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Wishful Recycling
Before we get into recycling, I’d first like to remind you about those two things that are even better than recycling! YES. REDUCE AND REUSE. Always do those two things first. Now that that is out of the way… Obviously, there’s always going to be stuff to recycle. And recycling is much better than having something go to the landfill. However, there is also something called wishful recycling… where you desperately don’t want to put something in the trash so you figure, hey, this item COULD be recyclable (or this is similar to other things I recycle)… let’s just do that. Don’t do this. It can contaminate items that can…
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Healthy Habits in a Trying Year
At this point… no one wants to hear “you should eat healthy!” or “do a HIIT workout 5x/week!” … many are just trying to survive/get through this year without feeling guilty that they aren’t doing the “right” thing. I’m definitely on this boat but at the same time… I also don’t want to feel like total physical (and mental) crap. So how do you balance the two? Enter tiny, achievable habits that don’t involve saying “No, that’s not allowed.” For me, that looks like the following: Add water. Not “drink water instead of copious cups of chai” but rather… just have the cup of water around while drinking chai. At…
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Make Your Clothes Last
A huge part of both the zero waste and minimalist lifestyles involve taking care of what you already own so that you aren’t buying things unnecessarily. This is incredibly important especially when it comes to clothing. A few simple steps can help prolong the life of your clothes and prevent items from inevitably ending up in the landfill or getting downcycled. Wash your clothes gently/per label instructions. I almost always wash my clothes with cold water and on a gentle or “casual” cycle. I then dry my clothing on the low setting (or hang to dry in my closet). It takes a bit longer but my clothes take less of…
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How to Read More (& 2019 Book Favorites!)
?A reader lives a thousand lives before he dies.” – George R.R. Martin I frequently get asked how I manage to read so much on a yearly basis. Yesterday, I officially hit my Goodreads reading challenge of 50 books for 2019! Yay! By the end of the year, I anticipate having read another 10 books or so. The simple answer to how I do it is… pure love of reading. I love entering new worlds and getting lost in them. It truly is a hobby for me. But there are a few little things that make it a bit easier for me to read as much as I do. So…
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Simple Tip: How To Use Your iPhone Less
Note: this tip is for iPhone users (since it’s what I use). I’m sure there are ways to do something similar with other phones! Ever since smartphones became a thing, we’ve all been guilty of looking at our phones a little too often. I was mildly horrified when Apple released the Screen Time feature and I could see exactly how many hours a day I spent on my phone. And, listen, I love smartphones… they’ve made my life better in so many ways (hello Google Maps). However, they’ve also led to some mindless (and time-consuming) scrolling on Instagram. So let’s cut down on some of that and spend more time…
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My “Do Not Buy” List
An effective way I’ve found to curb shopping impulses is by creating a “Do Not Buy” list. This is a list of things that I’ve bought that have gone to waste or went unenjoyed for various reasons. Reminding myself of what these items are and, more importantly, why they didn’t work out (whether it be a certain type of clothing or food) keeps me from accumulating unwanted items. Truly the first step to reducing waste is by purchasing fewer items to begin with. Food/Drink Dark chocolate: I have a sweet tooth and as much as I try — I find dark chocolate far too bitter… these usually end up accumulating…
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Simple Tip: Taking Care of Bar Soaps
Bar soaps are a holy grail product for low-wasters. You can often find them without any packaging and once they are used up, they’re done. No bottles or pumps or lids to recycle or trash. No waste. It’s awesome. However, these wonderful creations do require a little bit of care to get the most use out of them. First up, soap dishes. My view: the best soap dish is one you already have. You don’t have one lying around? This is the perfect time to use unused jewelry dishes, a small fancy plate, empty candle jars, empty jam jars, Altoid tins… any jar/plate/trinket dish that is shallow and wide. I…
