Tips to Help Create a Self-Sustaining Garden

Many of us spend a lot of time in the garden trying to get it to look the way we want it to. Maintaining and sustaining a garden can take a lot of work, but it doesn’t need to. In fact, if you’re prepared to put the initial work in to plan, you can create a garden that does a lot of self maintainance. Most of the work involved in creating a self-sustaining garden gets done during the planning phase. When you put more thought into the set-up of your garden, you’ll reduce the amount of care and maintenance required to keep it going. If you’re new to gardening or you’re unsure how to make it self-sufficient, these tips can help you get started:

Read More

How To Not Waste Food

Back in 2018, I wrote about ways to not waste food.  Today I’m updating the information.

I have always believed that throwing away food is a sin. I know that is a “religious” word, but it seems appropriate to me. It’s an action against our neighbors, community, and world as we waste an essential that everyone needs. I really can’t accept the fact that someone is hungry while I pitch food that I let go bad. Did you know that between 30 to 40 %  of the food in the U. S. is thrown away?  This figure is based on studies of both retail and consumer levels.  The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) estimated in 2011 that approximately one-third of all food produced for human consumption worldwide is lost or wasted.

Read More

Create More Space By De-Cluttering Your Home

1. Creating space starts with decluttering

For the last few months I have re-evaluated each room and its furnishings as I packed up everything for the new floor.  This week I want to talk about our “stuff.” I have found that I love being in a room with less furniture and decorations. I have given away and thrown away lots of  “stuff”.  If you feel like your home is cluttered, disorganized, or has too many unwanted items, then it’s time to clean it out. A home that feels spacious and minimal makes for a more comfortable, less stressful environment.  Decluttering can also be a somewhat therapeutic process, helping you eliminate things you no longer need from your life and start again. You should aim to declutter regularly to help keep your living spaces clear and your drawers and  closets organized. Use a checklist to help you declutter every room of your home and be prepared to get ruthless with your decisions over what to throw out and what to keep. I’ve made a basic De-Clutter Checklist by room – fill free to update with other rooms and types of items. It is available as a PDF for you to download and print.

Read More

7 Eco-Friendly DIY Yard Projects

Previously we’ve discussed making your garden organic and eco friendly. If you’re still stuck at home like me, let’s look at a few eco friendly garden projects. There are several cool ways you can update your yard this summer, without compromising on cost, or your carbon footprint. These DIY projects all rely on recycled materials, so you’ll even be able to reduce waste. Here are seven eco-friendly ideas to improve your outside space.

Read More

How to Live More Naturally

We live in a very unnatural world. We wake up, we jump on social media, we put on clothes made of artificial fibers, drive to work, sit in front of a computer all day, eat processed foods, come home, and watch TV all night.  How much time do you spend looking at a device? Phones, tablets, computers, TV, ….now many household appliances have computers in them too. Smart homes can talk to you and keep your home running. Nature and the environment have been stripped, cut, and polluted. Many of our fellow creatures that reside on this planet are gone or on the brink of extinction. Read More

Tips to Save Water on Your Yard’s Irrigation

I can never believe my utilities bill when it arrives in June, chronicling all the extra water I used in May to bring my post-winter lawn back to life and feed my garden’s little seedlings. I know that water isn’t, overall, one of the most significant expenses in someone’s life, but all the same, an extra $50 in one month can pack a punch. And saving water can be especially important if you’re in a drought-prone state (like I am.) I don’t want to sacrifice the lush, green, liveliness of my yard and garden. So I often start finding creative ways to get the same amount of water to my plants without running the sprinklers or hose quite as often.

 

 

 

Read More