Waste Update

Here is a list of typical garbage in our house:

1. food waste (that cannot be composted)- a fair bit with a toddler
2. diapers
3. meat wrapping
4. random food plastic- extra protection for salad green box, yoghurt plastic cover, little plastic bits in almond milk, bread bag plastic bits, some plastic bags to wrap stinky/ wet stuff
5. some nonrecyclable, nonreusable food bags

Here's a list of typical recycling in our house:

1. wine bottles
2. cans
3. pellegrino bottles
4. almond/ soy milk tetra packs
5. fruit/ vegetable packaging
6. toiletries and cleaning product plastics
7. random papers from the mail
8. local free newspaper
9. paper covering from shopping- such as laundry detergent boxes
10. paper scraps from random notes
11. food composting- some of which is wasted fruit/ veg (went bad)

Both lists are important because while recycling is not as bad as garbage, it is still problematic. So here are some ideas to cut back.

1. food waste (that cannot be composted)- Be very careful with food planning, eat all leftovers, look forward to city program implementation.
2. diapers- Continue to work on potty training. Hope baby #2 is not allergic to own urine.
3. meat wrapping- Cut back on meat eating, purchase from butchers that use paper, bring storage container to butchers.
4. random food plastic- extra protection for salad green box, yoghurt plastic cover, little plastic bits in almond milk, bread bag plastic bits, some plastic bags to wrap stinky/ wet stuff- Make own bread, almond milk, yoghurt, cut back on food waste.
5. some nonrecyclable, nonreusable food bags- Make bulk bags from fabric, reuse bulk bags, buy bulk more often, freeze in season berries, learn how to make gnocchi etc.
6. wine bottles- Exercise some self control.
7. cans- Learn how to use dried beans, menu planning, can own tomatoes.
8. pellegrino bottles- Get soda maker, have lemons and lime in tap water instead.
9. almond/ soy milk tetra packs- Learn how to make almond milk, try soy recipe adaptations.
10. fruit/ vegetable packaging, stickers- Buy at the farmers market, bring own containers.
11. toiletries and cleaning product plastics- Simplify what I use.
12. random papers from the mail- Get off junk mail list, get paper free bills.
13. local free newspaper- Call again to recancel.
14. paper covering from shopping- such as laundry detergent boxes- Continue to look for bulk detergent etc.
15. paper scraps from random notes- Be strict about using ipad etc and reuse backs of bills.
16. food composting- some of which is wasted fruit/ veg (went bad)- Better menu and meal planning, keep fridge organized.

Paper Cull and Declutter Update

I have to confess the decluttering makes me feel overwhelmed at times. The kitchen and wardrobe declutter went smoothly. I didn't sell anything. But I did donate to a program I know first sells to a local charity shop and which then sells to international used clothing sellers (Big Brothers). I do this because it then becomes part of the local economy which is better than donated items overseas (which flood but don't contribute to the local economy). More on this another time!

The paper recycling has gone well too. I got rid of all but my favorite magazines in storage. You may think... big deal... but magazines are my weakness. So I actually got rid of years of saved articles or full magazines.

I revisited my recent list of to do's for the paper plans to figure out what I could do next. Today I went through important papers and bills. Things that I mainly needed to shred. Here is the result:

1. almost 3 bags of shredded paper
2. some nonshreaded
3. a small pile of files dated 2001 to 2008 for important documents (see below)
4. an empty box
5. a small pile of garbage including lots of staples (officially hate staples)
6. a messy room I had to sweep up- it is a messy job!
7. a discovery I really really can't stand day time tv (found a news channel to keep me sane)

What did I keep?

• anything I felt was still relevant this includes,
• all tax returns with corresponding papers
• major purchase documents
• transcripts, diplomas etc
• old passports
• bills from last 2 years

These will go into the filing cabinet and I will revisit them every year to decide what to shred!

What's left with papers?

1. Convert to paperless bills.
2. End magazine subscriptions at relevant time.
3. Make a decision about magazines I kept.
4. Call local free newspaper to rerequest they stop delivering.
5. Get off junk mail list.
6. Make friendly/ cool looking "no junk mail" sign.

What are some other recent changes?

• We have started making bread! (Super yummy and simple spelt/ unbleached flour blend- will post recipe soon. Still trying to decide if I can get away with a little wheat.)
• We fixed the stove top espresso machine. And hope this will cut back on the amount of coffee we use. Also the large coffee maker will go into storage and will only be used for when we have brunch guests.
• Toiletries- I am using up bits and bobs that have leftovers in them- including shampoo, conditioner, moisturizers, and hair products.
• Caia is almost potty trained (which has drastically cut down on diapers used).

Farm dreams

Do you ever think about where you want to be in 5 or 10 years? I think about it a little too much. So I figure if I am going to think about it, I might as well write it down. Then the next step is to look at what I can do in the meantime to prepare.

Here is my wish list:

2-5 acres
Mountain view
Existing fruit orchard hopefully with apples, pears, peaches, plums, raspberries, blueberries, strawberries, figs, grapes, blackberries
Min 4 bedrooms, ideally 3 up and a 3 on lower floor for offices/ guests
3 rooms and rec room on lower floor for guests and every day use
Barn for 2 horses, sheep, goats
Chicken coop
Pond for ducks
Pasture
Greenhouse
Kitchen garden
Canning workshop and storage, cheese making space
Workshop for Kevin
Wood stove for some house heating and bread making (Vermont is one brand) in eating area of kitchen
radiant heat on main floor
Near Courtenay, BC

Okay, the next step is to look at components of the plan and see how I can prepare now. More to come!

Moving Forward

Three years ago give or take a few weeks I was 7 months pregnant and got laid off from a university program I helped create. My daughter was born and sometime later we had that nasty economic downturn. I resurfaced a year later and jobs were scarce so I had an idea of how to expand what I was already doing to a secondary school. I was trained as a secondary teacher so it was a very good fit.

I signed up for a wonderful self employment program that taught valuable small business skills but encouraged rather unrealistic profit goals. Maybe it was a good thing, because if you had told me I would work for 1.5 years essentially for free and plunge my family into debt like we have never experienced before, I am quite sure I would have never made the plunge.

Here I am after a number of set backs finally taking in deposits and starting to move forward. Personally I have 2 credit cards (1 business related), one family line of credit, a smaller business line of credit, and a small, old student loan. Up until this venture we had a credit card we always paid off and a line of credit we dipped into. Once or twice we fell further into the line of credit and used bonuses, small inheritances, or tax returns to pull ourselves back out. So this debt is very new to me.

Funnily the fact I am finally making $ is inspiring me to cut back. I really want to pay off the debt ASAP. My technique is generally the domino debt relief technique with some modifications.

1) create a small buffer of $500 in savings per month (at $200 this month).
2) pay minimum plus a little more on larger credit card.
3) pay off smaller credit card this month.
4) pay larger credit card next finishing in September.
5) pay line of credit off in early October.
6) pay student loan off in October.
7) save work line of credit for next year.
8) save holiday money in November.
9) start emergency savings, rrsp, travel, tax savings in November.

Here is what I am doing and need to still improve on top cut back:

1) cancelled cleaner for savings of $2400 a year
2) cancelled home phone for savings of $40 a month
3) daycare drop on price because daughter in 3-5 program savings $350 per month
4) menu planning for week savings yet unknown
5) Costco shopping for coffee,staples, milk, almond milk, cheese
6) stopped ordering pizza and make at home
7) start homemade yoghurt, soy milk, almond milk (or at least try)
8) repair and better maintain clothes (so far jeans and shoes)
9) limit clothes shopping to a few tops (purchased good quality sunglasses) because don't need anything else
10) stop buying cleaning products except dish detergent and laundry detergent. Did buy a few staples like vinegar, baking soda, oxy bleach, hydrogen peroxide, essential oils and glycerin.
11) stop buying creams and makeup unless needed (mascara soon), simplify routine.
12) use simple inexpensive environmental shampoo. And only every other day. Using corn starch as dry shampoo.
13) collecting yoghurt containers to freeze berries (need to buy deep freeze)
14) cutting back on meat in meals
15) using whole grains more
16) growing vegetables we eat regularly
17) starting to make home made bread (very easy with adapted pizza dough recipe!)
18) limiting magazine purchase to current subscriptions (2) and Sunset
19) cancelled newspaper (reading online)
20) got a bike trailer to use for gym, pool trips, and getting around locally on weekends

Still lots more we can do but this is a good start.

Simple Children's Gifts and Birthday Planning

I don't know about you, but I have a lot of kids to buy gifts for. And some of my friends are amazingly generous. Thankfully so far my daughter does not have too many toys (by that I mean I don't yet feel overwhelmed by them). And I think this is a combination of being lucky with relatives primarily and exercising some self control with birthdays and holidays.

Caia's grandparents keep pretty cool about birthdays and Christmas. They are very generous but they tend to focus on one special gift and some books and clothes. For example, a special gift she received in the past was a lovely little buggy for Caia's dolls. It is not terribly plasticy and not super cheap so we can take it outside for little walks, it is pretty, and we hope it will last as long as Caia wants it and then some.

We try to maintain this same philosophy for Caia's gifts and what we give her friends. My new favorite store to buy children's gifts is Dilly Dally. I can pop in with Caia and they have some fun things for Caia to play with while I look around. I can make a decision without feeling stressed to leave or to buy Caia anything. But I do let her choose a 25c sticker set.

Their general philosophy makes sense for me too. They mostly have wooden and fabric toys but if the toy is more functional and durable as plastic then they stock in plastic. A good example are bigger toy trucks. They just function better as plastic. They also keep track of where toys are made, what paint is used and so on. It is not a cheap store, but there are many reasonably priced items. And it is local (not a big chain). So it fits with my philosophy too.

I try to have a little theme for a children's gift and if possible stick to around $25-30 plus a nice little card. When Caia is older we will start making more cards. But until then I am coughing up the dough!

As for wrapping paper, I will use what the store provides free or pull from gift bags and tissue I have saved. Sometimes I buy inexpensive coloured tissue paper. I have not bought a gift bag in years because I have saved all of the ones Caia receives and then I reuse them.

Part of the reason Caia doesn't have too many toys so far is that she has never really had a birthday party. At 1 and 2 years old she was more than content to celebrate with family. We also travel when its her birthday (August) so it hasn't been too much pressure in the past. But she is turning 3 this year so she is quite aware of the whole party thing. This year will be her first official birthday party.

However... we plan to keep it quite small. Just close friends of Caia and us, and perhaps a few buddies from daycare (maybe only one). It will be in our house and backyard. And we will serve veggie dogs, home made macaroni, and home made pizza. Plus home made cupcakes (her absolute favorite). I will plan one special craft but let the kids play outside. Hopefully it is sunny so we will have water and sandbox play!

What about random gifts at other times of the year or other holidays? Well, Caia got chocolates, a bunny, a few Beatrix Potter table pieces, and a little tea set for Easter this year. I can't exactly call that minimal, but other than the little bunny and chocolates I think they were gifts that will stand the test of time and will get a lot of use. I kind of have a thing for Easter. Many other holidays come and go without gifts. And very very rarely I will give her a little random gift- say a hair clip if I think she needs it. But it is so rare she has yet to expect it.

I would rather buy one decent quality toy that will grow with Caia rather than a bunch of cheap plastic toys. Toys that grow with her- like puppets, doll related toys, books, sand toys and so on. So far so good. But maybe check in with me in another year or two and we will see where we are at!

So what's my philosophy? Good quality, stands the test of time, adaptable to different ages if possible, local where possible, minimal plastic, reasonably priced.

Declutter and Simplifying Update

It is certainly a bit of a process to declutter and simplify. I can quite honestly say I have been slowly accumulating things since we returned from Japan in 2000. In fact, we brought a little clutter back with us!

Here are some things I have done so far

1. Japan clutter and other travel clutter- We came home with lovely trinkets including kimonos and knick knacks. I have only kept my favorite 2 kimonos and a few hankies (very popular in Japan and I can certainly put to use). I donated travel gifts I never use or display.
2. Books- I have quite ruthlessly gotten rid of any book I am quite sure I will not read again. Some are boxed for a charity. And some are bagged to see if I can resell them.
3. Caia's art- My daughter is not even 3 and I have accumulated so much art. So for each year I will allocate one folder. I will have to get even more ruthless over the years.
4. Sports equipment- I have donated old snowboard boots, tennis balls, and my rollerblade equipment. I simplified my ski outfit and got rid of a jacket.
5. Electronics- I took all cds, most dvds, computer hardware, and cables to Free Geek to recycle. I was careful to tape manuals and cords to functioning equipment. Note: we have digitized our music and most movies.
6. Papers- I recycled tons of magazine tear outs and irrelevant old notes. I cancelled my newspaper subscription and now use the ipad. I stopped buying all but my favorite magazines- Sunset, Living etc, and Bazaar (subscription).
7. Clothing- I have gone through all clothing in storage and in the closet and donated or turned into rags all clothes that did not fit well, were damaged and not repairable, were stained and not repairable, were out of fashion and I no longer wear.
8. Kitchen- I stored china from my grandparents I don't use regularly but are sentimental. I stored extra cutlery and a few items I am not ready to get rid of. I donated tons of items I don't use. I thoroughly cleaned the dishwasher (by unscrewing the components to clean the filter) and the back coils of the fridge. I got rid of expired sauces etc and any items we just don't eat. I moved bulks into jars and stopped buying highly packaged goods. I recycled and donated most plastic storage containers and replaced with existing jars and jars from a thrift shop.
9. Cleaning products- I stopped buying various cleaning products. But did buy oxygen bleach, hydrogen peroxide, a few essential oils. I gave a few non-environmental cleaners to my mom (so she can use up). I am slowly using up bought environmental cleaners and replacing with home made ones. I choose paper containers for laundry and dishwasher powders since many bloggers have yet to be satisfied with home made.
10. Waste- I never double bag garbage (ie bread bag goes into garbage bag). I always reuse any plastic bag for diapers or other necessary garbage (we still don't have full food compost collection here so sometimes have wet food waste). I am trying out soy and almond milk recipes. I make home made macaroni and cheese etc. I buy bulk.
11. Toiletries- I started to use all natural shampoo and only shampoo every two days. I use cornstarch as dry shampoo. I only buy MAC makeup which has a recycling program. I stored all makeup I don't use regularly. I am working on finishing all creams and trying not to buy any (but will need to buy sensitive face cream soon).

Some things I can still do:

1. Japan and travel clutter- I need to seriously revisit and decide what I truly want to keep.
2. Books- I need to convince Kevin to be a little more ruthless. And I need to do one more cull and get rid of books that I can easily get from my mom's or from the library. I will keep my favorites. And there are quite a few.
3. Caia's art. Choose my favorite to frame and decorate the craft area (planned project for the unfinished basement). Planned for Fall.
4. Sports equipment- Sell my snowboard, sell my skis (but keep bindings) and upgrade, donate my slightly bent poles and replace. Planned for early Fall ski swap.
5. Electronics- Kevin panicked and snagged a binder of cds. I will need to get these next time. We have an old titanium mac to strip and get rid of. We have an iMac to strip and repurpose as a psuedo TV. We have a failed hard drive to return to a manufacturer. I need to recycle the DVR and home phones that don't work. I need to return the home phone box and just use mobile phones. I need to freecycle the old tv and dvd player.
6. Papers- I need to go through old paperwork and shred, I need to scan relevant documents, I need to organize work documents. I need to cull all but my favorite stored magazines (Dwell, Sunset and Domino). I need to go paperless with all bills. I need to re-request the local free newspaper not be delivered. I need to get on no junk mail lists. I need to cancel my Canadian Family magazine subscription at the year end.
7. Clothing- I need to sell my fancy shoes I never wear. I need to get winter pants and coats dry cleaned and store with cedar. I need to finish washing winter sweaters and store with cedar.
8. Kitchen- I need to replace chipped day to day plates and bowls. I need to replace all of Caia's plastics. I need to fix the stove top espresso maker.
9. Cleaning products- I need to track down stainless steel spray bottles. I need to finish off purchased products and start making my own (should take a while). I need to replace broken swiffer and get rid of remaining sheets.
10. Waste- Caia is still not potty trained (and is very allergic to her own urine so cannot use cloth) but I am trying!! I have yet to resolve nondairy drinks (allergic) but do recycle. The city still does not collect all food waste. I need to start making bread and cut out bread bags or buy direct from bakery (but avoiding wheat makes it difficult- I have a wheat insensitivity).
11. Toiletries- I need to figure out which items I never use and find a way to get rid of them by giving away or recycling.
12. Photos- this is linked to Japan. I need to scan all predigital photos, get rid of duplicates and bad ones, and maybe make a few little albums.
13. I need to tackle the garage.

What's the general philosophy here? Baby steps. If you have a family and a job it will not happen over night, likely not even over a month. So just do it step by step and keep moving in the same direction. In the meantime limit what new stuff you bring in!

Natural Beauty Recipes

Here are some lovely recipes from Easy Green Living. Please note I am currently posting for future use and will update the post once tried. I do this because a) the supplies may not be ready- like rose petals from the garden or b) I still have a bought version I want to finish first.

Homemade Rose Water

• use as a facial spray or apply with cotton ball
• place petals of 2 or 4 fresh organic roses in glass jar (need to add 2 cups of water)
• boil 2 cups of water and pour over petals
• seal tightly with a lid, shake gently, and let stand overnight
• Strain rose water and squeeze as much liquid from petals as possible
• Store in tightly sealed jar or bottle in fridge

Honey Face Treatment

• Cleanse your face
• Boil water and hold face over steaming pot for 2 to 5 minutes (or use steaming hot facecloth of face for 2 minutes- but make sure comfortable to touch)
• Spread 1 1/2 tbsp of raw honey on face (avoid eyes)
• Leave on for 15 minutes and rinse with warm water
• Use toner or face spray and moisturize

Sea Salt-Peppermint Foot Scrub

• Mix 1 cup salt, 1/3 cup olive oil or almond oil, tbsp castile soap, 5 drops essential oil of peppermint
• Soak feet first with hot water and 1/4 cup epsom or table salt for 15 minutes
• Scrub with the mixture and rinse off

Rejuvenating Face Serum

• 2/3 cup pure aloe vera
• 2 tbsp pure vegetable glycerin
• 3 drops essential oil of rose or lavender
• combine all three in jar and shake it well, and then put in a small clean glass pump dispenser
• spread over clean skin and sleep with it on
• store in fridge and it keeps indefinitely
• Plain aloe vera gel works too
• Be careful- some people are allergic so test in a small area of the skin first

Sugared Vanilla-Coconut Salt Body Scrub

• mix 1/2 cup each of sea salt, organic sugar, coconut oil with
• 1 tsp jojoba oil
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract (0r 6 drops of your choice of essential oil)
• rub over skin in circular motion
• Keep in sealed container (fridge not needed) but stir before using

Here is one more from Home Enlightenment.

Basic Body Butter

• Blend 1/2 cup coconut oil with 1/4 cup coconut butter and soften in double boiler over medium heat.
• Add a few drops essential oil (if you desire) and stir to blend

Yum, can't wait to try!!

Simple Fixes/ Seasonal Chores

My copy of Easy Green Living is due back at the library. So here are some additional tips from it. And then from Martha Stewart starting at #5.

1. Vacuum the fridge and freezer coils at the back of the fridge every 4-6 months. Yikes!
2. Take out dishwasher filter and thoroughly clean. Reinstall. Add 2 cups of vinegar in bowl placed upright in bottom rack. Run dishwasher.
3. Sprinkle baking soda in oven. Spray till wet with water. Leave 12 hours. Scrape and scoop off. Wipe with damp cloth.
4. Combine 2 tbsp cream of tartar, 2 tbsp baking soda, 2 tablespoons 3% hydrogen peroxide. Massage with damp cloth on stainless steel. Let dry completely and then wipe with damp cloth.
5. Scrub cast iron pots with coarse salt and a soft sponge. This will help maintain the seasoning (never use soap, put in dish washer etc).
6. Natural Whitener for linens- place in pot with several slices of lemon, bring to boil, turn off, let sit for an hour and then launder as usual.
7. Use baking soda on an old toothbrush to whiten grout.
8. Put a denture tablet in ceramic cups with coffee stains and add water. Empty when it stops fizzing. Do again if there is still a stain.

More Household Tips: Dust Mites!

Dust mites creep me out. They are so common, they feed on our shed skin (we apparently shed 10 pounds of skin a year), and they cause irritations that lead to allergies and asthma.

I have home enlightenment by Annie Bond home from the library. It is seriously the bible for a healthy, simple home. I will need to take it out again and again to get through it all. But here are some of my favorite bits so far on dust mites:

1. Damp Dust Mop (to combat dust mites and allergens)- can use to wipe down floors, woodwork, walls and ceilings. Combine 1 part vegetable glycerin, 1 part vinegar and use on a soft dust-free cloth. I would imagine you should wash at a very high temperature after use to further eliminate dust mites (she recommends discarding).
2. Other ways to combat dust mites: direct sunlight, dehumidifier (below 40-50%), steam clean carpets, vapour steam clean bedding (and mattresses, couches, carpets, curtains, upholstery).
3. It recommends replacing pillows every 6 months. This seems unrealistic. So other options I would consider are to tightly seal in plastic bag and freeze. Then vigorously shake outside (this works for stuffed animals). Or buy wool filled pillows and other bedding. Dust mites don't like the lanolin.
4. Use a HEPA vacuum and/ or air filter.
5. Add 1/8 cup of castile soap to laundry- the fatty acids help kill bugs including bed bugs.

SImple Style

I think you can be fashionable and simple at the same time. But hopefully when you get to a certain age you prefer quality over quantity and you stop buying cheap junk. Fashion should be an expression of your personality and should make you look and feel good. Fashion should also match the occasion.

Choosing wisely and cautiously can be good for the wallet, good for the environment, and socially responsible too.

And please please stay away from silly campaigns where you buy something and it pays for a kid to go to school in Africa. Stop trying to alleviate your shopping guilt. Buy something because you love it or need it. And donate cash to charities that do good work. More on this in another post.

I love classics revisited. In fact my husband wears my father's old 60's Gloverall duffel coat. It is a bit worn but talk about standing the test of time.

I have no intention to convince you to appreciate a certain style. I have no intention to convince you to even care about style. But I have a few tips if you care to hear them.

1) When possible choose quality- I bought a pair of Fendi sunglasses at an outlet store in Italy 5 years ago. I throw them in my bag over and over and they have never scratched. I buy a pair of $30 fashion glasses and they barely last the week.

2) Repair what you love. I regularly get jeans and favorite shoes fixed. It is much cheaper than buying new and I cherish them for way longer.

3) Maintain what you own. Polish shoes, get soles and heals replaced early. Or even better get soles put on leather shoes before they wear (go to a cobbler you trust). Hang dry as much as possible. Stay away from bleach. Use eco-friendly dry cleaners.

4) Go through your closet regularly. Get rid of what doesn't fit (donate, but be careful about where). Get rid of clothes that are not flattering or you never wear. Turn worn, stained items into rags. Repair what is damaged.

5) Choose clothes that suit your needs and lifestyle. If you are running around all the time then buy flats. If you only need suits for occasional business meetings then buy one or two nice suits that you can adapt to a number of situations.

6) Store properly. Sweaters should be folded not hung. Use good wooden hangers. And store winter woolens with cedar and/ or lavender but make sure they are clean first!

7) Don't be a fashion victim. I regret mentioning outlet malls because the image of people swarming them horrifies me. Don't buy a purse because it has a brand on it. Buy it because it is pretty and functional.

8) Assess before you buy. Do you need it? Do you have it already? Will it fit with your wardrobe? Does it fit? Does it suit you?

9) Try to buy on sale. With a little foresight and planning you can avoid buying most things, especially clothes, at full price.

10) If you have the stomach for it try to buy thrift. I am not so good at this. But there are many fashionable people that are.

11) Think before you buy. Where else might you rather be spending this money? A vacation, a fabulous meal out, savings?

12) Don't make shopping a family outing. Get your shopping done and then got on with the things in life that truly make you happy.

Whether you care about fashion or not, I have a feeling these tips will help you go from impulse shopper, to savvy simplist.

Three Slightly Different R's: Refuse, Reduce, Reuse

Over recent years most people have done a good job of adopting one of the three typical R's- recycle. But if we were being completely honest with ourselves we had to do very little to adopt this step. And if we were being exceptionally honest with ourselves we would recognize that the process of producing and then recycling these items uses a lot of energy.

People in general do not want to change their habits and behaviours and recycling gives them the freedom to stay pretty much the same.

There has also been a lot of talk of simplifying possessions. Some people have decided that if one new thing comes into their life, then something has to be removed. This may be great for their home and their life. But have you ever thought about what happens to that item?

One option is that the packaging is possibly recycled into a new product. Another option is to donate this item to a charity. This seems like a perfect solution- give it to someone in need. But let's be perfectly honest. Who needs your old t-shirt? Who needs your Van Halen CD? Who even needs your old shoes?

The most likely situation is that your item will join many many other tonnes of clothes and get sent to be sold in the second hand clothing market overseas. This at least will support the local economy (because chances are the second hand clothing market destroyed the local tailoring industry years ago). And at least the merchants will make money selling it. Worse would be that it arrives and is donated- which brings no money into the local economy and in fact is detrimental to existing merchants.

So is there a solution? Sure. Think very carefully before you add or remove anything from your home. Go ahead and reduce because if you are anything like me your home is probably filled with a little too much stuff. But first consider how you might reuse the item. Second, try to sell it to someone locally to use. Third, consider getting rid of it on freecycle to a person. If these fail, then donate it to a charity.

But trust me it is preferable to give that piece of used clothing to a charity that will sell it overseas rather than hand it out. Why? Because free stuff does little to stimulate the overseas market economy. At least with the second hand clothing industry money starts to flow into and through the local economy.

If you want to donate overseas, then donate your money to purchase local goods. Once again, this means that money starts to move through the local economy supporting local merchants and eventually the benefit gets passed on to other community members.

But as you clear out your clutter, promise that you will start to refuse. Consider the one item in, one item out as a last resort. Don't let people in developing countries pay for your behaviour.

The Path to Authentic Living

I have been on a journey these past years. I can't recall exactly when it started but I think it was around the time my child was born. In fact, I would say the chaos that ensued in the early days of parenting propelled me forward.

First, I wanted to find a way to make everything easier. So that meant making decisions that would alleviate some stress in my life. For the mother of a baby that always wanted to be held having help with cleaning was worth every penny. The thought of trying to clean the toilet drove me insane.

I know you are probably wondering where my husband was in this factor. Well he is our day to day cook and so I graciously take care of cleaning as a balance to his work in the kitchen. I still continued to do day to day cleaning, laundry, bills etc. But every two weeks I paid someone to really scrub the bathroom, floors and kitchen.

I wanted to make sure that C (my daughter) ate healthy and that I walked lightly on this world. So we started to grow some food in our yard. And we tried to be conscious of garbage. I also learned that making my own baby food was relatively easy and inexpensive and something I could handle. So I started to make choices about what I could do to cut back on waste and spending.

My full year of maternity leave allowed me lots of time with C. But to be totally honest with you I dreaded having to make plans all the time. Both of us became wiggy staying at home. And the responsibility of planning activities every day was a little tiresome. I always envisioned going back to work.

I had been laid off while very pregnant and as the mat year came to an end C got a space in a coveted downtown daycare and I was still jobless. I could not pass up the space for her. So she went into daycare and I took the plunge into self employment.

Starting a business is incredible rewarding, inspiring, draining, stressful, and costly. And it takes way way longer than expected to become profitable. So here I am almost 2 years after the start of my business and I am finally feeling like I am on an upswing.

But the stress of how much I have spent to start this company, the doubt as to whether it was the right decision, and the fairly constant guilt of putting my daughter in daycare has taken its toll.

So here I am with a daughter about to turn 3, a business about to turn 2, and a husband who has been incredibly supportive and patient so far.

I am tired of the stress, doubt and guilt. And I have started to make changes to alleviate all of them. I am simplifying my life. I am eliminating unnecessary spending and waste. I am paying off our debts and starting to save again. And in the process I tend to free up time and energy to focus on what I love to do and what makes me happy. This blog chronicles that journey.