31 days of sunrises facing the New York city skyline.
Read moreAre we all hoarders deep down?
Are we all hoarders deep down?
What does 10 years of continuous and constant and consistent consumption look like?
Look around your apartment or your house. That's what it looks like. Our spaces are bursting at the seams. Our garages can't even fit our cars. Our closets are too full. Our attics and basement are full of unused things. This is hoarding.
Read moreCut Cable: Gain More Money, Time and Sanity.
My husband and I have not had cable in over 5 years and don't miss it at all. We share a Netflix account that is barely used. We also have Amazon, but have not gotten into the swing of the shows there. I thought I would do a quick infographic of how much TV costs in terms of money and time.
Despite all of the news you hear about people cutting the cord and streaming from Netflix. Research still shows that 83% of American households pay for TV as a service. Many are just so used to the monthly cost. They don't think they can live without E! or HGTV, but I can attest that there is life after this. For me, not having cable for 5 years meant a significant amount of money and time saved. Some of this money I've invested and I've seen it grow significantly. Some of this money has been used to travel instead. I'm definitely not a cheapskate, but there's certain things that are worth paying money for, cable is NOT one of them.
Read moreYou Don’t Make Time. You Have Time.
We don’t make time, we have time. We own our time. We don’t construct time.
Read moreMinimalism is not these 5 things
What is minimalism? What is about? What is not about? Is it at trend? Is it about aesthetic? Is it about the number of things?
Read moreChoose Better Things to Give A F*** About
Choose better things to give a fuck about.
"Not giving a fuck does not mean being indifferent; it means being comfortable with being different."
Read moreJust-in-case is not your crutch
Just-in-case! How many times have we said that to ourselves and how many times has something actually happened? It's time to let go of just-in-case.
Read moreThe Zero Waste Solution: Untrashing the Planet One Community At A Time
The Zero Waste Solution: Untrashing the Planet One Community At A Time
Further reading of The Zero Waste Solution provided more alternative solutions to our ever growing waste production. Incinerators are not the answer. Zero-waste to landfill is different from zero-waste. In the book, the author goes on to cite many cities and countries already doing their part to reduce the amount of garbage that it is sent to the landfill. I was not aware that cities like San Francisco are at the cutting edge of reducing waste. I recommend picking up this book to see how other places are doing their part despite many challenges. There isn't necessarily a right way to do it, but from the many examples given, here are the ideal steps to ensure zero waste initiatives are successful.
Read more3 Simple Mindful Techniques Besides Meditation
3 Ways to Be More Mindful Besides Meditation
What does it mean to be mindful?
Simply, it's awareness of the present moment. Meditation is a popular way to practice being mindful, though there are some key differences with mediation and mindfulness. The point is to recognize what you are doing, where you are and who you are with. The best way to do that is to simply slow down, but of course that is always easier said than done in our always on-the-go society. I've found that being mindful is really about forgoing the default. It's turning off the auto-pilot and steering the car itself. Here are other ways you can help the mind be more mindful.
Read moreIs Waste-to-Energy the Solution to Our Trash?
What exactly is waste-to-energy and is it the solution to our ever consuming and trash generating society?
Read moreMicrobes and Probiotics: Why We Need Them
It seems that modern medicine, the rise of antibiotics use in our food and as prescribed have destroyed good microbes and bacteria causing many of us to get allergies, become obese and get sick often. More good microbes and probiotics may be the answer we need to improve our health. SXSW 2017 has a few panels scheduled on microbes and gut biomes.
Read more28 Day Keto Diet Experiment: No Carbs, No Sugar, No Complaints
No carbs, no sugar, no complaints? It's possible! (holler at Tim Ferris to introducing me to this diet)
For the month of February, I embarked on doing the ketogenic (keto) diet for 28 days. I had heard about this diet from many sources (Tim Ferris, primarily). After doing the whole30 resets a few times and doing paleo, I wanted to experiment with one more food and diet experiment. I didn't necessarily set out to lose weight, but to see how my body would react under the designated guidelines.
Read more5 Reasons Shopping Is No Longer My Pastime
Not too long ago, shopping was my past time. I loved browsing. I loved getting things on sale. I loved taking a break and eating Panda Express Chinese food, grabbing a Starbucks Frappucino or an Auntie Ann pretzels. I loved nice shopping bags and would save them. I loved seeing boxes at my doorstep.
All of this changed the more I explored, experimented and read about minimalism, zero waste and healthy food. It was an eye opener. So as of today, I no longer shop to pass the time. Here are the reasons why.
Read moreZero Waste - Home Office Transition
Tips for transitioning to a zero waste office.
Here are simple and easy ways to reduce waste and clutter in your home office.
Read moreGetting to Zero: A Look at How New York City Handles Waste
he average New Yorker generates at least 15 lbs of waste at home and 9 lbs at work. I can attest to the 9 lbs being true. I used to buy breakfast, lunch, snacks and coffee in single-use, plastic containers that are then bagged in plastic. I had my own personal trash bin for goodness sake. I've picked up new habits since then thankfully.
One of the biggest challenges the city of New York has is that it doesn't have a say in what they collect. They don't have a voice in how products are designed, what kind of packaging is being used and therefore, the sanitation department must analyze the trash they collect often to see how their collection and sorting process needs to change. For example, newspapers was one of the most popular items they collected, however, the rise of electronic devices decreased this type of trash. Unfortunately though, internet shopping generated an increase in cardboard boxes which is heavier to transport than newspapers so they had to figure out a way to manage this new kind of waste such as where and how to recycle.
Read moreGluten Free Cereal Recipe: Keto, Paleo and Whole30 Friendly
Gluten free cereal recipe without all of the excess sugar and added ingredients. Simple and easy to make. Paleo, keto and whole30 friendly. A great option for a low carb breakfast.
Read moreBiodegradable vs. Compostable: What's the Difference?
What's the difference between biodegradable and compostable?
Read moreWhat Exactly is Clutter? 7 Definitions to Ponder
7 definitions of clutter. Which one resonates with you?
Read more5 Ways to Buy Happiness from Happy Money
I recently just finished Happy Money: The Science of Smarter Spending by Elizabeth Dunn & Michael Norton. I recommend picking it up at your local library. Buying it won’t increase your happiness, but here’s it is on Amazon (affiliate) if you are inclined.
We’ve all heard the saying “Money Can’t Buy Happiness” and based on Happy Money, it actually can as long as you spend it in 5 key areas.
Read moreZero Waste: Travel Tips
Simple tips to reduce waste while traveling by car or plane.
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