Introducing Experience Over Stuff

[UPDATE] My new book, Experience Over Stuff: How to Live Free in a World that Wants to Clutter You Up is now available on Amazon for the Kindle device and app.

About the Book

Acquiring. Accumulating. Collecting. These activities satisfy a primal need to feel secure, safe, and in control. But is this how we envisioned our lives? Spending this much time and money to get stuff and take care of possessions? Or did we imagine a life with more freedom?

We need things to live well. But owning too much make us unwell in body, mind, and spirit. Owning too much diverts and distracts us from our own unique purpose.

Decluttering is an excellent goal. However, if we don't deal with the beliefs and anxiety that make us think more stuff equals more happy, we'll simply jump back into shopping to fill the void once our home is decluttered. The essence of minimalism is clearing space to follow your own path.

This book delves into why we buy things we do not need, use, or enjoy. It’s an exploration of how we can replace the false belief that more stuff will make us happier with something deeper and truer. Sometimes our mindset needs an overhaul more than our home organization system.

Get out of the vicious cycle of shopping, anxiety, decluttering, and more shopping with this guide from the bestselling author of Minimalist Living: Decluttering for Joy, Health, and Creativity.

Experience Over Stuff focuses on the inner journey first as a way to live a more simple, joyful, and purposeful life that is truly unique to you.

Simple Living Strategies to Help the Environment

For the longest time, I blamed big corporations for the climate crisis. But when I learned about simple living, I realized how much of an impact the consumerist lifestyle had on the environment. That’s when I realized, it wasn’t just the corporations that had to change, our lifestyles that kept those companies going did. Drastically.

And in turn, as I moved my focus away from things and towards experiences, I saw more beauty in the nature around me and learnt to appreciate it more.

The following are lifestyle changes that may seem challenging, but in the end will benefit both your well-being and the environment enormously.

Boycott companies that aren’t eco-friendly

There are so many products we buy without thinking about where they come from and what was put into making them. In fact, most of any item’s carbon footprint comes from its production. This is why what’s most important for the environment, is consuming products that last, and that come from companies with sustainability initiatives.

It’s worth doing some research on the products you own and then chuck and boycott anything from a company that is not doing their bit.

Cut down on mass-produced foods

The agriculture industry is the second biggest contributor to carbon emissions, after heat and electricity production. And it’s not just because chopping down trees releases carbon into the air. Think about it: all the processes and energy required for production to delivering these food products to your door. The scale of the operation is truly overwhelming.

Beef, lamb, palm oil and chocolate are some of the biggest drivers of deforestation. Even if you are able to just cut down on these ingredients, this may be the biggest way you can make real change for the environment.

Learn the terrifying truth about fast fashion

This can be a tough one for people to hear, but the fast fashion industry emits more carbon than flights and shipping put together. For many, fashion consumption is becoming an insatiable habit. But there is another way. Boycott these fast fashion stores and make sure you only get clothes built to last. 

Get a smaller car

About a year ago, I was unbelievably shocked to read that if SUVs were a nation, they would be the seventh biggest contribution to climate change. For some reason, these big bulky cars had a huge growth in popularity over the last 10 years, and are offsetting all the improvements made for more fuel-efficiency in smaller cars.

Do you really need such a big car though? Even with a big family, there are alternatives to this villain of climate change. If you’re solo, why own a car at all? Cycling, public transport and car-pooling are much better for the environment and a great way to live simpler.

Become an essentialist for electricity

One of the key tenets of essentialism is, ‘I can do anything but not everything’. While electrical devices seem so fundamental to our lives now, if we look closer do we really need a tablet, a kindle, a laptop, a phone, radio and Alexa? Perhaps just the laptop will do, or just the phone. Then maybe you can make more time for outdoor hobbies instead of indoor ones that consume more electricity.

Work towards zero waste

Producing less waste is a natural progression of simple living, but also a wonderful way to help the environment. Opt for food products without packaging. Better yet, grow your own food! Also, ditch those disposable products. Disposable razors, coffee cups and plastic bags have an especially bad impact.

Remember, simple living means something different to everyone. To me, it means trying to cut down any way I can to help the environment. To you, maybe you just want to try one of these, or to gradually cut down in each area. Just make sure that you become aware of what you use and make positive changes that are manageable for you.

3 Keys to Help you Declutter Sentimental Items

Let's face it.

It's easy to discard things you don't care about.

But what about when every box you open seems to have something that makes you stroll down memory lane or even cry tears of nostalgia? It can be hard to let go even if you know you simply can't keep it all. I can be very romantic about things -- I understand how difficult it can be to let go.

If you want to become more minimalist but are feeling overwhelmed and indecisive, chances are you've had a run-in with stuff that carries emotional weight for you.

Here are 3 keys that have helped me declutter even the most sentimental of items.

1. Remember that some things thrive in circulation. 

Books are the obvious example here. I'm not like Marie Kondo -- I don't think books have feelings. But I do think books were created to be in circulation and that it's sad when they're stuck on a shelf not getting read. Sure, you may have some books you love to read and re-read. Keep your favorites. But for the most part, once you're done with a book, pass it on so someone else can enjoy it.  If you haven't read it in a year or two, admit that you probably don't really want to read it, and let it go. The same thought applies to many different collectible items. We all have limited attention to enjoy collections. Pass them on so other people can enjoy them.

2.  Release guilt.

Guilt is a trickster.

It can masquerade as duty, tradition, or even love.

I love this quote from life coach Rosy Gill, referenced in this Redfin blog post: “Guilt takes you out of the present experience and into thoughts of failure and fear. It is essential to grieve any expectations and allow this new energy to guide you towards creating plans. There are no failures, only waves of incoming and outgoing inner tides that are necessary to our life journey.”

Often guilt kicks in when it comes to decluttering gifts from someone we love with all our heart. Remember that most people who love you would rather you embrace space and freedom than be burdened by too many possessions.  Plus, you don't have to tell them you got rid of that bracelet you never wore anyway. Very few people ask or care about what happens to gifts in the long run. It really is the thought that matters -- and that magical moment of giving and receiving.

3. Photograph, miniaturize, digitize.

Take a picture:

• I generally snap a quick photo on my cell phone before putting something emotionally weighty into my giveaway pile. That way I can remember it. I store all my digital photos organized by month so if I want, I can take a trip down memory lane that includes my old stuff.

Save it, but just a piece:

• Miniaturizing means taking a small piece of something and turning it into art or something useful. For example, have you seen a t-shirt quilt? I've seen crafty people cut small squares out of old t-shirts and make a colorful quilt. They get rid of shirts they never wear but keep the memories AND create something to keep them warm during a Netflix binge.

Save it, but in cloud and hard drive form:

• Digitizing is really the same as taking a digital photo of your item, but it also includes shooting a video for certain special items. This blog post contains a list of smart phone apps that can help you simplify your life, and includes apps that help you digitize.

I hope these three keys unlocked some major decluttering motivation for you.

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Finally, if you haven’t signed up yet for the free 3-Day Decluttering Challenge, please do so below. You’ll get a three-day burst of inspiration and instruction, plus The Simple Sunday, my occasional newsletter on how to edit your life for more joy.

Free 2023 Goals Printable

I created a free PDF printable for you to write down your 2023 goals. This particular sheet has some advantages over conventional goal worksheets:

1. There’s a place to write down your word of the year so you can let one word guide you each time you look at your goals.

2. It’s one page. This limits us to a small list of goals for the year, making us more likely to review our goals and put only the important ones on the list.

3. It’s circular, which makes more sense to some creative brains. We can turn the particular category we are focusing on to the top.

4. In the center there is a place to write your one thing (if this gets done, all seven categories will be improved), which is my own twist on an idea from the famous self-help book The One Thing.

To download this free printable, click here.

A Complete Guide to Your Summer Capsule Wardrobe

By Ariel Craine, with Laura Bailey

If you’re anything like me, you’ve looked into your closet and realized you haven’t worn even half of your summer-y tank tops or floral skirts all season. What’s the point of all these clothes? 

That was how I felt until I decided to be more intentional with my wardrobe. I sat down one Saturday and pulled out all my clothes, picked my favourite pieces, and created my very own capsule wardrobe. 

A capsule wardrobe, sometimes called a minimalist wardrobe, is a set of essential clothes that you wear and re-wear. The goal of this is to minimize the amount of clothes you own but maximize the amount of outfits you can wear. The amount of pieces you have depends on your lifestyle. It can range from 10-50 pieces as long as you have reason to believe each item is essential. 

Have you ever packed for a trip? That’s basically what a capsule wardrobe is! You’ve got only a suitcase’s worth of clothes, and you can mix-and-match those items all week. It’s faster, easier, and can often be cheaper. 

So, where to start? Here are 5 questions to consider for your summer capsule wardrobe.

1. What are your needs?

I’m a teacher and I’ve also got tattoos, which means I must have clothes that cover my biceps at work. My clothes need to be modest, but my workplace isn’t quite business casual. Outside of work, I wear pretty much the same things, but I like to show a little more skin. 

When planning your wardrobe, think about the purpose of it. A college student’s wardrobe isn’t going to have the same needs or the same size as an attorney who needs to wear a suit every day. Consider what your professional and personal needs are before starting, and decide on a rough number of items--15, 24, 50?

2. Does it match?

Fewer pieces in your closet mean you’ll be rewearing items more often, and that means they’ll need to complement each other. 

We all know how a pair of black jeans can work with almost any color. For me, I love jewel tones and those are easy to match with black or white. But I also love wearing deep yellows and oranges, and those colors take a bit more coordination. 

Look at your closet right now and think about what colors you wear most. What colors will work with each other? Think of a general color palette to stick to: navy blue and white with some reds or tan and green with pops of yellow.

3.  Pick your summer essentials

Summer can open up so many options for clothing! Between sandals, off-the-shoulder blouses, and skirts, my wardrobe changes a lot in this season. 

Your climate will decide much of your summer essentials. A summer in Texas is wildly different from a summer in Scotland. For example, while the weather outside might be brutally hot, indoors might be chilly with AC and you’ll want a cardigan at work--or not. Many places don’t have air conditioning, so your needs will be different. Consider the material of your clothes, too. Fabrics like linen can be cooler than polyester or rayon, while cotton or merino wool can wick sweat away fast. 

The other important thing to consider is how your lifestyle changes in summer. Do you need hiking clothes? What about swimwear? Maybe you’ll switch out leggings for bike shorts or your slacks for paperbag shorts. My favorite pieces for my own capsule wardrobe are those that can be convertible, like a fun dress that can also work as a skirt or beach cover-up. 

4.   Can I dress this up or down? 

Lastly, think about your personal style. It’s so easy to default to the basics when you pick out your wardrobe. After all, won’t you need those classic t-shirts and jeans? Sure! But the goal of a capsule wardrobe isn’t to make your clothing feel more generic. That cat print sundress doesn’t necessarily need to go. You simply want to reduce a surplus of clothes down to what you actually wear. 

But what if you aren’t sure of your style? No worries! I recommend using pinterest and finding keywords fit the general vibe of your closet--goth-y professor who loves dark florals, 90s skater, etc.  

5.   What to do with the rest? 

After doing some soul-searching, perusing pinterest boards and rummaging through my closet, I was able to pick out around forty pieces that I can wear and rewear throughout the summer. 

But what do you do with the rest? Well, for me, I saved some winter clothes for storage and put the rest in a bag to donate. There are so many great opportunities to pass that clothing on! You can give to your local clothing drop box or have a clothing exchange with friends. The goal of this isn’t just to get rid of stuff, but to find ways to recycle and reuse what we have without buying more. 

While I might need to do laundry more often, having fewer options has given me a freedom and versatility I desperately needed! Curating a capsule wardrobe has helped me value my clothes more and made me think of my wardrobe as a collection, rather than a bunch of individual items.

Now, what’s your plan for your summer wardrobe? 

Did you know that if you sign up for Genevieve’s email list, you get two free capsule wardrobe planner resources? Sign up today.

Experience Over Stuff Books

I mentioned a lot of good books in my book, Experience Over Stuff: How to Live Free in a World that Wants to Clutter You Up. Many are related to intentional living, creativity, or minimalism. Here is a linked list of the titles referenced in that book.

I have read and highly recommend all of these books.

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• Contagious: Why Things Catch On by Jonah Berger

• Being Me, Loving You: A Practical Guide to Extraordinary Relationships by Marshall Rosenberg

• Untamed by Glennon Doyle

• Minimalist Living: Decluttering for Joy, Health, and Creativity by Genevieve Parker Hill

• The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up by Marie Kondo

• The Power of Now: a Guide to Spiritual Enlightenment by Eckhart Tolle

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• The Power of Eight: Harnessing the Miraculous Energies of a Small Group to Heal Others, Your Life, and the World by Lynne McTaggart

• Man's Search for Meaning by Viktor E. Frankl

• You Can Be Happy No Matter What: Five Principles for Keeping Life in Perspective by Richard Carlson

• The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck: A Counterintuitive Approach to Living a Good Life by Mark Manson

• Help, Thanks, Wow: The Three Essential Prayers by Anne Lamott

• Why Good Things Happen to Good People: How to Live a Longer, Healthier, Happier Life by the Simple Act of Giving, Steven Post and Jill Neimark

• The Big Leap: Conquer Your Hidden Fear and Take Life to the Next Level by Gay Hendricks

• Do Less: A Revolutionary Approach to Time and Energy Management for Ambitious Women by Kate Northrup

• French Women for All Seasons by Mireille Guiliano

• Tools of Titans: The Tactics, Routines, and Habits of Billionaires, Icons, and World-Class Performers by Tim Ferriss

• Factfulness: Ten Reasons We're Wrong About the World--and Why Things Are Better Than You Think by Hans Rosling, with Ola Rosling and Anna Rosling Ronnlund

• The Art of Non-Conformity: Set Your Own Rules, Live the Life You Want, and Change the World by Chris Guillebeau

• Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear by Elizabeth Gilbert

• The Wealthy Creative: 24 Successful Artists and Writers Share Their Winning Habits by Genevieve Parker Hill

• Don't Sweat the Small Stuff and It's All Small Stuff: Simple Ways To Keep The Little Things From Taking Over Your Life by Richard Carlson

That’s it!

Pick out one or two of these books and put them on your reading list. You won’t regret it.

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All My Embarassing Questions About Trash, Answered

By Genevieve Parker Hill with Laura Bailey

As a minimalism expert, I feel I should have more answers about trash. After all, I've certainly read up on sustainable living, recycling, and composting. But when it comes to actual trash I throw away, I know very little about what happens to it, other than that it goes to a dump or a landfill.

I know I'm not alone. When I ask friends and family my questions about trash, I get shrugs in response. On social media, I've read statements like "landfills are meant to preserve trash until we humans find something better to do with it," and someone on Facebook recently asserted that parents should be scraping their children's feces from each soiled diaper into the toilet, not simply throwing the whole diaper away, as is the current practice of thousands, if not millions of parents globally. (And, I imagine, all kinds of care workers, from hospitals to nursing homes.)

So, what is a landfill? What is its goal or purpose?

A landfill is markedly different from a dump. While the quite suitably named ‘dump’ is a simple hole in the ground where trash literally gets left to rot, the much more new and improved landfill is a structure that does its best to prevent contamination between the trash and the area surrounding it.

Exactly how the landfill does this involves some engineer-y technical stuff. But the most important techniques include a bottom liner than separates the trash from the groundwater and soil and the other is a daily covering of the trash with soil to separate it from the air and animals. (https://www.advanceddisposal.com/for-mother-earth/education-zone/learn-about-landfills.aspx )

What happens to rubbish in the landfill?

Landfills are not designed to break down the trash, as the cells that contain them are oxygen free but it will eventually decompose anaerobically, just a lot slower than trash put in a regular dump. It is essentially a place where we can make the stuff we don’t know what to do with smaller, more invisible, and surrounded by tough protection so it won’t poison the environment. (https://www.livescience.com/32786-what-happens-inside-a-landfill.html)

 But, are we just pretending this kind of impenetrability is possible? Nature is powerful. Do we really think that many years of weather extremes, hungry animals, and strong tree roots (among other forces) wouldn’t find a way through to all this trash at some point? Leakages seem inevitable. Leaching is the most common form of this, in which the decomposition of harmful matter mixes with water that enters the landfill and find its way into the surrounding community. Substances like ammonia, phosphorus and toxic compounds can then make their way to local habitats and water systems. (https://www.oxymem.com/blog/what-you-need-to-know-about-landfill-leachate-treatment)

But there is some good news for the environment. Modern landfills are now taking advantage of the gas it produces and using it as an environmentally-friendly energy source. So a small percentage of your garbage actually becomes fuel that powers your community. (https://www.advanceddisposal.com/for-mother-earth/education-zone/landfill-gas-to-energy.aspx)

What happens to the stuff that doesn’t go to landfill?

It’s important to remember that recycling is the more environmentally friendly option over landfill, given the landfill’s potential for leaching. Therefore, some countries and jurisdictions have found various ways to deal with our trash, before sending it to landfill.

UK

Before your rubbish gets dumped in the landfill, the UK uses advanced machinery to recover certain useful materials that can be recycled. This amounts to approximately a third of all the stuff you throw away into your general waste bins. You may be thinking, well what’s the point in the recycling bin then? As it turns out this “advanced” recovery process is not as advanced as we’d like it to be, so lots of recyclable material falls through the cracks. Plus it takes a lot of unnecessary energy to actually sort all that trash. (https://whatplastic.co.uk/blogs/blog/what-happens-at-a-landfill-site) Some of this then gets recycled, some will get sent to incinerators and some will be sent to energy converting facilities. (https://www.suez.co.uk/en-gb/our-offering/communities-and-individuals/what-happens-to-waste/general-waste) After all this, around 24% of the total waste is sent to landfill. (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-49827945)

USA

Where garbage ends up (if it’s not a landfill) in the US largely depends on your state. Some states or cities will recycle more and some will incinerate more. Any stuff you do throw away into your general trash though, like the UK, will in most cases be sent to MRFs (material recovery facilities) where magnets, shredders and other such advanced technology recover what it can before the rest gets sent to landfill. Approximately, 52% of all US municipal waste gets sent to landfill. (https://www.budgetdumpster.com/resources/where-does-trash-go.php) Places like San Francisco have managed to divert 75% of its trash from landfill and incineration to be recycled. (https://www.calrecycle.ca.gov/PublicEd/EarthDay/Where/) States such as Michigan and Indiana however send the most trash to landfill per capita. (https://www.bigrentz.com/blog/which-states-produce-most-trash)

Australia

Of Australia’s total waste, 40% of it makes it to landfill. (https://www.civil.uq.edu.au/news/article/explainer-how-much-landfill-does-australia-have) The rest gets sent either to materials recovery facilities and a minority of it is sent to incinerators. (https://www.burnsidetrash.com.au/what-happens-to-your-rubbish/#ch2)

What happens to certain types of trash?

Food Waste

Food waste is most commonly recycled at composting facilities. Composting is a natural biological process that has been around since the dawn of time. The process, which breaks down organic material so it can be used as fertilizer, now has been harnessed and sped-up by in-vessel composters where food waste is shredded, mixed with water and set to a temperature of 60°C.

Some food waste will also get sent to anaerobic digesters. Here, the organic material gets broken down by microorganisms in the absence of oxygen. The great thing about this is that it produces a renewable source of energy; bio gas. (https://www.suez.co.uk/en-gb/our-offering/communities-and-individuals/what-happens-to-waste/food-and-garden-waste)

Where your food ends up though, may rely largely on your state’s or council’s procedures and laws. Places that provide a means for you to dispose of your food waste separate to your other trash will reliably meet its true destiny of being composted, but if you put all your food waste in your general trash, it’s likely to end up in landfill. (https://www.budgetdumpster.com/resources/where-does-trash-go.php)

Old Electronics

Since mercury was removed from single-use batteries, the chemicals inside them no longer pose any threat to the environment, so they can in theory be thrown in the trash and sent to landfill. But it’s better to recycle them where possible. Batteries take about 100 years to decompose. Rechargeable batteries on the other hand, contain heavy metals and other toxic chemicals so they must be recycled. (https://www.consumerreports.org/recycling/recycle-old-batteries/)

Many other old electronic items still contain materials like mercury, arsenic, lead or flame retardants which can be harmful to the environment if sent to landfill. In many places you are legally required to recycle electronics and other things that may harm the environment if put into the landfill. Really makes you think that most landfills are not reliably able to protect the surrounding environment from leaching, right? (https://www.ewaste1.com/is-it-illegal-to-throw-away-electronics/)

Poopy diapers

Fecal matter can be a pretty nasty spreader of bacteria and viruses. It’s no wonder we like to stay away from it. As it turns out, so would your local landfill, as it’s another one of those high risk contaminants. Through leaching, that bacteria could potentially leak into groundwater and the surrounding environments. It is advisable then that the poop be scraped off and thrown in the toilet. Then you can throw the diaper away. (https://momlovesbest.com/diapering/diapers/how-to-dispose)

Not everyone agrees with this however, as some people buy disposable diapers to do precisely that; dispose of them, because this means a less likely chance of them coming into contact with dangerous fecal matter. And of course, unless you are particularly skilled at cleaning diapers, it’s almost certain there will be some fecal residue absorbed by the diaper and so that’s going to end up in the landfill anyway. For me, this is one of those ambiguous situations. The sewage system is meant to treat bacteria-laden fecal matter, but on the other hand, (nearly) everyone else is already throwing their poopy diapers in the trash, so the poop is already there. Also, here’s a little known fact (for Americans): many countries plumbing systems do not allow for toilet paper. Therefore, the trash bins in the bathrooms of many countries are where any remnants of wiped-off fecal matter go. (Which in some countries isn’t much, thanks to bidets, while other countries don’t use bidets).

Finally, there doesn’t seem to be a huge problem with bacteria from landfills leaching into the surrounding community. This could be because many dangerous bacteria and viruses die withing a few hours to a few weeks outside the human body. Common sense tells us that if you throw a poopy diaper into the trash, most of those bacteria will be dead by the time it reaches the landfill.

Beauty Chemicals

Some say you should put old beauty products in landfill and some say to put them down the drain. It sort of depends on what’s in the product. As a rule of thumb, landfill, which can, in theory, be better controlled than the water systems seems to be a better option. There is evidence that harmful chemicals from certain shampoos and make-up can leach from landfill sites. But disposing of products containing parabens down drains has been linked to heightened risks of cancers. Other substances have also been proven to be harmful to aquatic life.

The best option is probably to take the time to look at the back of the bottle and try to avoid products that contain parabens, phthalates or sodium laureth sulfate. If you can’t or haven’t eliminated these chemicals from your life, then you can also contact your local hazardous waste facility to help you out. https://grist.org/living/can-i-just-dump-old-beauty-products-down-the-drain/)

The Hypothetical Shampoo Bottle Situation

Imagine this common scenario. You’ve decided to declutter your bathroom cabinet. You want to get anything with parabens, phthalates or sodium laureth sulfate out of your personal grooming routine. What do you do with those old bottles you find with bits of product remaining with those chemicals in them? The bottles themselves are likely recyclable if they are cleaned out , and the fact is, the chemicals have the potential to harm whether they go into landfill or down the drain, but there's a margin more risk if they're going down the drain. I’m happy that this article has finally brought me an answer. Rather than rinsing the bottles out and recycling them, it’s better to throw the bottles with their remnants into the landfill.

The Take Home

So after all of our investigating, my conclusion is that landfills are an imperfect solution for dealing with garbage we don’t know what to do with. Seeing the way above-ground structures degrade after a few decades of exposure to weather, water, animals, plants, and biodegradation, it’s clear there are no truly impermeable systems. While engineers and waste managers try their best, it’s difficult to imagine that harmful chemicals will not always leak through into places we don’t want them.

The most sustainable direction to move is to minimize the amount of trash we produce, and compost and recycle as much as we can.  

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If you loved this post, “heart” it using the button below, and if you want to share it, there’s a button for that too. Please share this blog as a way of helping others simplify to live their best lives.

Finally, if you haven’t signed up yet for the free 3-Day Decluttering Challenge, please do so below. You’ll get a three-day burst of inspiration and instruction, plus The Simple Sunday, my occasional newsletter on how to edit your life for more joy.

How to Minimize Paper Clutter from Bills and Taxes

It would be great if bills and taxes didn't exist.

If I could wave my magic wand and make that happen, I would. Alas, all those papers, receipts, bills, and anything the IRS might need to see in the event of an audit need to be kept, at least for a while. This type of paper clutter, if not dealt with in a systematized way, can create a messy office situation that feels overwhelming.

Today I'm sharing how to handle all the paper that results from paying bills and taxes so it doesn't clutter up your life and so you can breathe easy in your office or wherever you handle the administrative details of life.

This post was inspired by a question I got from a subscriber on my 3-Day Decluttering Challenge email list. They asked, "How do you handle or store all the paper (clutter) that results from paying bills and taxes?"

I'll tell you exactly how I do it. I have a system that lets me access any piece of paper related to bills or taxes that I need to see within 10 minutes or less (usually much less).

The short version of my system is this: everything is digital.

Everything related to taxes or bills either starts off in electronic format and stays that way, or gets digitized. In other words, I create or receive electronic versions of all necessary paperwork.

If you'd like to know details of how I do this, and how you can too, I'm going to share exactly what apps and tech I use to keep my life in digital format so I can easily move and travel the world without carrying large binders or file folder holders.

Taxes

My partner and I have been paying taxes electronically for years. We use a website like TurboTax to help us prepare our taxes and for help with the e-signing process.

When I get a physical tax form in the mail, I arrange to receive a scanned or photographed version of it emailed to me wherever I am in the world. That document gets saved to my computer in a labeled file folder which is backed up using the cloud storage service Dropbox.

The email with the document would also be archived in my Gmail account. If I need to be reminded of a certain document or task related to taxes or bills, I use Boomerang for Gmail to return it to my inbox on a scheduled date in the future.

Occasionally, I copy all my important files and back them up to an external hard drive as a secondary back up measure.

Tech used: Laptop, external hard drive.

Apps used: TurboTax, Dropbox, Gmail, Boomerang for Gmail

Bills and Receipts

I receive most of my bills and receipts electronically. Most of them get emailed to me. I use Gmail and archive all my receipts. The Gmail archive offers plenty of space for free, and is searchable so I can store what I need and find it easily (usually!).

I only save receipts for a short time unless they are connected to my business or are needed for taxes. I tend to budget using my bank and credit cards’ online portals to access account statements. (Meaning I don’t need to save receipts to see where my money goes. If I’m making a large purchase in cash, I will take a photo of that receipt.)

Business receipts are emailed to me. I run my business online, and the services I use to run my business are also mostly online. The individual companies also store their own records of what I have paid them. That's nice to have as an alternative option to go and see expenses paid to individual companies.

If I get a paper-only receipt for an expense paid to run my business, I make a digital copy and dispose of the paper version. I do not have a scanner, so I use the high quality camera on my smart phone to take a picture of the receipt. I make sure the photo is well-lit and that anyone can clearly see what the receipt says.

All my photos of documents are stored in computer folders organized by year and month. They are backed up to two cloud services: Dropbox and Google Photos. I review them regularly to make sure everything is there and is getting safely backed up to the cloud. Occasionally I do a manual back up copy of my photos and documents to a small external hard drive.

Tech used: Laptop, external hard drive, smart phone with camera

Apps used: Google photos, Dropbox, Gmail

I think that covers my system.

I wanted to see if I was the only one who handled papers related to taxes and bills this way, so I floated this question to the Minimalist Living Community on Facebook. Many of the responses described a system similar to mine.

Most people seem to be fans of having everything digitized and saved to the cloud or to a hard drive. Quite a few people digitize and throw away paper, except for physical copies of tax documents, which they keep in files or envelops.

A few folks don't handle things like I do, which is helpful to learn if you're looking for a non-digital way to handle your papers.

Some of my favorite responses are:

I hope this post helps you create or modify your system so that you can feel calm and organized about your papers related to taxes and bills.

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Why and How to Become a Digital Minimalist

I would like to start this article by letting you know that digital minimalism, while super cool for many reasons, isn’t necessarily the right philosophy for you. I say this because I don’t want to tell you that you suck for doing something you enjoy because then I’d be doing exactly what I criticise loads of digital media of already doing; playing on your insecurities.

But what I will say is that too much of anything has its consequences and there is some data to suggest that an increasing addiction to your phone can lead to increasing feelings of anxiety. Just like any addiction. If this applies to you, and you think you may be wanting to move toward strengthening the values of deeper focus, self-awareness and control, then digital minimalism may be for you.

The Value of Intention

The idea that social media is sometimes bad for us isn’t news. Nonetheless, it probably features in your life daily and for some, all day long. Much like regular minimalism, digital minimalism asks if this is out of an intentional choice, or out of a habit, addiction or some other unintentional void-filling behaviour. The major problem with the things we consume online though, as opposed to actual things, is that they are specifically doing that via grabbing your attention, often without you really wanting it to.

The designers of Instagram know that if they space out the more exciting and more relevant-to-you content, then you’re more likely to keep scrolling for that anticipated dopamine release and get more addicted. Same with Tik Tok. And Facebook/Meta knows that shocking, negative stories with stereotypes draw in more eyeballs.

Since companies get paid based on how much of your attention they grab, they will do this by any means necessary, even through capitalising on certain addiction-prone mechanisms in the brain. Doesn’t sound like there’s much room for intention there, right?

The Underappreciated Value of Intense Focus

I’ve always been a digital minimalist to some extent, but I also always complained that I felt like I was missing out on the bonding that went on over group chats. Then after a couple years of really trying to message lots, I felt so frustrated with it, I decided to do a total digital declutter.

This is because, the more I messaged and used social media, the more my attention got spread over multiple ‘presences’ and virtual worlds shallowly and the less I got to experience my own real presence deeply. That deep presence is a value of mine. It’s what makes walking my dog so calming for me or what makes me lose a sense of time when speaking to a friend for hours.

Of course, the inputs from the outside world make us largely who we are but the digital realm has us wired up to so many inputs firing in from different directions that it can often prevent us from firstly understanding the depth and detail of what we’re experiencing and secondly consolidating those inputs so we can creatively come up with the best output response. We need time for this too. We need solitude with our thoughts.

The Step by Step Guide to a more Intentional Digital Life

So without further ado, these are the steps to help you attain deeper focus and more intention in your life.

1. Press Refresh and Try the 30 Day Challenge

This one may be a little drastic for you, but if you’re really serious about being more intentional with your time, then it’s worth a try. All you need to do is remove all technologies from your life that are not professionally or personally essential for 30 days. This “cold turkey” approach will hopefully rid you of any compulsive behaviour you’ve developed.

2. Keep Whatever holds Value

Once you’ve completed the detox, you can now decide how you are going to be intentional with your apps and websites of choice. You could, for example, schedule in the time you spend responding to messages for your commute. The key here is determining which parts of your digital world add value to your life and how and when you use it to maximise that value.

3. Get rid of pesky notifications

Notifications are the most powerful of all attention grabbers, so turning off as many as possible is perhaps the most liberating of these steps. I can understand that you may need to keep messenger notifications turned on for certain people but most of them can probably wait until the end of the day for a response. Alternatively, you can ask your friends to call if they want to chat.

4. Plan your leisure time

This is basically the crux of what digital minimalism is all about; being intentional with your time. Imagine the life-changing book you could have read instead of scrolling on Instagram for hours in a week. Maybe instead of being tempted into binging a Netflix series, you could have discovered a new sport and new friends too. It’s not that I’m saying certain activities are better than others, it’s about what is valuable to you; what makes you happiest in the long run.

5. Spend Time Alone

So social interaction is at the crux of human development but I, and Cal Newport’s book, think that society may have underestimated solitude. We need this sometimes too, if we want to let our amazing brains do their job and focus without external distractions. Some of the most ingenious ideas have come from someone sitting alone or walking alone without any input.

6. Leave your Phone at Home

The idea of this is probably insane to a lot of people, and maybe you have a family to think of that needs you on-call. If not, then leaving your phone at home can allow you to be more present and engaged with the world around you. Otherwise, you can always adjust the settings on your phone so you only get notifications from certain people who call/text you.

7. Consider Calling Instead of Texting

One of the biggest problems with digital communication is that it stunts our ability to develop face-to-face social skills which the human brain was essentially designed for. If you can call, especially video call, there are a hundred times more non-verbal cues that you can pick up on. You can also talk about more in a shorter space of time and in more depth.

8. Block by Default

Steve Jobs’ famous speech about his new iPhone that was in fact a phone, an iPod AND an internet communicator still rings loudly in our multi-functional device loving ears today. It was revolutionary to everyone at the time, but since all this stuff about attention loss has been talked about, I’ve realised multi-purpose devices may be partly to blame for why our attention spans are spread across multiple places at once. So don’t just tell yourself you won’t go on certain websites or apps, block them by default except for the times when you intend to use them.

Maybe you’re thinking all these steps are a little over the top and perhaps you’re right, for you. It all depends on what exactly your intention is. If you really value connecting to people online or require digital tools for your self-development, then you don’t necessarily need to do all these steps. The point is that you use the digital world as a tool to manifest your true values, instead of letting it dictate them.

If you’d like to learn about digital minimalism and focus in more detail, this article was inspired and informed by these two books:

Digital Minimalism by Cal Newport

Focus: The Hidden Driver of Excellence by Daniel Goleman

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Five Easy Ways to Go Towards Zero Waste

Zero waste is a noble goal for a household.

However, it's a big deal, in that it requires multiple lifestyle changes. These changes individually might not be difficult but they add up to a lot of energy input and mindset shifts to the way you plan and do the daily tasks that keep your life going. Running a zero waste home requires buy-in from every member of your household (and even friends and relatives so they don't give you items with packaging that has to go into the trash). Zero waste living is easier if you have access to things like bulk-food grocery stores that let you bring in your own containers to carry out the food you purchase. You'll also need a place to compost your food waste.

As with everything, small steps in the right direction are better than no steps. I'm not operating a zero-waste household. Far from it.

However, I feel inspired by the zero waste movement as championed by author and zero-waste maven Bea Johnson (check out her website Zero Waste Home to learn and be inspired). She makes it seem easy and beautiful to go zero waste. Plus, she sums up the “how” with the 5 Rs of the phrase, “Refuse, Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, Rot (and only in that order). “

Today I'm sharing small things I've found, almost accidentally, that have made our home produce less waste while actually saving time and energy, not using more of my precious time.

I love when I can do something healthy for my family and the environment that is also EASY. Here are five easy switches you may not have heard of that will move your home in a zero waste direction and save you time. These five small steps are all things I've done that I can personally confirm are easy and waste-reducing.

The Switch:

1. Go shopping... but for an experience, not more stuff.

Let's face it. Sometimes we want to go shopping. Maybe it's to bond with a loved one. Maybe it's as a reward. Maybe it's a deeply ingrained habit we feel we can't let go of or we don't want to. But instead of shopping for stuff, go out and shop for an experience. Buy a massage, spa treatment, parasailing adventure, or amusement park pass. Buy a nice meal or spend money on babysitter so you can go get a pedicure.

How it saves time:

When you buy an experience, you don't have to bring anything home except for the good feelings you got from the experience. You don't have to unpack an experience, unwrap it, set it up, clean it, maintain it, store it, organize it, fix it, or dispose of it when you're done with it. You get the high of spending money to feel good without the low of adding to a messy environment.

The Switch:

2. Change out plastic wrap (Cling wrap/Saran wrap) for plates to cover food in the fridge.

Here in Ukraine it's hard to find plastic wrap for food storage. I grew up in the U.S. covering all leftovers with a layer of plastic wrap, but while we're here we don't do that.

What we do is simply put a glass plate over the bowl of leftovers. Plastic wrap's marketing has you thinking that if a little air gets into your food it will taste bad. But I've discovered that's just not true within a few days (maybe longer term, yes). My leftovers taste the same as if they were wrapped up air tight as long as we eat them within a few days which is best in any case.

If you want to store something for a long time in the fridge or freezer, it does need to be airtight or close to it. In that case, I use Pyrex glass containers with BPA-free lids (affiliate link). These are amazing for baking, freezing, microwaving, meal-prep, transporting food, and are dishwasher safe. They’ll cut down on your plastic use which can mess with your health.

However, again, most food that is simply a leftover that will be eaten within the next three days doesn’t anything more than a plate over it to stay fresh and delicious. This is a nice win-- a plastic waste reducer, and time saver when it comes to doing the dishes after each meal.

How it saves time:

Save time (and money) in the grocery store since you don't have to buy plastic wrap since you probably already have a glass plate to cover your leftovers. Save time (and those cuts on your fingers from the box’s blade) not pulling plastic wrap out of the box and struggling to place it over your food.

The Switch:

3. Shop at thrift stores or charity shops that take donations.

Donating clothes and home goods you no longer need is a great way to reduce what you send to the landfill. If you also shop for your own needs second-hand, you're helping someone else reduce their waste too. I love to shop second-hand because it feels like a treasure hunt. One of my favorite seasonal activities when I lived in Los Angeles was to take a bag of give-away clothes to donate to GoodWill and then spend a couple hours shopping right there in the same store I'd just donated to.

How it saves time:

Because you can donate at the same place you shop, saving yourself a trip to a separate location.

The Switch:

4. Rent clothes for special occasions (proms, weddings, parties, galas, anniversaries, dances, your birthday) instead of buying new.

I'm a huge fan of Rent the Runway for renting designer formal wear for special occasions when I'm in the U.S. (Sadly, they are only operating in the USA for now.) Costs for a weekend rental are the same or less than a run to your local mall and the quality (designer) is much higher. You can feel like a million bucks and only spend $50-100 (and up). It's worth the cost because you are unlikely to want to re-wear a splashy special occasion piece. There's really no point in buying something that will just sit in your closet for years until your niece grows up and finds it and wears it to some costume party with a past decade theme.

How it saves time:

You're saving time in a couple of ways here. First, you don't have to leave your house to shop. You can pick something out online and they'll ship it to you in your size and a back up size on your specified date. Second, you don't have to spend time taking it to the dry cleaners after the party. Usually you can put the gown in a postage pre-paid envelope in your mailbox smelling like cake/sweat, and Rent the Runway will take care of the dry cleaning for you.

The Switch:

5. Switch from pet fish to pet worms.

Pet worms will eat your kitchen waste, while pet fish will only make waste and require regular tank-cleaning. When we lived in Los Angeles, we kept a box of Red Wigglers on our patio and my son loved our little pet worm family.

While the set up may seem a bit complicated, it's really not hard or expensive to get started with vermicomposting. I recommend Googling "easy diy vermicomposting box" to see the cheap and easy ways to keep pets that actually help you compost and reduce waste. While I don't have a worm box right now as an overseas nomad, I miss it. They are really fun for kids and parents.

For those of you wondering "what the heck is she talking about?"— Red Wigglers are a type of earthworm that will eat your kitchen leftovers (things you'd compost like apple cores and other plant matter) and turn them into rich fertilizer for your houseplants or garden. If you don't have a big backyard with room for a regular compost bin (or you want to supplement that), they are an easy option for urban homes that otherwise wouldn't be able to compost food waste.

I think everyone should try vermicomposting to see if they like it. Your little pets will eat your trash and poop out gold. You can buy a fancy, smell-free bin that can go right in your kitchen, or a DIY option that is better for the patio (in case a bit of smell or a few worms escape).

How it saves time:

Compared to other pets, worms really don't require much in the way of time or money spent on feeding, exercise, or health care, other than making sure they are not too hot, cold, dry, or wet. They don't mind if you go on vacation and leave them alone for a while.

Take Action

Now it’s your turn to implement one of these easy steps towards the zero waste lifestyle. Have fun with this!

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The Six Essential Shoes

Well, I’ve finally figured it out. You need six pairs of shoes. No more and no less (unless you live in a warm climate, then you can live with less).

I used to own 25 pairs of shoes. I was actively adding to that collection before my house burned down (this was a long time ago). There were even two boxes of new shoes that burned in the fire while I was away. I remember that Zappos.com was a relatively new phenomenon and I was an enthusiast. Those shoes I ordered didn’t fit; they were waiting to be returned but they never got the chance.

You don’t need 25 pairs of shoes. You only need six. Or at least, I only need six, and I’m hoping that if you’re reading this, you are looking for a minimalist (but not severe) answer to the question how many pairs of shoes do I need?

This is my answer.

Of course you can live with less. And if you really enjoy shoes, you should feel free to have as many as you want. But I’ve discovered that these are the six types of shoes that make my wardrobe complete.

Some of the links in this post are affiliate, which means I may be paid a small percentage if you buy through the link (at no cost to you). I will try to link at least two examples of each shoe type.

I support shopping your closet, second-hand, or however suits your lifestyle, values, and budget. If you do choose to buy through these affiliate links, thank you in advance for supporting Simple Living Toolkit. I have not personally tested all the shoes I’ve linked to. They are well-rated examples of the styles I’m referring to. I tend to buy my shoes locally when I’m living overseas because shipping abroad is more difficult to deal with than it is in the US. That being said, the first shoe is one that I have tested and do recommend from personal experience.

Now, on to the essential footwear.

The Six Shoes You Need

1. The Waterproof Slip-On

   The waterproof slip-on is your Croc, your flip-flop, or your slide. It’s something you could wear to the beach or the gym. Vitally, it’s a shoe you can easily wash and drip-dry. It’s a workhorse that protects your feet and keeps them clean and off the floor. I have purchased these Adidas slides on repeat. They last me for about a year and a half before they begin to wear out.

They really love a waterproof slip-on here in Nigeria (where I’m currently living). Many households in various countries where I’ve lived are shoe-free, and I’ve picked up the habit and taken it with me. When I get home I take my shoes off and put on some clean slides.

2. The Snow Boot

If it doesn’t snow where you live, you can skip this one. But if it’s cold, keeping your feet warm is a must. Once my feet get cold, I get grumpy, and I do not de-grump until my feet are warm through and through. I buy snow boots a full U.S. size larger than I normally wear. This allows for wearing thick socks and some wiggle room which is important for warm toes. If I’m living somewhere cold, my boots must be waterproof and handle icy sidewalks well.

3.The Warm Slipper

Can you tell yet how important warm feet are to me? This is another one you can skip if you live in a warm climate. But if you live somewhere it gets cold, warm slippers will keep your feet happy. When the weather is warm, I wear my Adidas slides/slip-ons in the house (or just socks), but when it’s truly cold, I want something more.

4. The Walking Sandal

The walking sandal is a flat you can wear all day. You can walk for miles in it. It could be an open-toed sandal or a closed-toe sandal. The point is that it’s comfortable and it keeps your feet breezy in warm weather.

5. The Running Shoe

For me, it’s a running shoe. For you, it might be a tennis shoe, a hiking shoe, a gym shoe, or a walking sneaker. Whatever your active sneaker of choice is, this is where it fits. I tend to wear running shoes with a lot of different outfits (running and otherwise) so I choose a neutral color.

6. The Lifestyle Choice

Finally, a shoe that’s fun for you! It’s the unique-to-your lifestyle choice. Could be a pair of platform heels, dancing shoes, or a pair of shoes best for doing your favorite hobby. If you live on a muddy farm that sees a lot of rain, this could be a pair of muck boots. If you’re a cowgirl, this would be a pair of cowgirl boots. If you’re a city dweller, it might be a pair of booties. Your choice.

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Zero Waste Period: Your Guide to Eco-Friendly Menstrual Products

There's never been a better time to learn about the life-changing power of tidying up your period supply cabinet. It's always a good time to make the switch to reusable menstrual supplies; it's better for your health and of course, better for the planet. Ditching the sticky tabs also increased my comfort, and it may increase yours too. Read on to learn more.

Before I detail your options when it comes to zero-waste menstrual care, let’s first list some of the problems that come with standard, disposable products.

The Number One problem with Standard Menstrual products

Despite claiming to be "super" and "highly absorbent,” most standard, disposable menstrual products aren’t able to contain the flow. Leaks are a constant concern.

Other problems of standard, single-use menstrual products include:

• They are not eco-friendly or sustainable, as they are disposed of in a landfill after a single use.

• They clog pipes and septic tank systems.

• They are uncomfortable.

• They may be medically unsafe or downright toxic and dangerous to your health.

• They are expensive.

Sustainable, zero-waste, minimalist, non-toxic reusable menstrual products solve all six of these problems, and probably more that I haven't thought of yet. Read on for links to my personally tested, recommended products.

Do It For the Comfort

Changing up my menstrual care routine to make it healthier and more sustainable happens to be one of the most comfort-enhancing things I've ever done for my body. This was a surprise. I didn't realize how uncomfortable single-use pads and tampons were until I tried the reusable alternatives. I had no idea that single-use period products weren't optimized for the female body. I assumed there was a team of scientists trying to make them as comfortable and effective as possible. But what I've discovered is that instead of a team of scientists studying female anatomy and how to make having a period easier for women, there's a team of marketing and advertising executives trying to sell women what is effectively a puffy piece of paper with a sticker on the back. Or, if that fails, a stick of bleached cotton wad to stick up our vaginas. No thanks.

Change is a Constant

Before I share the upleveled, glown-up, better than ever period routine that's been working for me for the last couple of years, let's first acknowledge that what works for each girl and woman is unique. We're all unique and our precious parts are all unique. What we need and can comfortably use changes throughout our lives as our bodies change, hormones shift, and for those of us who get pregnant, each pregnancy and birth can change our bodies and our needs too. We need to keep experimenting, knowing that our bodies change throughout our lives.

My intention with this blog post is to give you some fresh ideas to make Aunt Flo's visit more comfortable and healthy and to help you save a whole bunch of money and landfill space. For me it's important to write and talk as openly as possible about menstruation. One reason for that is because having a period can be very uncomfortable. Anything and everything we can do to make it more comfortable is absolutely worth any embarrassment or stigma that might come from talking about it. Even though this is a guide to more minimalist and sustainable period management, I wouldn't be creating this blog post if it was only good for Mother Earth and not also potentially good for me and you. In other words, if using eco-friendly products meant sacrificing comfort or safety in any way, I wouldn't recommend these products.

Happy vagina, happy planet

By switching to reusable period products, we can have a massive positive impact on the environment. According to this article, the average woman will use and throw away 14,000 tampons in her lifetime and twelve billion pads and tampons are trashed each year in North America. That’s so much waste. It’s good news that using zero-waste period products is not only better for our environment, but also is more comfortable, and sometimes even safer than using traditional single-use sanitary pads and tampons. Switching to sustainable products is win-win. Happy vagina, happy planet.

Now I'll overview the options when it comes to reusable menstrual products, then I'll go over the specific product recommendations that work for me now. If I link to a product, it's most likely an affiliate link. Thank you for using these links to support Simple Living Toolkit. I'm so grateful that many of you choose to use my links. Using them costs you nothing but does provide a small amount of financial support to the blog.

Here are the three major product categories that replace single-use, disposable menstrual products:

1. Cloth pads

2. Period panties

3. Menstrual cups and discs

[I am leaving reusable tampons (crochet tampons, cloth tampons, and sea sponges) off this list because I am not convinced of their safety.]

Cloth Pads

Cloth panty liners, also called reusable sanitary pads, washable pads, or cloth menstrual pads, are what our foremothers used for their moon cycles. Before tampons and Always Ultra Thins, these were what we had. That might lead you to think they are old-fashioned, out-of-date, and uncomfortable. But the new cloth pads of today are surprisingly amazing in many ways, and I'll tell you more about my experience with them in just a moment. If you're in a hurry, here's the Amazon link to my favorites.

Period Panties

Period panties are underwear with an absorbent layer built. In theory they are all you need. They're washable and reusable, like cloth panty liners. Period panties are often advertised as a one piece solution, meaning you can free-bleed into the panty with no back up and no leaks. In reality, I don't know anyone who can use only period panties (no matter how much money is spent on them, and one can spend quite a lot) without worrying about leaking at some point. The fine print usually states that period underwear are meant to be used along with other sanitary supplies like tampons, menstrual cups, or pads. They may work well for light days.

Many brands don't always want to be honest about the (high) probability of leaking - at least not in the marketing material. From a personal angle, my main priority when it comes to period gear is to avoid leaking. I want to spend my period trying to relax as much as possible, which is already hard as a busy mom. Scrubbing blood stains out of sheets and clothes on top of my normal duties is really not part of the vision. I use these period panties for light days and as necessary back up protection, which I'll describe later.

Menstrual Cups and Discs

Menstrual cups and discs have exploded in popularity in recent years. As far as I can tell, this is the area where the most innovation has been applied to the menses management game. The Diva Cup was one early brand to be widely marketed in the U.S., and now there are many cups and discs out there to try. Most of them are made of medical-grade silicone, and all are worn inside the vaginal canal. Since they don't absorb, but rather catch, menstrual blood, they can be much more comfortable and less irritating than tampons. And while we're on the topic of tampons, let's acknowledge that for many women and many situations, they are a vast improvement over pads. After all, tampons let us swim and do sports without the bulk of a pad that can feel like an uncomfortable diaper.

Menstrual cups and discs can replace tampons, which many women find drying, irritating and even a potential trigger for menstrual cramps and of course, Toxic Shock Syndrome. There's also the annoying problem of the string which can embarrassingly stick out of our bikini bottoms. And when it's not sticking out, it can get lost, even leading to forgetting we were even wearing a tampon... which can then sit there for days putting us at risk for TSS.

All of these issues are solved with menstrual cups and discs. Menstrual cups tend to sit low in the vagina, just above /inside the opening, whereas menstrual discs are placed higher up the vaginal canal (or further back, as the canal is angled), over the cervix.

Both cups and discs require some patience when learning to use them, and in some cases, may not be able to be used leak free. There are some who believe every menstruating human being can find a disc or cup that works for them leak-free; it's just a matter of trying various shapes, sizes, and brands. Others believe it's a matter of sticking with one brand and trying various folds and insertion techniques. Each body is different, and no one can tell you exactly what will work for you.

It's totally normal to feel frustrated and sweaty when trying new menstrual cups and discs. When they leak, it's discouraging and annoying. But don't give up because the rewards are great for those who persevere. My current favorite is the Saalt Soft Cup in size regular.

My experience with change

And now I'll share the result of sixteen years of my own personal testing of various reusable menstrual products. Things have changed through the years, and I won't talk about why each change happened because I don't know. What matters is that change is normal and it can help to expect it and accept that we may need to use different products in the future.

Sometimes a product that worked for me for years will just stop working, even though nothing has seemingly changed with my body. Changes after having a baby are to be expected, of course, but I've also noticed that my body or what works for me just changes sometimes without an obvious reason. Flow can be heavier or lighter. Cramps come and go, and the sensitivity of the vagina can change. For example, I noticed that the interior of my vaginal canal took about two years to feel the same as it did before each baby came through. It didn't hurt for two years, sometimes it was uncomfortable, but often not; it was as if my body remembered where the tearing and stitching took place for about two years after I gave birth each time. The scarring caused my period care products to feel slightly different.

This reminds me to mention that one beneficial side affect of using interior period protection like menstrual cups and discs is that you must learn your own body more intimately. This gives you information about your body that you may not have otherwise noticed.

My Current Period Routine

Here’s what’s working for me currently. Feel free to try this routine out for yourself and tweak it as needed.

My routine is to use a menstrual cup and cloth pantyliners in combination with period panties every month. If I'm traveling, I'll use disposable panty-liners and tampons, but when I get back home, I'm happy to get back to my wonderful pads. I have been using these pads for a couple years in this design:

They are so soft. The fabric feels like fleece. It's like a blanket for my special parts. They are held on by easy to use snaps, not adhesive.

I didn't realize how much I was suffering with disposable pads until I made the switch. The adhesive is problematic. The sticky backing that helps disposable pads stick to underwear often ends up sticking to other things (pubic hair and skin) leading to a variety of unwelcome sensations from irritation to intense pain. Then there's the material.

No matter what claims are made in the marketing material, with a throw away pad, you're basically putting a roughly textured, bulky, plastic-ey paper against the vulva. It immediately becomes creased as you move around. You might as well be wearing a paper airplane in your underpants.

Everything is different with cloth menstrual pads. I felt like I needed to apologize to my lady parts for putting them through all that unnecessary discomfort (and sometimes torture) from the sticky paper pads. If you find yourself in the same regretful scenario, you can borrow this apology note: My dearest vulva, I'm so sorry. I didn't know it could be this good. From now on out, you'll be getting the royal treatment.

And these cloth pads are cute! Look at these designs and patterns.

I also use period panties, but, unless it's a very light day, I employ them only as back up (with reusable pads). Period panties become especially important at night to soak up any overflow from the pads. I tend to use one alone on my first day (a very light day), three during the three heaviest nights (with a large pad), one during a heavy day (with a pad), and one alone on my last day (a light day). Otherwise I’ll wear regular panties with pads, sometimes with my cup and sometimes without it.

And these cloth pads are cute! Look at these designs and patterns.

I also use period panties, but, unless it's a very light day, I employ them only as back up (with reusable pads). Period panties become especially important at night to soak up any overflow from the pads. I tend to use one alone on my first day (a very light day), three during the three heaviest nights (with a large pad), one during a heavy day (with a pad), and one alone on my last day (a light day). Otherwise I’ll wear regular panties with pads, sometimes with my cup and sometimes without it.

Here is a link to my current favorite period panties.

My current menstrual cup is the Saalt Soft in size Regular.

Cleaning Your Eco-Friendly Period Products

Now that I've hopefully convinced you of the comfort of reusable pads and period panties I'll share the major downside, which is the cleaning routine. It's really not that bad, but it's a bit more work than simply throwing a disposable pad or tampon into a rubbish bin or garbage can.

The main tool you'll need is a bucket with a lid for soaking. (This is why I don't use reusables when I travel). After using a pad for three to twelve hours, I'll put it in the bucket and fill it with cold water. After a couple days, the bucket will be full. To avoid odor, you'll want to rinse the pads in the bucket daily. Once rinsed, you can launder, dry, and reuse. I generally wash the pads and panties once in the middle of my period, and once at the end. I have enough products to last the entire period, but I find that soaking only for all seven days of my period can get a little smelly, and also can feel like more work than just doing a load of period laundry. While many cloth period products (including the ones I purchased) instruct to air dry, I throw them in the dryer and they come out fine and have lasted two+ years so far.

Cleaning a menstrual cup is much easier. You simply dump the functional layer of your endometrium (aka menstrual blood, clots, and clumps of cells) into the toilet and wash out the cup with soap and hot water. Then reinsert. I prefer to do this in the shower because the hot water makes everything easier.

For my heaviest flow times, I'll wear a menstrual cup, a pad, and period panties all at the same time. I've never once woken up with bloody sheets using this system. Hooray!

Minimalist Period Checklist

Here's a checklist with the amounts you may want to purchase in case you want to try the same eco-friendly period products I use. I find these quantities are enough even if I only do one wash per monthly cycle:

• 1 menstrual cup

• 6 pairs of period panties

• 6 small cloth pads

• 8 medium cloth pads

• 6 large cloth pads

Money Saved

Finally, let's do some menstrual math. If I use single-use pads and tampons, I end up spending about $24 per month, which adds up to about $288 per year. If I keep using my current zero-waste system, even if I replace the reusable products every three years, my annual cost of menstrual supplies drops down to $40. Not a bad a win for my wallet.

Have a Great moon cycle

Thanks for reading all the way down to the bottom! If you loved this post, “heart” it using the button below, and if you want to share it, there’s a button for that too. Please share this blog as a way of helping others simplify to live their best lives and have their most comfortable, non-toxic, zero-waste periods.

Top 5 Easiest Care Houseplants

The most sustainable, simple, minimalist, and beautiful way to decorate your home is with houseplants.

Most home decorations must go to the trash (landfill) at the end of their lives. Potted plants can simply be composted (left to rot and return to the soil) at the end of their lives. The pot is usually recyclable or reusable.

They are alive

Houseplants are affordable, beautiful, and bring much-need life and oxygen to my indoor space. I find indoor plants so joy-inducing that I give and hope to receive them on birthdays and anniversaries rather than a bouquet of cut flowers. They are just as lovely, usually cheaper, and last much longer than cut flowers as they are actively growing. In feng shui decorating, live plants are preferred over dead cut flowers. While I don’t follow all the tenets of feng shui, I do like the idea of live plants gracing my home.

But What if you…

• Don’t have a green thumb?

• Want house plants but you basically want to ignore them?

• Travel all the time and leave your plants alone for weeks?

• You don't really want to spend much time learning about what your plants need?

• Don’t want to feel like a farmer-biologist, constantly studying your plants and experimenting with humidity levels, root aeration, fertilizer, and macronutrients?

I got you.

I'm in the same boat. I love having plants in my house. I love the sense of nature brought indoors. I have my own little jungle in my living room. But I just want to set them on the shelf, offer a few encouraging words, and then get busy doing other things with my life. I have plenty going on in terms of taking care of myself, my family, and a thousand other things. I don’t need my plants to be needy. I need hard to kill plants.

So I tested out a bunch of plants, and these are the ones that have survived my neglect. In fact, the plants below all thrive on neglect. I’ve personally owned these hardy indoor plants in multiple countries and climates. As a nomad, I’ve decorated homes all over the world with the following species of houseplants. I often forget to water these plants, usually don’t mess with plant food or fertilizer, sometimes leave them alone in a dark room, and ultimately, all is forgiven. Of course, it is possible to kill these plants, it’s just really hard. Give them some water every week or two, and they’ll live for a long time.

Get Your Jungle on Amazon

In 2024, we’re in a new era with houseplants. It’s never been easier to get your hands on a certain species of plant, thanks to the internet and a very fast shipping process (in the US) that (usually) doesn’t kill the plants being shipped. Most of these plants can even be ordered on Amazon, and I’ve added some affiliate links where I could find options there that look healthy.

Top 5 Hard to Kill Houseplants: The List

Here are my top five picks for hard to kill houseplants.

1. The ZZ Plant

Zamioculcas zamiifolio - also known as Zanzibar gem or, understandably, as the zz plant. I've owned this plant in multiple countries. It survives all sort of climates, even if you leave the windows open and let the the exterior climate come into the house (which I rarely do).

I gifted a zz plant to my grandfather, who is a trained Master Gardener. He had never heard of it, which is surprising, considering his Master Gardener status. I was delighted that he had not heard of it. It means there is so much biodiversity out there, that you could be discovering new plants well into your eighties, even if you were to study them for your whole life. Which you're not going to do, because of my above point about this list being for people who don’t necessarily want to study plants for their whole lives.

By the way, some of my research for this post comes from the book Urban Botanics, a beautifully illustrated guide by Maaike Koster and Emily Sibley. (In case you want to study plants after all.)

Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.

2. Pothos

Pothos gives, and gives, and gives, and takes very little. Pothos is actually a misnomer for this plant. It’s more accurately called “devil’s ivy” (because, spookily, it grows in the dark) or its scientific name Epipremnun Aureum, but it’s widely known also as pothos. It communicates its needs and is easy to make amends with. All it needs is a half cup of water every week or so. If you forget and leave it dry for a month, it droops a little. And then it revives within a few hours of a sincere apology (am I the only one who talks to my plants?) and a cup of water. I particularly love the bright, almost neon yellow varietal.

Propogation: If you decide you want baby pothos, you can simply tear off a tendril and stick it in some water until it grows roots.

3. Snake plant

Pothos aka Devil’s Ivy

I'm terrified of snakes, but I've overcome my fear to host the snake plant. There are no actual snakes involved. The sharp edges of the snake plant provide a nice contrast when paired with the other plants listed here.

4. Spider plant

The Spider Plant: again, don't let this plant's namesake scare you off. When it gets bigger, it grows cute little baby “spiders” that can each become their own plant.

5. Monstera Deliciosa

Finally, we have another plant with a frightening namesake. The monstera deliciosa will take over your house by reaching out its roots and shoots into the air. It will try to rest one claw on your shoulder like a slow-moving bright green monster. This plant has earned a cute nickname — the swiss cheese plant — due to the “holeyness” of it leaves. Of the five plants on this list, this is the one that most benefits from a bit of plant food once in a while. Here’s a fertilizer that will also help your snake plants and pothos thrive.

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THE Essential All-Weather Minimalist Packing List: How to Pack Carry-On Only

Welcome to my essential packing list for a carry-on bag.

I put this blog post together with help from my sister, Lucia Parker.

Honed over seven years of international travel in dozens of countries and climates, this list distills everything I’ve learned about what to pack to be minimalist, comfortable, and fashionable, in any location - especially for a trip that includes weather extremes. I’ve taken the advice of my fashion icon sister to make sure each piece listed is not only adventure-friendly, but has a timeless elegance. In other words, this list is road-tested for practicality AND is stylish-sister approved.

Whether you’re planning a trip or just dreaming of travel, I hope this list is useful. No matter how cold it is where you land, you’ll be able to feel comfy and look presentable, and even glam, as my sister proves in this photo of her on a trip (Asia winter high desert climate - mild days and cold nights) wearing only items from this minimalist packing list:

Ready for anything and such a VIBE. ✨

Packing light is a challenge, especially for the inexperienced traveler, or the traveler who simply doesn’t have time to plan and think through packing in great detail. Did you know that a really good pack usually requires re-packing several time before your trip? Otherwise, we all tend to over pack. It’s human nature.

With this list, you won’t have to go through the effort to pack and re-pack.

This list will fast-track you to a thoughtfully-packed lightweight carry-on bag that contains enough of the right layers to keep you warm and cozy in cold, wet climates as well as cool and comfy when your location gets a bit of sunshine.

Other minimalist packs may contain less, but in my experience, truly tiny packs only work for hot climates. If you’re traveling to someplace with a variable climate (which is a lot of places, a lot of the year) you’ll need to pack a little more. But you can still fit it all in a carry-on suitcase that fits in the plane’s overhead bin.

In addition to clothes, I’ll also list the other necessities I find essential for any trip. I pretty much pack this way for all my trips, and if I don’t, I usually regret it.

This list will also provide for any length trip, from one week to one year, provided you are willing to do some sink laundry or find a laundromat or laundry service on your trip.

My goal is for this one blog post to serve as the last packing post you’ll ever need to consult to pack a minimalist carry-on bag. With this packing list, you can stop worrying about how heavy your bag is and focus on enjoying your travels!

Of course, you’ll want to make small changes to this list to make it work for your unique needs. But this is a great place to start to give you some structure. When thinking “do I need this?” you can reference this list. If it’s not on the list, you probably don’t need it.

Who it’s for: the list is designed for women planning any kind of travel except camping (which understandably requires different gear.) It’s not for family travel. (I have kids, and have to pack differently when we travel with the kids, and that kind of packing is more unique to each family situation.)

For some list items, I provide links to examples of the item or suggested items for your convenience. Some of these links may be affiliate links allowing me to earn a small fee through the link at no cost to you. This post is not sponsored. As always, all opinions are my own and are not for sale.

The List

Here it is: the last minimalist packing list you’ll ever need.

The Bags

• 1 Main carry-on bag. All other bags listed will be able to fit inside, should you need to deem this as your “personal item” for some particularly strict airlines. My sister recommends a leather or vegan leather backpack with a patterned lining (for fun and good visibility). While the exact bag my sister recommends is no longer available, you may want to check out this canvas option. Another option (and the one I prefer) is rolling carry-on luggage. I find rolling luggage generally better for my back and shoulder health, but it can be annoying to traverse a lot of cobblestone with a rolling bag. Either way you go, make sure your bag’s measurements fit your airline’s carry-on bag size specifications.

• 1 Slim cross body bag. A small bag to carry essentials like phone, wallet, and passport. Something that can leave your hands free.

• 1 Small press-closure clear quart size bag for liquids and toiletries that may leak. A Ziploc bag will do, with various airlines and aviation rules giving their own guidelines (check before you travel). I’ve been testing these Full Circle reusable plastic bags for about a year for snacks, and they have done well as a more sustainable option than disposable plastic bags. I used them to pack liquids and toiletries on an international trip and they did well.

• 2 Packing cubes. Too much bag organization is a waste of time, but a little is just right. I like to put my pajamas and other bedtime essentials, usually the first things I reach for when arriving, tired, at a new location, in one packing cube. You can choose what you put in the second packing cube, but I don’t recommend using more than two for the sake of saving time spent packing and unpacking.

Necessities

These are the absolute essentials for travel: ID and money. You won’t get far without them. In fact, arguably a passport and money are the only things you really need to travel internationally, as anything else you forget can be purchased easily. My necessities list includes a few more things as well.

• 1 passport,

• 1 alternate ID,

• 1 debit card/atm card

• 2 Credit Cards

• 100 USD, euro or local currency in cash

• 1 smart phone and charger

• 1 international plug adapter

• 1 small journal or sketch book and pen or pencil

• 1 mask if traveling with a cough or respiratory infection

Tops and Dresses

Let’s move on to clothing. We’ve recommended colors below, but of course you can choose your own colors, as long as everything goes together.

• 1 chambray button up shirt

• 1 long-sleeved grey blouse

• 1 loose black sweater

• 1 cream sweater

• 1 black cardigan

• 1 black tank

• 1 white tank

• 1 cream or white v-neck t-shirt

• 1 Merino wool dress

Bottoms

• 1 pair of blue jeans

• 1 pair of black jeans

• 1 pair of athletic /technical black leggings or yoga pants (I’ve been wearing these, hemmed for my shorter legs, for years. The Polygiene odor® control really works, so you can get away with laundering them less frequently than other leggings.)

• 1 pair of soft / lounge black leggings or sweatpants (You could go for a fleece-lined legging, or anything soft that doesn’t have a polyester or technical feel. You want a pair so comfortable you could lounge and sleep in them if need be. Here’s a highly rated pair.)

Shoes

• 1 pair of waterproof (or at least water resistant) hiking or running shoes

• 1 pair of walking boots (paddock or combat style)

• 1 pair waterproof slides (I have purchased these sandal slides several times and am wearing them right now).

Outerwear & Accessories

• 1 black thin synthetic down jacket

• 1 black snow coat or parka (if going to a cold or snowy climate)

• 1 scarf

You could go with something like the charcoal infinity scarf my sister is wearing in the photo or substitute the more versatile peshtemal, or Turkish towel. Have you ever used a Turkish towel? It’s a pile less (no terry cloth loops) quick-drying, absorbent towel that gets softer with each wash. I’ve been using them for years since my sister introduced me to them. I love how soft they feel and how they treat my hair - fewer breakages than when drying with terry cloth. On trips I’ve discovered that they double or triple as scarves, sarongs, beach towels, and light blankets. I love to tie one on as a beach or pool cover up, or roll them up to make a scarf.

• 1 knit hat (bright color)

• 1 pair sunglasses

• 1 silver bangle, or other preferred jewelry

• 3 silver rings, or other preferred jewelry

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Intimates & swimwear

• 1 set of flannel pj's

• 3 pairs of wool socks (recommended)

• 3 pairs of cotton socks

• 8 pairs of undies (recommended)

• 3 bras (1 black, 1 nude, 1 sport)

• 1 swimsuit

Toiletries (health & grooming)

Toilet article kits are highly individual, but here are some suggestions.

• tooth brush

• toothpaste (to try: solid toothpaste tablets)

• dental floss

• refillable water bottle

• solid shampoo - doubles as bar soap

• solid conditioner - some find conditioner doubles as a shaving cream

• deodorant

• moisturizer (any liquids must comply with airport security regulations)

• SPF 30 stick or cream (any liquids must comply with airport security regulations)

• any medications, vitamins, or supplements you need

• menstrual cup - I’m a fan of the saalt soft

• menstrual pads (see my blog post on sustainable period products, or go with disposables)

• nail clippers

• disposable razor (if you want to shave)

• a bit of makeup if you like (any liquids must comply with airport security regulations)

• small hair brush or comb and hair elastics (my favorite type).

Your Turn!

Use this list to pack for your next trip. Now, go get packing, and have a great trip!

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Newborn on a Budget: Everything you Need for your New Baby for under $50

You don't need to spend an arm and a leg on your new sweet bundle of joy.

Yes, your new baby needs food, clothes, a safe place to sleep, and a few other essentials. But trust me, you don't need to spend thousands of dollars to take good care of your newborn.

You can be prepared for your new baby for under $500 with the list below. Whether you're on a tight budget, choosing a simple lifestyle, or just curious about baby-related financial matters, today's post will show you exactly how you can keep things frugal and low-clutter when expecting a baby, with specific suggestions on what to buy to save money in the first six months of your newborn’s life.

This is a companion blog post to my "Minimalist Baby Registry Checklist" which lists my road-tested pre-baby purchase list, as well as a bunch of things you do NOT need to buy to capably nurture your new baby.

Today’s post here will use that list as a jumping off point and specifically address how to keep to an under $500 budget as you prepare your home for baby.

Maybe you won't have a registry or baby shower, or you don't want to ask your friends and family to buy new items for your baby. Or maybe you just want to keep your registry very affordable. Whatever your situation, this list is for you if you want to outfit your home for baby for under $500. While both of my lists are minimalist, this is the EXTREMELY minimalist of the two.

While I have road-tested many of the items in my Minimalist Baby Registry Checklist post, in this post I will be making some suggestions for things I haven't necessarily tested, but which fit the budget, and which I would be willing to purchase based on good reviews, if I were going to prepare for a new baby all over again for under $500. Some links below are affiliate links, and I earn a small fee if you purchase through them (at no cost to you). All opinions are my own and are not for sale.

I've also left some things off this list that are on the other list (things that seemed essential to me, but perhaps not to other people). Consider this the ultra minimalist version of the minimalist registry post.

Finally, I'm assuming you'll be breastfeeding exclusively for the first six months, so we won't need to leave room in this budget for formula. This is a judgment-free zone when it comes to how you feed your baby. I don’t have experience with formula feeding a newborn and it’s not ideal for a budget this tight, so I won’t be addressing it in this post.

Let's begin with the absolute essentials:

1. Infant Car Seat

Don’t leave the hospital without one. Here's one with 4.8 stars on Amazon for $89.99.

Someone on Facebook asked, wouldn’t it be better to buy a travel system that comes with a stroller? Or a seat that transitions to fit the baby when they are older?

I do recommend a travel system as a great option for quality over quantity on my other post about minimalist baby gear. However, it’s not the budget option. For those on a tight budget, it’s still cheaper to buy a car seat and stroller (or carrier for baby wearing, as I recommend below) separately, and to upgrade to an affordable front-facing carseat when the time comes and you’ve had a chance to price compare. And from a safety point of view, you want to keep your baby in a rear facing seat (like the one above) for as long as possible.

Here’s why you want to avoid spending too much money right up front before your baby comes. First of all, you won’t know your unique baby’s exact needs until they arrive and you get to know them. Secondly, you’ll be joining a new community (if you’re a first-time parent). One of the best things you can do, both for your budget and for your sanity, is to join a group for new parents as soon as possible, even if it meets only weekly or monthly. You’ll meet and befriend other parents who are going through the same life-changing transition to parenthood that you are. And you’ll be able to swap and trade things you might need for your baby, saving you lots of money. For example, one parent in the group might have purchased an extra car seat they do not need, or might have a family member with older kids who is passing down an abundance of baby stuff they are happy to share. I have found that once you form a social circle with other parents, they’ll give you money-saving secrets, second-hand buying options, and sometimes, free stuff.

2. Diapers & Wipes

Grab these (I've personally tested) great reusable diapers. You’ll want to get two sets, as each set includes six diapers, and twelve is about the minimum you’ll need if you only want to launder diapers every 24-48 hours instead of more frequently. Try these wipes so you don't have to buy disposables.

It will be worth your time to ask Google and YouTube your questions about cloth diapering. There are many helpful hygiene and sanitation tips to learn that make cloth diapering easier than one might think. (Hint #1: This technique, which was taught to me in my doctor’s office by our pediatrician in Ukraine, where many people don’t use or can’t afford disposable wipes, is easier, cleaner, and more sustainable than wipes. Update: last I checked, the video had gone private. Use a bidet or warm water from the bathroom sink faucet to rinse your baby’s bottom, soap up, rinse, and pat dry with a towel or cloth wipe.) (Hint #2: If you’re exclusively breastfeeding, diapers soiled with your baby’s bowel movements can go straight into the washing machine. Otherwise the poopy diapers will need to be pre-treated, a process that may include scraping poo off by hand and a chemical soak.)

I found it almost impossible for any cloth diaper to keep my baby dry during a 6-8 hour stretch of sleep, and a wet cloth diaper would wake my baby. So to get some sleep, I used disposable diapers (which have a larger capacity) at night. Since these aren’t in the budget, I recommend asking supportive organizations in your community to donate diapers. Do this well before your due date so you don’t have to worry about it once you’re adjusting to life with a newborn.

You may also want to check out programs, nonprofits, and religious institutions for free diapers and other baby supplies. It probably goes without saying, but if your budget is tight, stockpile as much free baby stuff as you can during your third trimester.

If you’re in the USA, try the National Diaper Bank Network (dial 211).

Total: $108.97.

3. Sleeping Situation

I love the ease of a play yard for sleeping. My children never used cribs because we found they could comfortably and safely sleep in a play yard. You could buy an after-market mattress for added comfort (see safety notes below) for a total of $131.59.

Always do your own research on safe sleep practices and check with the AAP to learn about safe sleep for infants. If you add a mattress as I recommend, make sure it fits the bottom of the play yard very snugly on all sides to avoid suffocation risk. The mattress is nice for added comfort for your baby and improves feasibility as a long-term sleeping situation, but always check with your baby’s pediatrician before adding any after-market products to a play yard that will be used as a sleeping area.

4. Feeding

For breastfeeding, you'll want a pump and bottle so that you can be away from baby during work or other activities. In the US, many states require your insurance company to provided you with a breast pump free of charge. I recommend selecting one from those free options that is listed as "hospital grade." If a free pump is not available to you, try searching for a second-hand pump for a deal. Or try this manual breast pump for $12.94 as well as this bottle and these breast milk freezer bags for a total of $29.92.

5. Clothes & Coverings

The final item on the essentials list is a few things to keep baby clothed and cozy. How about this adorable 23-piece set for $50.63? Looks good to me. Alternatively, you could take your $50 to a thrift store or a few garage sales and try to get more than 23 pieces for your new baby.

So far, our total for the essentials listed above is $411.10.

We have some room to spare in the budget to add a few more things to make your life easier:

6. Baby Carrier

For the first few months, and longer if you want, you can skip the stroller as I did and opt for a baby carrier for more skin-to-skin time. Carrying (also called "wearing") your baby has many benefits, including increasing your core strength and breast milk supply. It's also a great way to keep your baby close while freeing up your hands for the many activities hands do. Let's go with my favorite carrier, a LILLEbaby, for $77.69.

7. Organic Coconut Oil

Coconut oil is an amazing all-around moisturizer, nipple cream, and even (for some babies - ask your pediatrician) diaper rash cream. Get it for $6.69.

8. Pacifiers

While professional opinions differ on how long to use a dummy, binky, or pacifier (and whether to use them at all), what remains constant is that tired parents want a way to sooth and calm their baby at 2 am. Enter the soothie. Grab a 2-pack for $3.69.

This will bring our total to $499.17, which is neatly under our budget of $500.

Where's Everything Else?

The list you’re reading is extremely minimal, even compared to my other already-minimal list. There are so many things advertised for babies that we don't need. Therefore, they aren’t on this list, which is my most minimal.

Note that you'll need to use some things for your baby that are not listed here, things such as bath soap, laundry detergent, and a thermometer, that most adults, even non-parents, already keep supplied in their homes. You can usually use the adult version of these items for your baby’s needs as well. Some soaps for adults can be drying, so make sure you that after you wash your baby you moisturize their skin well with coconut oil or another baby-friendly lotion. You’ll also want to co-opt an old towel on which to change your baby’s diapers; you can use it on a bed, couch, or on the floor, but never leave your baby unattended there, even for a moment.

You can take wonderful care of your baby and keep them very happy and healthy with just a few well-thought-out essentials. I hope this list helps you do so in a budget-friendly way.

And, may you richly enjoy the many simple, delightful moments that parenthood offers.

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1-Month No-Spend Challenge (Free Downloadable Workbook)

Does a no-spend challenge sound like a fun way to get yourself on track toward your minimalism or saving goals? If so, this might be for you. Check out this free download (no email address required).

Heidi Thiel helped create this free resource on achieving a 31-day “no spend” challenge on behalf of Credit.com. She writes, “These days many of us are out of touch with where our money is actually going, and a no-spend challenge can help put things back in perspective and empower you to save for what's really important.”

If you’re interested in starting small, there’s a format to try a 7-day no-spend challenge within the PDF.

Download your free PDF workbook here.

Workbook credit link here.

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Minimalist Pregnancy Essentials

Pregnancy can be a joy, but it can also be uncomfortable. In fact, it can be worse than uncomfortable. The tough part is that it's different for each woman, so it can be hard to know exactly what will work for you to make your pregnancy a bit easier.

Today I'm sharing a minimalist list of nine items that have helped me or made me more comfortable during this pregnancy.

I wish I could guarantee that this list will solve all your pregnancy-related problems, but I can only say that these are some of the things that have helped me have a happier and more comfortable pregnancy than otherwise. Please don't take anything on this list as medical advice. As always, do your own research and consult your doctor when it comes to treating health issues during pregnancy or any time.

Minimalist Pregnancy Essentials

This post contains some links that may be affiliate links. As always, all opinions are 100% my own and not for sale.

1. Delicious Prenatal Vitamins

I'm a fan of adding a bit of deliciousness to anything you have to make a daily habit of. When it comes to taking a prenatal, you really don't want to forget, especially in that first trimester when it's important to get folic acid. My prenatal vitamins taste like candy. This makes it really fun to remember to take them every day.

These are the vitamins I've been taking during this pregnancy.

2. Additional Vitamin D Supplementation

I read that Vitamin D may boost your immune system. During pregnancy, catching a cold is especially onerous because you can't take many of the medicines you may have reached for to help you feel better when not pregnant. Every time I felt like I may have been exposed to a virus, or just felt tired and that I might be coming down with something, I took additional Vitamin D. Please do your own research to make sure you are taking a safe amount. The prenatal vitamins I recommended already have some vitamin D in them so take that into account. This pregnancy I also was in a cold northern climate over winter for the first time, so I think the Vitamin D was probably helpful for my whole system since I wasn't getting a lot of sunshine.

3. EXERCISE, Especially Yoga

There's a slight tendency for women to feel discouraged from exercising during pregnancy. However, as long as I listen to my body and not overdo it, it really seems to help my mental state and just to make everything a little easier. I've been taking a weekly yoga class on and off for years, but I find that during pregnancy, yoga is especially enjoyable for me. It seems to align and stretch everything at a time when physical changes are happening fast. Each class feels different for my changing pregnant body, and that makes it more interesting.

If you want to do yoga at home, simply searching “prenatal yoga” on YouTube always leads me to amazing (free) videos.

Beyond yoga, what works for me is cardio and light strength training about 3-4 times a week and a yoga class once a week. In general, my cardio is walking or using the elliptical machine (it's lower impact than a treadmill) at the gym. My strength training is squats, push ups, and weight machines at the gym. I will also do about 3-5 minutes of light yoga before bed. Every chance I get, I also hang from my hands (as in on the monkey bars). I'm not able to do a pull-up right now, but simply hanging stretches my arms, shoulders, and back out in a way that feels good.

4. Social Support

I think some people go through pregnancy feeling relatively private about the matter. It's not something they need or want to talk/complain about much. They draw inward, and that can feel really healthy and safe for them. However, for me, I love when people ask how I'm feeling, how pregnancy is going, and offer to help when I need it. I have long conversations with family and friends about how my pregnancy is going and what I can do to deal with certain pregnancy symptoms. This social support has been essential to me this pregnancy. I'm so grateful to my family and friends who have listened to me complain or vent for hours.

5. Coconut Oil

Most nights before bed I rub some coconut oil on my belly and anywhere on my skin that feels dry or like it's being stretched with pregnancy weight gain. It's a soothing evening ritual. Some claim that coconut oil can help prevent stretch marks, but I've heard that whether or not you get stretch marks is mostly a matter of genes. Still, it's nice to feel like I'm doing something to help my skin stay comfortable and moisturized.

I tend to buy coconut locally, but if you want to get it online here’s one to try.

6. The Softest Tees

I'm a big fan of Encircled. It’s not a maternity brand, but I find their shirts long and stretchy enough that they are still fitting me now in my third trimester. Encircled clothing is ethically and sustainable made. It's nice (and money-saving) to have something to wear that fit me before pregnancy and will fit me after pregnancy.

As far as other maternity clothes, I found that I needed to size up frequently with bras, buy larger leggings, and get a few pairs of maternity jeans. Other than that, I was the grateful recipient of lots of hand-me-downs from women in my community who had maternity clothes sitting around that they were done with. Once I'm done with them, I'll pass them along too.

7. Birth Practice

While I'm really happy that epidurals and other forms of pain management exist as an option, I wanted to fully experience natural birth with as few medical interventions as possible. I ended up training with Hypnobabies which was a wonderful experience, but it wasn’t exactly what I was hoping it would be. However, my birth was truly wonderful and very peaceful and positive. My sister was present at my first birth, and ended up using similar preparation technique for her births. Together we developed a new program called Birth Practice - basically what we wish existed when we were preparing for our births.

It's a very personal choice, but if you're curious about learning to relax deeply to allow birth to be a more empowering and positive experience, try Birth Practice. It's mostly about un-doing a lifetime of incorrect cultural programming that says birth has to be tense, as well as learning communication and deep relaxation techniques.

8. ASMR Videos

You either get it, or you don't, when it comes to ASMR. You've probably heard of ASMR, which stands for autonomous sensory meridian response. It's a relaxing, often tingly feeling some people get in certain situations, like when getting your hair cut or listening to rain patter gently against a window. For many, a video including both visual and auditory triggers enhances the relaxing feelings. For example, in real life when someone is chewing gum I don't feel much. However, if I'm watching a video of someone chew gum, I find the sound and visuals very relaxing to the point I may fall asleep. Weird, I know.

There are a huge number of different ASMR triggers people enjoy. Thousands, maybe millions, of people use ASMR videos to help them relax, recover from anxiety and trauma, and go to sleep. I've dealt with quite a bit of insomnia during this pregnancy and ASMR videos have helped me finally get to sleep. Simply search “ASMR” on YouTube to explore the world of relaxing videos. Here’s one I’ve enjoyed that is specific to pregnancy, if you’re into that.

9. Glow Nurture App

I've enjoyed the Glow Nurture App (search for it in your smart phone's app store) for the updates and forums. Every week it gives me a fruit or vegetable that is comparable to my baby's current size (this week it's honeydew melon). There's also a little cartoon picture of what the baby looks like and lots of brief articles covering pregnancy related topics. There's an active forum too, which I find fun to dip into occasionally. While it does get feisty once in a while, in general the "mommy wars" are absent from the forum connected to the app. There's also a function called time lapse that lets you upload photos of your bump each week, then loads them into a video so you can see how you've grown.

That's it! Those are my 9 pregnancy essentials as a minimalist.

I hope something on this list helped you solve a pregnancy-related problem or enjoy this time in your life more.

If you liked this post, tap the heart button below, and if you want to share it, there’s a button for that too. Please share this blog as a way of helping others simplify to live their best lives.

The Minimalist Baby Registry Checklist

Putting together your baby registry is nothing if not overwhelming.

There are over 60,000 options on Amazon.com alone.

You already know you don't need everything recommended to parents-to-be.

Feather Your Nest?

As soon as you enter the world of, say, the "baby" category on Amazon, you're bombarded with things you may have never even considered, along with marketing messages preying on your fears and concern for your baby's wellbeing.

After all, throughout pregnancy, you're biologically primed to "feather your nest" with anything and everything you may need to keep your baby safe and comfortable.

Plus, you may have conversations with other well-meaning parents in which they mention things you never even thought about, things like "pee-pee tents," and "diaper genies."

(Scroll down to the "What to Skip" list for more on this.)

Having been there, done that, twice (and come out on the other side with two kids who are now well past the itty-bitty baby stage) I can tell you definitively that you don’t need most of what is suggested.

Here’s what we did

My husband and I created the first version of our minimalist baby registry years ago for our first baby. We were planning to continue our low-stuff nomadic lifestyle, so everything we purchased needed to travel with us or be easy to pass along when we were done with it.

Then we updated that list for our second kid, and fine-tuned it even more. Today, I’m sharing the results of countless hours of pre-purchase research and in-the-trenches testing through the babyhoods of my two children. I have recently updated this list with what I've learned years down the road, including what I did the same — and differently — for baby #2.

Who it’s for

The checklist below will be helpful for you or any friends or family members you have who are expecting a baby and are on a budget or living a low-clutter or minimalist lifestyle.

Traveling with a baby

This list will also be helpful for nomadic families or travel lovers who don't want to give up those weekend getaways and vacations abroad just because they are having a baby. If you travel frequently, it's important for your baby’s comfort (and your own!) that you can easily create a similar environment on the road as the one at home. Therefore, you don’t want too many specialty items at home that you can’t easily take with you to be part of your baby’s daily routine.

Time range covered

The list is intended to provide for newborns and babies up to 6 months old, but many items will serve long past that 6-month mark.

-—-The Registry Essentials Checklist-—-

This post contains affiliate links. As always, all opinions are 100% my own and not for sale. While not every linked item has been personally tested by me (and baby spit-up on), many of them have been tested in my own personal trenches, as it were.

1. The sleeping situation

We chose a portable playard (pack and play) for a safe and comfy place for our babies to sleep. No crib. Our version from Graco came with a removable bassinet that hangs inside it and can be used in the early months for sleeping. (Here’s a different brand that’s highly rated.)

Last time I checked, the upper bassinet area without an added mattress (just the one it comes with) is regarded by pediatricians as a safe newborn sleeping area, but always do your own research on safe sleep practices and check with the AAP to learn about safe sleep for infants.

Once our baby passed the weight limit (listed on the product), we removed the upper bassinet and put him down to sleep in the bottom, on an after-market mattress purchased separately via a baby furniture store and placed on top of the mattress that comes with the playard. I’ve heard some babies sleep just fine on the thin, foldable pad that comes with the playard, but I wanted something thicker on top of that to ensure a firm and comfortable sleeping surface. For safety, make sure the additional mattress fits very snugly inside the play yard so you don’t have gaps between the mattress and the sides of the playard. Similarly, make sure your fitted sheet is sized to snugly fit the mattress.

If I were going to be in the same place for years, I might buy a traditional crib, but a foldable play yard was a great option for full-time sleeping for us. It travels well, and our first baby slept well when we traveled since it was the same environment he was in at home. It was the same with our second baby.

A playard is also light in weight and has two wheels, so it can easily be rolled into another room, if say, you want your baby to nap in a different spot than where they will be sleeping at night. This versatility made this sleeping set up a win for our family.

2. Baby carrier for baby wearing

I made a decision to avoid strollers for the first four months with both of my children. Having only the carrier was great for bonding with my baby, gaining strength, and losing the pregnancy weight. But it was mostly about bonding with my baby and keeping that little cherub's ear right on my heartbeat, skin to skin, as often as possible.

There are a lot of options, so here I’ve saved you the hassle of looking through every one. It's really important to get one that suits newborn up to 40 pounds and that you can choose from lots of placement options. Meaning you’ll want to have the option do front inward-facing carry, front forward-facing carry, rear forward-facing carry (backpack style), and side hip carry.

I bought an Ergobaby for my firstborn, but later replaced it with the EVEN more adjustable and ergonomic LILLEbaby for my second. The carrier I bought from Ergobaby couldn’t do front forward-facing carry. Turns out they have one that does it all, I just bought the wrong one. Options are so important because you never know what carry position your baby will favor.

The LILLEbaby (here’s the one I recommend) carries baby in all the positions and doesn't require any extra accessories. There's a strap inside that easily folds away when you don't need it; you can put a folded blanket over the strap to support your newborn in the early months when they would otherwise sit too low in the carrier. (Don’t buy a special insert as it won’t be needed after the first month or two. Just use a folded blanket to give you infant a boost.)

It’s me, the author of this blog, wearing my second baby in the LILLEbaby carrier.

I spent a lot of time wearing by babies in both the Ergobaby and the LILLEbaby. The LILLEbaby has advantages over Ergobaby, including a few small but very thoughtful design improvements, such as a pad to protect your chest from the front strap when doing a backpack style carry. Overall, my sense was that the LILLEbaby designers care more about moms and dads because the product is slightly more adjustable, a touch better designed. And just a little better makes all the difference.

I totally love my LILLEbaby. It’s probably my all-time favorite thing on this list.

3. Car seat

A rear-facing infant car seat is a must. And please, please, get one that is easy to uninstall and reinstall. Especially if you travel a lot.

You may want to get one that is part of a travel system (stroller/car seat combination). See below for recommendations on a stroller travel systems.

4. Stroller

We didn't get a stroller until our babies were more than 4 months old. When we did buy a first stroller, we got away with a nice lightweight umbrella stroller.

Later, I bought a used BOB Revolution jogging stroller which I have mixed feelings about. (The feelings: they are not allowed in airports due to their large size, but that size is useful sometimes for protection in a crowd, and it's certainly nice to run with your baby, but on the other hand, running is important alone time if you can get a sitter, friend, or partner to care for your baby while you take care of yourself.)

If you want to make a travel system stroller part of your registry, someone I trust just did a whole lot of research and settled on an UPPAbaby travel system which works from newborn up to preschool age and includes a car seat. UPPAbaby (which always hits my brain as “upper crust baby” or “uppity baby” is a pricey option but you may be able to squeeze it into the budget since you’re going quality over quantity as a minimalist. It really is nice to have a system that works seamlessly. I’ve seen this brand in multiple countries, which tells me that UPPAbaby is a global favorite.

For baby #2, a generous friend gave me a pre-owned Orbit Baby travel system and I really enjoyed how seamlessly it worked. If I could do new parenthood over again, I’d definitely opt for a high-end travel system from the get-go. This is where you want to put your coin. You can send your dubious partner here to read this blog post written by a frugal minimalist mom.

5. Video or sound monitor

This was not on my original list and I regret it. I spent too much time anxious about my baby when he was napping. I didn't have a way to check on him without going into his room, which would potentially wake him up. I'd recommend a video monitor so you can do a quick visual check every time your "mommy anxiety" kicks in.

However, I've heard that it's best to avoid the monitors that go with you when you're running errands or on a date night. Get someone you trust to watch over your baby, and trust them. Otherwise you'll be on the monitor the whole time you're out.

1st Update - So far I have NOT used a monitor with my 2nd babe. We’ll see if that changes. This list is an ongoing experiment. I think what I’ve learned is I have less anxiety with baby #2.

2nd Update - I’ve come to the conclusion that a baby monitor is not necessary if you are low anxiety (anxiety may be lower with second baby as it was for me) and live in a home where you can hear your baby cry from any room. Those of you with higher anxiety and/or a large or soundproof home may want a sound or video monitor so you can hear or see when you baby wakes up from a nap or at night if you’re not room-sharing.

6. Diapers and wipes

For baby #1, we started with size newborn disposable diapers and we had to size up about once a month, so I suggest to parents-to-be that they don't buy too many in a tiny size. Those little bums grow fast! We used about 100 per month in general, and maybe more those first couple months when we changed him more often than was necessary since we were learning his habits (and the amazing capacity of diapers).

For baby #2, we used disposable diapers and cloth diapers. I used disposable when easier or when maximum absorption is needed (traveling, night time, and out of the house) and cloth diapers around the house or when I wanted to keep a few diapers out of the landfill and save some money.

I bought a few second-hand cloth diapers from a friend whose kids are all now potty trained. I found that it wasn’t quite enough. They were a few different brands, and some had Velcro that had worn out, so I couldn’t use all of them. I ended up buying new ones.

Among the various brands I’ve tried, my favorite reusable diapers are these Alva Baby cloth diapers. I like that they come in a set, and they are easy to clean. At first, I wished they had hook and eye (Velcro) closures, but then my baby figured out how to open those! I ended up being really happy long-term with these snap closure pocket diapers (also called modern cloth nappies or pocket nappies).

7. White noise machine

We love this white noise machine. It's small and portable. We used one machine with both babies and only had to replace it after five years of use! It has helped me get great sleep in various hotel rooms polluted by construction and traffic noise. It helps our kids stay asleep while we’re watching Netflix. Highly recommended.

8. Easy clothing

Sometimes I think the designers of baby clothes don't actually have children themselves. I was shocked by how difficult many baby clothes are to use. Seriously. I got sweaty just dressing my baby. This is an area that a good designer needs to take on.

Here’s what you’ll need: a few onesies, rompers, pants, soft hats, and socks. Make sure everything is soft.

Your friends are: zippers and minimal snaps. Your enemies are: buttons and too many snaps. Also, easy access to the diaper area is key. Kids grow really fast (and in spurts) so clothing is a buy-as-needed area.

Update: My sister introduced to me to Parade Organics and I love it. They are the easiest and cutest organic baby clothes I have discovered so far. The two-way zipper on the romper makes diaper changes easier.

9. Large washable underpads (4)

I didn’t know these existed until I went to the hospital to give birth. (It was my bed pad giving me a little extra security of not staining the sheets during recovery.) Then we, oops, stole one from the hospital as we were packing up to go home. When I called the hospital to confess our crime, they told me, understandably, to just keep it.

These have been so useful for years. For changing diapers on, we just placed it on the floor or bed and changed the baby there. We’d throw it in the washer and dryer and it would always come out clean and like new. Oh, it's also good for tummy time. It travels well too, folding up to the size of a light jacket. It even served as an "in case" pad under the sheets during our potty training phase.

It’s likely the hospital sourced these from a medical supply company. However, I later found them on Amazon. Check out this 4-pack. AMAZING. Also good for pets? What? How many uses does this product have? And they are SO washable and durable. I have purchased only two or three 4-packs over the course of eight years, and they are still in great shape.

10. Packaged snacks stashes and (very specific ) water cups with lids. (for you, breastfeeding mom)

Those first few weeks of breastfeeding were tough. When I'd finally get my baby latched on, I'd settle back into the chair, couch, or bed, and immediately get hit with undeniable, dying-in-the-desert thirst along with hunger pangs. But I couldn't move because that would disrupt the latch we'd just worked so hard for. So usually I'd shout for my husband to bring me water and snacks. But sometimes he couldn't hear me or wasn't home.

My solution? Hide PACKAGED SNACKS around your house. Before you go into labor, put them under your mattress, between couch cushions, inside of decorative pottery, EVERYWHERE! (I’m kind of joking. But not really.)

And you'll usually only have one hand available, so don't sit down with a bottle of water. (I can't open a bottle of water with one hand. Can you? Start practicing doing everything one-handed since breastfeeding usually requires one hand.) And don't sit down with an open-top cup because like me, you might be clumsy from sleep deprivation and that water will spill.

You need a jumbo cup with a lid and maybe a straw if it helps you hydrate faster. For me a straw was faster and safer than a cup I had to tilt. See above paragraph about being clumsy from sleep deprivation. You don’t want to drop a heavy metal cup on your baby’s head. Also, sometimes you’ll have zero hands free and a partner or friend will hold your cup for you to drink from. In this situation, a straw also makes things easier. Thankfully you have me to tell you about these new situations that breastfeeding mamas face. It’s not as hard as it sounds if you’re prepared.

When baby is hungry, first fill your cup. Literally. You won't want to, because when your baby is crying all you can think about is making your baby feel better, but learn from my experience, please, so you don't spend that precious breastfeeding time feeling thirsty and deprived.

11. Breast pump

In some places your insurance company is required by law to provide one to you. This is vital to have before the baby comes, as you'll want to have it on hand during those first few days and weeks of learning how to breastfeed – when your breasts are engorged and the baby hasn't learned how to effectively nurse on a very full breast.

(Again, learn from my mistakes. My pump hadn’t yet arrived I was one udderly miserable dairy queen that first week. I had to bring a specialist in to help me get the milk to come out the first time. A pump would have solved the problem in a few seconds.)

When my pump finally arrived, I loved it. You want to go for a “hospital grade” machine. While I didn’t try other pumps, (so I can’t compare it to others) I do highly recommend the one I chose from my insurance company’s offerings. I gave it away after the first baby and purchased a new one for the second when I didn’t have the same insurance plan. It is available on Amazon here.

Update: It looks like there has been some innovation in this area since I pumped for my babies. I’m thrilled to see several hands-free, hospital-grade, in-bra double pumps available today. This one from Momcozy is highly rated. I dreamed about this kind of product back when I was holding my pump to my breast for the whole time (and generally only pumped one breast at a time so that I could have one hand free).

12. 2-4 bottles with nipples for pumped breast milk

If you’re going back to work full time, and plan to pump, you may need a cooler and more than four bottles.

However, for starters, 2-4 bottles should be fine until you get a feel for things. Here’s a highly rated, BPA-free option.

13. Bottle brush for cleaning bottles and nipples

Specialized baby bottle brushes come with a larger brush for inside the bottle and a smaller part for cleaning nipples.

14. Breast milk freezer bags

It’s surprisingly important to have special breastmilk bags that look different than regular freezer storage bags. Breast milk bags are tall, stiff, and narrow, making them easier to defront and pour into a bottle than your standard zip lock bags. Look for BPA-free options.

15. 4-10 lightweight swaddling blankets

These are for swaddling and burping and cleaning random baby messes. These won't last long for swaddling but will be vital for many months for those sudden spills that come out of babies.

16. Sleep sacks

The swaddling days don't last long for most babies, and blankets get kicked off or become hazardous. Get several sleep sacks for chilly nights when your baby’s sleepwear won't provide enough warmth on its own.

As a bonus, a sleep sack keeps the kid safe in bed after that age (about a year) when they start trying to put a leg over the edge of the bed to climb out.

17. Baby wash and shampoo

I haven’t formed a preference for one particular baby wash or soap (usually 2-in-1 shampoo and body wash). I tend to buy something locally that seems as mild, gentle, and natural as possible.

18. Something to soothe sore nipples

Lanolin is the recommended product in the USA. I tried it, but then switched to coconut oil. I prefer the smell, and that it's from a plant rather than an animal. And it seems to heal my skin fast. Whatever you choose, have it on hand before you give birth because sore nipples are as bad as they sound.

19. Baby oil/moisturizer

I prefer a natural plant oil like olive, coconut, almond, or jojoba. These seemed to do the job just as well as a cream specifically branded for babies. Moisturizers marketed to parents for babies tend to have long ingredient listings. It seems simpler and healthier to me to put one ingredient at a time on your baby. Anecdote: coconut oil applied to my baby’s scalp, left on for 15 minutes, then washed off with gentle baby wash/shampoo healed and removed my baby’s “cradle cap,” a yellowish, flaky area of dry skin on the scalp.

20. Diaper rash cream (or coconut oil)

If you’re lucky, your baby will respond well to coconut oil to heal and prevent diaper rash, thus items # 18, 19, and 20 can all be covered with a jar or two of organic coconut oil. For our first baby, coconut oil ended up being more effective than the leading diaper rash cream. It smelled better too!

21. Pacifier (maybe a couple with different types of nipples for baby to try)

I remember being worried that giving my first son a pacifier would make him addicted to it, or confuse him and make it more difficult for him to breastfeed. If I remember correctly, I tried a pacifier after he’d learned to latch on to the breast. And then it made my life so much easier. At some point around 7 or 8 months old he started dropping the pacifier out of his mouth frequently and I took that as a cue that he was done with it. There were a few days of adjustment but then he no longer missed it. Same with my second baby.

We used the ever-popular Philips Avent Soothie pacifiers. I think someone gifted us the one attached to a plush toy animal, and that was a big hit because it was hard to lose and gave our baby something to hold onto.

22. Super seat/stuck seat

The gist is: somewhere you can stick your kid nearby and you know they're safe and occupied while you take a shower. It's a peace of mind thing.

We started using the super seat once baby could hold his head up on his own. Our version was called a super seat because it is a supportive chair, a booster seat, a snack tray, and a toy-holder all in one. Later, he used the booster part in place of a high chair. It came with straps to safely attach to a regular kitchen chair.

We bought something very similar to this (same brand, different toy theme). However, were I to do it again, I’d probably try to find one with higher ratings. There were a few buggy things that could be better. I don’t think toys need to be attached. Babies quickly tire of the attached toys and want to play with something else (see below section on skipping toys). Also, over time the hard-to-clean toys get undeniably… gunky.

23. A napper or co-sleeper.

It's nice to have something safe you can put your baby down in when you want them napping near you, but you don't want to put them in a crib or drag a play yard to your space. They'll quickly grow out of a napper (also called a lounger or bassinet), so make it affordable or get it pre-owned. In Finland they use a cardboard box! It really just needs to be a flat, safe, comfortable place for your baby to sleep. Do your research and get something that suits your lifestyle and parenting style. Ukraine, where I had my second baby, does the same thing Finland does, giving new parents a large box filled with baby essentials. The box doubles as a crib and includes a thin foam mattress; I used the box the hospital gave us for that purpose in the very early weeks when I wanted my little one to nap nearby.

This item makes my minimalist list (barely!) because it was really helpful in the early days. Infants quickly grow out of nappers but they are useful as a safe place to put them down when they take 4-5 naps per day.

24. forehead/Ear thermometer

I had to pick up one of these in a hurry after our son was born. Although the hospital actually gave us a thermometer in a baby gift pack, it was a standard insertion (mouth or rectum) thermometer.

An insertion thermometer is the last thing your baby wants to deal with when she or he is feeling ill. And I can’t blame a baby for not wanting cold metal stuck in any orifice, at any time, sick or healthy. So I found myself delaying taking my son’s temperature when I suspected he had a fever. As soon as we got a forehead thermometer my parental anxiety decreased quite a bit as it made taking his temperature, and usually finding out there was no fever, easy. I recommend getting one that doubles as an ear thermometer. My pediatrician told me the ones that go in the ear are more accurate.

I purchased mine at a CVS store, but if you want to put one on your Amazon Registry, here’s a suggestion.

25. Baby Movement Monitor

I almost left this one off the list. It had a tendency to slip off my baby’s diaper, which meant that there were a few false alarms that had me up in the middle of the night, heart racing, before I checked on him and saw he was fine.

However, recently I had a vivid dream taking me back to those early days of caring for my newborn. I remember how hard it was to actually get restful sleep because I was worried he would stop breathing in the middle of the night. So this item is going back on the list.

I should also tell you I didn’t suffer from anxiety before having a baby. Parenthood changes you in unpredictable ways, and for me there was a huge increase in anxiety.

So my final verdict is that if this device (we bought twice, once for each baby, and recommend the Snuza Hero Baby Movement Monitor) will help you have peace of mind so you can snatch some good sleep when your baby is sleeping, get it.

I think it’s worth it in those very early weeks if you have a little anxiety or tend to wake up at night just to check that your baby’s breathing is fine. (Which, just FYI, is normal new parent behavior.)

26. Birth Practice Online Birth Preparation Course

Are you due within the next 4 months and planning a hospital birth?

Birth Practice is an evidence-based communication and mind-body childbirth training program for promoting positive hospital birth experiences. My sister Lucia and I co-created it under advisement by doctors, childbirth educators, and birth practitioners. (Use coupon code GEN for a discount).

Giving birth doesn’t have to be frightening, painful, unsatisfying, or traumatic.

Our vision is that more women feel powerful, positive, and supported as they give birth. It is the first birth preparation course that aims to improve a woman’s satisfaction with her birth experience instead of aiming for a particular type of birth.

The Birth Practice online birth preparation course includes tools for decision making and clear communication with birth partners and care providers as well as practices for laboring and birthing without anxiety. These are research-based, universally applicable tools and practices that work for all types of birth.

After our own positive birth experiences, my sister and I collaborated with OB-GYNS, birth workers, and doulas to develop the ideal birth plan template (FREE) to help you prepare for an empowered and positive hospital birth experience.

-—-What to skip-—-

Now that you know the essentials, here’s what you can skip to save money and space in your home.

1. Toys

Babies are entertained easily. Crinkling paper. A spoon. Their own ear. Toys are really not necessary until later. Plus you'll unavoidably collect toys as gifts because they are fun for friends and family to buy for you.

2. Specialized baby moisturizers

As I suggested earlier, these can contain nasty chemicals. Just stick with pure plant oils like coconut, olive, and jojoba. Always check your baby for signs of an allergic reaction when putting something new on their skin.

3. High chair

I never understood high chairs. They're huge. Why buy such a big thing when you can get a small booster seat and the baby can sit (when they can) with the family at the table? Plus their height, higher than a normal chair, means a fall would be more dangerous. And, here’s a parenting secret no one talks about: every baby falls. There’s gonna be a fall. All you can do is your best. But they’re gonna fall. Make sure it’s from as low a point as possible.

4. A changing table

A huge piece of unnecessary furniture. Also a falling risk. Floor or bed changes are easy and safer. Never walk away from your baby when they could roll off the bed or roll into a dangerous situation.

5. Pee pee tent

Alert: if you have a boy, he might pee on you when you change his diaper. Pee pee tents are little tents you put over his penis during that brief window of risk while you change his diaper. Just put your hand over the stream so it doesn't hit your face. Otherwise, let the guy get some airflow during diaper changes.

6. Wipes warmer

Nope. Get used to the refreshing coolness of wipes in their natural state, kid.

7. Diaper genie

Just put those dirty diapers in a bag and tie it off. Maybe get a trash can with a lid if the smell is really bad. You don't need a specialty trash can (with moving parts liable to break and specialty supplies to be purchased at regular intervals).

8. Anything with buttons or beads

Buttons on clothes take too much time and can pop off and become a choking hazard. Beads, which can also become a choking hazard, are generally obviously avoided for babies. However, I’ve noticed a trend of making babies wear a necklace of amber beads for supposed pain-relieving benefits. Amber may be soothing to look at or touch, but has no other proven benefits when worn, and your baby will be safer without the potential choking and strangulation hazard of wearing a necklace.

9. Complicated wraps for baby wearing

Don't buy anything that needs a tutor, class or more than one person to put on. Just go with one baby wearing product. The already-mentioned easy, highly adjustable, works-for-mom-and-dad LILLEbaby.

10. Crib accessories

Some crib accessories like bumper pads can put baby at risk.

Other accessories to avoid include those light up, large, plastic things that play lullabies and have colorful visuals and usually attach to the side of a crib. Remember that whatever becomes part of your baby's going-to-sleep ritual must be repeated every single night and nap, sometimes for years.

You really don't want anything that is so specific that it can't be easily replaced or repeated. You likely wouldn't travel with the light-up plastic thing, so I'd recommend skipping it if you want to travel easily with your baby.

11. Bottle/pacifier sterilizer.

Buy things that are dishwasher safe or clean them with hot soapy water and a specialized brush like the one recommended above. Over-sterilizing may rob your baby of a healthy microbiome, which can lead to a variety of health issues.

12. Infant bath tub.

You don’t need a bathtub or special insert for your baby. They may make things a bit easier, but they may also increase the risk to your baby by adding a false sense of safety when your baby is in the bath. Use the kitchen or bathroom sink (sanitized first, of course) to bathe your baby. Never leave them unattended, even for a moment, and always keep their face out of the water. Use a cloth or wipes for cleaning the face. In the early days, babies do not need frequent baths, and can be wiped down with a warm, damp cloth. Once they can sit unaided, you can let your baby sit in a very shallow tub to bathe, or even take baths with them.

Bonus, babies getting sink baths are so sinkin’ cute. Seriously, go search #sinkbath on Instagram. Bad day? It just got better.

From top left: @amandarosephotography, @this.little.wandering, @fivelittlebirds, @thisisbus, @teraherron_photography, @mamadray88

13. And... everything else not on the above list of essentials.

That’s right, you don’t need special baby combs or brushes, breastfeeding pillows (which are remarkably similar to regular pillows), or most of the other 60,000 items in the Amazon baby store. Stick with the 26 essentials listed on the checklist above and you should have everything you need for your baby to thrive.

That's it!

To the right is a quick summary (in image form) of what to put on your registry.

And here’s a downloadable PDF.

Now you know what to get for your bundle of joy, and what to skip.

On a super tight budget? You may benefit from my frugal and ultra minimalist version of this list: Newborn on a Budget: Everything You Need for Your New Baby for Under $500.

Now go get that baby registry done!

If you loved this post, “heart” it using the button below, and if you want to share it, there’s a button for that too. Please share this blog as a way of helping others simplify to live their best lives.

Creating a Digital Vision Board to Inspire Your Travel Dreams

 Happy New Year! Today’s guest post is authored by Brittany Taylor over at SimpleLivingandTravel.com. It's about creating a place where your dreams are represented visually so you have a daily, hourly reminder of what's important to you. Many of you have written to ask how to overcome obstacles to traveling the world. Well, if you have your travel dreams in front of you all the time, your mind will start coming up with solutions even while you are working on other things. (Originally published in 2015.)

So many of us want to travel.

We dream of it while we are at work, going weak in the knees as we scroll through images of dream vacations in tropical paradise, clutching our warm mug in the dead of a northern winter. We fight reality while denying ourselves the dreams that linger deep within our hearts. Or at least that is what I used to do. Then, I decided to start living my dreams.

One amazing thing I discovered while on my journey to dream-realization was about creating vision boards. When I started indulging in vision board creation, I not only learned about the power of images, but I also started to view imagination in a whole new light. I realized that in my focusing on what I wanted, I had the choice to either allow myself to sink into a feeling of lack, concentrating on what I did not yet have, or I could embody the emotions I would feel if I had what I wanted and really indulge in my fantasy. I chose the latter and I decided to consciously start indulging in my dreams on a daily basis.

Images can be truly powerful. We have all experienced how a picture can be worth a thousand words, or how an image can be scarred into our memory. We can harness that power and use it to our benefit.The idea behind creating a vision board is to put together a collection of images that inspires us. We can then keep that

vision board somewhere close by so that you will see it regularly, thus activating those awesome emotions those images bring to us.

How to Do It

There are so many ways to go about creating a vision board. There is the old school way of gathering magazines and sitting around sifting and clipping. And there is the new age way of going digital and harnessing the power of the net. I prefer going digital because it doesn’t take up the physical space in my life and because I can usually find the exact image I know will bring me ultimate inspiration (and in much less time at that).

As far as the subject matter of a vision board goes, this too can vary greatly. It may feel good to just do a general board, hitting on various areas of our lives, or we may want to hone in on a topic, like our physical health, our living space, or our professional life.

For the sake of this piece, let’s hone in on creating a digital vision board that specifically pertains to travel. We want to travel. Nearly all of us want it so badly that if someone asks us where we want to go we already have a place in mind. Some of us have lists. Some of us have lifetimes of it planned. How about we make that a reality?

When to Create

There’s no wrong way to create a vision board, but the timing is important. It’s important to be in the right frame of mind when going into vision board mode. Perhaps you will find yourself inspired and ready to go. Or you may need to do some work to get there. Take a few minutes to clear your mind, to breathe and just be. Do some light stretching or movements to get connected to your body. Do whatever you need to feel comfortable in all parts of you.

Now that you have set your internal environment for the creative time ahead, allow your mind to fantasize about your travel dreams. What do those dreams feel like in your body? Do you feel good imagining them? Make sure you are feeling excited and abundant about them before moving forward. Then, try asking yourself some questions and see what comes up.

What places excite you when you think about visiting them? What sights do you want to see and experience? What cultures do you want to learn about? What foods do you want to try? What music do you want to hear? What smells do you want to breathe in? What activities do you want to try? How do you see yourself moving from place to place? Where do you envision resting your bones after a day of exploration?

Ultimately we are looking to gain a sense of the feelings you want to experience and the images that come to mind when you feel those emotions.

As far as project duration goes, don’t worry about having enough time to complete your vision board all at once. Some boards get created in an afternoon and some take shape over a longer period of time. Yours will come together in a unique way for you. Just set out when it feels right and leave the rest to unfold naturally.

Finding Images

Now that you have fully set the stage, it’s time to find those images.

Start by creating a “Vision Board” folder on your computer (or a safe space to store images on your phone or tablet). This is where you will save your images as you come across them.

Now seek out those inspiring pictures. Perhaps you already have some in mind, maybe from a friend’s recent trip or from something that caught your eye on social media. If that’s the case, grab those ones out first and save them (no worries about copyright infringement because this is for your own personal viewing).

Most images you are going to have to search for. This is the fun part, which I really favor using Google Images for (although I encourage you to use any image finder you enjoy). Using the first image you have in mind, search a word or phrase that you think will generate the results you are looking for. This sounds fairly straightforward, but sometimes it can be tricky.

Remember there are a lot of images out there. For example, you may get really excited by the thought of backpacking through Europe. However, upon a Google image search of “backpack Europe” you may find that the results are not what you had in mind.

I suggest honing in on what you are really envisioning. Is it a Villa in Italy? Or perhaps a small café in France? Is it the coast of the Mediterranean? Or night life in Madrid? Whatever it is, get more specific. Perhaps your phrase is something as precise as “moonlight on water in Greece” or “mangoes market Spain”. The clearer you can be, the more success you will have in finding the results you are looking for.

You may also decide you want certain inspiring words on your board. If this is the case you can either search for them or create them in a program such as Microsoft Word’s WordArt, then save them as an image file.

Putting it All Together

Once you feel like you have enough images, it is time to start putting them all together. There is no right or wrong way to do it.

There are a number of programs you can use to put together your digital vision board. Basically, choose anything that is easy to paste images into while still being able to crop and resize them. Some common programs that would work are Photoshop, Canva, Picmonkey, Publisher, Gimp, Word, Pages and (although I have never used any) I believe there is even software you can use that is specifically for vision board creation.

Once you have selected your preferred program, enjoy pulling in the images you found that feel good for you. Play around with where you want them positioned on the page, what images you want side by side, what size you want them, and so on.

You don’t have to use all of the ones you’ve gathered. You may find that you want to have a very open, spacious board

and so you just have a few pictures. Or perhaps you prefer the excited energy of having everything together. Whatever you decide, it is your creation.

vision board 6.10.14

Check in with yourself throughout the process of creating your vision board. Make sure you are feeling excited and playful. If it starts to feel like work at any point, just stop and continue the next time you feel inspired.

Once you have completed your board, sit back and marvel at your finished product. Then, post it somewhere you will look at it regularly. Perhaps it will become your desktop background, or the lock screen on your phone. Maybe you print it out and hang it on your fridge or in your office.

Take pleasure in the viewing of your vision board as frequently as you would like. Let the emotions fill you and remember that you can have everything you dream of.

As you grow and shift, so will your fantasies. If it is fun for you, keep creating vision boards along your journey, saving them, so you can look back over time and take note of all the beautiful ways your dreams have unfolded before you.

2017 Year in Review

It seems that these Year in Review posts get later every year. It's mid-May in 2018, which means I'm doing 2017 almost halfway into the next year. Oh well. I'll chalk it up to spending a good deal of (all of?) my free time chasing a rambunctious 3 -year old who never seems to be far from one hazard or another.
Although they may be later or more brief than they were when I started this blog (previously called Packing Lust - and today called simply "Genevieve's Blog") I do think having one post to summarize each year is something I want to continue, even if it takes me a while to get around to it. I've posted reviews of 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015 and 2016. These posts are mostly for me to get an eagle's view of my years, but they are also for anyone interested in what my family and I have been up to since 2012.

If you'd rather skip reading about what I did in 2017, and would rather read about what I read in 2017, click here, where I share the best 10 out of all the books I read in 2017.  I guess you don't have to skip this post. You could read both. It doesn't have to be an either/or situation. 

Travel Mini Blogs

Instagram. It was my favorite social media platform in 2017, and for perhaps a year or so before that. To see if I'm still using it, check out my current Instagram feed. I'm not sure how long Instagram will be around for, but so far in 2018 I'm still enjoying the highly visual nature of the channel. And because it's quick to post from my phone using Instagram, it's a way for me to blog from anywhere when I simply don't have my laptop or the time to spend writing out a long post with lots of photos.

And now it's time for a quick overview of 2017 by month.

January

2017 feels like the year we slowly traveled across the U.S.A., although we did a lot more than just that.

In January I march in the (now famous, it seems) Women's March in Los Angeles with my friend Andrea. I'm proud I showed up for the event to improve visibility about things that are important to women. 

February

We started some serious slow-travel around the USA. Realizing after our lease was up and we were both remote-working that we had the flexibility to stay in AirBnB homes in small towns across America (which was also more affordable than big city rent) we decided to go for it. As a result we got to see we got to see our own country in a beautiful new way. The first stop was in the Sonoma, California area.

March

We stayed in each location for about a month, so March saw us travel up to the Portland, Oregon area where we got to see some dear friends.

April

We were still in the Pacific Northwest for this rainy month, so we left our kid with our dear friends and left the country for the first time in while. We visited Vancouver, Canada.

I also had a lot of fun testing out the newest bike from my family's company, Cruzbike.

May

In May we headed to Burley, Idaho. Prince Charming found this small town and wanted to see it. We really liked our time there. The people were the friendliest I've ever met. I'd never been to a small, non-tourist town that had healthy self esteem, but Burley had it. Instead of saying "why would you want to live here?" like many people in small industrial towns do, the people said, "Why don't you move here?"

We considered it, but I wouldn't be thrilled long-term with such a distance between me and the sea.

June

In June we got a rare chance to see some family in the Kansas City area. 

Then it was time to take some new visa photos...

Because Charming accepted a new mission to help refugees in the Middle East. We sped up our planned trip across the country to get to my parents place in North Carolina and make arrangements to move to East Jerusalem.

July 2017

Before we left the country, we joined my family for a beautiful beach trip. I got to add a month to one of my passion projects -- the breastfeeding awareness calendar.

About the Calendar

Our culture uses glamour to sell just about everything to women, including unhealthy things, like chemical-laden "beauty" products. The goal of my calendar is to use a touch of glam to sell something really healthy and truly beautiful: breastfeeding. The calendar is entirely volunteer staffed. If you'd like to be part of this evergreen project which will raise money for a nonprofit that supports breastfeeding, email me at Genevievewrites@gmail.com. When I was breastfeeding my son, I found that I was uncomfortable taking part in normal life outside the house. I think this is partly due to a stigma that we still haven't erased in the USA and in many cultures. The calendar is my part of erasing a stigma that says breastfeeding is unusual, disgusting, private, or sexual. I know that most days, mothers don't feel glamorous when they breastfeed. Nor is there any need to feel or look any certain way when breastfeeding. However, many of us love to be pampered, have our hair done, wear a gorgeous designer gown, and look -- well -- like a woman straight out a magazine. Why can't that woman be breastfeeding? Of course she can. My 2017 addition to the calendar was this beautiful mom/baby model team, who jumped passed the "magazine model standard" and leapt straight into Greek goddess sculpture territory.

August

Prince Charming began his mission in East Jerusalem while the kid and I stayed behind in North Carolina, planning to join him after attending my sister's upcoming wedding. We took a family road trip with my parents and some siblings to see the total eclipse of the sun. It's apparently very rare to be so close to the path of "totality" as we were.

September

These two beautiful people married each other.

Photo by Susan Ely

My sister's wedding in a charming town on the northeast coast was splendid and exactly what she and her groom wanted down to the lobster and glorious September weather. Now have lots of babies, you two! Just kidding. No pressure.

Also in September? I released my book, The Wealthy Creative.

My son and I also went to visit Grammy and Trog in Virginia.

And we moved to East Jerusalem.

October

Settling into our new home in Israel Palestine was easier than last time because of that previous 2+ years we'd spent. in the Middle East. This time we were living in East Jerusalem instead of Ramallah, but we made lots of trips to see our friends in Ramallah. Also, one of my Los Angeles friends had moved to Haifa, so seeing her felt like moving half way around the world was sort of like walking a few blocks to see her like I used to do in LA.

November

My baby turned three. He's not a baby anymore.

December

Santa came to the kid's wonderful school on the Mount of Olives.

The kid and I did a mandatory visa run to Cyprus. The luxurious beachfront hotel and beautiful sunsets were not mandatory. They were magnificent.