Do-It-Yourself Pillow Designs for Your Home

by Myra on September 15, 2011

The following post is from Myra of My Blessed Life:

source: ashleyannphotography

Accessories are to a room what icing is to a cake – typically a room needs accessories to feel complete. Pillows are a wonderful way to perfectly complete sofas and chairs as both visual and comfort elements. Whether simple or intricate fabrics, embellished or plain, handmade or ready-made, pillows all fulfill the same basic need for comfort.

Pillows are incredibly simple to make, but if that’s not your cup of tea and you want to buy your pillows already made, try shopping at stores like TJ Maxx, Pottery Barn and Marshalls. There are a lot of ways to customize ready-made pillows with embellishments which will take your pillows over the top!

Here are my favorite do-it-yourself pillow designs to inspire you to complete your home decor in preparation for fall:

This embellished flower pillow is simply beautiful from KiKi Creates. The embellishment could easily be added to pillows you already have!

I’m crazy about the bright, funky colors and design of this mod peacock pillow from Positively Splendid.

How adorable is this diy sweater pillow from Brassy Apple!? The rosette flowers are made from the sweater cuffs.

The spectacular colors in this adorable fall tree pillow from Cluck Cluck Sew design is just beautiful. It’s a great way to use up pieces from your scrap bag!

Stencil your own pillows from Tatertots & Jello that are painted and washable.

Make a simple neutral statement with this ruched muslin pillow from Just Another Hangup.

The red and aqua flower petals on this pillow from Blue Susan Makes are exquisite.

The pleated, colorful design of this scrappy rose pillow from Cluck Cluck Sew is breath taking.

Chevron patterns like this diy striped pillow from Little Green Notebook are huge right now.

An adorable bow pillow cover from E Tells Tales would be perfect for a girls room.

Obviously, pillow designs run the gamet from super fancy to simply elegant. Regardless of which style you prefer, I hope you are inspired to cozy up your home for fall with pillows!

What about you – are you a pillow maker or a pillow buyer?

	Myra has a B.A. in Interior Design and is currently self-employed. When she’s not spending time with her little man, thrifting, creating, shopping or working on a project, Myra enjoys date nights with her husband and blogging at My Blessed Life.

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http://www.fieldstonehilldesign.com {darlene}

pillow buyer! the red and aqua flower pillow is my fave. great post myra!
Kit Matt

Pillow maker…making one today and looking for new ideas. Thanks for all the creative pillow ideas!
Jaime W.

I really liked these tips. I knew of some of them but not all. It was helpful. We try our best! I have a family of 4 and our 2 daughters (almost 10 & 8) and golly geez we can make us some messes. DH is meticulous and helps out, these are great because of his allergies…he finds that if he uses chemically based products, he gets an immediate headache. Thanks again.

Jaime W.
Melissa

Thanks for these. I recently made the switch to all homemade cleaners, as the store bought stuff ran out. I was fairly nervous at first thinking things wouldn’t be quite as clean, but also because the smell of vinegar is so strong and not so wonderful. I think it’s good to note the smell disappears as soon as the solution dries… you aren’t left with a strong vinegar smelling home! (I still need to invest in essential oils.)
Erin OK

Thanks! I just finished up a parmesan cheese container, that’s a great idea! Baking soda is my favourite thing to clean the bathtub with, it just lifts dirt & grimy film off. (In between baking soda scrubs, I use shampoo for a quick clean). And vinegar & water works even better than windex on mirrors.
I’m stoked to try your multipurpose cleaner and peroxide disinfectant.
http://www.facebook.com/people/Deborah-Jennings/100003126577673 Deborah Jennings

I’m not sure how green this is, but I make my own laundry soap. But I use my own homemade soap. The basic recipe I use is below.

Homemade
Powdered Laundry Soap

2 Bars Fels Naptha Soap
(can use Zote if you can’t find Fels Naptha) (I use my own, and sometimes scent it.)
3 cups Arm & Hammer WASHING soda (NOT baking soda)
3 cups Borax

I use my food processor and finely grate the Fels Naptha (or Zote). You should
have approx. 6 cups of the shredded soap. (looks like grated parm cheese) Mix
with the 3 cups of WASHING soda and the 3 cups of Borax. It’s that easy.

I store it in an old plastic screw top jug. You only need 2-3 TABLESPOONS per
washload. No kidding here. I’ve been doing this for well over a year now and
this stuff works. Matter of fact, got stains out of DH’s tee shirts that were
there for many, many washes with the store bought expensive chemical laden
detergents. Don’t look for suds – - you won’t see them. This is a good amount
of laundry soap here and the overall cost is MUCH, MUCH cheaper (and better).

I also use plain old white vinegar instead of liquid softener in the washer.
The longer you use the vinegar the more you will like it. The fabric softener leaves
a residue on bath towels and they don’t dry your body (and hair) the way they
did when new. After 3-4 washes with the homemade laundry soap and vinegar
softener you will be very happily surprised.
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1261943061 Chris Riggins

We use the vinegar and water mixture, but we add rubbing alcohol to it. It’s a 1:1:1 ratio.
Marcella Alldredge

The main purpose for plastic wrap in our household is freezer storage. We use ziptop freezer baggies to store meat. I use plastic wrap to store my pancakes. My husband cooks a large quantity of pancakes on Sunday morning. We wrap them in a long piece of plastic wrap layered in between each pancake. This way I can get one out each day or as needed.

Do you have any alternative suggestions for this?
- http://www.liverenewed.com/ Emily @ Live Renewed
  
  I flash freeze waffles or pancakes on a cookie sheet, even overlapping a little bit, and have no problem removing one or two at a time without having any kind of barrier between them. But, I bet wax paper or parchment paper would work too – and you could reuse that from week to week.
- http://twitter.com/kitchenstew Katie Kimball
  
  Marcella,
  Emily is right – I’ve always used waxed paper for separating pancakes, and I think it might even work better than plastic wrap. How funny that I didn’t even put “waxed paper” on the list, even though it’s a super obvious option to cover things! Katie
  - Azmrl
    
    I’m pretty sure that the wax on waxed paper is petrolium based. Still not a safe option.
- http://www.adventuresinthriftland.blogspot.com Laura’s Last Ditch
  
  One other thing people can do to avoid plastic wrap (or Ziplocs, or waxed paper) is to save other bags. I
  reuse bags dried beans come in, the waxed paper bags that tea comes in,
  etc. Even if you don’t use much processed food, still, it’s hard to
  completely avoid coming across bags. I buy almost everything in bulk,
  but still, I’m a magnet for reject food from friends and family, so I
  still end up with bags. I’d freeze the pancakes in these reject bags.
- Ginab
  
  We just did a flash freeze on a big batch of pancakes then put them right into a freezer container and a ziplock bag (nothing between the layers). If you wanted something between the layers, what about the bags that are in boxes for cereal, crackers, etc? They are food grade and could be split to the right size for dividers.
  - Ann
    
    Thanks Ginab, these are now my main source of waste – good to find a productive use for them!
http://www.liverenewed.com/ Emily @ Live Renewed

Great post! I don’t even think we have a roll of plastic wrap in our house! I went to grab some not too long ago and couldn’t find any! Ha! Using containers with lids is definitely my top way to avoid using plastic wrap, and I totally do the plates on tops of bowls thing too.
http://joyceandnorm.wordpress.com Joyce and Norm

Great post! I want to hear more about the foil too.
http://alifeinbalance.net/ Barb @ A Life in Balance

We use a lot of glass in our fridge as I’ve increased our collection. However, our main use of plastic is the freezer. We grow a lot of veggies in our garden, and I steam and freeze these using quart and gallon freezer bags. I’m always careful to make sure the veggies have completely cooled before putting them in the freezer.

For baking, I’ve taken to using parchment paper on my cookie sheets when making cookies. Not only does it prevent contact with the sheets, clean up is a breeze. The parchment paper can be reused several times depending upon how messy the cookies are.
http://www.findyourbalancehealth.com/ Michelle Pfennighaus, CHC

Very interesting ideas! I use a ton of storage containers and almost never use plastic or foil, but I do need to upgrade to glass containers.
http://profiles.google.com/digigirl Valerie Tate Williams

I don’t buy plastic wrap anymore, which forces me to find ways around using it. I never used it for covering dishes much – I have a bunch of pyrex glass dishes with lids (like yours). The places I miss plastic wrap are things like laying it across the top of pudding to prevent a skin, or wrapping things for freezing. I’ve discovered that if you use a large plastic ziploc bag you can lay it across things like pudding to prevent the skin, then just rinse it off afterwards and use it again for something else. And those ARE recyclable (just turn them in at grocery stores in their plastic bag recycling bin). Freezing things like pizza, which is too big for a plastic bag, is a challenge, but my boyfriend just suggested a great way to do it. I have these large plastic round pie keepers that are the perfect size for pizza. I can stack frozen pizza crusts in there with parchment or whatever in between. I’ve managed to do completely without plastic wrap for about 6 months now. Yay me!
Capa

I haven’t bought plastic wrap in at least 14 years. When I’m not using my glass containers, I love butcher paper. It will protect foods from freezer burn much better than a plastic freezer bag or even a glass container will & when you are done with it, it can be recycled (if unwaxed) or composted (if waxed or oiled). I think people forget about butcher paper, and that’s a shame, because it is one of the most environmentally friendly options available, plus it’s cheap.
Localnourishment

I use parchment paper and a rubber band most times. I don’t even remember the last time I had plastic wrap in the kitchen. But I do confess to using aluminum foil from time to time…NOT for food, but in the dryer for static cling.
Tiffany

I have a couple of questions. First of all, my biggest use of plastic wrap if for raw chicken breasts. I buy a lot when they are on sale and then wrap them individually with plastic wrap and then place a bunch of them in a large freezer bag that I reuse. That way I can get out the amount of chicken I need for a meal and they aren’t all stuck together.

Also, I really want to start upgrading our plastic storage containers with glass but my husband doesn’t want me too because he takes the plastic ones to work to reheat his food in. (I tell him it isn’t good to put plastic in the microwave but he is a teacher and only has 20-30 minutes for lunch and says that the glass containers get so hot in the microwave that he can’t carry them back to his room.) Is there another option for this circumstance?
- Kalista
  
  I flash freeze my chicken breasts on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Then throw them in a ziploc bag, which I wash and reuse, typically for the next round of chicken.
- Ani
  
  I use glass pyrex bowl for my lunch at work. I just use 2-3 paper towels to pick up the hot bowl. It’s not a big deal.
- Kathleen K
  
  Give your hubby a potholder! If you are crafty or know someone who is, maybe a quilted/knitted cover/cozy for a couple dishes that he will use regularly?
- Rebekah
  
  I just use the lid to carry my glass dish back to my desk. Put it on the bottom of the bowl and then you can carry it while hot.
http://www.adventuresinthriftland.blogspot.com Laura’s Last Ditch

I have a roll of plastic wrap I got from an estate sale, and it’s been
sitting in my cupboard for nearly a decade. I can’t think of any good
use for it, other than possibly using it when I bring food to people.
Even for that, though, I can find work-arounds, like choosing to bring
soup or other things that can go into glass jars.
Gaylestorm1958

i save all my bread bags etc. and use them for things that need extra wrap on them. Even if i have to throw them out after only one use (if they can’t be rinsed) i am saving both money and envirionment. The other thing i do is freeze soup broth or any thing needed in small portions in ice cube trays then transfer it to containers.
Anonymous

I was never an avid plastic wrap user, I can’t stand the way it sticks when its not supposed to, but when you want it to stick it never does.
So I have used foil a lot through the years, and ziplock bags. We currently have a collection of the gladware in various sizes and try to use those as much as possible as I already have them. I pack servings of snacks, nuts, dressings, as well as leftovers. I figure I am using less plastic bags this way, and I only very rarely use foil.
I have gotten creative as well and do the inverted bowl and the cookie sheet as covers! I do need to consider making the investment to buy some lidded pyrex.
Great ideas here!
Julie Price

I’ve avoided plastic wrap and foil for years with a large Pyrex collection and reusing glass jars (also large ziploc bags for bread). Glass jars are great for freezing and keeping leftovers, esp. soup. Sometimes I select olives or coconut oil or other jarred product based on the size or shape of the jar. Then the challenge is to buy enough bulk food (at lots of places you can bring your jars and weigh them before you fill them) so you don’t get overloaded with jars. Extra bottles get filled with water storage or homemade kombucha.
Heather

Thank you! We are on the GAPS diet now and for whatever reason (even though I store alot of food in quart canning jars too) i seem to be going through TONS of aluminum foil…and I feel guilty every time. Great ideas, will use!
- Kristen
  
  When I use aluminum foil, I always make sure to reuse it. Especially when I end up using it to cover a pan of brownies. When I am done with it, it folds back up and goes into a drawer until the next time I need it. My hubby thinks I am crazy, but one box of the stuff last forever around my house.
Jacqueline

We must have different plastic wrap where I live in the Netherlands, because mine is reusable. I don’t have a dishwasher, so I just wash the plastic wrap with my dishes and hang it on my dishrack to dry. I do prefer glass jars and flash freezing, but for taking some things to work, plastic wrap is more convenient. And since I can use it for eons by rewashing it, then recycle it at the end, it doesn’t bother me to use it.
- http://twitter.com/kitchenstew Katie Kimball
  
  J, yes, must be different – one COULD reuse ours, but it sticks to itself and is so thin, it would be a big battle to accomplish it. Katie
http://wholenewmom.com/ Adrienne @ Whole New Mom

Love this, Katie. I did a post earlier this year on DIY Plastic Wrap sub and a lot of what you came up w/ was covered in the comments.

My “handy dandy” solution was a reusable bread bad (or whatever bag, really – it’s just what I used) and a rubber band around the top to make it airtight. Of course, if what you are covering is a food or personal item you want a clean bag .
Dreena

I try to limit leftovers so there is less to store. I find glass jars very durable and I love the lids because you can reuse them a million times. For the freezer, I use my vacuum sealer because the bags can be washed and reused many many times. I the pyrex w/ plastic lids but I am trying to increase my collection of glass lidded ones too. Plates are out at my house; my kids are not careful enough!
smilla

I have beeswax-coated cotton/hemp squares that you can use for covering bowls. The wax coating lets you scrunch them into shape around the rim and they are washable (with soap & cold water) and reusable. Plus they are cute. Not airtight though.

Abeego is the name but I got them as gifts so I don’t know where they are sold.
Goldnrod

I have found that wax paper allows my fruit to dry out & still haven’t found anything to replace plastic wrap for that.

I wanted to buy glass for leftovers, but ds & I are clumsy & dh doesn’t want me to buy anything ‘that will just get broken’ so I compromised on Rubbermaid Premier containers. So far we are really liking them. How dangerous do you think they are? They seem to be better than the cheaper plastic.

Where can I get butcher paper, and how exactly do you use it? (I remember my mother using it in the ’60s & 70s.)
- http://twitter.com/kitchenstew Katie Kimball
  
  Goldnrod,
  Plastic that doesn’t have BPA in it is usually the safer option; try to let your food cool before storing to reduce leaching of whatever might be in there that we don’t even know about yet. The Pyrex are really hard to break – I break more plastic containers than glass, myself! But I also use a lot of glass jars “for free” that my spag sauce comes in and such.
  
  I am wondering about butcher paper, too – this is different than the “freezer paper” sold in stores? Katie
  - Capa
    
    I’m pretty sure that “freezer” paper & “butcher” paper are the same thing. “Freezer” paper is not available in our local grocery stores (at least, I’ve never found it on the shelves), so I buy it in bulk in from Sam’s club as “butcher” paper. It’s a huge roll (18″ x 1000′), but it’s the white (vs. being the brown) and is very versatile, being good for all sorts of things, like wrapping paper, as a drop cloth for crafts, for finger painting or drawing on, and more, as well as wrapping up food, so it’s a good value.
Laurie :)

My fridge too is full of pyrex (found at thrift stores/garage sales) covered with plates–I like this because they STACK wonderfully!
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1617781556 Amy Tomaso

we do the diy detergent…. works good – and we have 4 kids
if the oil cleansing system isn’t working too good – try this – 1/2 c oil, 2tsp liquid soap (baby soap… whatever. I used tea tree Dr Bonners), 2T veg glycerin, 2 T water. Blend until creamy. I put mine in a pump container. I do the oil cleansing a few days per week – and use this in between. Removes makeup too
Wendi S

We stay away from antibacterial soaps here. I use Dr. Bonner’s to make shampoo for my hubby and the kiddos, I use baking soda and water to wash my hair and I love my apple cider vinegar rinse .

We also try to keep our immune systems strong with vitamin D supplements and a daily dose of elderberry when I hear about yucky stuff going around {although our elderberry comes in a bottle, I don’t make my own yet .

We also try to eat as “real” as possible. A friend at church sells grass-fed beef and I buy most of our meat from a co-op that sells organic or at least antibiotic free meat.

These are all baby steps that we have made…it I make only one or two changes at a time I am usually not as overwhelmed and the changes stick!
http://www.yeoldcollegetry.wordpress.com/ Katherine

I can cut back and go green in so many areas, but- man- the price of local, grass-fed beef kiiiills me. I know that it is an investment in our health and in a particular industry that I want to support- but ouch! My grocery allowance takes a big old hit!

I avoid the dilemma but not buying much meat at all- more beans and quinoa and other proteins.

I never thought about natural chidbirth as green. I just thought I was unlucky- I haven’t had long enough labors to get those blessed drugs:)
http://www.athankfullheart.blogspot.com/ Miranda @ A ThankFULL Heart

It’s funny because although I wouldn’t consider myself to be that green, I can’t imagine not having a garden! It’s something I grew up with and we did it because it’s so much cheaper and not necessarily because it’s the “green” thing to do. Before reading blogs I thought cloth diapering was a thing of the past and although I think it’s a good idea, it’s probably not something that’s I’ll be attempting.
http://www.liverenewed.com/ Emily @ Live Renewed

I really need to tackle eliminating plastics from our kitchen. I know this is an important one, but for some reason it just seems overwhelming to me. I think part of it is that it requires an initial investment of buying glass storage containers and stainless steel dishes, and the cost of those things makes me cringe – even though I know they are better quality, will last longer, and are better for my family – I’m just too cheap!
Melissa

Great post. I think I clicked on every single link, reading it all. We are very slowly switching green. I have already switched all our household cleaners as we ran out of the store bought stuff. And we’ve switched to all glass food storage containers. I’m currently wondering about our cookware. Obviously would be a huge expense to replace things, but trying to make sure I’m able to safely prepare food for the family, watching for pieces on sale here or there could be doable – if I knew what to look for. (We went with non-stick when we were married, and I’m now wondering what chemicals I’m exposing our kids to, cooking with them every night.)

I am most overwhelmed with toiletries – shampoo, deodorant, etc. But I also know besides food these are the things my body is most in contact with on a daily basis. I started a list, based on this post of things I would like to switch over, and as I run out of each item on the list, maybe I will be brave enough to try something new…

Thanks for always keeping us posted on new findings and new tricks.
- Tabatha
  
  When I switched from teflon (non-stick) to non-teflon I started to look at yard sales for the iron pans. Out of the research I’ve done, iron skillets are the safest pan to use and if taken care of correctly they can last forever. I have one pan that my husband’s grandmother got for a wedding gift over 50 years ago and it still looks brand new! I’m sure someone may disagree with me about the iron skillets but they are by far better then teflon. And as for cookie sheets and stuff I had Pampered Chef parties and got all my ceramic bakeware for free!
Jackie

I, too, am concerned about fair trade coffee & cocoa, so I contacted the Mars corporation (Dove Dark is my favorite!) and I’d like to share their response with you…

In response to your email regarding DOVE CHOCOLATE.Mars and Fair Trade share a common goal of improving the lives of cocoa farmers. At the heart of our effort is the absolute belief that by increasing the farmer’s yield we can enhance their quality of life. In this way we look to address the hard problems all-too-often associated with cocoa farming, including lack of education, poor health and sometimes, child labor.We don’t believe any one organization can do this alone. So Mars has been working with industry, governments and NGOs since 2001, towards eliminating the worst forms of child labor on farms in the cocoa sectors of Ghana and Cote d’Ivoire – the world’s two largest cocoa producers. As well, Mars has been working for 30 years on cocoa sustainability, investing over $10 million in each of the past several years in a wide range of sustainability initiatives. In April 2009, we were the first (and still only) global chocolate company to commit to ensuring its entire cocoa supply is sustainably produced by 2020. We strongly believe that the programs we have in place to support the rural livelihoods of cocoa communities make a significant and sustainable difference to those who farm our key raw material. Mars continually strives to improve the social, environmental and economic aspects of the cocoa supply chain.Mars aims to reach a broad number of cocoa farmers with training and resources to help them increase their yields, improve the quality of the yields and bring health and educational services to the farm communities. We have seen this increase the income of cocoa farmers through increased productivity, and improve the livelihood of the farm families.As real examples of progress, we have signed agreements with the certifying agencies, the Rainforest Alliance and UTZ Certified, in April and July 2009 respectively, for 100,000 tonnes of cocoa from each organization by 2020.In February 2010, our Galaxy Milk Chocolate Bar was launched into the UK and Ireland market bearing the Rainforest Alliance Certified Cocoa logo. In March 2010, Mars signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Cote d’Ivoire as our commitment to working with the Ivorian government to identify the skills, resources and actions necessary to build a framework for future economic, social and environmental improvement within the cocoa sector.We call this effort “Farmers First” and it is intended to work at the grassroots level – directly with the farmer. This joint effort was launched in the field, in early October.For more information, please visit www.cocoasustainability.com.Have a great day!Your Friends at Mars Chocolate North America
Amayberr

Love it! What a perfect description of my efforts as well.
http://www.simplebites.net/ Aimee

Amazing and honest post, Mandi! I think it’s been a great journey for you.
Two thumbs up for natural childbirth!
http://www.momdropbox.com Audrey

I’m with you about it being a two steps forward, 1 step back process. We’ve successfully eliminated a lot of the disposables- we generally use fewer paper products & real dishes by default. Still use store-bought shampoo & cleaning products, although we do love Seventh Generation products.
Brandis Roush

You are totally right, it is all a journey, and (my favorite saying and personal motto) “you can only do what you can do.” No one person can do it all, and everyone’s tolerance is different. But if everyone made as much effort as you the world would be a much better place! I had a very similar experience with going no-poo. In fact, I’ve tried it at least four times. This last time was just these past months, and I really thought I “had it,” but then last week my hair got uber greasy and I just couldn’t take it any more. Another one I struggle with is plastic bags- I try to at least reuse them, but I just can’t fathom going without. Of course, I thought the exact same thing about American Cheese…
Tabatha

One BIG green movement we did in our house is recycle. I know sounds so simple but with a husband that never did that in his life it was quite an accomplishment! I could definitely be more green than I am and I am slowly working at it. I never thought about the glass containers instead of plastic! Although I’m not sure it will work entirely at our house since my husband takes leftovers to work for lunch, I guess it can’t hurt to look into it! Another thing we do that’s more green is we don’t use paper towels or napkins-all cloth. We use old t-shirts and flour sacks for towels for cleaning and spills, cloth napkins for the table and dish towels in the kitchen. That was an adjustment, you don’t know how many paper towels you use until you don’t have them any more!

My one question…if you have cut back on plastics, including plastic bags, how do you package your meat for long term storage? That’s my biggest bag use- storing meat in the freezer. I’m open to suggestions though because not only are those things horrible for the environment, they are expensive!!
Amelia

These are great ideas! I am an American ex-pat living in the UK and the biggest challenge we have for food storage is the size of our fridge. European fridges are sooo small (our freezer is a joke) and we are a family of 6 living in University housing. So keeping fresh food and having room for storing our water and dairy kefirs, daily food requirements and other acoutrements is quite a challenge. I’ll have to try and remember these when we either move back to the US or are able to get a more “American style” fridge. Because a casserole dish with a inverted cookie sheet on the top would just not work. Btw, I love your articles Katie and I love your blog! I keep referring it to my other green/real food-minded friends.
LaRue

Thanks for the advice! I don’t use very much foil or plastic wrap and with some of these tips, I can cut down even more. That will be a great savings!
Donnadaycare

wax cloth – folds tight and is re-usable. abeego
http://www.facebook.com/thayerbooks Emily Thayer

“Don’t use aluminum foil” — ? Bite me. Ours is recycled at the end of its useful life. Aluminum is one of the most common elements on earth, it’s 100% recyclable, and you can pay extra to purchase aluminum foil that has 100% recycled aluminum as source material.

Good article, except for that one point.
Jade

I occasionally use wax paper for some food items but always use wide mouth canning jars of various sizes to store my fresh food and leftovers. I never store food in plastic. If I buy food that is contained in plastic I immediately re-store the item in glass. I also use glass pyrex containers. No repulsive food odors from plastic and Food stays fresher and glass is so easy to wash. You can also see what you have stored. No guessing what is inside. I also put the date on top of the jar so that I know what is still safe to eat or use. I also store dry food items such as beans, pasta, coffee, tea, rice, spices, flour, sugar in glass containers. When I make up my shopping list it is so easy when you can open your cupboard or fridge and see what you need to buy.
http://www.liverenewed.com/ Emily @ Live Renewed

I buy tea tree oil at Target in the vitamin section, or online. I think it’s about $10 for a 2 oz bottle, but it lasts for a really long time because you only need to use a small amount at a time. Hope that helps!
http://twitter.com/kitchenstew Katie Kimball

Alison,
Would there be anything wrong with just using a plastic zippered bag? That’s what we do…maybe waxed paper if you need something to prevent freezer burn, but I would think the pizzas would come back out before that would be a problem anyway. Katie
http://twitter.com/kitchenstew Katie Kimball

Adriana,
I guess I just use the containers with lids for casseroles. You could put a piece of waxed paper or freezer paper touching the food itself to prevent freezer burn, as the air between the lid and food would be a no-no. Katie
Capa

Did you know that they make glass lock & lock containers? They’re called Boroseal & are available from locknlockplace.com. The lids are plastic with a silicone gasket, but the containers are heat resistant glass, safe for both oven & microwave use. Two other brands that make lock & lock style glass containers are Snapware and Kinetic, both can usually be found in places like Bed, Bath & Beyond or Amazon.com.