Inexpensive ways to keep spiders out of the house?

I am really scared of spiders. Not so much that it's a phobia but they do creep me out a lot. Ever since we moved into the apartment we are in I have had to kill at least one spider each day (that's not an exaggeration). My landlord is cheap and won't invest in pest control so I have to do it myself. I have a one year old and am expecting another baby in November so I don't want to have to use any chemicals to get rid of the spiders. Is there a more natural way to get rid of the creepy crawlies? Does spraying a laundry soap and water mixture really work?