Sustainable Minimalists

Coping with eco guilt in 4 steps   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 guilt. Eco anxiety is fear for the future of our planet and manifests itself in feelings of anger, powerlessness or exhaustion. A 2017 report by the American Psychological Association found that – because its chronic by nature –  the condition can have lasting impacts on mental health. Younger subsets of the population are more likely to experience the effects of climate change: 72% of Millennials (born between 1981 and 1996) report that negative news stories about the planet impacts their well being. 56% of Generation X’ers (born between 1965 and 1980) report bouts of eco guilt, too. Research finds that the condition even affects children as young as 10 years old. My guest this week is Laura Durenberger. Laura is on the show to differentiate between eco guilt and eco shame. She draws on research as well as her unique personal experience, too, when offering 4 strategies for managing planet-related fears.   * Access this week’s Show Notes here. * Want more of Laura? Listen to #020: Zero-Waste Baby Steps + #039: Finding Time for your ‘Why’. * Love the show? Help it grow by leaving a quick review! On the Apple Podcasts app, hit the Library tab, scroll allll the way to the bottom past all prior episodes, then click on the stars to leave a review. (Thank you!) * Find your tribe. Sustainable Minimalists are on Facebook, Instagram + Pinterest.    

10 Reasons Why Your Home Is Cluttered After Tidying   It happens to the best of us: You have already tidied, yet your home remains cluttered. It’s incredibly, frustrating, sure. It is also quite common. Tidy homes can often feel messy, even after the work is done. 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? Each simple, actionable step I outline today is designed to take each + every messy space from cluttered to calm, without extra work. Happy listening! * Access this week’s Show Notes here. * This episode is sponsored by Pact Apparel. * Find your tribe. Sustainable Minimalists are on Facebook, Instagram + Pinterest. *  Sustainable Minimalism (the book!) is available for pre-order now! * Grateful for your favorite podcasts? Don’t forget to leave reviews!  On the Apple Podcasts app, hit the Library tab, scroll allll the way to the bottom past all prior episodes, then click on the stars to leave a review. (Thank you!)  

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 first place. My guest this week is Jennifer Burger. Jennifer describes herself as a recovered shopaholic + workaholic who believes you can’t skirt around the hard, inner work. On today’s show Jennifer shares her journey toward slow living; she offers 5 real reasons why your life is busy + cluttered, too. Enjoy! * Access this week’s Show Notes here. * This episode is sponsored by Pact Apparel. * Find your tribe. Sustainable Minimalists are on Facebook, Instagram + Pinterest.  

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 guest is Pact Apparel CEO Brendan Synnott.  Brendan argues that changing your underwear – the fabric of your underwear, that is! – can change the world. He’s on the show to tell us why, exactly, organic cotton is better; he explains how the switch to organic is easy-peasy, too. Enjoy! * Shop Pact Apparel for underwear + more here. * Curate a sustainable wardrobe. Episodes #043 + #060 can help! * Find your tribe. Sustainable Minimalists are on Facebook, Instagram + Pinterest.   Stay in-the-know! Sign up for monthly eco-friendly inspiration. #mc_embed_signup{background:#fff; clear:left; font:14px Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif; width:1998px;} /* Add your own Mailchimp form style overrides in your site stylesheet or in this style block. We recommend moving this block and the preceding CSS link to the HEAD of your HTML file. */ Email First Name (function($) {window.fnames = new Array(); window.ftypes = new Array();fnames[0]='EMAIL';ftypes[0]='email';fnames[1]='FNAME';ftypes[1]='text';}(jQuery));var $mcj = jQuery.noConflict(true);

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 don’t need as theorized by both evolutionary + behavioral psychology. I offer up 4 ways to buy less, too. Enjoy! * Access this week’s Show Notes here. * Find your tribe. Sustainable Minimalists are on Facebook, Instagram + Pinterest.   Stay in-the-know! Sign up for monthly eco-friendly inspiration. #mc_embed_signup{background:#fff; clear:left; font:14px Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif; width:1998px;} /* Add your own Mailchimp form style overrides in your site stylesheet or in this style block. We recommend moving this block and the preceding CSS link to the HEAD of your HTML file. */ Email First Name (function($) {window.fnames = new Array(); window.ftypes = new Array();fnames[0]='EMAIL';ftypes[0]='email';fnames[1]='FNAME';ftypes[1]='text';}(jQuery));var $mcj = jQuery.noConflict(true);

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 a single thing; her plan anchored her efforts + ultimately led her to tidied success. On this week’s show Katie describes the exact steps she took to tackle the job; she offers up 3 hard truths about clutter she learned along the way, too. Enjoy! * Access this week’s Show Notes here. * Find your tribe. Sustainable Minimalists are on Facebook, Instagram + Pinterest. Stay in-the-know! Sign up for monthly eco-friendly inspiration. #mc_embed_signup{background:#fff; clear:left; font:14px Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif; width:1998px;} /* Add your own Mailchimp form style overrides in your site stylesheet or in this style block. We recommend moving this block and the preceding CSS link to the HEAD of your HTML file. */ Email First Name (function($) {window.fnames = new Array(); window.ftypes = new Array();fnames[0]='EMAIL';ftypes[0]='email';fnames[1]='FNAME';ftypes[1]='text';}(jQuery));var $mcj = jQuery.noConflict(true);

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 + claims the practice is *just as easy* as recycling. She argues, too, that a slow-but steady composting approach makes a gigantic difference when seeking to divert food waste from landfills. On today’s show Heather outlines her step-by-step composting system; she answers your most pressing composting questions, too. Enjoy! * Access this week’s Show Notes here. * Get 20% off your Full Circle Home purchase with promo code sustainable20. * Find your tribe. Sustainable Minimalists are on Facebook, Instagram + Pinterest. Stay in-the-know! Sign up for monthly eco-friendly inspiration. #mc_embed_signup{background:#fff; clear:left; font:14px Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif; width:1998px;} /* Add your own Mailchimp form style overrides in your site stylesheet or in this style block. We recommend moving this block and the preceding CSS link to the HEAD of your HTML file. */ Email First Name (function($) {window.fnames = new Array(); window.ftypes = new Array();fnames[0]='EMAIL';ftypes[0]='email';fnames[1]='FNAME';ftypes[1]='text';}(jQuery));var $mcj = jQuery.noConflict(true);

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 Minimalists are on Facebook, Instagram + Pinterest. Stay in-the-know! Sign up for monthly eco-friendly inspiration. #mc_embed_signup{background:#fff; clear:left; font:14px Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif; width:1998px;} /* Add your own Mailchimp form style overrides in your site stylesheet or in this style block. We recommend moving this block and the preceding CSS link to the HEAD of your HTML file. */ Email First Name (function($) {window.fnames = new Array(); window.ftypes = new Array();fnames[0]='EMAIL';ftypes[0]='email';fnames[1]='FNAME';ftypes[1]='text';}(jQuery));var $mcj = jQuery.noConflict(true);

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 the show to divulge the #1 secret for creating successful capsule wardrobes; she offers up the only capsule wardrobe planner you’ll ever need, too. Enjoy! * Access this week’s Show Notes here. * Get 20% off organic playclothes that last. Shop Jackalo. * Enroll in Amanda’s Cultivated Capsule course (20% off with code SUSTAINABLEMINIMALIST) here. * Find your tribe. Sustainable Minimalists are on Facebook, Instagram + Pinterest.     Stay in-the-know! Sign up for monthly eco-friendly inspiration. #mc_embed_signup{background:#fff; clear:left; font:14px Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif; width:1998px;} /* Add your own Mailchimp form style overrides in your site stylesheet or in this style block. We recommend moving this block and the preceding CSS link to the HEAD of your HTML file. */ Email First Name (function($) {window.fnames = new Array(); window.ftypes = new Array();fnames[0]='EMAIL';ftypes[0]='email';fnames[1]='FNAME';ftypes[1]='text';}(jQuery));var $mcj = jQuery.noConflict(true);

Why is Recycling Bad? Here are 6 Reasons 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, and aluminum actually get recycled. But the reality is we shouldn’t be thrilled about recycling; we shouldn’t assume the good men and 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 in the United States (Spoiler Alert: It isn’t pretty). Next I outline 6 reasons why, exactly, recycling isn’t as fabulous as we want it to be; I offer ideas as to how ordinary citizens can be part of the solution (instead of major players in the problem!), too. Happy listening! * Access this week’s Show Notes here. * Are you disposing of your waste wrong? Check out episode #034 to find out. * Find your tribe. Sustainable Minimalists are on Facebook, Instagram + Pinterest. * Like the show? Help it grow by leaving a quick review! On the Apple Podcasts app, hit the Library tab, scroll allll the way to the bottom past all prior episodes, then click on the stars to leave a review. (Thank you!)

How to love your home 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 external gratification; these days, she’s happy at home. She knows it’s absolutely possible to curate a space that’s relaxing, inviting, stress-free + clean; even better, she’s here to share her successes with us. No need to shell out big bucks on a total home remodel: On today’s show Katie and I show you how to love the home you have (not the ones in magazines!) in 10 easy steps. Enjoy! * Enter to win $100 worth of Clean Goods products here. * For more episodes like this one, check out #026 + #017. * Find your tribe. Sustainable Minimalists are on Facebook, Instagram + Pinterest. * Like what you hear? If so, help others find the show by leaving a quick review!  On the Apple Podcasts app, hit the Library tab, scroll allll the way to the bottom past all prior episodes, then click on the stars to leave a review. (Thank you!)  

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 home in a way that’s attainable for the organizationally-minded, the organizationally-challenged + everyone in between. Enjoy! * Want more decluttering ideas? Check out episodes #059 + #041 for inspiration. * Find your tribe. Sustainable Minimalists are on Facebook, Instagram + Pinterest.

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 giving you my best tips, tricks + hacks to cultivate a swoon-worthy (+ waste-free!) garden to be proud of. Enjoy! * Access this week’s Show Notes here. * Find your tribe. Sustainable Minimalists are on Facebook, Instagram + Pinterest.   Our monthly newsletter overflows with eco-friendly awesomeness. Get yours straight to your inbox! #mc_embed_signup{background:#fff; clear:left; font:14px Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif; width:1998px;} /* Add your own Mailchimp form style overrides in your site stylesheet or in this style block. We recommend moving this block and the preceding CSS link to the HEAD of your HTML file. */ Email First Name (function($) {window.fnames = new Array(); window.ftypes = new Array();fnames[0]='EMAIL';ftypes[0]='email';fnames[1]='FNAME';ftypes[1]='text';}(jQuery));var $mcj = jQuery.noConflict(true);  

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 Orton packed up their 5 children, moved onto a sailboat + lived out their wildest dreams. Then they wrote a book about it. Erik + Emily are on the podcast to inspire you to live your best life, especially if your best life varies from the norm. I ask them how, exactly, they customized their lives to make room for their dreams; they divulge what they’ve learned by living off the grid + why they’d encourage others to do the same, too. The New York Times named Seven at Sea as a top travel read for summer 2019; even better, Erik + Emily generously brought along a free hardcover copy for one lucky listener. Enter to win your copy (just in time for summer!) below in your browser:   * Find your tribe. Sustainable Minimalists are on Facebook, Instagram + Pinterest.     Our monthly newsletter overflows with eco-friendly awesomeness. Get yours straight to your inbox! #mc_embed_signup{background:#fff; clear:left; font:14px Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif; width:1998px;} /* Add your own Mailchimp form style overrides in your site stylesheet or in this style block. We recommend moving this block and the preceding CSS link to the HEAD of your HTML file. */ Email First Name (function($) {window.fnames = new Array(); window.ftypes = new Array();fnames[0]='EMAIL';ftypes[0]='email';fnames[1]='FNAME';ftypes[1]='text';}(jQuery));var $mcj = jQuery.noConflict(true);

Declutter Your House by Starting with Small Wins   It’s one of your biggest decluttering concerns and I hear it all the time. Are you worried you will declutter your house and donate something you will 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 and am certain you can let go of. That’s because there’s no possible way you will ever (in a bazillion years, even!) miss these items. By focusing on with 30 small successes, you will likely feel an immediate energy shift in your house. You will likely find yourself with the motivation to continue the job, too. If you are worried you will trash an item that has plenty of life left, don’t worry. Wherever possible, I give you eco-friendly disposal options so that you will enjoy the benefits of quick wins with 30 tangible decluttering successes today. Let’s get to work! * Access this week’s Show Notes here. * Want more episodes like this one? Check out #076:Declutter your Home with the Shoebox Method. * Enjoy the show? Help it grow by leaving a quick review! On the Apple Podcasts app, hit the Library tab, scroll allll the way to the bottom past all prior episodes, then click on the stars to leave a review. (Thank you!) * Join our (free!) community here. * Find your tribe. Sustainable Minimalists are on Facebook, Instagram + Pinterest.