interact with any medication you are already taking. Essential oils have not been tested by the FDA. 

This just might be my favorite DIY gift idea with essential oils yet! You can put together some bath salts that will help someone you love send their stresses away for right around $1! Yes, indeed!

DIY bath salts

To make this relaxing blend, you need 3 ingredients and about 30 seconds. 🙂

Simply combine all of the ingredients together until well combined (I find the oils will blend the best if you use your hands to mix everything together). I would recommend adding 1/4 cup to each bath.

This smells absolutely divine thanks to the blend of copaiba, lime, cedarwood, vanilla, ocotea and lavender that you can only find in Stress Away. It is one of my all-time favorite blends and the mere smell of it truly helps me calm down.

So if you are looking for a DIY gift idea that will be so appreciated by someone in your life who could use a spa-like bath experience AND if you are looking to keep your budget in check all at the same time, you can’t go wrong with this blend! Stress Away is just 12 cents/drop and Epsom salts and baking soda are both very affordable products. Just find a small mason jar with a lid or any other type of pretty glass container (I see them all the time at thrift stores), tie a ribbon around it, and there you go!

And if you are new to Young Living and need some help getting your hands on Stress Away, I’d love to help you out! I place orders once a month and allow folks who are new to the brand to order at my wholesale price. Stress Away is $29.75 plus tax and shipping for a 15 ml bottle, which contains 250 drops. That will make a heck of a lot of bath salts! 🙂

Homemade Vapor Rub for Wellness Support

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Affiliate links may be included. I am not a medical professional and no information contained in this or any other post I have written about Young Living essential oils should be misconstrued as medical advice. Please consult with a medical professional for questions about how essential oils might interact with any medication you are already taking. Essential oils have not been tested by the FDA. 

Are you enjoying the simple DIY gift ideas I’ve been showing on the blog this week? I’ve been having so much fun making them! Today I want to show you a product that is oh so necessary this time of year, and that would make a fantastic gift idea for pretty much anyone (though I have made this with adults in mind…children need their oil ratio to be more diluted). Check out this homemade vapor rub and get ready to breathe a little easier!

homemade vapor rub

To make this homemade vapor rub, you’ll need the following items:

Heat up your 1/4 cup of coconut oil on the stove over medium heat, stirring until it is completely melted. Then remove your pot from the heat and allow it to cool for 5 minutes. Pour the coconut oil int your container, and add 20 drops of RC and 5 drops of Thieves. Using a stir stick (this is what I use), gently stir the mixture together until well combined. Allow to cool at room temperature, or place the container in the refrigerator for a quick set method.

To use: apply as needed to the chest area for lung support. This should create enough product to get a family of 4 through the fall and winter months.

Why I Chose RC and Thieves

RC and Thieves are both proprietary oil blends made by Young Living. If you are new to the company and want to hear more about why I started using their products, click here. Now let’s talk about each of these fantastic oil blends!

RC is a blend that contains the following oils:

  • myrtle
  • eucalyptus globulus
  • marjoram
  • pine
  • eucalyptus citriodora
  • lavender
  • cypress
  • eucalyptus radiata
  • spruce
  • peppermint

If you have never smelled RC before, you can probably imagine what an invigorating scent it is (especially with 3 different types of eucalyptus in the mix!). I find this blend to be absolutely crucial in my collection during the fall and winter months, when I find that my lungs tend to need a little extra support for wellness.

I also added a bit of the blend Thieves because of how outstanding it is at telling microscopic critters to take a hike! I find it to be an amazing oil to support overall wellness, so adding it in with the RC seemed like a great idea. Plus, it smells fantastic! Here’s what you’ll find in Thieves:

  • clove
  • lemon
  • cinnamon bark
  • eucalyptus radiata
  • rosemary

Since one of my motivators for all these DIY projects was to come up with wallet-friendly gift ideas, let’s break down the cost. I’d estimate the cost of the glass container to be $1, the cost of the coconut oil to be .50, the cost of the RC drops to total $2.40 and the cost of the Thieves drops to total .67. This brings the total cost for this homemade vapor rub to $4.57. I think it would be SO awesome to give the gift of wellness to support to someone you love for under $5!

Young Living is a referral based business, so to order the oils you need to connect with a distributor. I proudly serve in that role and would love to help you get started on your journey to wellness. Both of these oils featured today come in the premium starter kit, which you can read more about here. I also place an order once a month and allow folks who are new to Young Living to order up to 3 oils from me at the wholesale price, which is what I pay. If you’d like more information, just reach out to me at stuffparentsneed (at) gmail (dot) com and I’d be happy to help you out!

 

Here are a few other homemade remedies that you might want to try while you in the DIY mood (or you can just pin the pages for future reference).

DIY shower disks

DIY Shower Disks to Support the Lungs

upset-stomach-remedies

Upset stomach remedy

DIY pain cream

DIY pain cream

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getting ready for swimsuit season with the help of essential oils

DIY Linen Spray: A Fabulous Gift for Under $2.50!

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Affiliate links may be included. I only promote what I love! 

Friends I think I’ve got one heck of a DIY winner for you today! This is one of the least expensive homemade recipes I have made with my essential oils so far, and I think it will be really well-received by gift recipients, too! I’m going to show you how to make an all natural linen spray for less than $2.50!

DIY linen spray Here’s what you’ll need to make this DIY linen spray:

  • 1 (two) ounce glass spray bottle (colored preferred to keep the oils away from light)
  • small funnel (optional, but it makes it a lot easier!)
  • 2 1/2 Tbsp distilled water
  • 1 1/2 tbsp witch hazel (FYI, it’s much cheaper at places like Walgreens)
  • 15 drops Young Living lavender essential oil

I opted for the 2 ounce size glass bottles because these are small enough that you can take them with you on airplanes, which I love. You could upgrade to the 4 ounce bottles, and in that case, you’ll need to double your recipe.

To make your linen spray, simply add your water and your witch hazel to your spray bottle with the funnel. Then remove the funnel and add your oils. You could opt for any number of essential oils in your linen spray, but I think lavender is an excellent choice because it is so soothing, which makes it perfect to inhale when you are laying down at the end of your day.

If you are crafty, you could certainly add a cute little printable on your bottle to note what it contains, and you could even include the recipe so that it could be recreated later. Currently, the spray bottles are .77 each (you have to buy a dozen, though), the 15 drops of lavender come to $1.41, and I am generously estimating the witch hazel and the distilled water to cost 15 cents total, bringing this project to just $2.33 per bottle!
I think this would make a very thoughtful gift for a teacher, a co-worker, or anyone in your life who could use a bit of relaxation. By using Young Living essential oils, you are gifting the highest quality product for maximum therapeutic benefits, too. Seed to seal, baby!
If you are new to essential oils and have questions about them, or if you’d be interested in picking up a bottle of Young Living lavender oil, I’d be happy to help you! I place orders once a month and I’m always happy to include folks in my order so that they can take advantage of the wholesale pricing I have. And if you’d like to hear more about how I, an essential oils skeptic, got into essential oils, check out my post on the subject.

Homemade Carpet Powder: Thrifty Gift Idea for Your Favorite Clean Freak

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I’ve been brainstorming thrifty homemade gift ideas that don’t require craft skills (since I completely lack those), and I’ve realized that I can make a TON of awesome stuff with my beloved essential oils and a few other key ingredients.

homemade carpet powder

Earlier this year I made a homemade carpet powder for myself (I just kept the ingredients in a recycled parmesan cheese container!), but I didn’t think that would look too presentable as a gift. So I found this great stainless steel cup with a sprinkle top that is just perfect. Now I can make this as a gift for someone on my list who really loves to clean (I cannot relate to this feeling, but there really are people out there who love to clean!).

homemade carpet cleaner 2

All you need is 1 cup of baking soda, and 8 drops of the Young Living essential oils blend called Purification. Mix the two ingredients together well (I used a fork) until the drops of oil are well dispersed. Pour the mixture into your cute container, add the lid, and tie a bow around it if you are giving it as a gift! Right now the container is $4.87 (prices do fluctuate on Amazon, though) and 1 cup of baking soda will cost you .50 (give or take). The price per drop of Purification at the wholesale price is 7.5 cents, so 8 drops will cost you 60 cents, making the entire gift cost $5.97. Not too shabby! You could also include instructions for how to re-create the recipe once their container runs out, and even send along a smaller vial of Purification so that they can make more with the oils.

So what is Purification? This is a proprietary blend of essential oils made by Young Living, and it contains citronella, lemongrass, rosemary, melaleuca alternifolia, lavandin and myrtle. It smells like clean in a bottle; so fresh and invigorating, yet not perfume-like at all. The essential oils in this blend are known for their purifying properties, so masking odors is definitely not what they do! They eliminate them! I sprinkle this mix on my carpets and let it sit for at least 15 minutes before I vacuum it up, and the end result is an absolutely fantastic smell in my home. I love it!

If you are new to Young Living and would love to get your hands on some Purification (which is $18.50 plus tax and shipping at the wholesale cost for 15 ml, which is 250 drops) I’d be happy to order some for you on my next monthly order! Reach out to me at stuffparentsneed (at) gmail (dot) com and I’ll give you details. Young Living is a referral based business, so you have to work with someone who already purchases from the company in order to get started, yourself. And if you’d like to hear more about essential oils in general and why I decided to give them a try (as a skeptic, no less), check out my post on why I chose Young Living.

DIY Soothing Cream Using Essential Oils

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I am a proud distributor of YL products. I’m also a VERY loyal customer! I use these oils on my own family and would love to introduce them to yours! All thoughts and opinions are my own; I do not speak on behalf of the company. Furthermore, I am not a medical professional, and I am in no way attempting to diagnose or prescribe treatments. Please get in touch with your doctor for medical-related questions. Affiliate links may be included.

I’m 35 now, and that means that sometimes my body hurts just because it’s decidedly middle-aged. I might be playing with the girls on the floor and crawl around on my hands and knees for a few minutes before realizing that my body does NOT want to do that anymore! Or I might get a rare moment of inspiration and hit the gym and go full blast on the treadmill and regret it once I realize that I’m not just going to be sore the next day, because I’m already sore the second I stop! Or I might reach for the remote and stretch my arms or my neck too far in the process. That’s the most embarrassing pain of all, my friends. 😉

I turn to my Young Living essential oils for relief when I encounter those discomforts that just go along with getting older. Today I want to show you a DIY soothing relief cream you can make with just 3 ingredients! pain cream ingredients The two essential oils I use are Copaiba and PanAway, and they both come in the premium starter kit, so this is something you can easily try even when you are brand new to Young Living!

To make this soothing cream, I take 1/2 cup of organic coconut oil (it’s best if it is at least somewhat solid and not in a liquid state) and using a hand mixer, I beat it for about 2 minutes, until it is quite fluffy and smooth.

Then I add 15 drops of PanAway, and 15 drops of Copaiba. I gently blend in the oils using a spoon, and then after it is mixed a bit that way, I use the hand mixer for another 30 seconds. I mix it in by hand first just to make sure that those precious essential oils don’t splatter right out of the bowl at the start of being mixed.

At this point, your mixture is ready to be used! I like to put it in these small cosmetic containers (this recipe will fill 3 jars of this size (1 ounce each), making this such a great DIY gift for someone else!). A rough estimate for the price per drop of Copaiba is 17 cents, and it’s 38 cents per drop for PanAway. So your essential oil costs for the entire project will only be $8.25, and the jars are $1 each, and the coconut oil price will vary depending on what you buy, but let’s just say it’s $1.00 of coconut oil. That means that each container will cost you just $4, which is a very nice price for such a helpful gift!

I’ve experimented with leaving the container at room temperature (in my house that’s somewhere in the low to mid ’70s) and putting it in the fridge. I personally prefer it at room temperature simply because the cream becomes harder and more like a balm when it is cold. But it could also be all the more refreshing that way to sore muscles. If your home tends to be over 80 degrees, which is the melting point for coconut oil, you may need to keep it in the fridge.

So let’s talk more about why these particular oils are a great choice for helping to support your recovery after strenuous activity, such as exercising (or in my case, remote control reaching). Copaiba is widely known to help support the body when it is experiencing some type of inflammation (which is a sure occurrence when you are experiencing those typical discomforts).

PanAway is actually a blend of oils (Wintergreen, Helichrysum, Clove and Peppermint). Wintergreen is so refreshing to tired muscles and offers that great support during times of inflammation. Helichrysum, a very precious oil, has been shown to be helpful. Clove is another oil that has been shown to offer a great deal of support to the body when discomfort is present. And peppermint is also known as a pain blocker. If you have never used either of these essential oil products, you are in for one heck of a treat. I have personally experienced tremendous results with both products, and I’m so excited to now have them blended together in an easy-to-use cream that I can just keep close at hand on my night stand or with my other lotions.

I think this is a fantastic DIY project for anyone who just purchased a premium starter kit with Young Living. If you are brand new to Young Living and would like some guidance, or have some questions I can help answer for you, please reach out, as I would love to serve as your support system! You can reach me at stuffparentsneed (at) gmail (dot) com.