I’ve spent extensive time over the last five years in Detroit, Michigan, living there for periods, and visiting family. I can safely say, while I love Detroit, it’s not for me to call home.
However, despite knowing that I wouldn’t live there permanently, there is one place that lives in my heart forever, that I think fondly of every Saturday, and that is the Eastern market farmers market.
The Eastern market, located just outside downtown Detroit, is hands down the greatest farmers market I have ever been to, and while my dad says there are a few out there that are better, he’s yet to take me to any of them.
The eastern market is my Disneyland. It’s one of my most favorite places on earth, and I can’t help but feel like all my friends are in the same place every time I visit.
My friends, the American farmers.
It’s no secret to most that the American food system is and has been in jeopardy for a long time. If covid taught us anything, it’s that our food systems are weak, and any little bump in the road could cause the system to collapse, leaving many without access to the food they need to survive. The solution to this is simple, but not easy. We have to put the power back in the hands of the people, back into the hands of the consumer, and most importantly we have to put the dollar back in the hand of the American farmer.
There is something so unique and special about the relationship one can cultivate with their farmer when they really get to know them. I was pondering this on my very long drive from Detroit to Atlanta.
I had a trunk full of food. I came back with a ½ bushel of apples, 15 pounds of beef, four dozen eggs, three bags of flour, three different raw cheeses, a bag of locally made granola, and a few other assorted items. I was so excited about this haul and had been waiting until I could get up to Detroit on a Saturday so I could stock up on the things I had been missing.
I bit into an apple that I bought from Travis and was immediately reminded why I love them-and him- so much. These are the best apples I’ve ever had. They’re sweet and tart with a slightly lemon-y taste. They’re reminiscent of the sweet tart candy, truly, and they are appropriately named “Ludacrisp”. I have never had a better apple, especially not down south.
As I was enjoying this apple I was genuinely overcome with my love and affection for these people that grow and make my food. I began to think about how truly fortunate I was, how truly miraculous it was that I had just had an extensive conversation with my apple guy about his wife and family. His wife was nine months pregnant, due any day, they were having twins, he was so excited, but nervous, like he was for the first baby, but even more so this time. These are their 4th and 5th babies. We had brought him some old children’s books the boys were no longer reading, and he was thrilled. We talked about thanksgiving, the magic of the holidays, the excitement of the new babies, how the other children were feeling about the babies, how my travels had been, and anything else we could think of. Then, I bought my half a bushel of apples, and carried on my way. Not to sound dramatic, but I felt like I could taste the love in the apples. How special it was to know that Travis had grown these apples on his family farm, that they were his favorite apples, although sometimes the kids prefer the less tart varieties they grow, how lucky I was to experience this farm to table moment.
I came on a mission for four things. Beef, apples, cheese, and flour. I walked up to Hyatt farms, so excited to see Denis, and Emma, but mostly excited for the ground beef. Five dollars a pound for the best ground beef you’ll ever eat. Sometimes it feels too good to be true. I lived off ground beef and scrambled eggs when I was in Detroit and I had missed it since leaving.
Dennis and I were happy to see each other as we also talked about my travels and where I was headed next. I told him I had traveled specifically to stock up on ground beef. We laughed and chatted for several minutes and I left with a big full of meat to last me the next few months.
I headed to Randy next, our milk guy. He may have been the most excited to see me. He appreciates my affinity for vintage dresses and says that I remind him of the women he knew in the 90’s back when we saw more traditional displays of femininity more often. This was a special moment for me, and from then on, he would often compliment whatever vintage dress I had dawned that day. He also grows the best flour and cornmeal I’ve ever had, and sells the greatest raw cheese and milk. His face lit up when I approached, and we, too, talked for several minutes before I stocked up and left.
The meaningfulness of these connections may seem exaggerated, but this is what food is supposed to be. This is what food was for the longest time. It’s only recently that we’ve begun to lose sight of the connection from the farmer to consumer, and even before then we were the farmers ourselves. In a world where we hardly know where our food comes from anymore, to get to have such close personal relationships with my farmers means the world to me, and I share these stories in hopes that you too can build these relationships with your local farmer as well. Become a regular somewhere. Shop local as often as you can. Frequent the local farmers market. Big changes don’t happen overnight. They happen through small changes over time.
Why Composting is the Most Important Thing You Can Do for the Environment
I recently had a friend come to me and tell me she wanted to try a new eco-friendly toothpaste. She was interested in going zero waste with her oral care while supporting small business, and she wanted my help.
Of course, a “zero waste” toothpaste that you buy at the store is not truly zero waste. It is quite literally impossible to produce such products with no waste. After consideration, I realized that most people who are interested in the “zero waste” trend are not genuinely interested in radically reducing their consumption. If someone truly wanted to get as close to “zero waste” as possible they would simply make their own toothpaste instead of looking for the right product to buy. It seems people are really just trying to feel better about their consumption habits. It only makes sense that in our capitalistic society we instinctually gravitate towards supporting small businesses before we consider seriously reducing our consumption.
I am happy to report that my friend is very excited about making her own toothpaste and has yet again surprised me by being better than average.
When I was a young teenager, I remember the first time I read about how bad plastic straws were for the environment and the damage they do to wildlife. I was outraged, so naturally, I did what anyone would do. I hopped online and found the next product to purchase: the “zero waste” metal straws from amazon. I could drink my restaurant drinks with a reusable straw while looking down upon those who continued to use their disposable straws. It didn’t occur to me to skip the straw when I went out to eat. It didn’t occur to me to eat out less. And the environmental impact of ordering my “zero waste” products from Amazon, of all places, didn’t occur to me either.
I went deeper into my trendy, eco-friendly lifestyle. One day, I said to my stepfather, “I need a zero waste travel utensil kit!”
He looked at me, perplexed, and said, “Why not just… bring a set of utensils from home?” I scoffed, annoyed that he would ask such a ridiculous question – one that I did not have the answer to. It would take several years and quite a shift in lifestyle for me to realize that what I thought was a desire to eliminate waste was in fact a desire to purchase new products to make me feel better about myself rather than to actually live a zero-waste lifestyle.
I know that I am not alone in my desire to truly want to do better and to be a better steward of our Earth. So, besides reducing our consumption, which we should all be doing, what’s the best thing that we as individuals can do for the environment right now? It’s not using metal straws or switching to an eco-friendly toothpaste or even buying a Tesla. If you’re not already doing this, the most significant thing you can do for the betterment of our environment is to compost your food waste!
If you’re like most people, the first thing you might be wondering is, “What about recycling?” Composting is a form of recycling (the best kind!). But does composting food waste impact the environment as positively as household recycling? If you’re already recycling, riding your bike to work, reducing your consumption, and feeling too busy to take on another daily task, is composting food waste really worth your time?
Or maybe you’ve been hearing about how our country’s recycling is simply getting thrown away into landfills because China doesn’t want our recycling anymore. Maybe you’re disillusioned with recycling and don’t want to start a new chore that doesn’t really make a difference. Is composting our food waste really going to make that much of a difference?
To answer these questions, let’s ask another question first: What if you could only do one? Hypothetically, what if you could either compost your food waste or recycle your trash, but you couldn’t do both? Which would make the most difference?
Let’s compare the beneficial impacts of both.
So, Just How Much Food Waste do We Generate?
Research from the American Journal of Agricultural Economics shows that the average American household throws away 31.9% (nearly 220 pounds per person) of its food a year. This adds up to a grand total of $240 billion dollars worth of food nationwide and 50 billion pounds of food. Outside of our own kitchens, 72 billion pounds of food is thrown away at restaurants, grocery stores, farms, etc. America wastes nearly twice as much food as other developed countries, a total of 122 billion pounds of food waste each year.
It’s easy to read numbers like that and think, “Wow. That’s a lot of food waste.” But have you ever tried to comprehend how much a billion actually is? Chances are you would have no concept of the size of a billion pounds of food waste. If you’re curious, the video below breaks down how big a billion is compared to a million.
Now, we’re not just talking about one billion, we’re talking about 122 billion pounds. A pound is a lot bigger than a dime, and 122 is a lot bigger than one.
Now that you understand that you can’t really comprehend how much a billion is, how do you go about comprehending the enormity of 122 billion pounds?
The Eiffel Tower takes up about 26,240,000 million cubic feet of space. One cubic foot has the capacity to hold 43.9 pounds of food waste. That means we could conceivably stuff an Eiffel Tower-shaped pyramid with 597,722 pounds of food waste.
We generate 122 billion pounds of food waste, a year, in America alone. That’s around 334,000,000 pounds of food a day. So, in one day, America can fill up 559 Eiffel Towers with food waste.
In one year, with 122 billion pounds of food waste, America could fill 204,108 Eiffel Towers full of food waste.
What Happens to All that Food Waste?
Obviously, 122 billion pounds of food waste leaves behind quite a footprint. Food production accounts for more than a quarter of global greenhouse gas emissions. In the production process alone (working the land, growing, harvesting, transporting, and packaging) 3.3 billion metric tons of carbon dioxide is released into the atmosphere.
Then there’s the food that is thrown away. When food ends up in landfills, it produces greenhouse gases. If food waste was its own country, it would be the third-largest emitter of greenhouse gases in the world, behind China and the U.S, respectively.
Food waste sent to landfills produces a 50-50 gas mixture of carbon dioxide and methane. Methane is said to contribute to global warming at a rate of 25 times that of carbon dioxide, as it is 25 times more effective at trapping solar radiation. Food scraps being transported to landfills typically travel much farther than food waste that is being composted. It’s estimated that garbage trucks in the city average 3 miles per gallon. Food waste can travel up to 500 miles before reaching its final destination. When all is said and done, every pound of food thrown away generated an average of 3.8 pounds of carbon-equivalent greenhouse gas emissions.
The EPA’s data estimates that in 2017 a total of 535.6 billion pounds of municipal solid waste (MSW) was generated (a lot of Eiffel towers). Out of that, 81.4 billion pounds was compostable waste. Some of this waste (54 billion pounds) was composted. The majority of what gets composted is yard waste. Food waste makes up 1% of what gets composted (5.4 billion pounds). Yet food waste was the second largest contributor to municipal solid waste behind paper trash (including cardboard). The United States composted only 2.6 million tons of waste while recycling 67 million tons of waste in 2017.
Okay, What about Recycling?
Unfortunately, only a small portion of the plastic produced each year actually gets recycled. A total of 35.4 million tons of plastic waste was generated in 2017. Only 3 million tons of this was actually recycled, while 26.8 million tons of plastic ended up in landfills, making up for nearly 20% of all MSW in landfills. The rest was combusted.
Amongst the natural resources saved from recycling glass, one ton of recycled glass prevents 700 pounds of carbon dioxide from being released into the air. Paper makes up 40% of our trash. With every ton of paper recycled, we reduce greenhouse gases by one ton of carbon equivalent. The same is true for cardboard. For each ton of cardboard recycled, around 1 ton of CO2 emissions is saved. Aluminum, steel, and tin can be recycled endlessly. Glass can be endlessly recycled without altering the purity or quality. Plastic and paper cannot be endlessly recycled. Paper can be recycled an average of 5 times, whereas plastic can be recycled an average of 7 times.
Carbon Sequestration
That being said, composting does more than just prevent the emissions of greenhouse gases from food rot. Composting sequesters carbon back into the environment and adds nutrients back into the ground. Whendee Silver, a UC Berkeley bio-geochemist, conducted an experiment in an attempt to effectively sequester carbon. The results of the experiment show that a one-time application of a half-inch layer of compost on rangeland can boost the soil’s carbon storage for up to 30 years. After spreading compost over the rangeland, there has been a significant increase in native perennial plants and birdlife. Healthy soil is an essential part of growing food. In order to have healthy soil, we have to give back to the earth.
Vermont is one of the few states in the US that has composting laws in place. If all 600,000+ people in Vermont were to participate in the composting program and each person generates 50kg (around 110 pounds) of compost, Vermont would generate around 31,350 tons of compost. Each ton of compost generated sequesters somewhere between 0.01- 1.00 ton of carbon dioxide from the soil. In Vermont alone, 15,675 tons of carbon could be sequestered (assuming each ton of compost sequesters 0.05 tons of carbon dioxide). If everyone in Vermont composted instead of using fertilizer, an additional 3,135 tons of carbon dioxide could be saved for a total of 18,810 tons of CO2. On a national scale, we could sequester more than a billion pounds of carbon into the soil if everyone composted. The amount of carbon sequestered in the soil depends on how well the soil is cared for, as well as what is in the compost. Soil that is well cared for does not have as much potential to sequester carbon as soil that has been neglected. Compost that is higher in nutrients also has a higher potential for carbon sequestration.
So, What’s Better? Composting or Recycling?
The EPA has a chart that breaks down how much CO2 equivalent we saved based on how much of each material was recycled or composted. When you break this down based on the EPA’s numbers, recycling paper and paper board result in the most CO2 saved (3.35 million tons of CO2 saved per ton of paper recycled), with metals in a close second (3.31 million tons), and composting food scraps in third place (2.68 million tons).
However, when you combine all recycled materials and compare it to composting food waste, things are almost tied. Recycling saves 2.71 million tons of CO2 equivalent for each ton of material recycled. Composting saved 2.68 million tons of CO2 equivalent for every ton of food waste composted.
So according to the EPA, it would look like composting and recycling have about the same environmental impact, depending on how much recycling and food waste one has to dispose of. In other words, from what the EPA is saying, if you could only do one, you would want to choose based on which weighed more: your recyclables or your food waste.
But this isn’t quite accurate. The EPA only looks at the CO2 saved by not throwing waste into a landfill. The EPA does account for the carbon sequestered into the ground when you use compost. Each ton of compost has the ability to sequester on average 0.5 tons of carbon. This puts the total amount of CO2 equivalent saved in composting above the amount of CO2 equivalent saved in recycling.
The next time you throw a piece of single-use plastic into the recycling bin for the environment, remember that you don’t really know where that plastic is going and if it’ll even be recycled. Composting is easy. You can do it at home in your yard, and you will know exactly where that compost is going and what it’s doing for the environment. Or you can compost with a local pick up or drop off service and find out what they’re doing with their compost. If you’re interested in how you can get started with composting, check out this article.
The purpose of this article is not to discourage recycling in favor of composting. We should all be growing as much of our own food as we can, composting, recycling, and reducing our consumption.
Today’s concept of showering is relatively new. Only within the last 100 years have we become a society that showers on a near-daily basis. Around the world, some countries shower more than others, with Brazil reporting an average of 12 showers a week. On the lower end, in Europe, the average is between 3-5 showers a week. America is pretty average with around 6-7 showers a week. As it turns out, the average of seven showers a week is way more than is actually necessary, according to experts.
Prior to our daily showers, civilizations in ancient Rome used to set up bathhouses. Romans were notoriously clean. Rather than use soap, they would use essential oils to get rid of dirt, which then had to be scraped off with a tool known as a strigil. Romans had fairly advanced indoor plumbing systems for the time, not unlike the indoor plumbing systems we use today. This article goes into the history of showering before and after the rise of Christianity if you want to read more about that.
Showering has become a habit, and to many, a ritual. So, what are the effects of our showering rituals? When we shower, we essentially strip our body of the natural oils and bacteria that make up our body’s microbiome and then cover up the damage done with synthetic oils and fragrances. The natural oils and bacteria on our body can be beneficial to us, and when given the time to properly replenish, they create a beneficial ecosystem that functions without the use of soap and other products designed to cover up body odor.
The human microbiome takes around three weeks to replenish itself after its stripped. There is definitely an adjustment period within these three weeks. Your hair may get oily, you make be more acne-prone, and of course, you’ll probably smell funny for a little while! All of this can be made better by a healthy diet. The old saying “you are what you eat” reigns true more often than not, and showering (or rather, not showering) is no exception. If you live off of Big Macs and diet coke, you’ll look, smell, and feel disgusting if you don’t shower often (and even if you do, because Big Macs are gross). If you live off of salads and other whole foods and fresh produce, you’ll be able to tell a difference in your body. Good food creates a good gut microbiome and our gut microbiome carries bacteria all through our body.
After your body has time to adjust to your new no-shower regime, you’ll notice a few things. Your skin will likely look better than it ever has, and if you’re doing things right, your skin should be fine without any other products. It shouldn’t be too oily or too dry. Your hair won’t look greasy. If you stop using product and heat on it, along with no longer washing it, you should find yourself with the healthiest hair you’ve ever had. The texture of it may take a little getting used to. It’s not Pantene-like silky smooth and shiny in its natural state. It’s generally a little more coarse. Lastly, there’s the smell. People are often worried about smelling bad more than anything else, but when your body has the chance to balance out with healthy bacteria, this isn’t a concern. People all have an individual natural body odor based on their body’s bacteria and based on what they eat. If you eat very well, work out, and sweat a lot, you’ll likely smell strong, but very good.
If you’re very in tune with your body, you’ll notice changes in how you smell based on what you eat, and even the situations you’re in. You’ll find that in situations of stress or anxiety you might smell worse, and in situations where you’re comfortable with who you’re with, you’ll smell better, based on the pheromones you release. If you eat junk food, even what one might consider “healthy” junk food, you’ll smell worse the next morning. In that situation though, I find a hard workout and a good salad is enough to correct my microbiome. Depending on your job, you may notice a layer of dirt build-up pretty quickly. For that, I recommend wiping down with a warm rag. I often get dirt built up on my forearms, ankles, and sometimes around my neck. I do shower if I’m doing a particularly dirty job. Just a couple of weeks ago, I was working on my car and planted my head directly into a puddle of power steering fluid. Some situations just warrant shampoo. That being said, when I do shower, I use all-natural soaps that don’t strip my body of its natural oils the same way regular shampoos and soaps do.
Showering and bathing on such a regular basis can be quite a strain on the environment. A typical showerhead has a water flow rate of 2.5 gallons per minute. Data shows that showering is nearly 20% of total water usage in American homes, and the average American family uses 40 gallons of water on showers per day in the U.S. Using hot water to shower also uses an incredible amount of energy along with the water used.
I don’t recommend that everyone give up showering. The reality is, most people aren’t healthy enough to give up showering without becoming gross. Most people aren’t willing to change their lifestyle in order to be able to give up showering. I do, however, encourage everyone to spread their showers out a little more and see what happens! At the very least, you’ll be doing the environment some good!
Minimalism – How to Change Your Life When Everything is a Mess
Sometimes it feels like our world is falling completely apart. We just don’t feel like we were born to succeed. We look around and wonder if anyone else feels like this big of a mess. Our money is scarce, our house unkempt, our health not looking too good and our relationships going down the drain. So we can’t help but think:
“What the hell is wrong with me!?”
But you mustn’t feel so bad; It’s not all your fault!
It’s the Consumerism Sabotage
Since a young age, you had your googly eyes wide open as you were out and about processing as much information as possible and figuring out how life worked. Everything you experienced in your home, at school, or anywhere you were until this day has served as the main guidance for you to arrive where you are now.
So where did it all go wrong?
Think of yourself as a computer system. It started with our system (us) suffering a series of virus attacks (brainwashing).
For example, TV commercials told us that if we want to look beautiful, we must have their brand of clothing, that the most attractive folks would buy this line of fragrance, or even that their magic pills can make you thin in very little time.
Imagine our system didn’t have an anti-virus (awareness). As a result, the virus would seep in and reprogram your system to add new files (new watches, clothing, jewelry, etc.) at random times on its own (impulse purchases).
Now imagine what happens when you keep ignoring the signs that you need an antivirus (debt, having too much stuff, etc.). You keep making impulse buys until your life collapses under the chaos.
It’s time to install the antivirus before that happens. What’s the best antivirus? Minimalism.
The What, Why and How of Minimalism
What is minimalism?
As I interviewed my friend Matthew Romanchick about minimalism, he gave me what I found to be the best definition yet: “Removing the stuff that sucks you dry in favor of the things that bring you life.” So that includes removing material things, people, and old thought patterns from your life that suck you dry instead of making you a better person (This doesn’t include friends that give you constructive criticism you may not want to hear every once in a while).
Why should we become minimalists?
Consumerism is reaching new heights, and it’s a serious thing. It has become normal to spend money you don´t have, on things you don´t need. According to nerdwallet.com’s 2016 statistics report, the average household owed $137,063 in debts including credit cards, mortgage, auto loans, etc. and the worst news is that after you are in debt, it continues to cost you money to stay in debt. $1,292 per year to be exact – that is the cost of yearly interest for credit card debt alone. As a result of this, more and more people are becoming homeless and depressed in the US. In a single night in 2016 there were 549,928 people experiencing homelessness. Minimalism is the perfect way to combat this craze and help bring peace and fulfillment to people´s lives.
How can minimalism help bring peace and fulfillment?
By reducing your consumption to what is essential, your life is filled with peace. Minimalism will give you the money, time, and freedom to breathe and enjoy a low maintenance, stress-free and abundant life, instead of falling into the false illusion that one day you will have all the material things you need to finally be happy.
Here is how it works
Minimalizing equals having less — Fewer responsibilities, less debt, less guilt, less stress and less wish to buy.
Minimalizing, however, also equals having more — More savings, a more clear conscience, a more pleasant night’s sleep, and a more joyful and intentional life which in turn equals to a happier life.
Does this mean a minimalist’s life is easy? Well, I can guarantee you that it´s simpler and more efficient than most!
I take pride in getting ready in 15 minutes and looking great for the day ahead of me. But imagine that all of the sudden you could have more time for reading books or being with friends, more mental clarity to accomplish your daily goals, having renewed confidence to give dating another shot, or for some, rekindling that romance with your loved one. Imagine looking at your bank account and realizing you have the money saved up for going on trips or investing on something just for you. Minimalizing makes all of this and so much more possible!
Now if you are wondering when is the best time to start this process, I have a straightforward technique to determine that. But first, we must figure out what we need to minimalize most.
What you can minimalize
This list is to give you a better idea of where you can start.
Make sure you prepare your own personal list of what you want to get rid of or adapt to serve you better.
Your home – Check out my article on these revolutionizing traveling tiny homes. Are they amazing or what? TINY HOMES — THE BIGGEST LIFE HACK
Relationships/People – ” Show me your friends and I will show you your future.” That about sums it up.
Harmful thought patterns – When did feeling guilty for something you did 12 years ago solve anything? Think instead how you can make things better today. Other examples of harmful thought patterns that limit your success are fear, anxiety, feelings of unworthiness, etc.
Shoes – Do you really need 20 pairs of shoes for one pair of feet?
Memory box – Take pictures of the things and store on a hard drive instead. They will last you forever and save space.
Make-up – Did you know the average woman spends $200k on make-up in the span of a lifetime? You could buy five amazing tiny homes with that money. How crazy is that?
Cars – Imagine how much more gas, money, and health you would save by bike riding or walking down to the market to get those two things you need?
Now that you have a clearer picture of what to minimalize, below are eight practical steps to guide your decluttering journey.
Let´s Get Down and Dirty
Here is where we finally minimalize.
Remember that you can go at your own pace because it’s not a race, it’s a beautiful life-changing journey.
STEP 1. Make a list of what you want to minimalize.
I suggest choosing one area of your home to declutter at a time, and if you are having a harder time detaching, you can start a bit smaller and declutter a section of a room of choice every weekend like for example, the kitchen cabinets this weekend, and the bathroom the next, etc.
STEP 2. Take 4 boxes and label: Trash/Donation/Sell/Unsure.
Although these are mostly self-explanatory, I’d like to elaborate on the trash box (you could also just fill up a trash bag instead). You should only trash the item if it is broken, with defects, a product with very little content or that is unusable. Also trash personal things such as letters or things that bring you negative emotions – You are beginning a fresh new phase of your life, possibly one of the best yet, why keep these things that take away your joy?
STEP 3. The checklist.
Ask yourself the questions from the minimalist checklist below for each item you own, and whatever you do, always use this list when you think of acquiring something new.
Minimalist check off list
Do I love it?
Do I need it?
Do I have multiples?
Does it represent me well?
Have I used it in the past six months?
STEP 4. Place each item in the appropriate box.
If you answered “no” to one or more of these questions (except for #3), then you should probably sell, donate or trash the item.
STEP 5. Give special attention to items with emotional attachments
This is usually intense and makes you feel like a loser at being a minimalist at first, but it’s really just part of the journey. You are going to have items you are not going to want to part with because no matter how much you dislike it, it was your grandma that gave it to you. No matter how much you resent that cheating ex from high school, you can’t bring yourself to throw away the love letter he wrote you.
What you need to do is run it through the minimalist checklist. If it turns out it doesn’t logically make sense to keep a certain item, then take a picture of it and store that instead. But if you’re really unsure about letting it go, keep it on the unsure pile.
STEP 6. The one in, one out rule.
One day you will find yourself in love with something you saw somewhere, and you are going to feel like you need to have it. A very efficient method of knowing if this item is superfluous or not is to utilize the one in one out rule. For this, you must get rid of one item you already own in exchange for the new one you wish to get. So before you buy it, make sure you have in mind the item that’s going to go (Don´t use this method while grocery shopping).
STEP 7. Have a place for seasonal items.
Example: If you’re in the summer, keep those winter clothes inside a suitcase under your bed or stored in your area of preference. When winter arrives, switch them out with your current summer clothes you won’t be needing like shorts, bikinis, crop tops, etc. Do this for every season if you find it necessary.
STEP 8. Keep the cycle going.
It is important to maintain and reorganize every so often. The reason for that is that it’s easy for things to pile up again if you’re not attentive and strict enough, so make sure to do that occasional cleaning and recycling to freshen up your wardrobe, looks, and home. I like to reassess my belongings every weekend as I clean my closet.
That’s it — these are the basic steps to minimalizing. Make sure to check out minimalist bloggers and explore different methods. There is a world of wonderful minimalists overflowing wisdom and talent out there on the web. But hold on, before you go, there is still one last thing we must address.
Minimizing Minimalist Misconceptions
I love clothes and shoes. I can’t be a minimalist.
If you love clothes and shoes (or anything else), that just means you should spend your time with the ones that deserve your time, a selection of the best and nothing less! And let me tell you, this will allow you to look and feel 100x better.
Minimalism is extreme
As much as living with all that you need and not running to the mall to shop for superfluous things as soon as you get your paycheck tends to be considered extreme, we like to think that a life of consumerism that brings every day countless people to homelessness, as extreme.
Minimalism is for plain/simple women
That’s a plain “no”… As a minimalist, you can be as bright and bold as ever. The only difference is that you won´t go broke, nuts or in debt because of it.
There is a specific amount of items you need to have as a minimalist
Each individual is in charge of finding out what is “minimal” to them. There isn´t a set rule though some people like to challenge themselves by cutting down their belongings by 288,55 or even 33 pieces of items or less.
Minimalists are cheap and don’t own nice things
False statement. Since minimalists have fewer expenses, they can afford to invest more money on items of better quality that will last them longer and look better.
New Beginnings
I hope this article has helped you on your journey and that you fall in love with minimalism like I and countless others have.
Minimalism has come as a lifestyle and gift in which to change the lives of those who struggle as a result of a consumerist life, that only takes life from our lives and never gives back. Don’t you worry — the fulfillment that you thought you would get from that item will not be lost. You can create fulfillment within yourself by minimalizing your life and maximizing the pleasant, guilt-free, and memorable moments in it.
Ladies, you are filled with pure potential to mold yourselves into the woman you have always longed to be, and the reason for that is: you’re human, you’re unique, and you are destined for greatness, no matter who you are. It is up to you to follow the path that is leading you towards a bright new beginning. So, say yes!
DIY House Cleaning Recipes – Much Healthier, Much Cheaper!
The website, Statistic Brain, claims Americans spend an average of 42 dollars a month on cleaning supplies. That’s more than 500.00 a year! Unfortunately, many of the cleaning solutions Americans buy are filled with chemicals that are bad for their health and bad for the environment.
Advertisements have convinced us that we need these miraculous cleaning solutions with their artificial scents. The truth is, we don’t. We are better off without them, and so is our budget.
Why not try some or all of the following ideas to clean your house without the toxins or the expense?
A steam mop is a miraculous invention. Cleaning a floor with a steam mop is quick and easy, but steam mops are not safe for laminated floors. It is worth the effort to check out the warranty information on your particular floors before you choose a cleaning method.
For bamboo, laminate, and hardwood floors, you can damp mop with plain water, water with a few drops of essential oil, or water with vinegar added. (Ratio: 2 gallons of warm water to ½ cup vinegar.)
Linoleum, tile, and stone can also be cleaned with vinegar and water. The ratios vary according to preference from 1/4 cup of vinegar to a one-to-one ratio of vinegar to water. For a really dirty floor, try the following recipe:
1/4 cup white vinegar
1/4 cup baking soda
1 tablespoon liquid dish soap (remember to choose a natural soap)
2 gallons hot water
Add a few drops of essential oil, if desired
Rinsing is not required, but if streaking occurs, rinse. Click the link below for more information.
To be honest, most of the time all you need to do is wipe off your counter top with a damp rag or a soapy rag. But if you feel you really need to do more, you can make your own kitchen cleaner.
Just use equal parts of white vinegar to water in a spray bottle. If you like, you can add a few drops of your favorite essential oil.
Or to eliminate 99.9% of E.coli, Listeria, and Staphylococcus bacteria from surfaces mix:
Use equal parts of vinegar and water in a spray bottle and buff dry with a lint-free rag to clean glass, windows, and mirrors.
5. Bathroom Cleaner
Use straight vinegar to kill mold and mildew, but for most of your bathroom cleaning, switch to baking soda. Just make a paste by adding water to baking soda to get the consistency you require. Scrub and rinse.
6. Clean the Refrigerator
Baking soda is great for this job, too. Not only does it clean well, it eliminates odors. Just make a paste, scrub, and rinse. Or pull out your spray bottle of vinegar and water. It works great to clean out the refrigerator, too!
Oven cleaning is the worst! The chemical soup in oven cleaning sprays brings a whole new level of toxicity into your home. Instead of using one, scrape up a bad spill and wipe your oven with a wet rag. Then make a paste of baking soda and water or a paste of baking soda and hydrogen peroxide. Apply and leave overnight. Wipe with a wet rag the next day.
8. Laundry Soap
Wellness Mama offers recipes for both liquid and powder laundry soap. Here is the recipe with directions for their liquid version.
Grate one bar of soap with a cheese grater or food processor. (Dr. Bronner’s, Ivory, or another natural, unscented bar soap.)
Put grated soap in a pan with 2 quarts water and gradually heat, stirring constantly until the soap is completely dissolved.
Put 4.5 gallons of really hot tap water in a 5-gallon bucket (available for free in bakeries at grocery stores, just ask them) and stir in 2 cups of borax and 2 cups of Washing Soda until completely dissolved.
Pour soap mixture from pan into 5-gallon bucket. Stir well.
Cover and leave overnight.
Shake or stir until smooth and pour into gallon jugs or other containers.
Once again, vinegar comes to the rescue. Just use the same 1:1 ratio of vinegar to water for spot cleaning or in a carpet cleaner to clean the whole rug. Add lemon oil or another essential oil of your choice if you want a particular scent.
10. Air Fresheners
Conventional air fresheners are another huge health issue. Chemicals from conventional air fresheners are linked to depression, endocrine disruption, asthma, cancer, genetic disorders, and birth defects! If you have any, throw them away!
To add a pleasant scent to your home, boil orange or lemon peels in water, cut and display fresh flowers from your garden, or use essential oils. You can use a diffuser or simply add a few drops of oil to a spray bottle of water and spritz it into the air.
Naturally Relieve a Dust Mite Allergy Without Medication
Dust mite allergies are one of the most common chronic conditions in the world. The World Health Organization estimates between 10-40% of people suffer from an allergy – and half of those may be allergic to dust mites. But what causes a dust mite allergy? And can the symptoms be relieved without medication?
What is a Dust Mite Allergy?
Dust mites are tiny creatures that can only be seen under a microscope. Despite their size, mites can cause chronic health problems.
These miniature arachnids thrive in warm and humid environments, such as in beds, carpets, and curtains. A single female mite can lay up to 25 “baby” mites each week – so their population can quickly explode.
While they don’t bite, mite body parts and feces contain proteins that can trigger allergic reactions. These become trapped in mattresses, furniture, or carpets before being pushed into the air as people disturb them.
As there can be over 10,000 mites in a single gram of dust, the typical home contains a huge number of allergens. This results in near-continuous allergy symptoms that can greatly affect your quality of life.
Some of the most common symptoms of a dust mite allergy include:
Sneezing and coughing
Runny and stuffy nose
Itchy eyes
Increased asthma symptoms such as breathing problems or chest tightness
These symptoms are often referred to as perennial allergic rhinitis. This is because they can be triggered all-year round. While mite numbers peak in the humid summer months, there is enough of them to cause reactions in any season.
Why Traditional Allergy Treatments Often Fail with Dust Mites
The most common advice for treating an allergy is to avoid the triggering allergen. For pet dander or even certain food allergies, this is difficult but not impossible. Dust mites can infest almost everywhere in a home though, so it’s impossible to avoid them.
This leads to a variety of medications being recommended for relieving symptoms. Some of the most common include antihistamines, corticosteroids, and nasal decongestants.
Despite being widely used, even doctors admit these medications rarely provide complete relief. They are often used instead of natural methods that can be more effective. Medication can also discourage people from reducing the quantity of mite allergens in the home.
Natural Treatments for a Dust Allergy
The good news is there are plenty of natural techniques to relieve a dust mite allergy. Some focus on the symptoms and provide instant relief. Others aim to eliminate dust mites and reduce allergenic particles in the home.
Kill Mites with Low Humidity
One of the most effective ways to reduce mite populations is by lowering the humidity in your home. Dust mites can’t survive if the relative humidity falls below 50%, so maintaining a lower humidity is the closest you can get to a “mite free” home.
If you don’t mind spending a bit of money, a dehumidifier is the easiest way to reduce relative humidity. Most dehumidifiers have a humidistat so they only switch on when humidity starts to rise. This saves energy and means you don’t need to manually adjust the settings.
Alternatively, improving ventilation in your home and drying clothes outside can reduce humidity. It’s also a good idea to keep windows open when you’re cooking.
A traditional method for relieving an allergy is to take a teaspoon of unfiltered apple cider vinegar with a glass of water.
Drinking this mixture two or three times each day can help clear nasal passages. It won’t eliminate all symptoms, but can relieve a blocked nose without medication.
Dust mites love mattresses and bed sheets. This is bad news for people with allergies, as it means symptoms can affect your sleep quality.
Allergen-proof bedding is a potential solution. Unlike regular sheets, this has small pores that prevent mites getting into your bed. Most anti-dust mite bedding is made from plastic sheets, but you can buy fabric versions if you prefer.
While anti-allergen bedding is great for reducing mites in your bed, it still needs to be washed regularly.
Reducing humidity kills dust mites, but it doesn’t get rid of their body parts. This means there are still millions of allergenic particles waiting to be stirred into the air.
The fastest way to get rid of these is vacuuming – but it’s vital to use a vacuum cleaner with a HEPA filter. There are plenty of powerful vacuums on the market, but many allow dust mites and other allergens to pass straight through the machine. This means vacuuming can temporarily make your symptoms worse.
Vacuums with HEPA filters don’t have this problem. These can filter smaller particles with much higher efficiency. It’s also a good idea to buy a bagged vacuum, as these seal automatically when emptied.
Remember to vacuum every area of the home that dust mites like to live. This includes upholstery, carpets, curtains, stairs, and mattresses.
A quick way to kill mites in bedding or furniture covers is washing at a temperature of 55 degrees Celsius or above. This doesn’t just get rid of living mites – it also washes away feces and dead mite parts.
Remember to vacuum your mattress when your sheets are washing. This can help reduce symptoms at night.
The more furniture, books, soft toys, and pillows you have in your home, the more difficult it is to get rid of mites.
For this reason, you should try to eliminate clutter if you suffer from a dust mite allergy. This makes it much easier to vacuum and steam clean effectively.
If possible, you should also replace carpets with hard floors. Mites thrive in the warm environment provided by carpet fibers, but struggle on hard floors. Even if you don’t like the feel of hardwood or vinyl, you can add a machine-washable rug for a softer floor that’s easy to wash.
Conclusion
If a dust mite allergy is affecting you, medication may not be the most effective answer. Natural methods to relieve allergies and reduce the quantity of mites in your home can quickly eliminate symptoms.
The key is to take action. Most methods for killing dust mites require time and effort, so the sooner you start the faster you’ll see results.
Your first step should be to reduce the relative humidity in your home to below 50%. This is the fastest way to kill mites, as they can’t survive in these conditions. You can then maintain a low mite population by vacuuming, reducing clutter, and washing bedding at a high temperature. Using anti-allergen bedding and removing carpets in your bedroom can also improve sleep quality.
8 Reasons You’ll Never Want to Live in a Standard House Again
If you had the freedom to do anything you wanted with your life, what would you do?
Would you quit your job? Maybe buy your first home? Take up a sport? Spend more time with loved ones? Volunteer? Open up a business? Travel the world? Make babies? Go back to school? Become a Buddhist monk?
Mentalize your answer. Okay, next question. What is holding you back?
The three most common factors that keep the majority of us from living the life we desire are money, time, and our own self-imposed limitations. Fortunately, there is one thing that can help free you from these limiting factors — a tiny house.
What Exactly is a Tiny House?
As far as size, there is no official document stating how big or small a tiny house must be, however, it is on average 186 square feet while a standard house in America is around 2,687 square feet. In other words, you can fit 11 tiny houses in one standard American house. To be legally considered a mobile home, it must have wheels.
At this point, you may be thinking how you could possibly live in a human-sized chicken coop! But when you experience what a tiny home is really like you will realize that it provides you with the space that you need without any excess. The reason why having a tiny home seems like a crazy idea at first is because we have forgotten the true purpose of a home. The home should be a place of safety, comfort, joy, and love. Instead, we become prisoners to our own houses — overcome with debt, stress, and chaos.
The Prison That We Built for Ourselves
We have been working 5 out of 7 days, full-time, just so we can pay our bills, instead of investing in a better life. We pay for rent, mortgage, electricity, water, health insurance, car bills, schooling, food and water, taxes, then we (try to) save some money. At the end of all that, we take the small amount of money we have left and (try to) enjoy our one or two days of rest. But the whole time we feel like we are walking a tightrope, ready to plummet into foreclosure with any misstep.
What happens when you don’t have enough money to pay off all your bills? And what about time? Working full-time how can you find a way to go on a nice, relaxing trip, indulge in activities you’re passionate about, or do those things you wrote down on your bucket list? Shouldn’t life be more simple, relaxing, and enjoyable?
It’s Time to Break Out of Prison
In this article, you will discover how you can live a big life in a tiny home, that will allow you to have a dream life that most only achieve, after long years of hard, consistent work and self-sacrifice.
Yes, you can have financial and emotional freedom once and for all. No more worrying about bills, money, time or even your health. So without further ado, here are 8 ways a tiny home is the answer to your prayers.
1. Say “Goodbye” to Your Mortgage and “Hello” to Your Dream Home.
Sometimes our budget won’t buy us the home of our dreams or rent us the apartment we wanted, forcing us to turn to banks for a “solution”, while many times, being left in huge debt and distress. Financing your tiny home, however, is much easier.
Statistics show that 68% of tiny house owners have no mortgage compared to 29.3% of all U.S. homeowners. But why is that?
Well, the cost of a tiny home ranges between $30,000-$40,000 when you hire a contractor to build it or if you choose to buy it ready. The cost lowers to $23.000 if you were to buy the materials and build it yourself.
The Standard American home, on the other hand, costs on average $272.000. But that price is only for those who have that full amount in their bank account. If you are like most of us who don’t have all that money saved up, you add $209.704 of interest on a 4.25% 30-year loan and there you have it! $481.704 is the accurate pricing for your average standard home.
So what that means is that by choosing a tiny home you would be saving around $441,704 just on the house itself. That’s without counting the health you will gain along with extra life years if you subtract about 3 decades of mortgage, stress and sleepless nights from that equation.
2. Take Your Tiny House with You While Traveling.
Imagine you get offered an incredible job opportunity a few states over, and you need to sell your home fast. How long do you think it would take until you had everything settled for a move with a standard house? Definitely not the next day right?
Let’s face it, with a standard home you’re stuck (literally).
This is why a tiny house is the most practical way of living. You can travel with it at any time. Just hook it up to the back of a truck and drive to your newest adventure.
You mean I won’t have to pay for hotel rooms anymore!?
That’s right. With a tiny home, there is no need to worry about shelter when you are on the road.
If the move is permanent, you would need to rent or buy a piece of land to park it on and that’s it. Could a standard American home provide you with this much freedom?
3. You Can Have an Organized and Clutter-Free Life.
By ridding your house of all the things that you don’t need, you will have a neat and organized home that you will take pleasure in coming back to. In the tiny house, it’s a lot easier to make this happen since you won’t have that full sized closet space for storage anymore.
So when you hop over to a store like Target to grab that toilet paper, and you start automatically reaching for a pair of Cheetah print shoes, you will think twice about it. (which in this case i really hope you do.) If you live in a standard home, you will probably buy those Cheetah print shoes because it’s easier to justify. I mean, you already have the space and you are already in debt, so why not?
A tiny home really allows you to keep in check with reality. You will have the opportunity to finally donate and sell those extra items, helping more people and getting extra money to spend.
As Elise Boulding, the sociologist and credited author once wisely said:
The consumption society has made us feel that happiness lies in having things, and has failed to teach us the happiness of not having things.”
Here is a great “how to” video on de-cluttering to help you:
4. Save More and Live Better.
It is by no coincidence that 55% of tiny house people have more savings than the average american, with a median of 10,972 in the bank.Think about it, when you cut down the size of your home, it’s only natural that you cut down the size of your costs. With a tiny house your utility bill, as well as rental of property are symbolic in value compared to bills of a standard house.
If you do take out loans to build it, you will have paid it off in few years max, where with standard homes you spend decades or pretty much your entire life paying mortgage while running the risk of losing everything you’ve invested. With these smaller costs of living, you can use that extra money with things and experiences that will bring you happiness and satisfaction.
I talked with Jon Dandridge, a financial analyst, medical student as well as tiny house owner who says:
It’s really nice to know that our house is paid for you know? We didn’t need to take out any loans for it. This is just unheard of nowadays with traditional houses.”
The savings continue to add up, even after the tiny home is built. For example, Jon recently had a problem with the plumbing in his tiny home and had to redo all of it. In a standard, 2-bathroom home this would cost between $4,000 and $10,000. But how much did it cost Jon?
It cost us only about a hundred bucks. It’s incredible how we save tons of money just by living simpler.”
While many of us are itching our heads, constantly worried about where we’ll come up with the money to pay for that unexpected bill, tiny house owners are continuously filling up their savings account, going on adventures, and living out their dreams.
5. You can Make it the Most Eco-Friendly Home.
We are facing a serious global crisis in terms of pollution levels, global warming, climate change as well as extinction of wild species, and these little houses are making a huge positive impact.
While each standard home produces on average an absurd amount of 28,000 pounds of CO2 per year for electricity, heating and cooling, uses up 7 full logging trucks of lumber and has 45 light bulbs consuming 639 kWh of electricity per year, a tiny home only produces 2,000 pounds of CO2, uses ½ of a logging truck of lumber and has 6 light bulbs consuming a measly 85.2 kWh of electricity per year.
Pretty incredible, huh?
For those who are passionate about saving the planet (as well as money), there are numerous other ways to do it in a tiny house. Some examples are: utilizing composting toilets, solar panels, rainwater harvesting tool, insulated windows, water-saving shower-heads, eco-kettles, starting your own organic garden and etc. There is a world of opportunities for you beautiful souls.
6. It can be Adapted to Fit Any Lifestyle.
A common worry people have is that a tiny house is only meant for one person to live in, which is a false statement. There are many families living comfortably in tiny homes all over the world, in fact, some even prefer it. Let’s take Kim Kasl for example, a tiny housewife and mother of two kids who says that “parenting (in the tiny) is much easier. We’re more connected, cozy, and engaged.”
This means that with a tiny house you are free to raise a family, as you get to design your home as perfectly as you need it as far as size, decoration, the exterior environment and more. Every detail can be well thought out so that it fits your specific needs at a small cost. For example, if you are handicapped, have a special disease, live in severe cold weather or in very hot environment, you will be able to find a creative solution to meet your needs.
Check out this awesome tiny house that is wheelchair friendly:
7. Living In a Tiny Home Promotes Stronger and Healthier Relationships.
Just as having a baby can create a beautiful bond between a man and a woman who love each other, so can a tiny house. You go from planning it out and discussing all the details, to seeing it come true before your own two eyes.
Jon says building a tiny house with his wife Adelle “enhanced his relationship”. They not only designed it together, but built most of it.
I also asked Adelle about how building the tiny house together affected their relationship:
building the tiny house with Jon helped balance out the dynamics of the relationship. It made our respect for each other grow as we learned to give in to each others wishes instead of wanting to control.”
Thank you for the feedback Jon and Adelle, we genuinely wish you both a blessed journey together in your enchanting tiny home.
8. What is Better than Having More Money? Having More Time.
Most of us live a high-maintenance reality where we are forced to run, sweat and work our butts off on a regular basis, otherwise we get run over by “life”. But is life truly forcing us to live a hectic experience, or is it just us being slaves to our illusions? Selling our souls for a job that we hate because it pays well? What is the point in being able to afford all superfluous things in the world if you have to be in a stressful work environment everyday? If you don’t have freedom? If you don’t have time?
A tiny house cuts down your costs of living, so that you may work way less, if you wish, and have more time to experience life to the fullest, while also increasing your health as a consequence of being more stress-free and purposeful.
Here is a quick, fun little video about time that will change your perception of life.
The Takeaway
Regardless whether you are retired with a fixed income wanting a simpler life, a single college graduate looking to buy your first home, someone who is tired of sharing a house, or a parent with kids to raise, a tiny home is exactly what you are looking for.
You can be one of the 65% of tiny house people with zero credit card debt, you can save and go after that job you know will make you happy, maybe give up that routine and live with audacity, get out there and start dating again, try something new, live an adventure, travel, write a book, start a family etc. The options are endless!
A tiny house gives you the opportunity to start living. This is why they are such a mind blowing life hack. Who thought that you could have the home of your dreams, while saving tons of money, benefiting the environment, growing your relationship, getting rid of debt, and improving your health and life quality with the freedom to go anywhere, at any time? Yes, tiny homes are here to revolutionize.
They are here to ask you one simple question:
Why just get through life, when you can start living?
