Why biodiversity is important   Biodiversity is the result of billions of years of evolution into an intricate balancing act that can best be described as the web of life. When one species is lost, such loss threatens survival of countless others. This week I speak with Christianne Close, Global Practice Leader at the World Wildlife Fund. We discuss WWF’s Living Planet Index, a new report that puts numbers behind the rapid and unprecedented rates of population loss across the...

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How to Become a Minimalist this School Year   I’ve always harbored mixed feelings about September. On one hand, it’s the end of summer (boo). But on the other, September ushers in both a literal and a figurative change in the air. Our kids head back to school, and there’s the opportunity to re-introduce routines after months of laid-back living. September is the perfect opportunity to both recenter and become a minimalist with intentional choices. And while January is often...

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Ethical Alternatives to Amazon   Shoppers adore Amazon, and it’s all thanks to convenience and price: The site’s Subscribe & Save feature lowers already quite low prices. And ultra-speedy shipping and responsive customer service? Many consumers have come to expect such heightened levels of convenience when shopping online. But Amazon has been in the news an awful lot in the past 5 years, and for less than stellar reasons. A growing subset of shoppers seek ethical online alternatives because Amazon...

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Self Sufficiency Spotlight: Microgreens   [A Note from Stephanie: This episode is the first in a series that highlights attainable steps toward self-sufficiency. Once per month through December, the series offers a short and sweet interview to introduce you to an aspect of sustainability you may not have considered before. I hope the series will inspire you to adopt a fun, new hobby that also happens to be eco-friendly!]   Chances are you’ve heard of microgreens before (or perhaps noticed restaurants tout...

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10 Eco-Friendly Yard Care Rules   Americans are obsessed with lawns. In a perfect world, your grass is vibrant green. There’s nary a weed, and there are certainly no dandelions. It’s lush and neatly edged; yard care consists of trimming to exactly an inch and a half tall. But in order to achieve this idyllic lawn, you must be willing to shell out either money or time, despite the fact that there are other things you’d likely rather spend your...

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5 Facts About the Global Water Crisis   Ever wonder how many gallons it takes to flush your toilet? (Answer: 3.5.) Did you know that 55 gallons of water are required to grow the beans for a single cup of coffee? Today’s show is dedicated to our most important—and our most overlooked—resource: Water. Despite easy access from faucets and showers, access to clean water is a privilege. Water scarcity is driven by two phenomena happening at once: Humans are using more...

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How to Declutter Your Home without Trashing the Planet   Many minimalist influencers trademark decluttering plans to show you how, exactly, to declutter your home. The most well-known? Marie Kondo’s Konmari method, of course. But what if you desire to declutter without sending items that no longer “spark joy” to the landfill? And while possessions that are broken or obsolete will inevitably be trashed, sustainable minimalists work tirelessly to send as little to the landfill as possible throughout the duration of...

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5 New Ways to Reduce Your Plastic Waste   Plastic waste is everywhere, am I right? (Hey there, plastic-wrapped cucumber!). If you’ve ever looked around and wondered why on Earth everything is wrapped in plastic—and if you’ve wondered whether such overreliance on a single-use product derived from fossil fuels is completely contradictory to common sense—you aren’t alone. Here’s the answer. Because plastic production requires fossil fuels, fossil fuel companies are investing billions of dollars into new plastic production facilities (source)....

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Minimalist Parenting Guidance for Raising Good Humans   Parenting is hard; parenting during a pandemic is even harder. Still, guidance experts argue that raising children with both sanity and joy is possible. If you feel like you’re always on—and if you’re utterly exhausted—know that it’s A-OK to be minimalist in your parenting strategy, because doing less will foster resilience. My guest this week is nationally renowned parenting expert and mentor Sue Groner. Sue is on the show to discern what kids...

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How to Buy Nothing By Joining a Gift Economy   Have you ever heard the popular saying, “Nothing in life is free”? Thanks to Buy Nothing groups, this platitude isn’t *exactly* true. Gifting has been around for almost as long as humans, and such economies rely on relationships—not personal gain—to spread love and share resources. And although market economies have pushed gifting aside in recent centuries, gifting is making a comeback in a big way. The benefits of Buy Nothing groups...

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Advanced Simple Living Tips for Seasoned Minimalists   Simple living is a lifestyle that refuses to accept busy and harried as normal. Instead, intentionality is about removing unnecessary conflicts, excessive to-do items, and pointless distractions as a means of experiencing all life has to offer. But if you Google “how to live slow” (or some facsimile thereof), you will likely see the same strategies touted over and over: Turn your phone off. Walk in nature. Read. And while these strategies offer solid starting...

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  5 Facts Carbon Footprint Facts You Likely Didn’t Know   Carbon footprints are confusing. What’s a carbon footprint, exactly, and how is yours related to climate change? Carbon footprints are a handy-dandy metric that makes clear how severely your lifestyle impacts the planet.  Your diet, travel habits, and your home’s cooling and heating practices are just some lifestyle considerations that may increase (or decrease!) your unique footprint. If you live in the United States or another developed country, your...

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  Eco-Conscious Gifts for New Parents (That Are Actually Helpful)   Are you always on the hunt for gifts for new parents, but often feel as though you’re coming up short? OR do you plan to become a new parent someday but find it difficult – if not downright impossible – to distinguish true needs amidst all the hype? It’s time to discern new baby Must-Haves from Don’t-Needs, once and for all. On this week’s episode, I’m thrilled to replace...

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How to Simplify (and Green-ify!) Housework   Laundry, dishes, and general home cleaning: Mundane housework got you down? Sustainable minimalism is about doing less and living more. The good news? It’s entirely possible to apply the tenets of sustainable minimalism to housework by simplifying tasks, minimizing magnitude and -finally! – incorporating incremental eco-friendliness to our efforts. On this week’s episode, I offer dozens of tips and tricks to simplify (and green-ify!) our laundry, dishes, and general housework routines so that you...

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How to Save Money Like a Minimalist   The minimalist lifestyle often centers itself around possessions. Yet how we spend our money – what we choose to buy and how long we must work to make purchases – matters, as the tenets of minimalism uniquely lend themselves to finances. Indeed, simplified money matters can reduce stress, contribute to savings goals, and increase free time. On today’s show I speak with Certified Financial Planner (CFP®), author, and fellow minimalist Dawn Starks....

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Environmental racism occurs every day and all over the globe. Worse, it rarely receives the media attention it deserves. In the United States, African Americans are more likely to live near toxic waste facilities and breathe polluted air. Their communities are less likely to receive adequate protection to prevent disasters and – when disasters do occur – they are less likely to receive an immediate, comprehensive response. We don’t have to look far to find instances of environmental racism all over...

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COVID-19 has forced many of us to look critically at consumerist culture for perhaps the first time. If you don’t like what you see, you aren’t alone. Although anti-consumerism is countercultural, it isn’t uncommon. Proponents argue that breaking free from the purchasing hamster wheel ushers in financial freedom; it provides clarity around what’s *actually* important, too. My guest this week is Aleah Mohammed. Aleah had an ‘a-ha’ moment as she took out the trash; she committed herself to a no-new-purchases...

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  Summer is all about living the simple life, with extended bedtimes, spur-of-the-moment jaunts, and a general commitment to squeezing out every last frills-free moment in the sunshine. But thanks to unnecessary purchases, chemical-laden sunscreen and bug repellent, and unsustainable vacations that create excessive carbon emissions, our summer celebrations may harm the planet. The good news is it’s entirely possible to enjoy a simple and eco-friendly summer. On this week’s episode we are discussing practical ways to tweak our summer...

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The best online thrifting stores Prefer vintage? Love designer? If you have a distinct style – or if you simply prefer new clothes! – you may assume that thrifting couldn’t possibly be for you. But thanks to 5 of the best online thrifting stores, secondhand shopping makes thrifting for unique styles, shapes, and price ranges accessible for all of us. Corporations have fed us the false truth that new is best. Capitalist societies flourish when consumers constantly buy, but purchasing...

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5 Unique Ways to be Frugal Without Being Cheap   Pennypincher. Tightwad. Cheapskate. Under normal circumstances, public opinion tends to shun frugality. But frugality has been reborn, so to speak, thanks to the novel Coronavirus pandemic. Many are wasting less food and experimenting with gardening. Others are making conscious efforts to send less to the landfill by reusing, repurposing, and rethinking waste culture. Thrifty behaviors aren’t worthy of the side-eye anymore. Instead, the opposite is true: during a pandemic, frugality is smart. Thriftiness...

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Work From Home Tips (Konmari Homeschool Ideas, too!)   Quarantined in a small space with a big family? Establishing spaces within our homes that work for everyone, including the work from home professionals, the homeschooled kids, and the adults in charge of keeping All. The. Clutter. under control maintains cohesion and reduces family tension. My guest this week is minimalist and Konmari consultant Jessica Yatrofsky. Jessica presents practical tidying tips for quarantine and always, including reasons why picking up at...

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Fair Trade, Certified B and More   Ever wonder what the Fair Trade label on products *really* means? How about that elusive Certified B Corp distinction? “All-natural”, “fat-free”, and “non-toxic” are blanket marketing statements that have no real meaning. But third party certifications? Their distinct logos distinguish the best from the rest. Yet while certifications are meant to give consumers confidence, it can be difficult to understand what all the different labels stand for. On today’s show I break down...

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Your Sustainability Questions, Answered Many listeners write to me with compliments and criticisms; occasionally, listeners reach out with questions, too. I collected some of the most pressing queries from both personal messages and public ones in the show’s closed Facebook group. On this week’s episode I answer 5 of the most common sustainability questions you listeners have asked me. Here’s a preview of today’s show: [1:40] Why are silicone products preferable to plastic ones? [4:11] Why has plastic become so popular?...

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  Los Angeles boasts clear, smog-free skies. Passerby on New York City’s busiest avenues enjoy the sounds of chirping birds. And in Venice? Fish are visible in the city’s once-murky canals. In some ways, the COVID-19 pandemic has done wonders for the health of our planet. But in others? For many of us, sticking to our zero waste lifestyle goals feels nearly impossible. The reason is twofold. First, many of us experience the tug and pull of purchasing more than we...

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What’s a menstrual cup? (And other zero-waste period queries)   Ever find yourself wondering what a menstrual cup is, exactly? Want to zero-wastify your monthly cycle but don’t know how? The average woman uses 22 disposable tampons or pads per cycle, or 264 products per year. Assuming a woman menstruates for 35 years, she will throw away a whopping 9,240 single-use menstrual products in  her lifetime.  On this week’s episode I identify six (amazing) reusable menstrual products on the market...

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Slow Homes, Climate Change, and Coronavirus   Cornoavirus has forced one in four people worldwide into social isolation; indeed, slow homes have replaced on-the-go living for weeks to come. But what are the implications of forced slowness on reluctant mothers, and how is social isolation impacting the planet? On this week’s episode we examine Coronavirus’s implications by considering long-term effects. Although online content covers small picture issues – like how to keep children entertained despite social distancing and how to become...

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Why is it so hard to find clean beauty products?   Got clean beauty? If you’re like most American women, the answer is (probably) no. Each day, the average woman slathers on twelve beauty products (or over 100 unregulated chemicals!). Beauty brands use the term “clean” to highlight products without controversial ingredients. But without regulation, virtually any product can label itself clean without consequence. “Clean” therefore becomes just another marketing descriptor that corporations smack on product labels to catch consumers’...

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  Tackle Family Clutter with Heat Maps   Many tidying techniques promise to keep down family clutter. One of the simplest and most creative of these techniques is heat mapping, which identifies problem areas within the home. A heat map represents values with colors, and heat mapping for clutter works because the practice yields data. If you were to heat map your living space, which rooms would be labeled red? On this week’s episode I interview fellow blogger and podcaster...

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When Overspending on Luxury Backfires   Many financially-able consumers commit to overspending on designer purchases. Because luxury goods by nature are both pricey and in high-demand, such possessions communicate status and prestige. Then there’s our biology: evolution reinforces comparing and competing. In the age of social media we post fancy photos of ourselves doing fancy things as a way to prove we, too, are as worthy as our peers. But while consumers assume investing in designer items will result in...

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Have you ever wondered what seasoned minimalists do on the weekend? Here’s a top-secret minimalist tip: It isn’t all rest and relaxation. While minimalists believe simplicity is important – and while Sunday is indeed *the* day to rest – minimalists also know it’s prudent to spend weekends quietly preparing for the upcoming week. On this week’s show I’m thrilled to offer 8 minimalist tips that mitigate weekday mania and usher in easy-breezy simplicity during the workweek. My suggestions aren’t overly...

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Microplastic Pollution: Everything you Need to Know   These days, microplastic pollution is everywhere. It isn’t hyperbole: Scientists find plastic everywhere they look for it. Microplastics pollute our oceans; they reside in the bellies of animals, too. And plastics are also in humans: A 2019 study concluded that we consume a credit card’s-worth of plastic each week, on average. When we examine the scope of the microplastics problem – when we understand fully that plastic has invaded every nook and...

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5 Tricks to Help You Buy Less Stuff   If you often make impulse purchases you end up regretting later, you can thank The Itch. The Itch is that feeling that blinds our better judgement when we see an item we really, really want. The Itch is cunning: It goads us into throwing caution to the wind and buying whatever the fancy item may be. Despite all we know about conscious consumerism, it’s natural for you and me to experience...

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Tips on Decluttering 6 Oft-Forgotten Areas You decluttered. You’ve tidied. You organized what’s left, and now you’re exhausted. But still – to your chagrin! – you realize the work’s not *quite* complete. It happens to the best of us: In the throes of decluttering, we overlook specific spaces that demand our attention. My guest this week is blogger, YouTuber, and decluttering expert Shannon Torrens. Shannon is on the show to identity the 6 areas we tend to overlook on our journeys...

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In order to make fabric, you need thread. And to make thread? You need fibers. But what are eco friendly fibers, exactly, and why are they important? Textile corporations intentionally shadow their manufacturing processes from the public; they obscure their garment labels with hard-to-understand terms, too. I believe this obfuscation is intentional: Because we consumers are confused, we give up on attempting to comprehend the ins and outs of one of the most environmentally destructive industries in the world. On...

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Less is more, and not just with possessions: A minimalist lifestyle decreases stress and increases peace of mind. Many of us could benefit from intentional lifestyle tweaks that prioritize free time, reduce financial stress and curate fulfilling relationships. The single-best way to accomplish all these (lofty) tasks? Simplify wherever possible. On today’s show I’m thrilled to offer 6 minimalist lifestyle tips that emphasize time management, tweak finances and manage interpersonal relationships with simplicity in mind. I explain the 50-50 approach to showing...

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Are you concerned you have an unhealthy attachment to stuff? Do you worry for a loved one who has trouble letting possessions go? Hoarding Disorder isn’t necessarily all piles and pathways; in real life, hoarding can look much different than the extremes highlighted on television. There’s a fine line between a cluttered household versus a hoarding household and – for many of us – pinning down the difference feels slippery. On this week’s show I’m speaking with social worker, hoarding...

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Eco-friendliness is hot right now. It’s in. But marketing teams have their fingers on the pulse and know that consumers increasingly demand green products. So they tout misleading claims to sound more eco-friendly than they actually are to – you guessed it! – make a profit. It’s called greenwashing, and consumers are being duped by innuendos, imagery and outright lies Every. Single. Day. Corporations want us to believe we can buy our way out of the environmental crisis we’ve made...

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Ever wondered where Goodwill donations really go? Our society craves what’s shiny and what’s new. We toss broken stuff without bothering to repair it; we donate perfectly good stuff to make room in our homes for newer, sleeker models, too. Between 1967 and 2017, the amount Americans spent annually on stuff increased nearly twenty-fold. And while some items will be recycled into new goods or given to others in need, the vast majority of our unwanted stuff is destined for...

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Eco-friendly communities drive big ideas   Few would object: Kinship is important. Humans are evolutionarily designed to live alongside others; eco-friendly communities facilitate the sharing of resources, too. Still, many of us have minimal – (if any!) – contact with our neighbors. And although we may quite physically live within a community, so many of us feel isolated. My guest today argues that close-knit groups are important for another reason: When it comes to sustainability, eco-friendly communities share ideas, encourage...

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Green buying and Overconsumption Ever buy on impulse? If so, you know those feel-good endorphins after handing over your credit card are real.Is it safe to assume, then, that shopping makes us happier? Where does green buying fit in? On today’s episode my guest and I explore the connections between materialism, green buying and lasting life satisfaction. Dr. Sabrina Helm is an associate professor at the University of Arizona whose research interests include climate change and overconsumption. Her recent study into the...

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Every year, 165 billion packages are shipped in the United States. Does this figure seem staggering? It should. Because all these packages generate enough cardboard to equal more than 1 billion trees. Online shopping isn’t going anywhere; in fact, e-commerce sales are expected to double in the next decade. This week, I tackle both the environmental advantages as well as the disadvantages to our collective online shopping habit. (You may be surprised to learn that – when it comes to...

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Declutter *before* Christmas? Say what? The holidays are coming, and you know what that means: Stuff, stress and more stuff. While many of us declutter after the chaos becomes unbearable, decluttering before Christmas creates space in our homes, heads and hearts so that we may usher in the festivities with open arms. My guest this week is blogger Rebecca Benson. Rebecca is on the show to identify 5 very specific spaces to tackle this instant including the gift wrap bin,...

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What are you doing on Black Friday? Will you elbow your way through crowds of fellow consumers in hopes of scoring an epic Black Friday-only deal, or are you curious about enjoying a different kind of day? It’s crazy but it’s true: Only in America do we trample each other for sales exactly one day after being thankful for what we already have. My guest this week is blogger Barbara Alfeo. Barbara is on the show to explain the history...

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It’s cliche but true: Our children are always watching. As eco-conscious parents, we consistently lead by example on the ‘big’ actions (reducing air travel, cooking plant-based meals) as well as on the small stuff, too (repurposing water, line-drying clothes). We assume that – because our kids are always observing our behavior – they’ll naturally pick up on our low-waste, environmental ideals. And while it’s certainly true that our children are watching us, it’s also true that they are learning from...

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Is it me, or do we often forget self-care during the holidays? For better or worse, the holiday craze starts on November first. Christmas commercials inundate our favorite television programming. Christmas trees abound in stores. Holiday “sales” entice us here, there and everywhere. In November, it often feels as though being busy – and being stressed – is expected. But the weather is cooling; it’s darker earlier, too. It’s natural for you and me to desire a slower pace and...

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They’re nearly here: the holidays. And with ethical gift giving on the rise, it’s no surprise that discerning shoppers aspire to support sustainability with their dollars. But how, exactly, to give ethically? Although shoppers are becoming more brand conscious + 1 in 5 Gen Z’ers are taking extra steps to shop with intention, confusion abounds over what ethical gift giving really means. On this week’s show I outline the nuts + bolts behind the Ethical Gift Hierarchy. Then I divulge...

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Our grandparents + great-grandparents knew how to be self-sufficient. They survived an economic depression + major wars so they understood the importance of fostering age-old skills, just in case. These days, you + I are a generation (or two!) removed from crisis. We’re heavily dependent on products that make our lives easier, too. This lack of perspective coupled with reliance on convenience means we’re one thing + one thing only: Vulnerable. Preparing for job loss or sudden illness isn’t futile;...

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They just don’t make things the way they used to. It’s true: These days, electronics + appliances are often made with cheap parts that are designed to break after warrantees expire. But planned obsolescence is more than just cheap products. It’s automatic software updates that render our tech useless. It’s missing user manuals + discontinued parts, too. On this week’s show I describe the sneaky ways planned obsolescence creates repeat customers out of the best of us. I offer 8...

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Minimalism and motherhood may at first seem impossible, for 3 reasons: – First, there’s all the stuff children need + somehow accumulate. – Then there are the calendar-fillers, including appointments, extracurriculars, playdates, birthday parties + volunteer opportunities. – Finally, mothers manage an increased mental load because organizing, planning + juggling domestic life is a full-time job. But minimalism in motherhood is possible. Indeed, proponents of slow parenting attest that minimalist parenting creates space for what matters. This week’s guest is Diane...

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Does this sound right? – Feeding your family demands significant mental energy. Although you’d like to serve low-plastic, zero-waste meals, you have no idea where to start. – You eat out more than you’d like; you spend more money than your wallet likes on restaurant food, too. – Weeknights are hectic so you cut corners to ease your burden in the form of frozen pizza + other highly-processed foods. The result? Extra pounds. – You know that with a bit...

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Sentimental clutter lives in the past; keeping it around often prevents full presence in the here + now. Conversely, removing what’s unnecessary ushers in freedom. It presents opportunities for personal growth, too. My guest this week is Erin Beckman. Erin is a single mother + widow who faced her attic full of  nostalgic items head-on + found herself in the process. Erin describes the process of sifting through her deceased husband’s items as a transformative one. That’s because facing those...

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You listeners often ask how to declutter sentimental items. What to do with a talented family member’s paintings? What about that box of childhood mementos? How about the yellowed wedding dress hanging in the far recesses of the closet? Although the “stuff” differs from query to query, the underlying question is always the same: What’s the best way to let go of clutter that’s laced with emotion? First things first:  There’s nothing wrong with keeping sentimental items around; there’s nothing...

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Your couch is dangerous; your shower curtain liner is, too. Many toxic household staples appear benign; as a result, we find ourselves holding onto the hazardous stuff despite the fact that healthier alternatives abound. The sad truth is that many consumers assume products are regulated. But while 62,000 chemicals are approved for use in the United States, less than 300 have been actually been tested. On this week’s episode I’m exposing 10 seemingly-innocent but actually-quite-toxic household items lurking in our...

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Are you tired of your decor? Maybe your furniture isn’t contemporary enough for your taste. Or perhaps your once-trendy, heavily-patterned curtains feel stale. But you lean toward the eco-friendly side of things – you’re a stand-up human, too – so you won’t chuck your old decor for new stuff without a bit of eco-guilt. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, 9 million tons of furniture end up in landfills every year. Poorer quality furniture is more likely to get tossed....

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The eco-friendly lifestyle sometimes gets a bad rap as being reserved only for the privileged. Here’s why: –  While organic food + hybrid cars are certainly green, they have hefty price tags + therefore aren’t accessible to everyone. – Some eco-friendly products will save money in the long run, but their significant up-front costs deter consumers from ever purchasing. (A $30 box of disposable diapers is much easier to swallow in the short-term than a $250 set of cloth ones!)...

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Does the future of our planet usher in hopelessness? Do you stay up at night worrying whether Earth will remain habitable for our children? If so, you may suffer from eco-anxiety. Eco-anxiety is fear for the future of our planet + manifests itself in feelings of anger, powerlessness or exhaustion. A 2017 report by the American Psychological Association found that – because it’s chronic by nature –  eco-anxiety can have lasting impacts on mental health. My guest this week is...

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It happens to the best of us: You’ve already decluttered, yet your home remains messy. Why is that? The answer is threefold: First, there’s a perceived inverse relationship between clutter + cleanliness. Second, you overlooked some important places (10 important places, to be exact!) when decluttering. Finally, you neglected the tenets of minimalist organization. On this week’s episode I tackle all 3 reasons why your home feels messy when it’s clean. The cherry on top? Simple, actionable steps to take...

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Does the slow living movement intrigue you? If you recently went on a summer vacation you know it’s true: A slow, intentional life feels right. Yet, despite our best intentions, most of us retreat to our busy habits + our cluttered ways hours after returning home. The first step to living a more intentional life isn’t Googling a quick fix. Seasoned minimalists know that in order to slow down (for good!) you must first identify why you’re so busy in the...

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What’s your underwear made of? Are your tighty-whities: A. Synthetic? Polyester, rayon, acrylic + nylon are comprised partly of plastic, are hard to dispose of + contribute to landfill waste. Even worse, synthetic waste byproducts pollute waterways. B. Or is your underwear made of cotton? Because it’s grown, conventional cotton is bathed in pesticides, derived from genetically-modified seeds + originates in factories that pay unlivable working wages. When it comes to our underwear, today’s guest offers a better way: Organic cotton. My...

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The post Why (Organic) Cotton is King appeared first on Mama Minimalist.

These days, many Americans boast supersized homes, an outfit for every day of the month + 300,000 possessions, on average. We also report high levels of depression + anxiety; we have debt, too. Have you ever wondered why we continue to buy more + more, despite the fact that our purchases don’t make us happy, send us into debt + destroy our planet’s precious resources? I do. On this week’s show I divulge 4 reasons why we buy things we...

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The post Why We Overbuy (+ How to Stop) appeared first on Mama Minimalist.

Have a major decluttering project on your To-Do List? If so, you’ll benefit from having both a plan + insight before you declutter your home. My guest this week is Katie McGowen. Katie is a mom of 5 who knew she had to declutter in a big way. But she didn’t tidy willy-nilly wherever the wind blew her + whenever she found the time; instead, she sought to declutter her entire home systematically. Katie created a plan before she minimized...

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The post 3 Hard Truths about Clutter appeared first on Mama Minimalist.

You’ve heard the buzz around composting, but you want to be certain composting is right for you *before* you embark on another potentially time-sucking hobby. Of course you’d love to know how to make great compost, but you’re a newbie + you need guidance. If your garbage can is like the average American’s, at least 20% of it is filled with food. Worse, that 20% is entirely preventable. My guest this week is Heather Kauffman. Heather is passionate about composting...

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The post How to Make Great Compost (With Very Little Effort) appeared first on Mama Minimalist.

My grandparents were incredibly resourceful: They pioneered countless reuse ideas so that nothing valuable was ever wasted. These days, while many Millennials + Generation Y-ers harbor a collective single-use mindset, generations past had ingrained reuse within well before zero-waste living ever became a ‘thing’. We can learn an awful lot from our grandparents. On this week’s episode I uncover 13 of the best household reuse ideas straight from Grandma. Enjoy! * Access this week’s Show Notes here. * Find your tribe. Sustainable...

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The post Smart Reuse Ideas + 13 Items My Grandma Never Threw Away appeared first on Mama Minimalist.

Sick of having a closet full of clothes + nothing to wear? If so, it’s time to seriously consider a capsule wardrobe. A successful capsule improves self-esteem, reduces mental clutter + makes getting dressed a heck of a lot easier. But what’s the secret sauce to creating one that works, as opposed to one that’s ‘meh’? It isn’t about base neutrals or accent pieces. It isn’t about following rigid rules, either. My guest this week is Amanda Warfield. Amanda is back on...

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The post The Secret to a Successful Capsule Wardrobe (Planner Included!) appeared first on Mama Minimalist.

It’s 2019 + Americans are crazy about recycling. We separate our trash in airports. In office buildings. Inside schools. We assume our garbage is properly disposed of; we expect that our plastics, papers + aluminum actually gets recycled. The reality is we shouldn’t be thrilled about recycling; we shouldn’t assume the good men + women in waste management follow best environmental practices, either. Think landfills are benign? Think again. On today’s episode I uncover the current state of waste management...

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The post Why is Recycling Bad? Here are 6 Reasons appeared first on Mama Minimalist.

Do you love your home? Or is there *something* about your space that sends you running for the hills? For many, our living spaces provoke anxiety. Maybe the clutter constantly distracts us. Perhaps (seemingly endless) household chores wear us down, slowly but surely. Or maybe we’re bored at home so we hunt elsewhere for entertainment. But what almost always happens when we head out? We spend money. My guest this week is Katie Shaw. Katie *used to* run to Target for...

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The post 077: How to Love the Home You Have (Not the One You Want!) appeared first on Mama Minimalist.

Do you desire to declutter your home but find yourself worried about making an even *bigger* mess? I hear that. If a slow + steady approach to, well, EVERYthing appeals to you, you’ll love the Shoebox Method’s incremental take on minimalism. My guest this week is Dionne Myhre. She’s a lifelong lover of organization; she’s a blogger who helps women find peace in tidied simplicity, too. She’s here to outline her Shoebox Method so that you, too, can declutter your...

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The post 076: Declutter your Home with the Shoebox Method appeared first on Mama Minimalist.

Have you planted your summer garden? Did you do so zero-waste style? If gardening isn’t your cup of tea, I humbly ask you to reconsider. Gardening is the cheapest way to get your hands on organic produce; it’s a hobby that intimately connects you to your food source, too. Whether you’re growing herbs on your fire escape, tilling a 600- square foot parcel or attempting something in between, it pays to garden the zero-waste way. On this week’s show I’m...

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The post 075: Zero-Waste Gardening for Mediocre Gardeners appeared first on Mama Minimalist.

Have a big bucket list but a small-ish bank account? Do you dream in color but get snagged on the details? Feel held back by your children? Many of us aspire to get living, but the minutiae of planning forces us to stand still. That’s why it’s easier to remain stagnant in a life that may (or may not!) light us up. This week’s guests have mastered the art of intentional living. Despite dubious finances + countless obstacles, Erik + Emily...

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The post 074: How to Live Large by Living with Less appeared first on Mama Minimalist.

It’s one of your biggest decluttering concerns + I hear it all the time. Are you worried you’ll declutter something you’ll one day miss? You’re not alone. For some of you, this fear is so strong it prevents you from decluttering before you even start.          On this week’s episode, I lead you by the hand through your home. Together, we declutter room-by-room. In each space I offer up items I know you have + am certain you...

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The post 30 Items to Declutter Today That You Won’t Miss Tomorrow appeared first on Mama Minimalist.

  When it comes to our closets, the most sustainable practice is to wear what we already own. Donating clothes contributes to textile pollution; as such, it’s prudent to wear + re-wear our garments until they’re thoroughly worn out. But what if we have a closetful of items we simply aren’t wearing? If we’re being honest, what if we have a wardrobe comprised of outfits we’ll never wear again? Amanda Warfield is a capsule wardrobe expert who argues that the...

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The post 072: Why We Keep Clothes We Don’t Wear (+ How to Let Them Go) appeared first on Mama Minimalist.

Conscious consumers are so much more than review-checkers. They don’t have their credit card information saved on Amazon. They’re not swayed by “deals” or “sales”, either. Conscious consumers don’t walk the shopping mall for fun + they certainly don’t follow marketplace trends. You’ve heard the term but – still! – its definition remains ambiguous. What is a conscious consumer, exactly? This week, I’m thrilled to identify key traits of intentional shoppers. I show you exactly how you can be one,...

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The post 071: Conscious Consumerism for Real People appeared first on Mama Minimalist.

    Did you know? The average American kitchen holds a whopping 1,019 items. Yet professional chefs argue that fully functioning kitchens demand *just* 16 items. No need to spend an arm + a leg on top of the line models, either: you, too, can whip up delectable meals with just 16 items that cost under $300 total. This week, I’m dabbling in the concepts of minimalists kitchens + minimalist cooking with simplicity wellness coach Mirley Guerra Graf. Mirley believes that...

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The post 070: The Basics of Minimalist Kitchens + Minimalist Cooking appeared first on Mama Minimalist.

Freshly baked artisanal breads, still warm from the oven. Imported cheeses in original packaging. Untouched organic berries. Did you know? You can find all this + more in your local dumpster. Cameron Macleish first learned about the food waste epidemic as a broke college student. These days, he dumpster dives and – with his mom’s help – cooks delectable meals with his finds to push back against both food waste + food insecurity. While Cameron neither wants nor expects us to dumpster...

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The post 069: For Dumpster Diving Skeptics appeared first on Mama Minimalist.

Have you scheduled self-care into your days lately? I get it: We’re all busy. When we must cut something, we almost always cut the tasks that rejuvenate ourselves from our schedules first. I believe that self-care is less about time-intensive, expensive spa treatments (although if they light you up, go for ’em!).  Instead, self-care is a collection of little habits that promote healthy + peaceful existences. On today’s episode, we get some serious self-care bang out of *just* 5 minutes. Liann Hughes is...

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The post 068: Self-care for Busy People appeared first on Mama Minimalist.

  So you’ve slashed into the trash your household produces. (That’s great!) But what about when you’re out + about? Are you conscious of garbage when you’re on-the-go? The truth is this: Strategic handbags go a *long way* toward low-waste or zero-waste living. It’s easier than it sounds, too: I carry everything I need for eating out, doing errands + stopping anywhere spontaneous in my medium-sized shoulder bag. On today’s episode I divulge the ten items I keep with me at...

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The post 067: 10 Handbag Essentials for On-the-Go Sustainability appeared first on Mama Minimalist.

Have you ever embarked on a dry month? Would you consider one? This week we explore the space where minimalism, intentional living + sobriety collide. My guest this week is blogger Kim Miller. Through the lenses of #winemom + motherhood drinking culture, Kim + I examine the idea that clutter isn’t *just* physical stuff. Clutter is old ideas + habits that don’t serve us. Clutter is anything that takes us out of the moment + away from our best selves, too. Kim...

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The post 066: How a Dry Month Complements Mental Minimalism appeared first on Mama Minimalist.

Ever find yourself questioning the air quality in your home?  How about your water? Many of us have completed personal detoxes to eliminate internal toxins from our bodies. But how many of us tackle the toxins that reside in our homes? Toxins are everywhere, even in the cleanest of living spaces. As such, indoor air quality is typically 2-5 times more polluted than outdoor air. Worst of all? Abundant toxins can + do lead to health problems. There is good news, +...

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The post 065: Your Guide to a Total Home Detox appeared first on Mama Minimalist.

Let me guess: You like the *idea* of thrifting as a means of preserving both your hard-earned money + the planet. But in practice, things get muddled. Who has the time, energy or desire to sift through mounds of less-than-ideal garments in search of a genuine find? Here’s the good news: These days, it’s easier than ever to shop secondhand. My guest this week is Lauren Spraggins. She’s a fashion reseller who searches for, cleans, mends + presses secondhand items....

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The post 064: How to Shop Secondhand the 21st Century Way appeared first on Mama Minimalist.

Humans are sick + are getting sicker. So is planet Earth.  Our health as a species is intricately linked to the health of our planet. Indeed, perhaps the most concerning aspect of greenhouse gases, polluted oceans + shrinking ecosystems is that – ultimately – we have manufactured an environment unfit for human life. My guest this week is Dr. Stephen Hussey. He’s a chiropractor, health coach + author who’s on the podcast to outline concrete action steps for reclaiming our...

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The post 063: Why We’re Sick + How to get Healthy (Hint: It Has to do with the Planet) appeared first on Mama Minimalist.

Zero-waste living is easier than you think. The secret? It all starts at the supermarket. Take home less plastic. On today’s episode I’m divulging my 5 tricks that can be implemented by absolutely anyone on his or her next shopping trip. ** This episode offers a tiny taste of what I’m teaching in 14 Days to a Zero-Waste Kitchen. Registration officially opens today! I hope you’ll join me for guided, one-on-one instruction + more content just like this. ** * Access this...

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The post 062: 5 Ways to Take Home Less Plastic from the Supermarket appeared first on Mama Minimalist.

  It happens to all of us. We embark on a decluttering endeavor – a whole house purge, even – only to lose steam halfway through. Indeed, it’s as if the motivation to finish vanishes into thin air. We’re enticed by benefits of a minimalist home, including less stress, more free time + fewer items to clean. The problem is, though, that the act of decluttering induces stress, sucks up free time + requires hours of work. On this week’s...

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The post 061: 5 Steps to Staying Motivated when Decluttering Gets Hard appeared first on Mama Minimalist.

So you know fast fashion is bad. (Really bad, in fact.) But you’ve got a closet full of cheap, trendy items + you have no idea how to create a more ethical wardrobe. How can you avoid eco-burnout + cultivate sustainability in your closet? That’s the question Cait Bagby is answering today. Cait is a fellow blogger, ethical influencer + self-described fashion maximalist who’s offering her two cents on creating a wardrobe to feel good about. Enjoy! * Access this week’s...

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The post 060: Is it ever OK to Buy Fast Fashion? appeared first on Mama Minimalist.

“But I might need it someday.” “But shouldn’t I save it for my kids?” “But it was a gift from my great-aunt Bertha!” Over the past 2 years, I’ve been fortunate to chat with *many* minimalists. In these chats + interviews, I’ve learned one thing: In the throes of tidying, we all push through the Exact. Same. Concerns. Today I’m bringing 5 decluttering roadblocks into the light + addressing them one by one. Then I’m following them up with practical tips...

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The post 059: 5 Decluttering Roadblocks (+ How to Get Over Them) appeared first on Mama Minimalist.

Have yourself a disorganized household? No judgement here. I’ve got one, too. June Doran is a blogger, homeschooler + mom of 5 who argues that, if you want to get tidy, the answer *isn’t* to purchase additional bins + baskets. Indeed, the best way to organize a disorganized family is simple, painless + free. * Get early bird access (+ a 20% discount!) on ’14-Days to a Zero-Waste Kitchen’ here. * Find your tribe. Sustainable Minimalists are on Facebook, Instagram + Pinterest!

The post 058: How to Organize a Disorganized Family appeared first on Mama Minimalist.

Changing well-ingrained habits is tough. Why is that? When it comes to sustainability, many of us hit an eco-plateau. We successfully accomplish the easiest swaps (reusable coffee mug; cloth tote bags) but quickly find ourselves stuck as we attempt to conquer more intermediate tasks. Chloe Lepeltier has graciously offered 3 incremental tweaks we can all tackle to crank up our eco-friendly efforts. Even better? You can decide to accomplish them right now. Enjoy!  * Access this week’s Show Notes here. * Get...

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The post 057: Replace Bad Habits with Better Ones (3 ideas!) appeared first on Mama Minimalist.

If I asked you what’s most important in life, I’m willing to bet you wouldn’t hesitate. Family, of course! But are you in the habit of regularly showing them that they are, in fact, your VIPs? It happens more than we’d like to admit. Even though we’re conscious that our families are our Number Ones – and even though we know we should be prioritizing them over the dishes, the vacuuming + whatever else – it’s often really hard to...

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The post 056: Why You Should Use the Fine China on a Wednesday appeared first on Mama Minimalist.

For many, eating is easy.  Supermarkets abound with everything our stomachs desire; as such, we’re forever just a few dollars away from food that’s prepped, packaged + ready to eat.  But what if we had to actually *work* for sustenance? This week’s guest argues that, when it comes to our meals, a little difficulty would benefit both our bodies + our planet.  Today I’m chatting with Rob Greenfield. He’s an adventurer, activist + humanitarian who embarks on extreme adventures to...

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The post 055: Eating as Resistance appeared first on Mama Minimalist.

Love to travel? Me too. Before kids I proudly globetrotted. By air, of course! But these days, I know better. On this week’s episode I’m getting personal with Evelina Utterdahl. She describes herself as a ‘happily homeless’ professional traveller. Eve’s special because she vows to never travel by airplane again; this week, Eve tells us why. Not ready to give up flying forever? Eve also divulges her best tips for eco-friendly wandering in both the air + abroad, too. Enjoy! *...

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The post 054: The Beauty in the (Eco-Friendly) Journey appeared first on Mama Minimalist.

Have you chosen your New Years Resolution yet? I’m here to help! If you’re looking for an eco-friendly New Years Resolution, I’ve got you covered. On this week’s mini-episode I’m offering up my 2019 Resolution; I’m making it easy as pie for you to join me, too. Enjoy! * Access this week’s Show Notes here. * Get ready for a financial reset! Sign up for our (obviously free!) No-Spend Challenge here. * Find your tribe. Sustainable Minimalists are on Facebook, Instagram + Pinterest!

The post 053: Eco-Friendly New Years Resolutions (+ How You Can Join Me!) appeared first on Mama Minimalist.

Have you ever stood in front of your closet, hands on hips, furrowed brow, wondering How. On. Earth. you have a closet full of stuff yet nothing to wear? Me too.  The answer to this all-to-common conundrum doesn’t lie in purchasing more clothes. In fact, this week’s guest advocates for owning a *smaller* wardrobe.   My guest this week is Julia Mooney. She has garnered national attention for wearing the same gray dress for 69 consecutive work days (+ counting!)....

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The post 052: The Case for a Smaller Wardrobe appeared first on Mama Minimalist.

Did you know? Americans have ridiculous amounts of stuff (about 300,000 items, on average!). Yet when people cite the important things in life, it’s family + relationships they mention, not their stuff.  So why is it the holidays are often about gifts, decorations + clutter, clutter, clutter? On this week’s episode, Joshua Becker encourages us to re-center ourselves around the true meaning of the holidays. He offers his best tips for decluttering during the most wonderful time of the year, too....

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The post 051: How to Handle Holiday Clutter with Joshua Becker appeared first on Mama Minimalist.

Today’s perfect for celebrating. That’s because in just one year, this podcast has grown to 50 episodes + a staggering 100 THOUSAND downloads.  First, we look back at where we’ve been as  I offer a behind-the-scenes tour, so to speak, of the podcast. Next, we look ahead to what’s next for our sustainable minimalists community.  To help celebrate, 13 previous podcast guests have generously offered to come back on the show. They’re here to share their best eco-friendly + minimalist tricks...

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The post 050: Celebrating Major Milestones with Familiar Faces appeared first on Mama Minimalist.

The holidays are all about overabundance. We buy too much, consume too much and – despite our best efforts – spend far too much money. There’s a solution, + it’s this: A No-Spend Challenge, together with fellow sustainable minimalists. January is the perfect month to hibernate, so to speak. It’s just the right time to tackle that project you’ve been meaning to get to in your home, explore the wonder of recreational activities that don’t cost a cent + recenter yourself with gratitude for...

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The post 049: The Why, How + When of a No-Spend Challenge appeared first on Mama Minimalist.

Companies have most consumers hooked on pre-packaged disposables. But sustainable minimalists? We know better: – We know that disposable items (Think: paper napkins, menstrual products, etc) boast hefty price tags. – We know, too, that companies selling disposables are secretly doing the Happy Dance for creating REPEAT CUSTOMERS out of regular consumers. There’s a better way! On today’s episode my guest + I boldly claim that a life without disposables saves *serious* cash. My guest this week is Natassja Cassinerio. She...

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The post 048: The Zero-Waste Swaps that Save Serious Cash appeared first on Mama Minimalist.

Clean home. Mental clarity. Free time. These are the 3 often-discussed, forever-touted side effects of minimalism. I’m certain you’ve heard them a dozen times (or more!). Minimalism’s magic transcends your tidy home. Indeed, small decluttering successes translate into BIG changes everywhere else but, sadly, such oversized benefits aren’t always discussed. We’re bringing 5 such benefits to the surface today. My guest this week is Rebecca David of Lunamina Fox. She’s on the podcast to explain *exactly why* minimalism is so magical in frank,...

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The post 047: 5 (Unexpected!) Benefits of Minimalism appeared first on Mama Minimalist.

They’re here. The holidays!  It’s the season of overabundance. It’s the season of joy, sure, but it can also very easily become the season of over-the-moon stress + anxiety.  On this week’s episode, we discuss action-oriented steps to infuse our holidays with simplicity. We get into minimalism as it applies to:  gift giving  traditions, + that enormous, extended family dinner. My guest this week is Laura Brassie of Ivory + Pine. Laura’s a therapist + blogger who proves that minimalism...

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The post 046: Sweet Simplicity during the Holidays appeared first on Mama Minimalist.

What do mornings look like in your home? Is it a rushed affair overflowing with stressors, like getting breakfast on the table, dressing the kids + pushing everyone out the door on time? If so, chances are good you’re fried by 8:00 am. Here’s the good news: There’s a better way. On this week’s episode we’re outlining an utterly hedonistic, just-for-you morning routine that has nothing to do with kids, spouses or household management. We’re divulging the 4 pillars of...

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The post 045: Self-Care + Successful Mornings appeared first on Mama Minimalist.

Been listening to this podcast for awhile?  If so, you probably: Rely on reusable shopping bags like a pro. Brew your morning coffee at home. Turn off lights in rooms you’re not physically in. You’re doing everything you can to preserve our planet. That’s wonderful. (Really!) But are you vegan? I know eating habits are a touchy subject. This week, I’m going there anyway.  It’s as simple as this: We aren’t doing all we can in the name of sustainability if we...

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The post 044: Meat-Free Motivation appeared first on Mama Minimalist.

Since when did our wardrobes become disposable?  Think about it. These days, we buy new outfits for new occasions, wearing them just a few times before donating or discarding.  We also add inexpensive, trendy items to our closets without a second’s thought; because these items cost almost nothing, we aren’t surprised when they last for just a few wears. Let’s face it: Clothing is cheap. So cheap, in fact, that puny price tags contribute to the notion that clothes are...

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The post 043: Slow Fashion in a Fast Fashion World appeared first on Mama Minimalist.

“It’s a common misconception that the government is very carefully regulating everything that’s out there. They really aren’t.” It’s high-time we safeguard our families from harmful products assumed to be safe. As a bonus? Doing so declutters the spaces under our sinks + rids our homes of excess plastic, too. My guest this week is Micaela Preston. She’s a concerned mom + author who has spent the last 12 years researching the risks associated with common household items. When it comes...

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The post 042: Green Cleaning Made Easy appeared first on Mama Minimalist.

  A. Curious about what a Professional Organizer does, exactly? B. Want to hire a Professional Organizer but concerned about the financial investment? C. Ready to declutter on your own, but don’t know where/how/when to start? If any of the above statements are true, then this episode’s for you. This week, I’m chatting with Janine Adams. She’s a certified Professional Organizer with over a decade of experience helping overwhelmed clients find peace of mind within their living spaces.  An organized...

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The post 041: Secrets of a Professional Organizer appeared first on Mama Minimalist.

“As I began meditating + getting more grounded, I wasn’t reacting as much to the kids’ upsets. I was being a bit more present for their questions + concerns, too.” If we’ve heard it once, we’ve heard it a thousand times:  When it comes to intentional living, adopting a mindfulness practice is the singlemost powerful habit we can foster. This week, I’m thrilled to offer two unique perspectives on the link between intention + mindfulness: – First, Buddhist + meditation...

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The post 040: Mindfulness for Modern Families appeared first on Mama Minimalist.

“I was tired. Often I felt like I was barely getting by. I kept thinking to myself, ‘Why am I spending my precious time + remaining energy doing things that don’t add value to my life?” For most of us, life is busy. Too busy, in fact, to do the things we love with the people who matter most.  This week, we’re adding by subtracting. We identify 5 specific time-suckers in modern life, then we outline strategies to mindfully let go...

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The post 039: Finding Time for your ‘Why’ appeared first on Mama Minimalist.

“So, what’s for dinner?” I *hate* this question; maybe you do, too.Another thing I hate? Food waste. I find myself composting past-its-prime produce more often than I’d like to admit. While these dueling conundrums may seem mutually exclusive, they actually have an easy, common solution. That easy solution is meal planning. This week’s guest – Staci Ducharme – started meal planning + failed. Miserably. But she tried again + got it right: * Meal planning got her family out of...

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The post 038: What’s for Dinner? appeared first on Mama Minimalist.

Design shimmering mosaics from old CDs. Create rag rugs from used clothes. Got yourself an abundance of plastic bags? Get weaving. *Creative Reuse a THING!* If you’ve been to a contemporary art museum lately, chances are good you’ve viewed at least one exhibit that boasts garbage as its sole medium. While critics argue that trash creations look … well, … trashy, today’s guest swiftly debunks this assumption by offering truly beautiful reuse ideas for our trash + recyclables. Carla Brown...

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The post 037: When Sustainability + Imagination Collide appeared first on Mama Minimalist.

Like clean countertops? Me too.  While many associate minimalism with clean homes, it’s a little-known secret that the practice is easily applicable to our heads + hearts, too.  That’s because minimalism grants breathing room in *all areas* of our lives. My guest this week is Ashley Logsdon. She’s a blogger + fellow podcaster who’s here to help us clear the clutter so that we may have the mental + emotional “space” for whatever comes our ways. Enjoy! * Access this...

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The post 036: Minimalism for Home, Head + Heart appeared first on Mama Minimalist.

If you’re serious about sustainability, I’m willing to bet you’re also serious about reducing food waste.  Preserving food at home is the epitome of sustainability. That’s because canning eliminates the need for pesky supermarket packaging or plastic + relies instead on (reusable + awesome) mason jars.  A little-known secret? Preserving food at home also saves serious cash. That’s where today’s guest comes in. She’s a homesteader + canning expert who has gotten quite creative in the kitchen as a means...

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The post 035: How To Preserve Food Like a Pro appeared first on Mama Minimalist.

  Are you an Aspirational Recycler? You know you’re an Aspirational Recycler if: – You wish EVERYTHING was recyclable. – You place nearly every item in the recycling bin, cross your fingers  + hope for the best. But there are *big* problems with Aspirational Recycling. Nonrecyclable items contaminate the recycling stream + cause clog the facility’s equipment. Aspirational Recycling raises the overall cost of recycling + demands additional manpower, too. On today’s episode I take you from Aspirational Recycler to...

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The post 034: 9 Things You’re Recycling Wrong appeared first on Mama Minimalist.

Modern thrift stores AREN’T overflowing with Grandma’s mothball-y hand-me-downs. That’s because 21st Century thrifting has become *quite* sophisticated. Consumerism tells us need the newest + the shiniest. Today’s episode invites you to challenge that assumption by shopping secondhand, instead. My guest this week is Amanda Lindner. She furnished her ENTIRE Brooklyn apartment with items purchased secondhand (+ for under $500 total!). She asserts that thrifting isn’t just frugal + eco-friendly; it’s fun, too. Amanda’s here to offer her best thrifting...

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The post 033: Thrifting 101 appeared first on Mama Minimalist.

On vacation, time slows + senses heighten. Slowly but surely, we find ourselves utterly relaxed. I call this the Vacation Sensation.  But there’s a major glitch, + it’s this: Upon returning home, the stresses we ran from inevitably catch us yet again.  Is it possible to keep vacation mode alive well after returning home? If so, how? I’ve done the research for you. This week, I’m thrilled to offer 13 empirically-based strategies to bring the Vacation Sensation into our daily...

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The post 032: How to Recreate the ‘Vacation Sensation’ appeared first on Mama Minimalist.

“Live less out of habit + more out of intent.” If you follow me on social media, you already know this is my personal mantra. I recite it over + over when choices are hard; it’s this mantra we’re discussing today. My guest today is Jen Panaro. She’s the founder of Honestly Modern, an online brand that focuses on sustainable living for modern families. She’s a mom with a full-time 9 to 5 who has gotten quite skilled at rethinking...

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The post 031: The Art of Saying ‘No’ appeared first on Mama Minimalist.

  Is your home overrun with hardly-used dog + cat toys, like mine? Do you find yourself wondering whether there’s an eco-friendly alternative to those plastic poo bags? When it comes to pet parenting, it’s easy to buy All. The. Toys. It’s easy to forget about sustainability, too. That’s where today’s episode comes in. My guest is Kim Almon. She’s a blogger, animal-lover + expert on sustainability + minimalism as they apply to our furry friends. On today’s episode, we:  –...

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The post 030: Pet Parenting Done Right appeared first on Mama Minimalist.

Men are less likely to buy eco-friendly products. They’re hesitant to carry reusable bags + drive hybrid cars, too.  That’s because environmentalism is for women + crossing gender boundaries makes men uncomfortable. Sustainability has long been associated with femininity. On today’s episode we examine why this stereotype exists; we offer research-based methods to engage reluctant men in the eco-friendly movement, too. My guest today is Dr. James Wilkie. He’s a consumer psychologist, professor + researcher who examines how social norms...

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The post 029: Is Sustainability Unmanly? appeared first on Mama Minimalist.

Cloth diaper. Breastfeed. Minimize plastic. …… Duh. It’s sad but true: Most low-waste parenting strategies read like obvious platitudes. Worse, such practices are recycled ad nauseam on the eco-friendly inter web. Did you know? There are HEAPS of zero-waste parenting tips that aren’t QUITE so apparent: It’s THESE 10 strategies we’re discussing today. On this week’s episode, I’m thrilled to divulge the not-so-obvious, often overlooked sustainable parenting rules. They’re Kid-Tested, Parent-Approved + are guaranteed to slash into the waste your household (+...

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The post 028: The Low-Waste Parenting Rulebook appeared first on Mama Minimalist.

Ever scrutinize old photos + pick apart your outfits of decades past? I do.  My first thought: “Ugh what was I thinking wearing THAT?”  My second thought: “Where’s that outfit now?” *Spoiler Alert* : ALL your outfits of decades-past are SOMEwhere. (The landfill, probably.) These days, we’re in the habit of tossing clothes at the first sign of wear + tear. That’s because timeless skills like mending + darning are thrown to the wayside in favor of convenience. This episode changes...

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The post 027: 5 Super Easy Clothing Repairs (No Sewing Machine Required!) appeared first on Mama Minimalist.

  You’ve purged, donated, decluttered + organized your heart out, but – STILL! – you find yourself stressed + anxious? You’re not alone. Minimalism is good for kids; it’s good for parents, too. But minimalism is a Band-Aid for a much larger problem, and that problem is stress + anxiety. My guest this week is Anna Seewald. She’s a parent educator, speaker, author + podcaster with backgrounds in psychology + education. She’s here to legitimize the connection between clutter +...

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The post 026: The (Inconvenient) Relationship between Clutter + Anxiety appeared first on Mama Minimalist.

Ever feel like life is one gigantic competition? (I do, sometimes!) This week’s guest ISN’T keeping up with the Joneses. She’s happily living the life she WANTS to lead; today, she shows you how to do it, too. This week, we: – outline concrete strategies to remove financial obstacles standing in the way of living our best lives, – discuss the nitty-gritty behind consciously exiting the rat race, and – offer 3 questions to ask yourself BEFORE veering from life’s...

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The post 025: NOT Keeping Up with the Joneses appeared first on Mama Minimalist.

  Paper invitations + lined envelopes? Meh. Table arrangements with beautiful but foreign booms? Eeek! Heaps of uneaten food, discarded food? Yuck! Here’s a secret: Weddings don’t have to be wasteful! Luxury + sustainability can coexist at ceremonies, receptions +beyond. This week, I offer my best tips for planning a wedding that’s both eco-friendly + elegant; I show how sustainable choices save SERIOUS CASH, too. Not getting married anytime soon? I’ve got you covered, because I’m also divulging 6 tips...

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The post 024: Wedding Season Done Right appeared first on Mama Minimalist.

Everyone’s talking about the mental load these days. On today’s episode, we analyze the ways in which this endless To-Do List + minimalism collide. My guest this week is Leslie Forde. She divulges takeaways she’s gained from her data-driven approach to studying the mental load; she gets deeply personal, too. This week, we: – Describe EXACTLY HOW the mental load erodes well-being, – Prioritize the needs of busy women, and – Reveal the real reason why I started this podcast...

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The post 023: Minimalism + The Mental Load appeared first on Mama Minimalist.

“Tiidying [the KonMari way] … is meant to be an exercise of self-expression, self-discovery, self-care + self-love. It’s the hard work that creates the change.” MARIE. KONDO. Ever heard of her? On today’s episode, we’re diving deep into her groundbreaking decluttering method with two *certified* KonMari consultants. My guests have dedicated their lives to the KonMari way. On today’s episode, they: – Explain why Marie Kondo ISN’T a minimalist, – Address the Number One criticism of the KonMari method, and...

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The post 022: Debunking KonMari Myths appeared first on Mama Minimalist.

“There are people who are on the hustle; (they’re) worried about making rent. They’re not thinking about their trash.” It’s sad but true: Sustainable living is exponentially harder for low-income individuals. That’s because eco-consciousness can be expensive; it’s a drain on mental energy + time, too. My guest this week is Ghoncheh Azadeh: she’s a sustainability warrior who comes to our conversation armed with challenges specific to eco-minimalism on a budget. First, our conversation is theoretical: – Is environmental consciousness...

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The post 021: Low-Waste on a Low Budget appeared first on Mama Minimalist.

“The term ‘zero-waste’ sounds really daunting, especially for normal people (with) busy lives … but if you take it slow it’s really not that overwhelming.” To celebrate our 20th episode, I’m thrilled to offer Part One of a Two-Part series on the zero-waste lifestyle! This week, I present two mini-interviews with women on different stages of their shared journey toward sustainability: First there’s Julie: A mission trip to Nicaragua contrasted sharply with the throw-away culture of life back home. The...

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The post 020: Zero-Waste Baby Steps appeared first on Mama Minimalist.

“Before knowing anything about tiny houses, I walked around my 2,200 square-foot home and was like, ‘Wow, this room is completely empty besides, like, a chair. I have this space that I’m heating and cooling and I’m not even using it.” Is it time to rethink the ‘bigger is better’ mentality? This week’s guest says yes. Emily Gerde is an author, tiny home dweller + advocate of the tiny home movement. HGTV featured her tiny home search; today; she and...

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The post 019: Tiny Home, Gigantic Life with Emily Gerde appeared first on Mama Minimalist.

There’s a big problem with minimalism. Worse, no one’s talking about it.  The problem is this: While minimalism’s benefits include more mental space, extra free time + decreased anxiety, the process of actually becoming a minimalist requires EXTRA mental space, a TON of free time + OVER-THE-MOON anxiety. That’s because completing a whole-house purge the way the gurus suggest is really, really hard. Today we’re praising the power of 10 minutes. I suggest little tasks with big impacts to take...

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The post 018: 10-Minute Tidying Tricks appeared first on Mama Minimalist.

“I used to be … a Sport Shopper. I loved to shop for fun. I would just go shopping and there was never really a plan, I would just go shopping and I would buy what was on sale even though I didn’t need it, and I would fill my closet and home with things I didn’t need.” Sound familiar? This week, I’m thrilled to introduce you to Rose Lounsbury, a minimalism coach, author + self-described former Sport Shopper. We dive...

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The post 017: Financial Freedom + Minimalism appeared first on Mama Minimalist.

On April 22, 193 countries celebrate Earth Day. The premise of the holiday is great, right? It’s a day dedicated to planting trees. Picking up trash. Recycling. But there’s a big problem with Earth Day, and it’s this: It’s just one day out of 365, then it’s over. When it comes to the state of our planet, there’s not much to celebrate; that’s why I suggest we honor Mother Nature differently. This Earth Day, let’s NOT pick up trash. Let’s...

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The post 016: Earth Day, Every Day appeared first on Mama Minimalist.

There’s nothing more cringe-worthy than an overflowing trashcan full of disposable plates + silverware following a party. Uneaten, discarded food is wasteful, depressing. And mounds of wine + beer bottles headed for the landfill instead of the recycling center? Ouch. Painful. It’s possible to host affordably + sustainably. This week, I’m delighted to show you how! * Access this week’s Show Notes (+ grab the free Low Waste Party Checklist!) here. * Like what you hear? Please leave the podcast a...

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The post 015: The Sustainable Entertaining Checklist appeared first on Mama Minimalist.

On this episode: – We confront the massive problem that is food waste. – We address the relationship between spending habits + food. – We slash into the plastic waste our homes create. It all starts (+ stops!) at the supermarket. This week, I’m thrilled to offer 4 tips to get eco-savvy at the supermarket and 4 more tips to slash into waste at home. * Access this week’s Show Notes here. * Want the Show Notes sent straight to your...

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The post 014: Get Supermarket Savvy appeared first on Mama Minimalist.

Want to reduce junk mail and spam without added stress? Want to tune out commercials and robo calls so that you can live a quieter, simpler life? Me too. Marketers + advertisers are pros at making us feel as though we need items we don’t already have. Their Noise shows up in our mailboxes and inboxes and on our television sets and cell phones. The Noise is catchy slogans. Promotions. Pretty people. Glitz; faux Glamour. The Noise is junk ads and...

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The post 013: The How + Why of Turning off ‘The Noise’ appeared first on Mama Minimalist.

A listener wrote in with this common query: Is it possible to be a minimalist with kids? The short answer: Yes. The long answer: Yes, and here’s how. This week, I’m delighted to propose 11 action steps to ensure that – when it comes to minimalism + families – both survive. * Access this week’s show notes (+ take the 60-second programming survey!) here. * Let’s be friends! Get daily eco-friendly, minimalist tips from yours truly on Facebook and Instagram.

The post 012: The Naked Truth about Kids + Clutter appeared first on Mama Minimalist.

Back by popular demand! This week, we declutter the tough stuff. We tackle 10 items in our homes that are sentimental, oversized and just plain obscure; best of all, we keep it out of the landfills. Accompanying this episode is a FREE PRINTABLE (with clickable links!) to help you responsibly minimize nearly every item in your home. * Access this week’s show notes (+ grab the free printable!) here. * Want more episodes like this one? Be sure to listen to...

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The post 011: Declutter (+ Donate!) the Tough Stuff appeared first on Mama Minimalist.

We don’t need half the name brand products the beauty industry tells us we need. We don’t need their plastic packaging, toxic ingredients and hefty price tags, either. When it comes to sustainability, frugality and holistic health, making DIY personal care products at home is the only choice. It’s quick and easy, too. On this week’s episode, I give you everything you need to replace 6 commercial beauty products with all-natural, homemade ones. We’re making Lip Balm, Deodorant, Non-Petroleum Jelly, Hand...

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The post 010: The Complete Beauty Products Template appeared first on Mama Minimalist.

Did you know? Most expired medications shouldn’t be flushed. And nail polish? It’s considered a hazardous household waste and should never be tossed in the trash. Bathrooms are havens for clutter. They’re hideaways for pesky plastic, too. If you’ve been wanting to declutter and make more sustainable your bathrooms, this episode is for you. Because first we responsibly minimize the clutter. Then we organize smart and – finally – we get serious about creating eco-friendly sanctuaries out of our bathrooms....

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The post 009: How to Create a Sustainable Minimalist’s Bathroom appeared first on Mama Minimalist.

When it comes to toys, less is more. Researchers agree: time and time again, studies find that children are more imaginative and focused when surrounded by fewer toys. This year, I’m throwing my daughter a party that’s heavy on fun and light on gifts. It’s a No-Presents Birthday. As parents, it’s our job to fight back against the culture of consumerism that surrounds us. It’s on us to say enough is enough, because our kids have neither the wisdom nor...

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The post 008: How to Host a No-Presents Birthday appeared first on Mama Minimalist.

Knickknacks. Tchotchkes. Doohickeys. I removed them all from my home, and three things happened.  This week, I’m excited to divulge the ‘why’ and the ‘how’ behind my decor decluttering. I also reveal three big lessons this experiment taught me (some may surprise you!). Access this week’s show notes (+ see actual photos of my decluttered decor!) here.  

The post 007: Declutter your Decor in Under 10 Minutes appeared first on Mama Minimalist.

Owning less clothes means there’s less to wash. There’s also less to take care of, less to manage and less to fold. There’s less to put away, too. That’s why your kids need capsule wardrobes. This week, I’m thrilled to divulge my (foolproof!) blueprint to minimize your kids’ closets in ways that are practical, sustainable and incremental. I also offer capsule MASTER LISTS for each season so you know exactly what to keep and what to donate. No kids? Don’t...

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The post 006: The Ultimate Kid’s Capsule Blueprint appeared first on Mama Minimalist.

If your closet’s overflowing with last season’s trends – and if your wardrobe generally leaves you feeling   “meh” – this episode’s for you. Because we’re confronting the fashion industry, then we’re jumping off the fast fashion train. This week, I’m excited to help you simplify and minimize your wardrobe by offering 10 NEW questions to ask before purchasing clothes. Be sure to stick around to the end of the episode, because I’m also giving tips (that actually work!) to extend...

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The post 005: 10 NEW Questions to Ask Before Buying Clothes appeared first on Mama Minimalist.

Sustainable minimalists declutter the eco-friendly way. We never ship our stuff to the landfill. On today’s episode I’m giving you ten items to purge guilt-free ( – and in under an hour! –) because I’m also divulging the perfect places to donate them. * Access this week’s show notes here.

The post 004: 10 Things to Toss in Under an Hour appeared first on Mama Minimalist.

Minimalists boast all they’ve discarded, zero-wasters brag about what they’ve repurposed, and sustainable minimalists covet only a few items which are (of course!) incredibly useful. This week, I’m outlining 5 essential kitchen items for BOTH the minimalist AND the aspiring zero-waster. * Access this week’s Show Notes here.

The post 003: Inside a Sustainable Minimalist’s Kitchen appeared first on Mama Minimalist.

The oft-forgotten R’s of living green?  Repair. Repurpose. Reinvent. But if you can’t repair, repurpose or reinvent (+ if you simply must buy!), consider supporting brands dedicated to sustainability. This week, I’m excited to highlight 10 (well-known!) companies committed to sustainability. These companies walk the walk by selling quality products AND upholding eco-friendly practices. * Want more info on the brands highlighted for sustainability? Access this week’s Show Notes here.

The post 002: 10 Eco-Friendly Brands We Love appeared first on Mama Minimalist.

You’ve heard the saying, “It takes a village”. This week I’m offering 5 strategies to use your community’s resources in ways that support your existing efforts toward sustainability. * Access this week’s Show Notes here.

The post 001: 5 Ways to (Sustainably!) Energize your Village appeared first on Mama Minimalist.