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).
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Intentional Nail Care
Perfectly manicured hands and feet are the norm in 2021, and many of us feel out of place when we choose to abandon what’s socially accepted. But there’s a “toxic trio” of chemicals in nail polish (toluene,
32 min
377
BONUS: Are Essential Oils Worth the Hype?
Uses for Essential Oils An essential oil is not quite a perfume and not exactly a medicine. Still, advocates promise the uses for essential oils are many, and their benefits include better sleep, reduced anxiety, improved overall well-being,
13 min
378
How To Downsize (Even If No One's Moving)
How to downsize your home (and help older relatives do the same) Downsizing is physically and emotionally exhausting. The job becomes infinitely harder when you’re tasked with helping older relatives—your parents,
42 min
379
Intentional Interior Decorating
I once aspired to design my home’s interior the way I saw design done in my favorite home decor catalogs, which is to say I chased an aesthetic that was white, pristine, and contemporary. But doubling down on what’s new and in style left little room fo...
32 min
380
Curating a Healthy House
Curating a Healthy House What’s eco-friendly also tends to be non-toxic, and if you’re like most sustainable minimalists, you likely aspire to curate a healthy house that supports your eco-minimalist ideals.
39 min
381
How Sustainable Minimalists Entertain
How to Host a (No Plastic) Party Like to entertain but hate the overwhelm? Join the club. While it feels so right to open your home to your loved ones for dinner parties, barbecues, and holidays, being chained to the kitchen (and the dirty dishes!
30 min
382
The Pandemic Versus The Planet
Why is it that, in times of fear, society reverts back to relying on single-use disposables? COVID-19 will have lasting effects on the environmental movement. While some of such effects—like embracing forced slowness,
32 min
383
Palm Oil's Problems
Palm oil: Ever hear of it? Imports of the stuff to the United States have risen a whopping 263% in the last 15 years and, these days, it’s in our toothpaste, our shampoo, our pet’s food, our makeup, and more. Palm oil is in nearly everything,
23 min
384
The Lowdown on Sustainable Toys
Sustainable toys provide countless benefits to both children and the planet yet, still, finding such toys can be difficult. What, exactly, makes a toy sustainable? Are wooden toys (ahem … Melissa & Doug) considered eco-friendly simply because they are ...
26 min
385
How To Be Happy In A Small Home
How To Be Happy In A Small Home Choosing to live in a small home is one of the most basic ways we can both reduce our carbon footprints and curb unnecessary spending. Indeed, while living small (not necessarily tiny!
35 min
386
In Defense of Subtraction
When humans solve problems, we often overlook an incredibly powerful option: Subtraction. We add baskets and bins to fix organizational issues within the home. We buy new clothes when we find ourselves frustrated with our wardrobes. In correspondence,
34 min
387
The Benefits to the Circular Economy
The Circular Economy’s Benefits for You and Me ** Like this show? Want to help it grow? Please leave it a quick review on Apple Podcasts, and thank you! ** Our “take-make-waste” economy has cost consumers billions of dollars and has cheated us out...
31 min
388
Finding your Minimalist Mindset
Finding your Minimalist Mindset It’s often the case that we are our own worst enemies. It’s easy to fall back into old habits and old ways of thinking—it’s too easy, in fact, to revert to what we’ve always done. Indeed,
29 min
389
5 Tips For An Organized Home (With Kids!)
Tips for an organized home with kids Staying on top of tidiness can be stress-inducing, time-sucking, and never-ending. If it seems as though your home never looks or feels the way you want it, know that maintaining an organized space with kids is ha...
36 min
390
Pop Culture and the Environmental Movement Today
Pop Culture and the Environmental Movement Today In recent years, pop culture has raised important questions about the environmental movement today, and people are listening. Because while it can be easy to dissociate from media coverage surrounding ...
29 min
391
Minimalist Beauty For The Conscious Consumer
Minimalist beauty for the conscious consumer Toner, exfoliant, emulsion, eye cream, and that’s all before breakfast: The average woman uses 12 beauty products each and every day. But are these products actually necessary?
26 min
392
Digital Minimalism In The 21st Century
children spend 1200 hours per year on technological devices. And adults? We waste approximately 6200 hours a year—or up to a staggering equivalent of 44 years of our lives—staring at screens.
34 min
393
Becoming A Zero Waste Chef
Becoming a Zero Waste Chef The daily habits zero waste chefs rely on to reduce food and packaging waste can seem daunting to the rest of us, to say the least. But in the era of meal delivery kits and takeout culture,
29 min
394
Why 1000 Hours Outside?
The benefits of 1000 hours outside Most of us understand intuitively that spending time outdoors – 1000 hours outside, in fact! – is important. But what does science say about the role of nature in our lives?
32 min
395
Accessible Sustainable Consumption
Sustainable Consumption for you and me Sustainable Minimalism (the book!) is available as an e-book, audiobook, and paperback now, and it dives *far deeper* into the topics we discuss on this podcast. Thank you for supporting my work!
31 min
396
“Good Enough” Environmentally Friendly Parenting
Environmentally Friendly Parenting that’s Good Enough Parents are tired. So tired, in fact, that adopting an environmentally friendly lifestyle may seem impossible. But the goal is progress—not perfection!
29 min
397
How to Simplify Picky Eating
How to simplify picky eating It’s the bane of parents’ existences: Picky eating. And while some children are certainly pickier than most, most moms and dads worry whether their kids regularly consume a variety of nutrients – and in the right quantiti...
23 min
398
Minimalist Tips To Manage Time
Minimalist tips to manage time Time: There never seems to be enough of it. And while the internet flows with tips to manage time, minimalists understand that we can gain more time by having less stuff. Today I’m speaking with my friend and fellow pod...
28 min
399
Learning At Home: The Big Picture
What’s Really Important When Learning at Home Many minimalists correctly view their homes as havens. But because critical learning happens within the home during pandemics and always, our living spaces also provide daily opportunities to nurture last...
45 min
400
Housework Help For a Peaceful Home
Routines and Rituals For Housework Help Sustainable Minimalism (the book!) is available as an e-book, audiobook, and paperback now, and it dives *far deeper* into the topics we discuss on this podcast. Thank you for supporting my work!
39 min