• Recycling,  Thrifting,  Zero Waste

    Eco-Friendly or Zero Waste School Supplies

    This Wednesday… July turns into August. And many of us start looking forward to the crispness of fall (my favorite season) and new beginnings. As a kid though, August meant one thing. Back-to-school school supply shopping. Walking around OfficeMax… buying the perfect matching notebooks and folders. Ah. Bliss. Fast forward 20 years and I still get somewhat nostalgic for those beautiful school supplies. I get a little giddy seeing all the new adorable stuff available at Target. BUT — man. The whole thing is super wasteful. The packaging surrounding the supplies and then the ultimate toss to the landfill. Or even just the mass of school supplies that end up…

  • Link Round Up

    Link Round Up #17

    So many goodies this week: The environmental cost of Amazon Prime. On surroundings and happiness. Hard truths about clutter. Decluttering on a busy schedule. A relaxed approach to the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale. A-Z guide on self care. Things to let go of in your 20s. How to help a friend struggling with grief. When money CAN buy happiness. Love this little charging station.

  • Recycling,  Trash,  Zero Waste

    Top 5 Eco-Friendly Bathroom Swaps

    When first making the swap over to more eco-friendly or zero waste products, it’s hard not to wonder if you’ll also be downgrading on quality or efficacy. Fear not, my friends! It is possible to find products that are both good for the environment AND awesome to use. First up — we’ll be exploring the bathroom items. The item: Conventional toilet paperThe swaps: Tushy bamboo toilet paper + bidetI LOVE this toilet paper. I buy a massive box of 50 (to get the free shipping) and it lasts a year. The toilet paper is soft and not at all scratchy. It also comes wrapped in paper — no plastic here!…

  • Link Round Up

    Link Round Up #16

    It feels very weird writing anything at all today. We lost a dear friend (also a wonderful wife, special needs teacher, and mother to a beautiful little girl) yesterday. However, she is the one who encouraged me to start this blog, introduced me to my favorite thrift store, contributed to my compost pile, and came with me to my first recycling ambassador kick off meeting. So here we go. I hope to make her proud. But first. These mental health charities have the most impact. Favorites from the week: Plastic free food storage. Self care on the go. How the campaign to ban plastic straws got it’s start. Yay American…

  • Favorites,  Random

    The Stuff Behind Self Care

    Read this article the other day about how self care has become associated with spending money to feel good about ourselves. And hey, sometimes, it works. I get a monthly massage to keep my back from falling apart. Expensive? Yep. Worth it? Also yes. I also enjoy skincare and makeup and manicures and all that stuff. I’ve had expensive gym memberships. BUT.? At it’s core, self care is not about the stuff. It’s about the less sexy things that are crucial to your mental health. For me, it’s the following: Not making too many social plans in one week. As an introvert, I need solid recharge time. 1-2 times a…

  • Link Round Up

    Link Round Up #15

    Favorites from the week: Starbucks says bye to straws.??This makes me so happy. Is it a perfect plastic-free/zero waste solution? Nope. BUT. Does this mean less straws in our landfills and oceans? Yep. And that’s a great start. As a consumer, it’s important to demand better from companies and to spend money at places that support eco-friendly practices. Gardening tips for beginners. I’m a crap gardener BUT I still try. This is pretty helpful. On money and self care. (More on this topic Monday!) L’Occitane takes your beauty and skincare empties!? Zero waste utensil wrap for on the go. Another “all my trash fits in a jar” articles but great…