Be More with Less

simplicity is love

Experiment in Living with Less

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Project 333? Sure! The 100 Thing Challenge? Why Not?

How about The Zero Waste Home? Uh…wait, what? I showed this video to my family and asked them what they thought. The looks on their faces were not encouraging.

Bea Johnson and her family refuse, reduce, reuse and as a last resort, they recycle. While zero waste living sounds extreme, the Johnson family makes it look very appealing.

What about a one month zero waste experiment? But then what would we do with all the stuff we already have, all the stuff waiting to be trash. If you’ve seen The Story of Stuff, you know how dreadful our consumption habit is.

How can we make changes that aren’t completely overwhelming, but really start to make a difference not only to our families, but to the world? Perhaps the answer isn’t a complete lifestyle makeover, but rather experimenting with one change at a time.

When I started to simplify my life, I didn’t do it all at once. I started with my diet, then attacked debt, and then came stuff. For me and my family, we need slow, deliberate change to make a habit stick. Becoming a zero waste family overnight is not an option for us, but we can experiment and see what works.

Simple steps towards zero waste

One room. If attempting a zero waste lifestyle is too much, what about a zero waste room.

Coffee cups. If you purchase coffee or tea outside of your home, consider bringing your own cup.

Water bottles. Remember when drinking bottled water was cool and healthy? That is so 2002. It’s time to stop buying bottled water and pack your own for the day. If you are concerned about the quality of your tap water, have it tested.

Glass Jars. Bring glass jars to the deli for meat and cheese.

Produce Bags. Instead of using a plastic bag every time you purchase an apple, use a hemp bag or other re-useable container.

Bulk Shampoo or refillable glass containers. As soon as I find a place that offers this service, I will give it a try.

Make your own household cleaners. There are plenty of recipes for homemade cleaners and laundry detergent. Have you tried any?

Compost. I don’t know anything about composting. In fact, I’ve never even tried it, but I plan to. Here are a few ways to get started.

Garden. Grow something.

Other tips. 

I regularly recycle and live with less stuff, but I haven’t given enough thought to where my trash goes. This time last year, the thought of a 1/2 empty closet wasn’t even on my radar, but then a simple experiment in living with less, turned into a lifestyle.

With any experiment or new habit…

  • Start slow. Yes you can overhaul your diet overnight and kill your clutter in a weekend, but radical change is often not as permanent as slow, deliberate change. (especially if you want to include the rest of your family)
  • One at a time. There may be many things you want to change in your life, but pick one and give it your complete attention. That focus and determination will give you the power you need and your success will fuel the momentum for your next change.
  • Celebrate Success. Change is hard. When you make a big lifestyle change and start noticing the benefits, celebrate.

When minimalist fashion Project 333 was first featured in mainstream media, reporters said it was an extreme way to live. I assure you it is not. In fact, I’ve never even used all 33 items during a 3 month period. I am sure that Bea Johnson will tell you that a zero waste lifestyle is not extreme. It’s different. But once you get used to different…it’s the same, only better.

Reading Recommendations

Love and Trash

Upcycled Love

Zero Waste Home

The Story of Stuff

Comments

  1. You nailed it, Courtney. All these things that seem so huge and impossible to do start as something smaller. When I made the switch to vegetarianism, I decided to just try it for a month. Lo and behold, it was much easier than I thought it’d be, so I kept it going. If I had just decided one day, “No more chicken wings for me for the rest of my life!” I doubt I would have stuck with it.

    Start small, cherish those victories, and then expand your scope.

    • Sam, Congrats on becoming a vegetarian. Each little change snowballs into something bigger.

    • Sam, I did the same thing. I tried vegetarianism for a week and I just kept going (I’m on month 10 now). I am looking to simplify my material possessions and then maybe do more with my diet. baby steps.

  2. This is great Courtney. I’ve also been exploring ways to make less of an impact on our lovely planet lately.

    In fact, I was just looking into eco-friendly grass options that require less frequent watering, fertilizing and mowing. (http://money.cnn.com/2011/07/07/smallbusiness/pearls_premium_grass/index.htm?iid=HP_River) It looks like quite a project up front, but over the long-term, it could be a great way to help prevent the contamination of our water. Not to mention we would save tons of time, money and natural resources.

    Like you said, starting small is the way to go. I’m usually much more ambitious then my family about these kind of changes.

    Thanks for linking to the homemade laundry detergent recipe I posted. I’m still using and loving the first batch of detergent I made over a month ago. My mom — a lifelong Tide user — even made a batch of the homemade detergent a few weeks ago. She is now a complete convert. 🙂

    • Jenny,

      Once I run out of my current laundry soap, I am going to try your recipe. Thanks for sharing the link above.

  3. I love it Courtney. Last night was trash night and I found myself looking in dismay at how full our three (three!!!!) recycling bins were. I told myself it was time to start focusing on reducing our outflow.

    About composting. I’ve been doing it for years and my advice may or may not help but I thought I’d share. I’m a primitive composter. I’ve done the chicken wire surrounds, etc. and found them to be hugely annoying (tossing is a nightmare).

    The method I like best is simply designating one small spot in the yard as the compost spot, then occasionally tossing it with a shovel.

    I never create a lot of “dirt” but I do enrich the area where the compost is. I’ve also switched spots, moving 10 feet every year or so to enrich new areas. Just my primitive low-tech 2 cents!

    • Love it Tanja, Thanks for the suggestions.

      I used to be proud of how much I recycled. Just knowing that makes me realize how much I’ve changed in such a short time.

      • I also used to be proud of how much I recycled (though my sister recycles even more!), and have only recently realized that a packed full recycling bin isn’t a good thing. I want to consume less, period.

        Can anyone recommend a good source for reusable produce bags?

    • I wanted to jump in on the recycling thread. I started recycling a few months back because I became very conscious of how much trash we had. So we started recycling (or rather, I did, lol!) After a few weeks I became aware of how I had reduced the trash, but I had SO much recycling! So, then I began trying to reduce overall. I made some progress, but have to admit I have gotten slack again, but your post, Courtney, has brought it to my attention again! Great for getting us thinking!
      Bernice

  4. We have been (very slowly) working towards having a zero waste home. We have a long way to go, but we can usually go at least 3 weeks between putting our recycle and garbage cans at the curb. It is definitely a step in the right direction.

    • Anne, Congrats on making progress. I am going to see how long we can go without taking trash out. Good way to measure!

  5. Yay!! It’s great to hear these stories of inspiration combined with small, practical, attainable steps. I can’t remember how I found it, but just this week I found the zerowastehome blog (I read the article about the Johnson family in Sunset last winter, and was very excited to see them in a widely-read, mainstream magazine). I too am working on small changes over time. SOmetimes it’s frustrating thinking of how far I have to go with my goals of simplifying, but then I remember that this journey is at least as much about the process…and as you say, looking back it’s so easy to see progress.

    • Once you stop comparing yourself to the person you hope to be “someday”, you can really enjoy and celebrate the person you are right now. Slow and steady!

  6. I came across Bea’s blog earlier this year. It is inspiring and overhwhemling at first. I think it was really important that you mentioned doing this one step at a time. I’ve been using re-usable shopping bags for years and forgoing plastic produce bags. I hadn’t thought about recycling being a problem. However, I’ve started using a worm composter and hope to cut back on food packaging. Thanks for the great post

  7. As far as shampoo goes, have you considered switching to solid shampoo? There are lots of soapmakers who make solid shampoo; if you can find folks in your community who do so, you can cut back even further on packaging (no mailing envelopes). Otherwise there are lots of good soapmakers who will ship with minimal packaging—little(recyclable) brown paper bags, tissue paper, etc. You get to reduce packaging, support small businesses and skilled crafts, and reduce chemicals and synthetics. Win all around!

    • This is why I love blogging. Using a solid shampoo never crossed my mind, but sounds a like a great solution. I am going to look into it. Thanks so much for the suggestion.

      • What about the no poo method to wash your hair? Alot of people use baking soda and vinegar to clean also. Those two products can do alot! 🙂

      • I really like the shampoo bars made by Chagrin Valley Soaps. They’re full of good for hair herbs and oils.

  8. Thanks for this post. I’m brand new to the minimalist game, but for about a year I’ve been carrying my Sigg water bottle. (I live Phoenix, AZ USA, today it’s 108) But I started after watching a documentary titled Tapped (tappedthemovie.com). If you need motivation to drop the plastic water bottles, beyond just the waste, this will do it. 🙂

    For the shampoo. I’ve been using baking soda for about a month and it’s been great. I’m sticking with it for the foreseeable future.

    Thanks for your blog! I’ve been subscribed for a while now and read every post.

  9. Oh my. I just read that you live in Cottonwood Heights, Utah. Is that like as in the suburb of SLC? I lived there for four years and still own my house there. If we managed to crack health insurance and live in the US, you and I could be neighbours. Cool! (Big IF, though).

    I’ve been wearing the clothes I already own by assigning each month a colour (this month is cream…yeah, real exciting, I know). It makes me look at my clothes differently when I have to find combinations that permit me to wear a particular colour each day. It makes using what I already own more fun.

    • Shelley, Utah is pretty bad in terms of private health insurance, but I’d love to be your neighbor. 😉

  10. In Austin, where I live, they’re going to open a zero-waste grocery store. I’m really excited! I already use reusable produce and grocery bags, but I’m looking forward to the challenge for other products.

    http://newsfeed.time.com/2011/06/27/americas-first-zero-packaging-grocery-store-to-open-in-austin/?xid=rss-politics-huffpo

    As soon as we run out of household cleaner, I want to make my own! I definitely won’t pour our current stuff down the drain, and I can’t find anyone to pawn it off to, so I’m using it all up now. We tend to stick with Mrs. Meyer’s stuff anyway, so that’s at least good.

  11. I solved the water bottle problem in my house by installing a $35 water filter under my kitchen sink. It fits between the cold water line and the faucet. Now, I KNOW the tap water I drink is clean and I do not even care to have plastic water bottles in the house.

  12. I inherited a compost bin with my house and use it. I love not having to bag leaves and haul them to the curb every fall! I use the chuck it and forget it method of composting. I don’t worry about layering, dry-to-green ratios or turning. The stuff still rots. 🙂

    I also recently tried this simple powder dishwasher detergent recipe from Bonzai Aphrodite and it works great! I love not having to buy the commercial stuff anymore, it always seemed SO overpriced.

    I need to get some reusable produce bags and take other steps to reduce more. We still throw out far too much trash. 🙁

  13. This concept of zero waste is going to have me thinking for quite a while. It is an overwhelming concept, but making small changes seems doable. I recently bought some reusable produce bags and used them shopping yesterday. It felt like a very small victory when I unloaded my groceries and didn’t have to throw away plastic bags.

  14. Great post! I agree with your belief that one should do this gradually, as this is how I’ve approached it. I’ve already made many of the things on your list a habit buy taking on one at a time. My most recent change is to start taking reusable containers to the bulk bins at the health food store in order to eliminate the need for plastic bags. I saw that they do have bulk shampoo and conditioner and might look into that at some point. Right now I’m about to start experimenting with shampoo and conditioner bars that come with minimal packaging. If that doesn’t work, I’ll try the bulk route. Lately, I’ve been trying to think of how to reduce more rather than just recycling. I’ve also been looking at my trash with a critical eye to see if I can find ways to eliminate things that can’t be recycled.

  15. If you are looking for solig shampoo, or a store that takes back empty bottles to recycle you might wanna give Lush a try. They have lots of products, send by mail and even have some vegan stuff if you’re into that. Plus (also quite important) their stuff smells great!

    • Mark, I just discovered Lush and can’t wait to learn more about them.

    • Lush is a good gateway for folks moving toward natural products, but their products aren’t particularly clean (if that is important to you). Their shampoos include lathering agents and surfactants; lots of fragrance/perfume (much of which is synthetic);and they are more expensive than other solid shampoos; their lotions include parabens…

      The company seems like a good one to work for and they make the idea of “natural” products look shiny and cool, but their stuff isn’t particularly good for one’s hair and body.

  16. May I add – Live with less food. I do – we only buy what we need for 7 days, and the aim is to have no waste by Friday. If I do then it’s No Waste Tastes Great Challenge for me, to conjure something up for dinner to eliminate waste. Bulk buying and an overstocked fridge may seem convenient and potentially a good way to buy, but too much goes to waste. There’s nothing I like more than an empty fridge! Just make sure you have a few (long-life) staple items to fall back on and you can’t go wrong. Great for the environment, great for the wallet and for the waistline (hard to overeat when it ain’t in the fridge!)

    • ps – how I would love a local shop in a ‘pick and mix’ style where you take your pyrex containers in and buy by weight (flour, cereal, dried fruit, washing powder, all sorts). I’m sure these used to exist, now it’s all pre-packaged. Hmmm maybe I should open one?

    • Jo. That is so smart and something I often consider. I don’t buy bulk but always feel like there is too much going on in the fridge. (Perhaps I will have to launch Project 333 for the kitchen! 😉

      • Check out my No Waste Tastes Great for inspiration! I’m very minimal in the kitchen – one pot does most meals with minimal ingredients for still great taste… I’m also a fanatical meal planner and have a
        Simple Guide To Meal Planning … There’s a saying ‘Tidy House Tidy Mind’ for me it’s ‘Tidy Fridge Tidy Mind’ 🙂

  17. Thanks for linking me! I love Zero Waste Home! The zero waste challenge is a dream of mine, but a little overwhelming too. I feel that if you can make small conscious decisions about how you live your life, you can extend that to any part of your life. Just take your time with it, go at your own pace, and eventually you’ll get pretty far. What’s really easy to start with is taking your reusable bags, bringing your own water bottle, and your own coffee mug everywhere. I think those are great starting points to get comfortable with, and they present their own challenges too. I’d like to get my own napkin to bring with me everywhere. I’ve switched to cloth tissues, but I still use paper napkins :/ I try to let go of perfection, and that helps me be happy with the progress that I have made. Thanks again, Courtney!

  18. I love this article, it really struck a nerve with me because it hit a lot of areas that I have been thinking a lot about. This time last year my husband was in Iraq and I was a new Mom all alone with no friends or family anywhere near by. I got so depressed and started eating out all the time. Not only was it hampering my debt reduction goals but the amount of tash was appaling!! It was really hard for me to not look in my garabage can and get a bit queasy. Not only was it producing so much waste it was posioning my body and my babies because I was breast feeding. Its really hard for me to open up about being a total fast food/drive thru junkie. Its embarassing to me but it was my only connection to people. I live in the country far away from anyone. My closest neighbor is a mile down the road. Anyway this isnt meant to be a boohoo session, the important thing is that just as you said slow deliberate changes helped pave the way for me to change my life. I didnt do it just for me but also for my son and my husband and the planet. It took a long time but Im happy to report my husband is home and we enjoy home cooked meals, much less waste, and freedom of knowing it realy is our choice! Our next goal is to pare down to 100 things and live with even less waste 🙂

  19. Thanks for the mention, Courtney! I fully agree with what you’ve said here. Living with less is incredibly easy.

    Not sure I would bring jars to the store for meat and cheese, but I do use them for dry goods. I usually bring a bag, fill it with beans/grain/etc, then empty it into a jar when I get home. Less confusion for the checkers that way, and it’s easier to carry.

  20. We just took a family vacation, and I packed an empty water bottle for each of us. I have two 32 ounce water jugs that I carry everywhere with me. Drink two a day, and I get my 8 cups for the day. One to drink out of and one to wash, so I’m never without it.

    As far as other ways to do with less waste, I’ll have to think on that. I have a hard time throwing my stuff/kids stuff away. I have a donate/sell box in the closet. I do consignment twice a year, and donation trips whenever the box is full. I’m not sure where else to do with less, but definitely something to think about… I hadn’t thought about my grocery store trips beyond the reusable bags.

  21. My one thing lately has been replacing kleenex by cutting up old t-shirts. I find that my nose is less raw when I’m sick and its less messy because each cotton tissue can be used a few times, unlike paper, which soaks through right away. They are easy to wash too, I just throw them in with my towels and they come out clean! I’ve even gotten my husband to use them 🙂

  22. Courtney, there’s a UK family that have been doing this, I’ve been following “Mrs Green” for a couple of years.

    http://myzerowaste.com/

    Last year they managed to go the entire year throwing out just one bag of rubbish… Incredible.

    This is a great topic area and fits in well with your whole ethos.

    Here in the UK there’s much publicity about recycling, and in our district our recycle rate is close to 50%. Everyone gets very excited and feels very pleased with themselves.

    But while this is of course a step in the right direction, like you and others have said, it’s better to look at the root cause and actually consume less in the first place. The crazy amount of plastic and packaging being generated by manufacturers just isn’t being addressed nationally in our country, probably not in yours either.

  23. The message is loud and clear Courtney – we can do with less. Reading through the post my first reaction was , “I can’t do that”. Then I re-read it and thought, “Actually maybe I can”, before settling on, “I know I can”. It’s just breaking through that initial mass mind-set and the tipping point will get the world living with less but living with more….appreciation, love of the Earth, regeneration of resources, and simpler but happier life styles.

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