It all began when I moved to New Jersey.  The same home that cost $60,000 in Nebraska (where I had moved from) cost $300,000 in Jersey.  So I sat on my new living room floor.  A three year old jumping on my back, my 18 month old having an accident on our couch and nursing our new baby.  Oh-did I say couch?  Yes.  That being-peed-upon couch was one of our few pieces of furniture.  There was a bassinet, a crib, a twin mattress and a queen bed.  My underpaid policeman husband and I had decided that our love would see us through.

But the knowledge of the errant potty trainer was on my mind.

There was no way at all we could afford a new couch.  Or a kitchen table.  Or the whole wardrobe of clothes that all three kids seemed to grow out of every three months.  So my internet addicted self and the frugal Nebraskan got together.

They had a love affair with http://www.freecycle.org

Freecycle is an entirely nonprofit movement of people who are giving (& getting) stuff for free in their own towns. It’s all about reuse and keeping good stuff out of landfills. Each local group is moderated by a local volunteer.   Membership is free.

Within the first three years of using it (I was in New Jersey, so keep in mind the group had about 15,000 members) I had a new (lovingly used) couch, a new (refinished) dining room table and chairs, bookcases, end tables, countless toys,craft items and lots of crap I decided I “needed” without spending more than the gas I used to go and pick it up.  And I gave back just as much.  I felt guilty about selling some things when I knew there were people out there like us who could just not afford to buy a bassinet.  So I freecycled it.  Hence the “cycle”.

1. When you want to find a new home for something — whether it’s a chair, a fax machine, piano, or an old door — you simply send an e-mail offering it to members of your Freecycling group.
2. Maybe you’re looking to acquire something yourself. Simply respond to a member’s offer, and you just might get it. After that, it’s up to the giver to decide who receives the gift and to set up a pickup time for passing on the treasure.
3. The main rule: Everything posted must be free, legal, and appropriate for all ages.
4. Non-profit organizations also benefit from Freecycling.
5. Usually you must give before you take.  Think of it as good karma.
6. Post the item or items you want to give away and where you are located.
7. Then request the things that you may be needing.
8. It’s a free cycle of giving.  Think globally, recycle locally. The Freecycle Network is open to all communities and to all individuals who want to participate. Freecycle groups are run by local volunteer moderators from across the globe who facilitate each local group – grassroots at its best!

But pay attention!!

• Some groups are really busy. Make sure the email selection you choose works for you. Options include Daily Digest (bundles of 25 messages at a time delivered all in one email), Individual Messages (receiving a message just as it is sent out), No Mail (reading the messages on the web so your inbox is free of the messages).
• Not all groups allow the No Mail option, so read carefully to see if your group allows it or not.
• These rules are the same for all Freecycle groups: everything must be free, legal, and appropriate for all ages. Local groups sometimes add other rules, like no pets, no coupons, no services. Be sure to read the guidelines for your local group so that you know what is or isn’t allowed.

Visit http://freecycle.org, http://freesharing.org or http://sharingisgiving.org to find a group in your area.

And think before you throw that spaghetti jar in the garbage!  I need that for my next kid’s art project!!

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Water is essential to healthy living and it is important to make sure you drink enough water throughout the day, but 80% of plastic water bottles end up in the landfill. As a result of the BPA scare, many consumers are reluctant to make the switch to reusable water bottles for fear that they may be consuming harmful chemicals along with their water.

With the new BPA free Titan Everyday line from Nalgene, you can do your part to help the environment and save money that you would have spent on bottled water at the same time.

Nalgene Tritan OTG

The Tritan OTG (on the go) water bottle from Nalgene is a great daily water bottle. The design is slim enough that it fits in most standard cup holders (even the insanely small one on the back of my stroller) so you can have it accessible wherever you go. It is easy to hold and can be opened with one hand so whether you are grabbing a quick drink while biking or trying to quench your thirst with a wiggling toddler in the other hand, you will be able to open the Tritan OTG water bottle when you need it.

Many reusable water bottles have either a large opening that can be difficult to drink from while you are exercising or driving without spilling, or a straw-like opening with small spaces that can be hard to clean. The Nalgene OTG has a unique opening that is shaped like a straw but is about the size of a quarter. It is easy to clean because there are no small spaces where liquid can get stuck in, but it is also small enough that it is easy to drink out of while you are moving, without having liquid slosh out.

Many of the water bottles I have tried in the past that didn’t have the standard large mouth opening were difficult to take big gulps of water from. They may not have spilled while I was moving but the water was slow to come out which irritated me when I was tired and just wanted a big gulp of water. The unique design of the Nalgene OTG lets you drink as much or as little as you want.

Like other Nalgene products, the Nalgene Tritan OTG lets you taste your drink instead of a gross plastic flavor. The loop design makes the water bottle easy to carry or clip onto the diaper bag so you can take it with you.

Nalgene Grip-n-Gulp

“The new Nalgene Grip’n Gulp™ is tough enough to survive being thrown from a moving minivan, spill proof enough to compel parents to blame the rug stains on the dog, and odor proof enough to allow leftover milk to go undetected under the couch for months.”

I try to encourage my kids to drink a lot of water, especially during the summer months when they spend a lot of time running around outside. Kids can dehydrate so quickly and it is easier to teach them healthy water-drinking habits while they are young. While great for milk and juice, most sippy cups are simply too small to hold the amount of water that my kids drink while they are playing. My kids are in the habit of taking their own water bottles with them whenever we leave the house so they always have water available. The Nalgene Grip-n-Gulp is a great water bottle for kids and mine have been fighting over who gets to use it every day.

It is easy for small hands to hold, yet still fits in most standard cup holders. The Grip-n-Gulp is completely spill proof, which is a nice change from most of the larger water bottles. The spill-proof insert removes for easy cleaning (similar to most standard sippy cups) and the mouth piece is a great shaped for small mouths.

There is no cap to loose and like the Nalgene OTG water bottle, the Grip-n-Gulp has a great loop that can be clipped onto the diaper bag or used for carrying.

Related posts:

1. Are You Drinking Enough Water –- Easy Ways to Increase Your Water Intake
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