Natural Living Articles & Tutorials

I love Christmas and the holidays because this time of year is all about gift-giving (and experience sharing) but unfortunately, there is a dark side to holiday giving that many people don’t even think about: the amount of extra waste produced by the gift wrap, bags, and ribbon. Christmas Waste? Consider this: in the US alone, we …

As the long-term effects of antibacterial soaps become more widely known, people are turning to more natural alternatives. This movement has resurrected the art of soap making. If you are new to making soap you are in for a real treat! It can seem like a daunting undertaking at first but it is such a …

It wasn’t until I had my first child that I ever really thought about the ingredients used to make many common household objects or their potential dangers. Once I had a little one who completely relied on me for his safety, I started to really research what was in common items like cleaners, scented candles, and …

I have a confession to make… I wasn’t always a fan of the pumpkin spice craze that would hit when Fall rolled around. Your tastes really must change as you get older, because now it’s not uncommon to find me eating pumpkin pie (unsweetened) while sipping a pumpkin spice latte! Of course, pumpkin spice candles …

Over the last few years, I’ve been simplifying and reducing the tools and appliances in our kitchen and only keeping the ones we use often. In fact, our kitchen now has a simple assortment of unusual appliances and tools that we use every day. One appliance that has definitely earned its place on the list …

One simple change in the kitchen can make a big difference in reducing waste and saving money: switching to entirely to cloth instead of paper. This is one easy change that I resisted for a long time but wish I had made the switch much earlier. I think the idea of removing paper products in …

Gardening can be a great way to save money and eat the freshest food available, but it can also come with its fair share of frustrations. From pests to proper watering, there are a lot of factors involved, especially if you are using organic methods to avoid chemicals. Garden pest control is a constant battle …

We use a lot of flowers around here for purposes other than decoration, from calendula for skin to dandelions for iced dandelion lime tea. While I enjoy a vase of fresh flowers as much as the next person, the practical side of me always wishes for a way to extend the enjoyment. I did a little research, …

I’ve heard it said that a person can go three weeks without food, three days without water (roughly) and three minutes without air (roughly). With those numbers, it seems that air quality should be an important consideration for health, as we proportionately consume more air than any other substance and as chemicals can be easily …

It’s clear that plastic is becoming a huge problem in our society and environment. As consumers, it can sometimes feel like there’s nothing we can do to stem the flow of single-use products onto the market (and then into the landfill). The zero-waste movement is one way we can make a difference in our homes …

I often sing the praises of bone broth as a healing food, but fermented foods are just as important for a healthy body. Fermented foods are a great way to get probiotics in the diet (among other things) and are very easy (and cheap) to make at home. What Is Fermentation? Fermented foods are foods …

One of the tenets of organic gardening is to feed the soil, not the plant. The easiest (and cheapest) way to do this is by composting kitchen and yard scraps to make rich organic fertilizer. Composting is fairly easy and can be done almost anywhere (even in an apartment), so there’s no reason not to …

When I first switched to more natural and green cleaning products, microfiber cloths seemed like a panacea. They cleaned almost all surfaces with little or no additional products, were reusable, and seemed really sustainable. I found myself using them more and more and many sources recommended them as a natural cleaning alternative. From a no-waste perspective, …

With a family and a business, life can get very busy, very fast. Both take a lot of time and intentionality to nurture and I’m not one to let either of these important parts of my life suffer for the other. One thing I do so that I can have time for my family (first) …

Since we largely avoid candy and other processed foods, I have to get creative and come up with other Easter basket ideas each year. As kids, my brother and I always looked forward to Easter and getting baskets with a chocolate bunny and going on Easter egg hunts. Because of these special memories I work …

If you know anything about organic gardening, you may have heard the saying “feed the soil, not the plant.” Creating healthy soil for plants to grow in is the best way to have a healthy garden that produces without synthetic fertilizers. Knowing that is one thing… knowing what to do is another! It’s tempting to …

I’ve written many times about all-natural cleaning methods without the use of chemicals. Now to check off something that’s been on my list for a while: a complete cleaning checklist for the whole house! Sometimes it’s hard to get the motivation (or time) to take on deep cleaning, but the one time of year most of …

For years, I thought I was terrible at keeping indoor plants alive. Forget a green thumb, my thumb apparently was great at killing plants and not so great at keeping them happy. I could keep my outdoor garden alive no problem but I couldn’t figure out why I struggled so much with indoor plants! Lack …

I’ve already confessed my weird hobby of taking on remodeling projects whenever my husband leaves town. Today, I’m sharing another one of my (somewhat strange) infatuations: my plant wall. Or should I say plant walls, since I’ve created several of them throughout my house. Why a Plant Wall? Well, for starters, plant walls are beautiful …