Easy Homemade Fire Starters Using Items You Already Have
Get your outdoor adventures started the easy (and inexpensive) way with these simple homemade fire starters! Whether you're planning a cozy backyard bonfire, heading out for a weekend camping trip, or gathering around the fire pit with family and friends, these DIY fire starters are a practical project that costs almost nothing to make.
Before you toss that pile of dryer lint into the garbage, think twice! It turns out that dryer lint makes an excellent fire starter, and chances are you already have everything else you need sitting around your house. By combining dryer lint with empty toilet paper rolls and a sheet of wax paper, you can create effective homemade fire starters in just a few minutes.
One of the best things about this project is that it gives new life to items that would normally end up in the recycling or trash. Instead of buying expensive commercial fire starters, you can save money by using materials you already have on hand. It's a simple, frugal solution that reduces waste while helping you get a campfire or bonfire going quickly.
These homemade fire starters are lightweight, easy to store, and convenient to pack along for camping trips, cabin weekends, beach fires, or evenings around the backyard fire pit. Make a batch at the beginning of the season and keep them in a dry container so they're always ready when you need them.
If you love finding practical ways to save money while making the most of everyday household items, this is one DIY project that's definitely worth trying. It's quick, easy, budget-friendly, and a great way to recycle materials you already have into something you'll actually use.
Here's how to make Homemade Fire Starters:
MATERIALS
Dryer lint
Toilet paper/paper towel rolls
Wax paper
Scissors
DIRECTIONS
1. Remove the lint from your dryer lint trap 2. Cut your paper towel rolls into thirds or leave toilet paper rolls whole 3. Stuff your paper rolls with the dryer lint, but don't pack it in too tight 4. Cut a 6" piece of wax paper 5. Place your paper roll in the center, wrap the long sides over each other and twist the ends 6. Trim the ends of your wax paper if you'd like
TO USE: place one of your fire starters under a few pieces of kindling and light the end of your wax paper
Dry, flaky lips always seem to make an appearance during the colder months, so I've started making this simple DIY lip scrub to keep them soft and smooth. It gently exfoliates away dry skin while helping to lock in moisture, and the fresh strawberry lemonade scent is an added bonus!
This homemade lip scrub is made with just four ingredients: almond oil, sugar, strawberry extract, and lemon essential oil. The sugar gently buffs away dry, flaky skin, while the almond oil helps nourish and moisturize your lips. The strawberry extract and lemon essential oil create a sweet, refreshing scent that makes this scrub feel like a little treat every time you use it.
I've included my Amazon affiliate links below if you'd like to pick up the ingredients used in this tutorial.
In a small mixing bowl, add all of the ingredients. Mix until well blended. Transfer to airtight containers.
HOW TO USE
1. Apply to wet lips and exfoliate by rubbing finger against the scrub in a circular motion. 2. Rinse with warm water and pat dry with a towel. 3. Apply your favorite lip balm.
I know that with every new season, I start feeling tempted to refresh my wardrobe with a few new pieces. You too? There’s something exciting about changing things up a little when the weather shifts. But instead of immediately heading to the mall or filling up an online cart, I’ve been trying to look at the clothes I already own with fresh eyes first.
The truth is, most of us have items tucked away in our closets that still have plenty of life left. Sometimes they just need a little creativity to feel new again! Refashioning old clothes is such a fun and budget-friendly way to update your wardrobe without spending a fortune. Plus, it’s a great way to reduce waste and make the most of the things we already have.
Lately, I’ve been searching for simple ways to refashion clothes, and honestly, there are so many clever ideas out there. From turning oversized shirts into cute fitted tops, trimming jeans into shorts, or transforming dresses into skirts, the possibilities are almost endless. Even small changes like replacing buttons, adding lace, hemming, or dyeing faded fabrics can completely change the look of a piece.
I’ve also been looking for an excuse to pull out my sewing machine again. It’s been sitting untouched for far too long! Some of these beginner-friendly projects seem simple enough that I can work on them during nap time while my daughter sleeps. I love the idea of slowly creating a wardrobe that feels more personal and unique instead of buying the same fast-fashion pieces everyone else has.
What I especially love about refashioning clothes is that it doesn’t have to be perfect. In fact, part of the charm is giving something old a second chance and making it your own. Whether you’re an experienced sewer or someone who’s never threaded a needle before, there are plenty of easy projects that don’t require advanced skills or expensive supplies. Pinterest is a treasure trove of ideas.
If you’ve been wanting to save money, get creative, or simply breathe new life into the clothes you already own, refashioning old clothes is such a rewarding place to start. You might be surprised by how many hidden gems are already hanging in your closet just waiting for a little makeover!
Here are 20 fun and fashionable ways to refashion clothes:
Have you ever tried to refashion clothes before? I’d love to hear which idea is your favourite! I think I might finally try turning one of my husband’s old shirts into a cute new skirt for myself. It sounds like such a fun way to give something old a whole new life!
Do you need a super quick and fun Valentine's Day gift? Try this DIY idea: Candy in a Jar! This is a perfect idea for those of you needing several inexpensive little gifts for teachers, family members, friends or even neighbors.
It's so simple. All you have to do is pour some sort of Valentine coloured candies into a jar, tie a ribbon around the jar then glue the label to the lid.
This Pumpkin Pie Sugar Scrub is a simple and delicious smelling DIY for yourself or a gift idea for the holidays!
My daughter and I had fun over the weekend whipping up some delicious smelling pumpkin pie sugar scrub! It was such a fun and easy activity to do together. Then of course, once we were finished, we had to try it out! Our skin was oh so soft afterwards.
Want to pamper yourself? Here's how you can quickly make a batch of Pumpkin Pie Sugar Scrub. Double up to gift a friend!
Pumpkin Pie Sugar Scrub
SUPPLIES NEEDED:
- 1 cup of white sugar - ¾ cup of coconut oil (cold pressed, virgin coconut oil is excellent) - 1 teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice - 1 teaspoon of brown sugar - glass jar
DIRECTIONS: 1. In a bowl, mix the coconut oil and white sugar. Simply mash it together with a spoon until mixed. 2. Add in the pumpkin pie seasoning and continue to mash. 3. You can now add in the brown sugar. Mix well. If you feel like your scrub is too dry, you can add a small dab of coconut oil to add some moisture. 4. Spoon the pumpkin pie sugar scrub into a glass jar and sprinkle the top with additional brown sugar. This not only adds a little more “scrub” to the scrub but makes it sparkle. 5. Cover with an air tight lid and store in a cool place for up to one week. 6. To use your pumpkin pie sugar scrub, simply apply to wet skin in a circular motion. Rinse with warm water and repeat if necessary.
Have you ever made Sun Tea? It's my favourite way to enjoy iced tea in the summer! The taste of real brewed tea and endless flavour options is what gets me really excited about brewing a batch.
Sun Tea is a method of brewing tea slowly by using the heat of the sun to steep tea bags. I find it fascinating to watch the water in the glass jar slowly change colour as the sun works its magic on the tea bags. 🙂
Sun Tea is really easy to make and is very adaptable to your own personal flavour preferences.
Place in the direct sun for 3 - 5 hours, or until desired strength is reached. Remove tea bags.
Place in the fridge.
To serve: add sliced lemons, fresh mint, sweetener (honey, simple syrup, agave...etc.) if desired.
For the batch I brewed pictured below, I used 2 Ginger Peach tea bags and 6 Orange Pekoe tea bags. I added some of the Simple Syrup I featured the other day until I was happy with the sweetness. I think it tastes pretty darn good, but if I had some lemons on hand I would have added a few slices to make it perfect!
