The Sustainable Minimalists Podcast

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... Read More Read More The post How to Love the Home You Have (Not the One You Want) appeared first on Sustainable Minimalists.Our Sponsors:* Thank you to LifeStraw! https://lifestraw.com/Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/sustainable-minimalists/exclusive-content

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... Read More Read More The post 076: Declutter your Home with the Shoebox Method appeared first on Sustainable Minimalists.Our Sponsors:* Thank you to LifeStraw! https://lifestraw.com/Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/sustainable-minimalists/exclusive-content

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... Read More Read More The post 075: Zero-Waste Gardening for Mediocre Gardeners appeared first on Sustainable Minimalists.Our Sponsors:* Thank you to LifeStraw! https://lifestraw.com/Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/sustainable-minimalists/exclusive-content

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... Read More Read More The post 074: How to Live Large by Living with Less appeared first on Sustainable Minimalists.Our Sponsors:* Thank you to LifeStraw! https://lifestraw.com/Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/sustainable-minimalists/exclusive-content

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.... Read More Read More The post Declutter Your House with Small Wins appeared first on Sustainable Minimalists.Our Sponsors:* Thank you to LifeStraw! https://lifestraw.com/Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/sustainable-minimalists/exclusive-content

What Is a Capsule Wardrobe? (And Other Closet Questions) When it comes to our closets, the most sustainable practice is to wear what we already own. Donating clothes contributes to textile pollution; as such, it’s prudent to wear and re-wear our garments until they are thoroughly worn out. But what is a capsule wardrobe, exactly, and how can you create one if you have a closetful of items you simply aren’t wearing and will likely never wear again? Amanda Warfield... Read More Read More The post What is a Capsule Wardrobe, Exactly? appeared first on Sustainable Minimalists.Our Sponsors:* Thank you to LifeStraw! https://lifestraw.com/Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/sustainable-minimalists/exclusive-content

Conscious consumers are so much more than review-checkers. They don’t have their credit card information saved on Amazon. They’re not swayed by “deals” or “sales”, either. Conscious consumers don’t walk the shopping mall for fun + they certainly don’t follow marketplace trends. You’ve heard the term but – still! – its definition remains ambiguous. What is a conscious consumer, exactly? This week, I’m thrilled to identify key traits of intentional shoppers. I show you exactly how you can be one,... Read More Read More The post 071: Conscious Consumerism for Real People appeared first on Sustainable Minimalists.Our Sponsors:* Thank you to LifeStraw! https://lifestraw.com/Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/sustainable-minimalists/exclusive-content

    Did you know? The average American kitchen holds a whopping 1,019 items. Yet professional chefs argue that fully functioning kitchens demand *just* 16 items. No need to spend an arm + a leg on top of the line models, either: you, too, can whip up delectable meals with just 16 items that cost under $300 total. This week, I’m dabbling in the concepts of minimalists kitchens + minimalist cooking with simplicity wellness coach Mirley Guerra Graf. Mirley believes that... Read More Read More The post 070: The Basics of Minimalist Kitchens + Minimalist Cooking appeared first on Sustainable Minimalists.Our Sponsors:* Thank you to LifeStraw! https://lifestraw.com/Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/sustainable-minimalists/exclusive-content

Freshly baked artisanal breads, still warm from the oven. Imported cheeses in original packaging. Untouched organic berries. Did you know? You can find all this + more in your local dumpster. Cameron Macleish first learned about the food waste epidemic as a broke college student. These days, he dumpster dives and – with his mom’s help – cooks delectable meals with his finds to push back against both food waste + food insecurity. While Cameron neither wants nor expects us to dumpster... Read More Read More The post 069: For Dumpster Diving Skeptics appeared first on Sustainable Minimalists.Our Sponsors:* Thank you to LifeStraw! https://lifestraw.com/Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/sustainable-minimalists/exclusive-content

Have you scheduled self-care into your days lately? I get it: We’re all busy. When we must cut something, we almost always cut the tasks that rejuvenate ourselves from our schedules first. I believe that self-care is less about time-intensive, expensive spa treatments (although if they light you up, go for ’em!).  Instead, self-care is a collection of little habits that promote healthy + peaceful existences. On today’s episode, we get some serious self-care bang out of *just* 5 minutes. Liann Hughes is... Read More Read More The post 068: Self-care for Busy People appeared first on Sustainable Minimalists.Our Sponsors:* Thank you to LifeStraw! https://lifestraw.com/Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/sustainable-minimalists/exclusive-content

  So you’ve slashed into the trash your household produces. (That’s great!) But what about when you’re out + about? Are you conscious of garbage when you’re on-the-go? The truth is this: Strategic handbags go a *long way* toward low-waste or zero-waste living. It’s easier than it sounds, too: I carry everything I need for eating out, doing errands + stopping anywhere spontaneous in my medium-sized shoulder bag. On today’s episode I divulge the ten items I keep with me at... Read More Read More The post 067: 10 Handbag Essentials for On-the-Go Sustainability appeared first on Sustainable Minimalists.Our Sponsors:* Thank you to LifeStraw! https://lifestraw.com/Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/sustainable-minimalists/exclusive-content

Have you ever embarked on a dry month? Would you consider one? This week we explore the space where minimalism, intentional living + sobriety collide. My guest this week is blogger Kim Miller. Through the lenses of #winemom + motherhood drinking culture, Kim + I examine the idea that clutter isn’t *just* physical stuff. Clutter is old ideas + habits that don’t serve us. Clutter is anything that takes us out of the moment + away from our best selves, too. Kim... Read More Read More The post 066: How a Dry Month Complements Mental Minimalism appeared first on Sustainable Minimalists.Our Sponsors:* Thank you to LifeStraw! https://lifestraw.com/Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/sustainable-minimalists/exclusive-content

Ever find yourself questioning the air quality in your home?  How about your water? Many of us have completed personal detoxes to eliminate internal toxins from our bodies. But how many of us tackle the toxins that reside in our homes? Toxins are everywhere, even in the cleanest of living spaces. As such, indoor air quality is typically 2-5 times more polluted than outdoor air. Worst of all? Abundant toxins can + do lead to health problems. There is good news, +... Read More Read More The post 065: Your Guide to a Total Home Detox appeared first on Sustainable Minimalists.Our Sponsors:* Thank you to LifeStraw! https://lifestraw.com/Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/sustainable-minimalists/exclusive-content

Let me guess: You like the *idea* of thrifting as a means of preserving both your hard-earned money + the planet. But in practice, things get muddled. Who has the time, energy or desire to sift through mounds of less-than-ideal garments in search of a genuine find? Here’s the good news: These days, it’s easier than ever to shop secondhand. My guest this week is Lauren Spraggins. She’s a fashion reseller who searches for, cleans, mends + presses secondhand items.... Read More Read More The post 064: How to Shop Secondhand the 21st Century Way appeared first on Sustainable Minimalists.Our Sponsors:* Thank you to LifeStraw! https://lifestraw.com/Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/sustainable-minimalists/exclusive-content

Humans are sick + are getting sicker. So is planet Earth.  Our health as a species is intricately linked to the health of our planet. Indeed, perhaps the most concerning aspect of greenhouse gases, polluted oceans + shrinking ecosystems is that – ultimately – we have manufactured an environment unfit for human life. My guest this week is Dr. Stephen Hussey. He’s a chiropractor, health coach + author who’s on the podcast to outline concrete action steps for reclaiming our... Read More Read More The post 063: Why We’re Sick + How to get Healthy (Hint: It Has to do with the Planet) appeared first on Sustainable Minimalists.Our Sponsors:* Thank you to LifeStraw! https://lifestraw.com/Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/sustainable-minimalists/exclusive-content

Zero-waste living is easier than you think. The secret? It all starts at the supermarket. Take home less plastic. On today’s episode I’m divulging my 5 tricks that can be implemented by absolutely anyone on his or her next shopping trip. ** This episode offers a tiny taste of what I’m teaching in 14 Days to a Zero-Waste Kitchen. Registration officially opens today! I hope you’ll join me for guided, one-on-one instruction + more content just like this. ** * Access this... Read More Read More The post 062: 5 Ways to Take Home Less Plastic from the Supermarket appeared first on Sustainable Minimalists.Our Sponsors:* Thank you to LifeStraw! https://lifestraw.com/Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/sustainable-minimalists/exclusive-content

  It happens to all of us. We embark on a decluttering endeavor – a whole house purge, even – only to lose steam halfway through. Indeed, it’s as if the motivation to finish vanishes into thin air. We’re enticed by benefits of a minimalist home, including less stress, more free time + fewer items to clean. The problem is, though, that the act of decluttering induces stress, sucks up free time + requires hours of work. On this week’s... Read More Read More The post 061: 5 Steps to Staying Motivated when Decluttering Gets Hard appeared first on Sustainable Minimalists.Our Sponsors:* Thank you to LifeStraw! https://lifestraw.com/Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/sustainable-minimalists/exclusive-content

So you know fast fashion is bad. (Really bad, in fact.) But you’ve got a closet full of cheap, trendy items + you have no idea how to create a more ethical wardrobe. How can you avoid eco-burnout + cultivate sustainability in your closet? That’s the question Cait Bagby is answering today. Cait is a fellow blogger, ethical influencer + self-described fashion maximalist who’s offering her two cents on creating a wardrobe to feel good about. Enjoy! * Access this week’s... Read More Read More The post 060: Is it ever OK to Buy Fast Fashion? appeared first on Sustainable Minimalists.Our Sponsors:* Thank you to LifeStraw! https://lifestraw.com/Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/sustainable-minimalists/exclusive-content

“But I might need it someday.” “But shouldn’t I save it for my kids?” “But it was a gift from my great-aunt Bertha!” Over the past 2 years, I’ve been fortunate to chat with *many* minimalists. In these chats + interviews, I’ve learned one thing: In the throes of tidying, we all push through the Exact. Same. Concerns. Today I’m bringing 5 decluttering roadblocks into the light + addressing them one by one. Then I’m following them up with practical tips... Read More Read More The post 059: 5 Decluttering Roadblocks (+ How to Get Over Them) appeared first on Sustainable Minimalists.Our Sponsors:* Thank you to LifeStraw! https://lifestraw.com/Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/sustainable-minimalists/exclusive-content

Have yourself a disorganized household? No judgement here. I’ve got one, too. June Doran is a blogger, homeschooler + mom of 5 who argues that, if you want to get tidy, the answer *isn’t* to purchase additional bins + baskets. Indeed, the best way to organize a disorganized family is simple, painless + free. * 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! The post 058: How to Organize a Disorganized Family appeared first on Sustainable Minimalists.Our Sponsors:* Thank you to LifeStraw! https://lifestraw.com/Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/sustainable-minimalists/exclusive-content