20 Simple Ways to Make Everyday Life a Bit More Homemade
Making everyday life a bit more homemade does not mean giving up every modern convenience, spending every weekend in the kitchen, or turning your backyard into a full-sized homestead.
For most of us, a simpler and more intentional way of living begins with ordinary choices: making one familiar food from scratch, growing something useful, using what we already have, or replacing one convenience when a homemade option makes sense.
It might mean growing a pot of basil near the kitchen window, mixing your own salad dressing, baking an extra loaf of bread for the freezer, or finding a second use for something you already own.
None of these changes is dramatic. That is exactly the point.
You do not have to do everything. Start with something. The goal is not a perfectly homemade life. The goal is to become a little more involved with what you eat, use, make, grow, and bring into your home, one useful change at a time.
The 20 ideas below are inexpensive, practical places to begin. If you are not sure which direction fits you best, choose the path that would make everyday life easier or more satisfying right now.
What Would You Like to Make a Bit More Homemade?
You only need one place to begin.
New to A Bit More Homemade? Visit Start Here for a simple beginner path.
Begin in the Kitchen
The kitchen is one of the easiest places to begin because small changes can save money, reduce food waste, and make everyday meals feel more nourishing without adding hours of extra work.
1. Create a “Use First” Basket in the Refrigerator
One of the easiest ways to waste less food is to make it easier to see what needs to be eaten.
Place a small basket or container near the front of the refrigerator and fill it with leftovers, opened packages, and produce that should be used soon. Before planning lunch or dinner, check the basket first.
A few berries can be added to oatmeal. Leftover roasted vegetables can become an omelet. A small amount of cooked chicken can be used in soup, quesadillas, or sandwiches.
Keeping leftovers and produce that need attention together makes them easier to see and use before they spoil.
2. Keep a Freezer Bag for Broth Scraps
Place a reusable freezer bag or container in the freezer for clean vegetable scraps.
Good additions include:
- Onion ends
- Carrot peels
- Celery leaves
- Mushroom stems
- Parsley stems
- Thyme sprigs
- Clean vegetable trimmings
When the bag is full, cover the scraps with water, simmer them, and strain the liquid to make a simple vegetable broth.
Avoid spoiled vegetables and large amounts of strongly flavored vegetables, such as broccoli, cabbage, or Brussels sprouts, which can make the broth bitter.
3. Make Salad Dressing in a Jar
Homemade salad dressing is one of the quickest pantry staples to make. For a basic vinaigrette, add the following ingredients to a jar:
- Three parts olive oil
- One part vinegar or lemon juice
- A small spoonful of mustard
- Salt and pepper
- Fresh or dried herbs
Tighten the lid and shake until combined. There is no need for a blender, specialty bottle, or complicated recipe.
A jar, a few pantry ingredients, and five minutes are all you need for a simple homemade dressing.
4. Mix One Homemade Seasoning Blend
You do not need a cabinet filled with homemade spice mixtures. Start with the blend your family uses most often.
Taco seasoning is an easy choice. Combine chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, oregano, salt, and pepper. Store the mixture in a labeled jar beside your other seasonings.
Other useful options include Italian seasoning, poultry seasoning, cinnamon sugar, herb salt, and a ranch-style seasoning blend.
5. Make One Loaf of Sandwich Bread
Homemade bread does not need to become a daily responsibility. Begin by making one basic loaf on a weekend or quiet evening.
Once the process feels familiar, make two loaves and freeze one. Slice the bread before freezing so you can remove only what you need.
Even replacing one store-bought loaf each week is a meaningful change. If you are ready to try a longer-fermented loaf, the Beginner Homemade Sourdough Bread guide is another place to start.
6. Double One Freezer-Friendly Meal
Large freezer-cooking days can feel overwhelming. A much easier approach is to double something you are already making.
Good choices include:
- Soup or chili
- Meatloaf
- Muffins
- Pancakes or waffles
- Pizza dough
- Casserole filling
- Cooked beans
- Pasta sauce
Serve one portion and freeze the other. Little by little, your freezer becomes your homemade convenience-food section.
7. Prepare Simple Oatmeal Jars
Instead of purchasing individual oatmeal packets, portion oats into jars or small reusable containers.
Add cinnamon, dried fruit, nuts, seeds, or a small amount of brown sugar. In the morning, add water or milk and cook as usual.
This provides the ease of a packaged breakfast while allowing you to choose the ingredients and sweetness yourself.
8. Turn Stale Bread Into Breadcrumbs
Before throwing away stale bread, allow it to dry completely or toast it gently in the oven. Crush it with a rolling pin or process it into crumbs.
Store the crumbs in the freezer and use them for meatballs, casseroles, breaded chicken, vegetable toppings, or homemade stuffing.
9. Cook One Basic Ingredient for the Week
Choose one useful ingredient to prepare ahead, such as rice, beans, lentils, potatoes, hard-boiled eggs, roasted vegetables, or cooked chicken.
Cooked rice can become a side dish, grain bowl, soup ingredient, or fried rice. Roasted vegetables can be served with dinner, folded into eggs, added to pasta, or placed on a salad.
Homemade meals become easier when every meal does not have to begin at the very first step.
10. Keep a Homemade Convenience Shelf
Homemade living becomes much easier when the pantry contains simple ingredients that can quickly become a meal.
Useful staples might include:
- Pasta and rice
- Oats
- Canned tomatoes
- Canned or dried beans
- Broth
- Flour and basic baking ingredients
- Frozen vegetables
- Frequently used seasonings
There is nothing wrong with keeping thoughtfully chosen convenience foods available. A jar of pasta sauce, canned beans, frozen vegetables, or a box of pasta can prevent a busy evening from becoming an expensive takeout night.
Bring a Little of the Garden Inside
You do not need a large garden to grow something useful. A few herbs near the kitchen can add fresh flavor to meals while helping you feel more connected to the food you prepare.
11. Grow Three Herbs You Actually Use
Choose two or three herbs that your family regularly eats. Basil, parsley, chives, thyme, rosemary, cilantro, and oregano are all useful possibilities.
Keep the pots near a sunny window, on a porch, or close to the kitchen door. Herbs are much more likely to be used when they are easy to reach.
Mint is best grown in its own container because it can spread quickly.
12. Use a Terracotta Watering Spike
If remembering to water herbs is difficult, try a terracotta watering spike, sometimes called an olla spike.
The porous terracotta gradually releases water into the soil near the plant’s roots. These can be especially helpful for herbs that prefer steady moisture, such as basil, parsley, cilantro, and mint.
Rosemary and thyme generally prefer their soil to dry somewhat between waterings, so check the soil before refilling the spike.
A terracotta watering spike gradually releases moisture near the roots, making kitchen herbs a little easier to care for.
13. Keep Garden Scissors Near the Door
Keep a small pair of garden scissors near the kitchen door, beside your herb pots, or in a small harvest basket.
When herbs and vegetables are easy to cut and carry inside, they are more likely to be used. You can quickly gather chives for eggs, basil for pasta, or parsley for soup without treating it like a separate garden chore.
Simplify Cleaning and Laundry
A more intentional home does not require a cupboard full of complicated homemade mixtures. The most practical approach is often to use fewer products and replace items gradually as they run out.
A few versatile supplies can replace a crowded collection of single-purpose products.
14. Replace Paper Towels Gradually
You do not need to eliminate paper towels completely. Cut worn cotton towels, flannel sheets, or old T-shirts into cleaning cloths.
Keep the clean cloths in a basket and place used ones in a small washable container. Use them for wiping counters, drying hands, cleaning ordinary spills, and dusting.
Keep paper towels for the jobs where they are genuinely helpful. A gradual change is usually easier to maintain than an all-or-nothing rule.
15. Simplify Your Cleaning Cabinet
For many everyday cleaning jobs, mild dish soap, warm water, washable cloths, baking soda, and one appropriate multipurpose cleaner may be all you need.
Soap and water can handle much of the ordinary dirt and grime found around the home. A baking-soda paste can provide gentle scrubbing on compatible sinks, tubs, and cookware.
Always test a new cleaner on a small, hidden area first and follow the care instructions for the surface you are cleaning.
16. Use Vinegar Carefully
A mixture of white vinegar and water can be useful for cleaning some glass, sinks, appliances, and sealed surfaces.
Vinegar is acidic and should not be used on natural stone, marble, granite, unsealed wood, or surfaces whose manufacturer advises against acidic cleaners.
Important: Never mix vinegar with bleach or bleach-containing products. Never mix bleach with ammonia. Natural ingredients still need to be used thoughtfully.
Vinegar is a cleaner, but it is not a substitute for a properly labeled disinfectant when disinfection is necessary.
17. Choose Fragrance-Free Products as They Run Out
Choosing less fragrance is one of the easiest household changes because you do not need to make anything.
As laundry detergent, hand soap, cleaning spray, or personal-care products run out, consider replacing them with fragrance-free or lightly scented versions.
There is no need to discard usable products or replace everything at once. Simply make a more intentional choice the next time you shop.
18. Try Wool Dryer Balls
Wool dryer balls can replace disposable dryer sheets in many households. They help separate clothing as it tumbles and may help some loads dry more efficiently.
Static can still occur, especially with synthetic fabrics during dry weather. Avoid overdrying clothing and remove items when they are dry rather than continuing the cycle unnecessarily.
Use More of What You Already Have
A simpler home is not built by throwing everything away and purchasing a whole new collection of products. It is often built by using ordinary items more completely and finding practical new purposes for what is already available.
19. Reuse Glass Jars
Sturdy glass food jars can be reused for:
- Dried herbs
- Rice and beans
- Breadcrumbs
- Homemade seasoning blends
- Snacks
- Garden seeds
- Buttons and small craft supplies
Remove old labels, wash the jars thoroughly, and add a simple handwritten label.
Ordinary commercial jars should not be reused for home canning unless they are specifically manufactured and approved for that purpose. They are best used for dry storage, refrigerator foods, and household organization.
20. Plan One Leftovers Night
Choose one night each week to use the food that is already prepared. Think of leftovers as ingredients rather than finished meals.
Leftovers can become:
- Soup
- Fried rice
- Omelets
- Quesadillas
- Grain bowls
- Loaded baked potatoes
- Wraps
- A simple snack-style supper
A small amount of roasted meat, vegetables, cheese, bread, fruit, and dip can become an easy meal with almost no additional cooking.
How to Make These Changes Last
Making a home a little more homemade is not difficult because the individual tasks are complicated. It becomes difficult when we try to change too much at once.
Begin With What You Use Most
Look around your pantry, kitchen, laundry room, and cleaning cabinet. Which products do you purchase most often? Which tasks cause the most frustration? Which convenience food would be easiest to make?
Choose one change that will be useful in your real life, not simply one that looks appealing online.
Use What You Already Own
A more intentional lifestyle should not begin with waste. Finish the products you already have when it is safe and practical to do so. Reuse containers, repurpose old towels, and work with ingredients already in your pantry.
Replace items gradually as they run out.
Add One Habit at a Time
Choose one change for the week or even one for the month. You might begin with a refrigerator basket, homemade salad dressing, or a pot of basil.
Once that habit feels normal, add something else. Small habits that become part of your routine are more valuable than ambitious projects that are quickly abandoned.
Make the Homemade Option Convenient
Keep the salad dressing near the front of the refrigerator. Store seasoning blends beside the stove. Freeze bread in slices. Place cleaning cloths where you can reach them. Keep herbs close to the kitchen.
The homemade option should be at least as easy to use as the product it replaces.
Decide What Is Worth Making
Not every household needs to make bread, soap, yogurt, crackers, broth, and laundry detergent.
Homemade living should serve your family rather than create a new list of obligations. Make the things that save money, reduce waste, taste better, or bring you satisfaction. Purchase the things that are not practical for your current season of life.
Leave Room for Convenience
There will be weeks when you bake bread, prepare soup, and gather herbs from the garden. There will also be weeks when you buy a loaf of bread, heat a frozen meal, or order dinner.
A thoughtful home has room for both.
Living a bit more homemade is not about proving that you can do everything yourself. It is about noticing where a simpler, more intentional choice can fit into the life you already have.
10 Easy Things to Start Making Instead of Buying
Want a shorter list to begin with? I am putting together a simple printable with 10 realistic homemade swaps that do not require a homestead, expensive equipment, or an entire weekend in the kitchen.
Email signup coming next. This section is already in place so we can connect the free download when the ABMH email system is built.
Begin With One Useful Change
Choose one idea from this list and try it this week.
Place a basket in the refrigerator for food that needs to be eaten. Mix a jar of salad dressing. Plant a pot of basil. Cut an old towel into cleaning cloths. Freeze the extra half of tonight’s dinner.
You do not need a farm, a large garden, or hours of free time to create a more intentional home.
You simply need to begin with one small, useful change. Then, little by little, everyday life becomes a bit more homemade.
Please note: Always follow product labels and surface-care instructions. Homemade cleaners should be clearly labeled and kept away from children and pets. Never combine household cleaning ingredients unless you know they are safe to use together.
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