DIY: All Purpose Cleaner

Many of our cleaners contain petrochemicals components that are harmful to people, animals, and the environment. Not to mention that the production of these products requires a massive amount of energy. Living a simple life, means doing what is right for our bodies, homes, and the environment. It means using basic products that are not harmful. This means ditching the bleach. Why? Chlorine bleach is poisonous gas. If cleaner can irritate the skin, eyes, and lungs just by it being in the air, stay away from it! Here are the top 8 best things to be using that are effective cleaners and not harmful:

1. White vinegar-can be used as window cleaner, drain cleaner, bathroom cleaner, the list goes on. Not to mention you can drink it, in other words, it's very safe.
2. Baking soda-eliminates odors and is good to use as scrubbing powder, an alternative to Comet cleaner.
3. Borax-removes dirt, is antifungal
4. Hydrogen peroxide-nontoxic bleach, antibacterial agent, and stain remover.
5. Lemon juice-cuts grease and a good stain remover as well.
6. Liquid castile soap-all-purpose cleaner, grease cutter, and disinfectant. Castile soap is vegetable based soap, not animal fat-based. Can be used as shampoo too!
7. Olive oil-can be used as furniture and wood cutting-board polish.
8. Essential oils of lavender, geranium, and tea tree oil-antibacterial and adds a nice smell. Tea tree oil is a natural solvent, cuts grease, and excellent at killing germs and bacteria.

So instead of using toxic, costly cleaners, (costly on your wallet and the environment), try this all-purpose cleaner. You will need:

16-ounce spray bottle

1 cup water

1/4 cup distilled white vinegar

1/2 tsp pure castile soap (I used lavender but peppermint is really nice too)

little less than 1/2 cup hydrogen peroxide

10 drops tea tree oil

10 drops lavender or lemon oil

Mix all the ingredients in the bottle and you're ready to go! Can be used for acrylic, ceramic tile, wood, marble, and granite. It's my main cleaner.

Living Simple to Me Means.....Mental Clarity

I was going to write about something else today, but there has been something pressing on my mind. Yesterday as I was getting ready for church, I thought to myself, "now what am I going to take with me to church to keep me occupied?" Right after that thought came, "I shouldn't be taking anything with me to keep me occupied. If anything paper and a pen to take to write down any impressions I have, that is it!"

That got me thinking about how I have been wanting to live a more simple lifestyle but that it goes much deeper than just the stuff that I own. What about the stuff that preoccupies my thoughts? Call it ADD that I am always doing multiple things at the same time if you'd like, but I think to an extent as a society we have made ourselves this way. For myself, what is the one thing that distracts me more than anything else? Answer: the internet! Since we don't own a TV, this is where all my distractions come from, since you can watch anything online anyways. When I wake up in the morning, I check the time on my phone, and then on my phone, I go on Facebook. If I need to get up in the middle of the night to go to the bathroom or eat (remember I'm in my last month of pregnancy), I watch something on Youtube before going back to sleep. When I take my afternoon siesta I watch something on the internet. I check my e-mail, Facebook, blog page views in a day more than I can count. And that doesn't even include the amount of time I surf the internet, go on Pinterest, or even look up something productive, like the definition of propriety! I find myself online longer than I planned, and while I am still looking random things up, I am thinking in my head, "ok you really need to get started on...X, Y, Z," but I'm not doing it.

There have been somethings that I really wanted to do but still haven't gotten to them because I've been "too busy." Somethings that have to do with personal growth, that are personal enough I won't share on my blog. So, starting last night, I have made some rules for myself this week, from now until next Monday, as well as some goals.

Rules:
Will only go online this week for the following...

1. Check my Facebook, e-mail, and blog only once a day (this includes when I write a blog post)
2. Will go online to plan my meals for the week (which is a one time thing)
3. Balance our 'checkbook'
4. Since my husband doesn't have texting, I will be on chat, in case I need/want to communicate with him while he's working.

Instead of being online, here are some goals I want to make:

1. Keep my house in order, as well as the other essentials
2. Go on a walk
3. Take the time to ponder, meditate, etc.
4. Draw one thing everyday
5. Start and finish a book, this week I've decided on reading Blink. This will be great for me since I always have at least 4 books I'm reading at once and it takes me forever to finish any of them.
6. Finish my 'to do' list before baby comes
7. Spend quality time with those around me

So far I have almost gone online for other than what I have written, 3 times! But I hope to find more fulfillment and meaning in my life this next week, as well as a chance to clear my thoughts and be more in the presence. Wish me luck!

How Others Live: Digital Nomad

Photo by: johnnyvagabond.com

Have you ever heard of a digital nomad? Simon Fairbairn and Erin McNeaney from the blog Never Ending Voyage sold everything but what they could carry on their backs, and have been slow traveling since March 2010. They make a living by their blog, creating iPhone apps for traveling, and web design. Since then they have been to more than 25 countries from Egypt, to China, to India, even Fiji! I would be lying if I said I wasn't a little envious of their nomadic lifestyle. Taking with them what they need and letting the world be their home.

Simon & Erin at the Monastery in Petra, Jordan 

 

Bolivia

 

Ice cave in New Zealand

Simon and a Hindu priest in India

Wondering what exactly they do take with them on there trip?: 

http://www.neverendingvoyage.com/travelling-with-hand-luggage-only-packing-list/

Think you can't be a digital nomad because you have a family? Think again. Check out this family of four, with  a 4 & 2 year old who traded in their suburban home life to travel the world year round: http://www.akingslife.com/

Project Toy Stories

 Have you ever heard of photographer Gabriele Galimberti's project Toy Stories? Over an 18 month period of time shooting, Galimberti noticed the difference in children and how they interacted with their toys. Those that were from wealthier countries were more possessive with their toys vs. children in poorer countries who had hardly anything but were more willing to share their most prized possessions, their toys, with Galimberti.

Stella - Montecchio, Italy

Photo by: Gabriele Galimberti

 Pavel - Kiev, Ukraine

Photo by: Gabriele Galimberti

 Cun Zi Yi - Chongqing, China

Photo by: Gabriele Galimberti

 Botlhe - Maun, Botswana

Photo by: Gabriele Galimberti

 Alessia - Castiglion Fiorentino, Italy

Photo by: Gabriele Galimberti

 Shaira - Mumbai, India

Photo by: Gabriele Galimberti

Tangawizi - Keekorok, Kenya

Photo by: Gabriele Galimberti

Some of these photos are very moving to me and it's interesting to see the difference between these children and what they valued the most. As I am coming to the end of pregnancy (5 more weeks!), I have thought a lot about what I want my little girl to value, and I hope to bring her up appreciating the simple things and not finding too much value on material possessions. I also wanted to make her something special and unique. So I made her her very first teddy bear. Using my resources, I checked out from the library One-Yard Wonders by Patricia Hoskins & Rebecca Yaker and spent a Saturday making her this.

 

Article by: Amanda Gorence
Photos of children by: Gabriele Galimberti
Photos of teddy bear by: Natalie Ayama

My Attempt at Reducing Waste

Remember this post about the family who practically has no trash going to the landfill? Well they inspired me to do better at not throwing everything in my trash cans, but instead to recycle and compost everything that I could. I couldn't believe how much waste I was throwing away without thinking twice about it! I went from about 10 small trash bags, probably the equivalent of 2 1/2 large trash bags, to only 2 small trash bags!

 My composting bucket.

 First half of the week's trash.

Second half of the week's trash.

There were a few times after throwing something in the trash can, by habit, that I would later take it out and put it either in my composting bucket or my recycling bucket. By the end of the week though, it wasn't difficult to remember where to put my kitchen scraps, or a milk carton. I even washed out a cardboard ice cream container to recycle! Overall I feel much better about the amount of waste going to the dump. I still have a long ways to go before I'm like the Johnson family. But I have to start somewhere. I strongly encourage all of you to try and recycle or compost. Visit Earth911 to find out what & where you can recycle in your area. Start making a pile of compost in your backyard, or if you're in an apartment like me, find someone with a yard and ask if the two of you could start composting your kitchen scraps. Tell them it'll give their yard more nutritious soil for their plants. Start today! A little can make a difference.

Trash can by Casa: http://www.casa.com/p/interdesign-pail-waste-can-232572

How Others Live: Family of Four Living in 540 sq. ft.

Jessica Helgerson, an Interior Designer lives here with her husband and two children in this 540 sq ft house on 5 acres located at Sauvie Island, Oregon. Previously living in a much larger dwelling, but decided to downsize drastically.

Every space is well utilized for multipurpose and storage. One example being the living space with couches that double as beds for guests, as well as drawers underneath for storage and a huge bookcase behind it.

 Looking at these pictures makes me think that it's very possible to live in a much smaller space with a well thought out design plan to store the things that are needed and to help you get rid of the extra stuff in our lives that we don't. How much more time and energy we would have to focus on the more important things in our lives like relationships, experiencing new things, learning new skills. I'm all for living in a smaller space, though I am aware I would need some pairing down to do so first. What do you think? Could you sacrifice a larger dwelling and the extra responsibilities that come a long with it for a more simpler life? Or maybe you are in the process of simplifying already. Or perhaps you are satisfied with the "American Dream" concept that bigger is better. I'm interested to know what others opinions are on living smaller.

Photos by Lincoln Barbour.

Story from http://birchandbird.com/a-life-less-ordinary

Living Simple to Me Means.....Reducing Waste

 Have you ever heard about this family? The family of four only throws away a couple handfuls of trash in the entire year! With the average person's trash totaling to about 1,600 pounds of trash a year, according to the Environmental Protection Agency, this family has really made a conscious effort to reduce their waste to literally hardly anything. Bea, the mother of the family, explained their reasoning by saying,  "We set out to simplify our lives, and it turned into something good for the environment." She's also expressed how freeing it has been to downsize their lives not just by reducing waste but moving from a 3,000 sq ft home to a 1,400 sq ft home and not having any clutter in their home, only owning the minimal things that they actually need. They've reduced waste by bringing their own class jars, containers, and reusable canvas bags to the grocery store. They also use handkerchief, bamboo toothbrushes, and compost in the backyard.

After reading about their inspiring story and fully aware of how much our society consumes and throws away a lot of waste in the trash, I decided to document my trash from the last week of our apartment. I wanted to see how much trash we throw away with it only being the two of us.

Our trash in one week:

 This families trash in a year:

Obviously there is a big difference! Although I don't think I'm quite ready to be that savvy about my waste, I'm going to try this next week to recycle everything that can be recycled, and compost what I can. I think we can all do a better job at using the "3 R's" of reusing, reducing, and recycling. I hope to get some mental clarity like this family has in doing things that are good for the environment.












Green waste icon: http://www.mossenvy.com/Articles.asp?ID=142
Photos/Quotes/Articles: http://www.mossenvy.com/Articles.asp?ID=142
http://www.people.com/people/archive/article/0,,20559312,00.html
Statistic: http://www.wisegeek.org/how-much-garbage-does-a-person-create-in-one-year.htm

The Burning House

"If your house was burning, what would you take with you? It's a conflict between what's practical, valuable and sentimental. What you would take reflects your interests, background and priorities. Think of it as an interview condensed into one question."

I came across this blog a few years ago as I was surfing the net. It's a blog dedicated to documenting what others would take with them if their house was burning. It's made me think a lot about what are the basic things that I value the most and if the rest of the things that I own really matter? Here are some of the pictures from the blog of what others would take:

Name: Louis
Age: 18
Location: Lyon, France
Occupation: Student
Website: http://1-250s.tumblr.com/ & http://unoctineodi.tumblr.com/

• List:
• My Moleskine, my extrnal hard drive
• My FED 4 with Jupiter 8 lens
• 3 Black and white films
• My polaroid
• A Bicycle card game, because I love playing cards
• My Etch A Sketch, a gift that remembers me that have good friends
• My Diary
• My iPod
• My old Opinel, a gift from my grandfather
• 3 pencils
• A lot of envelope ton write to people I know
• My pocket watercolor box

Name: Lauriëtte de Ruiter

Age: 22

Location: Rotterdam, the Netherlands

Occupation: Interactive Designer

Website: www.lauriette.com

List:

• Macbook Pro
• iPhone 5
• Moleskine
• Passport
• Wallet
• Jewelry
• Tiger
• Keepsake boxes including photos and other important stuff
• 

Name: Dashiell Oatman-Stanford
Age: 25
Location: Edinburgh, Scotland
Occupation: Student

List:

• Belt
• Moleskin Notebook
• Headphones
• Messenger Bag
• Passport
• Glasses 
• Watch 
• Mug
• Earbuds
• iPhone
• Sweater
• Shoes
• Laptop

 

Name: Malcolm Henderson
Age: 25
Location: Bimingham, UK
Occupation: Wedding photographer and emergency call taker
Website: www.mustardyellowphotography.com
List:

• Tiamo hand coffee grinder
• The Oxford Book of Madrigals
• Biffy Clyro The Vertigo of Bliss
• The party elephant
• Monty the Mouse
• Our Moroccan teapot
• Ukelele

Name: Roberto Alegria
Age: 35
Location: Barcelona, Spain
Occupation: Photographer
Website: www.robertoalegria.com

List:

• Skateboard
• Notebooks
• Wallet
• MacBookPro
• IPhone
• Brixton Hat
• Nixon Watch
• Vietnamese four face buddha
• Hasselblad 201F film camera

 Here is what I would grab if my home was on flames:

• My mom's jewelry (sorry mom, didn't realize I had it in my things when I got married)
• Sculpture my grandpa carved
• Scriptures
• Baby book
• Journals
• Wallet
• Favorite Dress
• Flip flops
• Mug my cousin made
• Mother goose nursery rhymes book

What would you take if your house was on fire?

Photos and information from theburninghouse.com