Sustainable Minimalists

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 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!

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 do so in practice. It’s sad but true: Sometimes we’re our worst selves around the people we love most. This week, Ashley Logsdon motivates us to prioritize our time so that our families always come out on top.  Enjoy! * Access this week’s Show Notes here. * 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!

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 bring attention to sustainability. Rob has vowed to grow + forage 100% of his food for an entire year; he’s currently on Day 64. Rob *doesn’t* want us to join him. He’s on the podcast to explain what he’s doing, how he’s doing it + WHY extreme adventuring is the best way to inspire global change.  Enjoy! * Find your tribe. Sustainable Minimalists are on Facebook, Instagram + Pinterest!

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! * Access this week’s Show Notes here. * Find your tribe. Sustainable Minimalists are on Facebook, Instagram + Pinterest!

An Eco-Friendly New Years Resolution Idea   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. * Find your tribe. Sustainable Minimalists are on Facebook, Instagram + Pinterest!

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!). Julia imagines a world in which we are defined by our characters, not by our clothes. Even better? She believes smaller wardrobes are the answer. Enjoy! * 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!

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. 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!

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 they actually employ in their busy lives. Enjoy!  * Get ready for a financial reset! Sign up for our (obviously free!) No-Spend Challenge here. * Join your tribe. Sustainable Minimalists are on Facebook + Instagram! _____ A big Thank You to today’s guests:  * Carla Brown of Trashmagination  * Tara Dubiel of I Dream of Simple * Jen Panaro of Honestly Modern * Kim Fuller * Rose Lounsbury * Anna Seewald of Authentic Parenting * Laura Durenberger of

 The Why, How, and When of a No Spend Challenge   The holidays are all about overabundance. We buy too much, consume too much and – despite our best efforts – spend far too much money. But there is a solution, and it’s this: A No Spend Challenge. A practical first step toward adopting a lifestyle rooted in sustainable minimalism is to hop off the consumerist bandwagon, at least for a little while. A month-long shopping ban—also known as a no spend challenge—provides an incremental opportunity to assess your spending habits. While no-spend challenges aren’t new, proponents argue that a month-long shopping ban provides many benefits, including the following: * They allow you to get serious about your finances and perhaps meet a savings goal. * They reacquaint you with hobbies you have been neglecting. * They highlight the differences between wants versus needs. * They encourage you to slow down and spend quality time with loved ones. * They retrain your brain to desire less.  January is the perfect month to hibernate, so to speak. It’s just the right time to tackle that project you have been meaning to get to in your home, explore the wonder of recreational activities that don’t cost a cent, and recenter yourself with gratitude for what you already have. On this week’s episode, my right-hand woman Julie Winpisinger describes the why and how of a no spend challenges so that you can confidently embark on a month of intentionally NOT SPENDING on unneeded, unnecessary purchases. Happy listening! * Want more episodes like this one? Check out #071: Conscious Consumerism for Real People. * 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!) * Join our (free!) community here. * Find your tribe. Sustainable Minimalists are on Facebook, Instagram + Pinterest.    

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 invites us to save our hard-earned money by replacing 40 common household items with their greener counterparts, then she shows us how. Enjoy! * Access this week’s Show Notes (+ grab Natassja’s Ultimate List of Sustainable Swaps!) here. * Find your tribe. Sustainable Minimalists are on Facebook, Instagram + Pinterest!

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, no-nonsense terms. Enjoy! * Access this week’s Show Notes here. * Find your tribe. Sustainable Minimalists are on Facebook, Instagram + Pinterest!

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 during the holidays isn’t the ultimate paradox: simple festivities are actually quite attainable. Here’s how. * Access this week’s Show Notes here. * Find your tribe. Sustainable Minimalists are on Facebook, Instagram + Pinterest! * Like what you hear? Kindly leave a quick review wherever you get your podcasts. (Thanks!)

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 successful mornings so you can get in your self-care *without* feeling guilty.  My guest this week is Liz Carlile of Motherhood Unstressed. She’s a health coach + fellow podcaster who has perfected her own morning routine; she’s here to help us perfect ours, too. Enjoy! * Access this week’s Show Notes here. * Find your tribe. Sustainable Minimalists are on Facebook, Instagram + Pinterest! * Like what you hear? Kindly leave a quick review wherever you get your podcasts. (Thanks!)

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 aren’t drastically cutting BACK on (or, even better, cutting OUT) meat + dairy. That’s where today’s episode comes in. I’ve been a vegetarian for 18 years + counting. On this week’s show, I’m calling on this experience as I offer my 4 best tips to *incrementally* go plant-based. Even better? I’m offering up my family’s favorite vegan recipes.  Enjoy! * Access this week’s Show Notes (+ grab the recipes!)  here. * Find your tribe. Sustainable Minimalists are on Facebook, Instagram + Pinterest! * Like what you hear? Kindly leave a quick review wherever you get your podcasts. (Thanks!)

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 just another disposable 21st Century commodity. On this week’s episode we identify EXACTLY WHY fast fashion is so terrible; then we outline a better way. My guest this week is Erin Polowy of My Green Closet. She’s a big voice in the conscious clothing movement + she offers 7 incremental tips for building an intentional wardrobe. Enjoy! * Access this week’s Show Notes here. * Find your tribe. Sustainable Minimalists are on Facebook + Instagram! * Like what you hear? Kindly leave a quick review wherever you get your podcasts. (Thanks!)