Blog
Food Rules to Live By
I grew up on white bread and processed American cheese. Candy and pastries were abundant in our home, thanks to my dad's insatiable sweet tooth (thanks for passing that on Dad). I don't remember eating many fresh veggies, but it could be that my picky eating habits...
7 simple pleasures that’ll make you feel special every day
When I discovered minimalism, I went all in. I gladly got rid of all the things I didn't need, especially the frivolous extras. Why fill my house with stuff that didn't serve a purpose? That mentality seeped into other areas of my life as well and over time I found...
REFUSE to Save the Planet
In the last decade, we have dramatically decreased the amount of garbage we produce as a family. We've done this by switching to reusable items, being more conscious of packaging when we buy things and by recycling whenever possible. But. Every time I walk by our...
Ditch disposables and save
People tell me that I'm a hippy now, and while I don't feel that I fit in with the stereotype in my head, I can see where they draw that conclusion. I began recycling mostly as an effort to reduce our monthly expenses so that I could quit my job and stay home with the...
How to simplify meal planning and eat like a chef
I absolutely dread menu planning. Hate it. Yet when I don't do it I find myself in the vicious "I don't know what to make for dinner, let's just eat out" cycle that ends up costing a lot of money. My biggest menu-planning challenge? Being overwhelmed by all of the...
3 reasons to make the switch to natural clothing
In preparing for our trip to Europe (currently writing this from our apartment in Florence), I had a lot of time to refine my capsule wardrobe. Happily, I didn’t need to add much to it. In fact, a lot of the effort went into reducing it even further. And, thanks to...
What does a capsule wardrobe have to do with wellness?
When I think about my wellness journey, one of the biggest things to make a positive impact was my capsule wardrobe. I know that might seem strange if you only consider physical wellness - unless you count the activewear I added and actually started using for...
The top 10 essential oils I always have on hand
Recently, I sent out a question to the wonderful readers on my newsletter list asking what overwhelms them most when it comes to wellness and essential oils. I got some really great questions, but the one that came in time and again was: What are the top essential...
How to Declutter Your Home: The Toys
This is part of a series on decluttering – a fantastic way to increase clarity and focus and decrease stress. Read How to Declutter Your Home: Before You Begin, How to Declutter the Kitchen, How to Declutter the Bedroom, and How to Declutter the Bathroom. “Ok, kids....
Top 12 non-toxic personal care products (that you don’t have to make yourself)
Right now as you read this page, there are about 700 chemicals coursing through your body, many of which likely came from the cleaning supplies and personal care products that line store shelves.¹ Seven. Hundred. How is that even remotely ok? These chemicals...
3 Ways to Heat Food Without a Microwave
Several ago, I got this crazy idea to do away with our microwave. We rarely used it and I was in the midst of my first big decluttering session - if we didn't need it, I didn't want it! I also didn't like the taste of the food we heated with our microwave and I had a...
3 steps for finding more time to learn about herbs
You're intrigued by herbalism and the idea of using natural remedies to keep your family healthy - you've always wanted to be the Village Wise Woman, after all. You've just got one problem: time. There are already lots of commitments in your life and the thought of...