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Natural Baby Products For The Entire Home

December 31, 2017

When we arrived in Metro Manila two years ago, I vowed to find ways to live a good life without wasting precious time (better spent with my family) sitting in traffic and doing mind-numbing, meaningless things on my phone. I realized the key is to have things delivered to my doorstep.

Now Manila is not like Berlin, where online shopping is part of the way of life. I would say that many of the biggest brands don’t even have a proper and updated websites to shop from (i.e. Muji or Travel Value). Online shopping for brands like Violeta (Mango’s Plus size brand) and H&M are only more recent introductions and are still shipped straight from Europe.

This led me to think of ways to streamline our home and declutter our lives. One thing that dawned on me is that certain baby products can be used by the entire home, and not just for baby. Below are two examples.

At the end of each, I share where I usually order, for convenient and secure online payment and delivery to your doorstep. No more lugging heavy bottles and getting stuck in traffic. More time to do things that bring joy and meaning to my life.

USE BOTTLE CLEANER TO WASH ALL DISHES

Yup. Whether you have a baby or not, this applies to everyone. The brand we use and love is Nature-to-Nurture. It contains baking soda that targets milk film and odor. Because it is fragrance free, it doesn’t leave any nasty chemical fragrance residue. It rinses easily, allowing you to use less water and save time.

Safe. Ultra-concentrated. Biodegradable. No nasty chemicals.

Because it safely cleans all of baby’s feedingware, washable toys, it is also safe and so effective on our plates, pots & pans – even fruits and veggies!

TIP: We always dilute it in our soap dispenser, because it’s so concentrated. Soak dirty dishes and glasses with this solution before washing, and it makes washing so much easier.

Order on N2N website | FB | Lazada

REPLACE ALL DETERGENTS WITH BABU LIQUID LAUNDRY WASH

We started using Tiny Buds Liquid Laundry Wash for our baby, because it’s safe to use without irritating delicate skin since it’s made of Natural Cleaning Agents that are biodegradable and leave no chemical residues.

I loved that we only use ONE TABLESPOON for each laundry load (we have a 7.5kg Samsung Washer Dryer) and I notice that it doesn’t fade the blacks and colored batches. I love that we no longer have to clean the detergent drawer of powder residue.

Then I asked myself, why doesn’t EVERYONE in our home deserve the same benefits? If it’s good enough to remove baby’s poo and pee, then it’s definitely good enough for the whole family, not just for those who have sensitive skin.

So I said goodbye to all the big bottles that were cluttering our laundry area. We still sort our laundry as per usual,  but instead of deciding whether to use a detergent each for

  1. Whites
  2. Colored
  3. Blacks
  4. Silks and wool
  5. Baby

Now we only use Tiny Buds Laundry Wash each time. One bottle instead of five. My laundry has been decluttered and simplified immensely. We also love using their talc free baby powder, baby wipes (my local alternative for Water Wipes) and rash cream.

TIP: We have spray container filled with a solution of water + Tiny Buds Laundry Wash near our laundry hamper in the bathroom. I spray it on stains or dirt before throwing something dirty in the laundry. This pre-treatment is effective on most stains already so I don’t need to use harsh stain removers. Nor do I increase the amount of soap for dirtier laundry. Effective and money saving. =)

Order on Tiny Buds | FB | Lazada

I was thrilled to find these locally made, international quality products, in terms of use and packaging. We try to buy local wherever we are currently based.

In the end, it doesn’t really matter what brands you use, as long as they are fit for your family’s needs. These simple changes were life-changing for our household and I hope it has the same effect on yours. This is not a paid or sponsored post.  I just love these products so much that I wanted to share them with you.

I hope to share with you more tips on ways to live more while doing less; to improve our quality of life, and live more consciously of each other and the environment; while saving money, and helping more people earn a living through the sharing economy.

Are there any other natural, safe baby products that you love to use for the rest of your family or home? Please do share them with us in the comments below.

WHAT ITEMS TO ORDER ONLINE

As a busy WAHM (Work at Home Mom) ordering online has been a life saver. We buy in bulk, and they deliver it straight to our door. We don’t need to lug heavy detergent/soap bottles or packs from the supermarket. It’s so convenient.

We save supermarket and market trips for things that we really need to examine before buying, like fruits and veggies. Right now below is what we order online in bulk to save on time and money. We get refills for liquid items in bigger volume, to fill the existing containers – it costs less and it’s better for the environment.

  1. Dishwashing liquid refills
  2. Laundry detergent refills
  3. Household Cleaner refills
  4. Handsoap refills
  5. Diapers (we use cloth for home, but disposable when we go out)
  6. Eneloop rechargeable batteries
  7. Other non-perishable consumables

What other items do you mamas order online? I would love to hear about it and which brands you like, and why, in the comments below.

FINAL TIP

To declutter your space even more, Marie Kondo recommends removing product labels. (Think MUJI minimalist style products) It really helps visually declutter your areas. Label instead with Dymo Labeler. The old school one, has better adhesive that can withstand moisture and washing.

2 Comments · Diplo Tips, manila good to know, manila shopping

Comments

  1. cla says

    January 3, 2018 at 5:57 AM

    thanks for sharing Ayessa! planning to do this at home.

    Reply
    • diplomaticwife says

      January 3, 2018 at 7:18 AM

      Wonderful! Happy to help create happier healthier homes Cla! =)

      Reply

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Welcome

Hello! I’m Ayessa, trailing spouse to a diplomat, mama to DiploBaby and DiploDog and founder of Declutter MNL. I love talking about how to achieve a minimaluxe lifestyle one step at a time.

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DISCLOSURE

I am an Amazon affiliate, but all opinions are my own. The content of all my blog and social media posts are products and experiences that I truly enjoy and I only work with brands that fit my life and style.

GOOD TO KNOW GUIDE

FOLLOW ME ON INSTAGRAM @UNDIPLOMATICWIFE

One of the things people love about the Philippine One of the things people love about the Philippines is the warmth & heartfelt friendships of the Filipino people.

And was reminded about that when @pattylaurel & her wonderful family took the time to meet up with us on their last day in Geneva.

Though we’ve only seen each other in person once before… lifetimes ago when I was handling marketing for @beautybarph and she was our gracious model for Dashing Diva, hanging out with them felts so warm & natural. 

Even @diplobaby was so happy to have such quick friends and playmates.

Thank you Patty for letting me use your photos. You & @patrickfilart take such amazing ones! Perfect combo of influencer & IG husband 🤪🤪🤪

And thank you for bringing the warmth of the Philippines 🇵🇭 & the Filipino people with you. ✨🤍✨ sobrang saya!

We had such a beautiful day together… the kids (and us) didn’t want it to end so we went from playground/dinner to a walk about in our neighborhood Château & even to the house! 😂

Thank you for the epic day Patty, Patrick, Theo & Astrid. Till we meet again! More adventures in Switzerland I hope!

#udwingeneva #pattylaurel #diplofriends #diplobaby #diplofamily
TOOL FREE BIDET INSTALL One of the things we miss TOOL FREE BIDET INSTALL

One of the things we miss about living in the Philippines & Indonesia is having a bidet in our bathrooms.

Here we have a MUJI TABO & TOTO PORTABLE BIDETS (dm for link if you want), but nothing beats the water pressure & convenience of a handheld bidet that’s connected to your plumbing IMO.

When I was in @jumbo.schweiz recently I saw a bidet that can be installed with the sink.

It only works if your sink is near your toilet so sadly it won’t work on our master’s bathroom.

I wasn’t sure our faucet was the correct size but I took a risk for CHF20.

Today I finally had the time to install it. I was # #mariomama again LOL!

The only time you might need a tool (pliers) is if you can’t loosen the AERATOR to remove it from your faucet.

HOW TO INSTALL HOLDER WITHOUT DRILLING

As a renter, I want to avoid making holes in the walls whenever I can. Even if I weren’t a renter I don’t recommend putting holes on tiles coz they might crack.

So I used the strongest @tesa_de  double sided tape on the bidet holder. You can see how I did it step by step on the video. Be sure to use Teflon scissors so they don’t get damaged by the adhesive. Clear monster tape will also work well for this.

*** Amazon affiliate links on my bio under BIDET HACKS ****

WHY CANT YOU INSTALL IT IN YOUR TOILET

The toilets here are all built in. There are no exposed tubes to connect bidets to like in Asia. 

That’s why this hack is a God send! No plumbing experience or tools needed! YAY!

WHERE TO BUY

https://undiplomaticwife.com/bidet-install-hack/

Feel free to dm me if you have any questions!

#DiploHome #diplohomegeneva #diy #bidet #bidetlife #expatlife #expatliving #genevaexpats #genevaexpat #genevaexpatwomen #expatinswitzerland
HUMIDIFIER HACK Did you know that each home shoul HUMIDIFIER HACK

Did you know that each home should have humidifiers whether it’s in winter or summer?

Yes! It should be in
- closets
- caves
- storage lockers
- basements
- attics
- bathrooms
- any other area that doesn’t have through air or air conditioner 

To prevent molds from damaging your property!

Here’s the hack: Don’t throw the container because you can buy refills. 

DM me on where to buy wherever you are!

#diplohome #homehacks
WHEN’S THE BEST TIME TO GO TO SANTA CLAUS VILLAG WHEN’S THE BEST TIME TO GO TO SANTA CLAUS VILLAGE?

The concern going to Rovaniemi is that it’s too cold 🥶 I’ve heard of people going in winter & didn’t enjoy it coz they felt like frozen popsicles. You have 2 options:

1. Go in SPRING like us so prices are lower, no long lines/crowds & no need for super thick snow suits, but low chance of seeing Aurora Borealis & some places might be closed/melted. 

3. A friend who lived in Scandinavia told us for Aurora Borealis, the best time is SEPTEMBER coz it’s not too cold yet. Though some resorts might only be opening in OCTOBER like @glass_resort.

FOR US:

❄️ End of first week of April: We didn’t really know  that we picked the perfect time. We were there for only 3 days & 2 nights because that was all our budget would allow. The lows were -3/5 C but the week before it was literally -18C YIKES! 🥶

❄️ At lows of -3/5 and 0-3 highs it’s manageable layering our @uniqloeurope Ultra Light Down Jackets. We didn’t end up using our waterproof snow jackets.

 ❄️ bring waterproof shoes/boots so you don’t get sick if melted snow gets in. 

❄️ If you will touch snow/have snowball fights, waterproof gloves are a must

❄️ Ask hotel if sleds are free to borrow

❄️ Bring SPF coz snow reflects sun

❄️ As you can see in the reel on our first day it was winter wonderland. The day after things started melting. On our last day things were starting to puddle. After I imagine rivers!

❄️ there was this gigantic snowman & I was too tired to take a pic. It disappeared the next day to my disappointment.

❄️ The SNOWMAN WORLD was already closed when we arrived. It would have been so cool to see the ice resto/bar, slides & disco!

❄️ We found out that the day we were leaving was also the last full day of our hotel. So though Santa Claus Office is open 365 days a year, check with the hotels to see which ones are open.

☀️ Summer activities are different. For example the huskies pull sleds with wheels.

🌈 BONUS TIP: If you pick a resort inside @santaclausvillage_rovaniemi, 3 days is enough. Because of the perfect location of @glass_resort we were able to make SO many wonderful memories in such a short time.

#udwinsantaclausvillage
PARTIES & PLUMBING #diplolife + OUR FIRST TIME TO PARTIES & PLUMBING #diplolife

+ OUR FIRST TIME TO HOST AMBASSADORS IN OUR SWISS #DIPLOHOME
(Except for my FIL of course)

This has to have been the most hectic weekend in recent memory here. Each day @diplobaby had a kid’s party to attend. (Thankfully here you leave the child for 2-2.5hrs & parents can do errands while waiting)

TD & I also had commitments for both days. We were hosting a lunch, attending a lunch/ playdate with #diplofriends & meeting up with a fellow Pinoy @remfelrem who has just arrived in Switzerland. 

Last Saturday, TD and I were hosting a lunch for his boss & also a little farewell for the boss of the other mission. And as you guys know we were really stressed with a clogged kitchen sink drain. Not the most convenient or sweet smelling when you are having people over.

So thankfully with the help of a friend I got tips on how to dismantle the pipes to clean them. Guess what? It was still clogged in the pipes inside the wall!

Cleaning the pipes under the sink might NOT HAVE RESOLVED the problem, but at least our home did not smell! Also I learned to do something new! Win-win! 

TD told @diplobaby that I’m #MarioMama (from Mario Bros) 😂🪠

And I am quite relieved that TD & I managed to pull off a lunch in our little home with not just one, but TWO Ambassadors. Having one’s boss is always somewhat nerve-racking right??? I’m so happy we finally did it! 

We had pork adobo with mango, tomato & cilantro salad. And our fave spaghetti bolognese. I bought small cakes from our favorite boulangerie in the little French town next door. 

P.S. 
For those of you were asking if we finally had to call a professional for our kitchen sink. In a way yes we did. After all our best efforts, we finally had to ask for help. We feel so lucky to have such a lovely landlord who came and had the knowledge to remove the clog from the pipes that were built into the wall. We are ever so grateful to him for coming on his weekend.

This is #diplolife guys… PARTIES AND PLUMBING! LOL!!!

#UDWinGeneva #undiplomaticwife #diplofamily #thediplomat #thediplomaticwife
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