Sustainable Minimalists
Creating eco-minimalist, non-toxic homes (without the extra work). Although minimalism has experienced a rebirth in recent years, the "less is more" movement has been around for centuries. Yet today's minimalist influencers have resurrected minimalism with a decidedly consumerist spin, as modern minimalism is nearly synonymous with decluttering. While there's a lot of chatter about tidying, it's radio silence and crickets when it comes to sustainability. The result? Aspiring minimalists find themselves on an endless hamster wheel of buying, decluttering, buying more, and purging again. Overemphasizing decluttering and underemphasizing the reasons why we overbuy in the first place is thoroughly inconsistent with slow living as a movement; consumption without intention is terrible for the planet, too. Your host, Stephanie Seferian, is a stay-at-home/podcast-from-home mom and author who believes that minimalism, eco-friendliness, and non-toxic living are intrinsically intertwined. She's here to explore the topics of conscious consumerism, sustainability, and environmentally-friendly parenting practices with like-minded women; she's here, too, to show you how to curate eco-friendly, decluttered homes (without the extra work).
351
Pushing Back Against Convenience Eating
How to make fewer convenience-driven food choices with kitchen hacks and simple food routines.
35 min
352
How To Read a Cleanser's Label
Non-toxic, eco-friendly living is rapidly growing in popularity, and many corporations that sell home cleansers are modifying their marketing (not their products!) to garner more sales. We may not have the time or energy to DIY our own cleaning product...
32 min
353
Functional Entryways That Flow
Excessive amounts of shoes. Keys that are somehow always lost. We feel it when our entryways *don’t* flow, sure. But in what ways can we elevate an entryway’s function while also ensuring that it remains aesthetically pleasing?
31 min
354
Simplifying Kids’ Craft Clutter
“Do you have any tips for making kids arts and crafts more sustainable? I have a craft shelf that the kids love. I keep it stocked and love to encourage their creativity, but it feels so wasteful!” Pom pons, glitter glue, and googly eyes, oh my.
14 min
355
Career Minimalism
Your Minimalism-Guided Life And Career 67% of workers say excessive meetings keep them from getting their best work done, and up to half of an employee’s day is wasted on unproductive effort (source). While we are well-versed in the whys and hows of ...
30 min
356
Using The Whole Pumpkin (& The Whole Apple)
Apple pie, Jack-o-lanterns, and gourds galore: Autumn has arrived! Saving money and environmental resources starts by reducing—or even better, eliminating—food waste in your home. With a bit of forethought,
10 min
357
Going Car-Light
Automobiles convey freedom and status. They’re also a symbol of modern convenience: why walk when you can drive? Why take public transit if you can ride in the comfort of what’s decidedly yours? But a car’s convenience comes with a host of environmenta...
30 min
358
5 Questions That Determine An Item’s Potential
“I really like fixing and building, and my wife and I like to go around on garbage day and pick up useful odds and ends. This of course also turns into a lot of stuff from a minimalist perspective. How do you deal with useful things that have no specif...
17 min
359
Realistic Work-Life Balancing
Amidst 2021’s frenetic pace, curating a life that satisfies your professional, financial, and familial obligations and also leaves space for fun may seem unattainable. What’s work-life balance, and is achieving such balance even possible?
32 min
360
How To Make Soap At Home
“I have to ask about your handmade soap recipe. How do you make soap at home? I’ve been thinking about making my own for a while (maybe also add some oat pulp that remains from making oat milk?). It would be interesting to see if there’s a minimalist a...
13 min
361
The Global Food Supply Chain Under Strain
Supermarkets rose to prominence in the 1960’s and these days, the grocery store is the Number One place where Americans buy food. But supermarkets have disconnected us from our food; worse, the global food chain is responsible for up to one third of al...
25 min
362
Pragmatic EMF Protection For Better Health
Electromagnetic fields (or EMFs, for short) are all around us. While anything that uses electricity deploys EMFs, the rise of wireless technology has exponentially increased our exposure to EMFs in recent years.
31 min
363
Less Waste Moving
“My question is about moving. I have four weeks to pack up my house and the amount of plastic we will probably be needing is giving me nightmares already. Any eco-friendly moving tips for me?” Carbon emissions from diesel-burning trucks.
14 min
364
Minimalist Skincare Essentials
“I would love to know what your minimalist eco-friendly skincare essentials looks like, especially in the dry summer months.” While using too few skincare products can leave your skin dehydrated and undernourished,
13 min
365
Rightsizing Your Budget
How To Be Better At Budgeting In America, capitalism entices us to spend now and pay later. But paying for what you don’t need with credit is a precarious practice, as living outside of your means may create a shaky financial future.
31 min
366
Antidotes To Eco-Despair
“I have struggled with climate anxiety for awhile now … I try to have a positive look on the climate crisis and say that we can still fix it but … it’s taking its toll. How do you not get stopped by this? Can we still fix the climate?
10 min
367
50 Shades of Gray (Hair)
Surprise, surprise: Our culture reveres youth. Getting older, then, becomes a dreaded rite of passage that many of us feel we must outrun. And although dyeing our graying hair is one way in which we can turn back the clock for at least a little while,
27 min
368
How To Get Organized In A Small Space
“I’m desperate for tips about staying organized in a two bed townhouse. My husband and I have a 13 month old and are thinking of adding another to our family soon. Our son shares the spare room with some storage and furniture while my husband is worki...
11 min
369
Fewer But Better Adult Friendships
The global pandemic may have reduced the scope of your social circle. And while pandemics can indeed lead to isolation and loneliness, they may also usher in clarity about what—or in this case, who—is truly important.
35 min
370
Navigating The Eco-Contradiction Minefield
“Hi Stephanie, One topic I’d like covered is the ways in which trying to live a low impact lifestyle can actually contradict each other. Secondhand polyester, or eco-friendly fibers but new? Plant-based but packaged food,
15 min
371
Secondhand Vintage For The Rest Of Us
Ready to embrace pre-loved clothing but hate that thrift stores and online marketplaces sell last season’s fast fashion discards? If so, secondhand vintage may be for you. Vintage items by definition are made from quality materials with skilled craftsm...
29 min
372
BONUS: Is Minimalist Parenting Possible?
“Hey Stephanie, I’m wondering what some of your tips are when it comes to preparing for a baby for the first time when you want to maintain a minimalist lifestyle. Thank you.” Want to be a minimalist parent but don’t know where to start?
15 min
373
What Not To Eat
When discussing reducing toxin exposure, we often frame the conversation in terms of cleaning up our beauty and home products. But there are plenty of toxins in our food, and that’s why simple, clean eating is so darn important.
32 min
374
BONUS: Restricted Recycling? Here's What To Do
“I just moved to a small country town and for some reason they stopped accepting glass for recycling. I had purposely been buying more glass products to avoid plastic as much as possible … I don’t know what to do. Do you have any suggestions?
14 min
375
Minimalist Mindset Shifts Toward Body Acceptance
We women have been primed since we were young to be critical of our bodies. Even though we’re adults—and even though we know better!—it’s natural to revert to what society tells us about the connection between body shape and self-worth.
42 min