The two things I love, in one sentence!! Sustainability and preparing for our families future in each of our homes. How can we do this on a budget, even with crushing debt, all the while prepping our scabbards and flushing our homes of needless things in order to become a better working, more peaceful home and family unit, gain more connections in our community, get healthier in the process, and obtain that fuzzy buzz word "sustainability" and come to know what it really truly means beyond the fancy magazines and modern lingo?
If you are already on the road to sustainability, CHEERS, and kudos, it is a fun journey that is also a hobby in this day and age;]
I have homework for you!!!
Please go check out my new favorite book, "Zero Waste Home" by Bea Johnson, a french woman who is rocking our consumerist world right now, while raising her family!
It has been a treat to sneak 5 minutes of reading in, a day, to learn how to better organize my home, and de-clutter all in the name of my family's health, and the wealth of knowledge the betters our earth and children's future.
http://www.amazon.com/Zero-Waste-Home-Ultimate-Simplifying/dp/1451697686
I recently had a close friend warn me, that the "writing is on the wall" in regards to our security and economic luxuries, and that we don't have much time left of freedom or peace here in the United States...and things are going to get very bad on almost every front, politically, economically and naturally (with a whole slew of natural disasters) both world wide and here in the states. Alot of us already have felt/known/predicted this anyhow and have tried our best, within our own separate means and living situations to prep. But how in the world does one prep for the complete unknown, especially when we all feel it may be the worst thing almost any generation as been through? It's a bit intimidating and can quickly lead to fear.
Having knowledge of how to prep, and doing it wisely, slowly and purposefully will help, whether hard times are only 6 months, or 2 years or 10 years away.
We can NOT let it control our lives either, and if you are a prepper, or thinking it may be a good time to consider prepping just a LITTLE to help your family, whether it be for job loss, natural disasters, or an extra long winter, I have ALOT ideas for you, on how to get started, and to not freak about our unknown future. Life is too short to worry about what is coming down the pike and around the next curve at us...it is time to ENJOY now, and prepare for the future!
But how does this mesh with being sustainable, you may ask?
Now, just consider this, if you want to be, or wonder also how to be sustainable in your everyday living, how do you go about it? It seems like sustainability is the "green" buzz word these days, but it is a buzz word because it is saving a LOT of people money, and getting even more people and families out of debt!
Here is the very first idea for you to ponder and take seriously about becoming sustainable in how you live and enjoying a more simplistic home life. Questions: Where do you shop? How often do you shop, and what do you shop for? Are you a gotta-buy-it-cause-it's-on-sale kind of person, or even a browser because-there-is-nothing-better-to-do shopper? These are traps our modern generation has fallen into, and if you are wanting to become not only sustainable, but SELF-sufficient, and as a side effect, prepared for emergency situations, this is the first mind set you are going to have to change!
Think about it: Wal-Mart and Target AND Sam's Club/Costco layout and plan out their stores so that you can't go in and just GET what you need, they make the basics (produce, house supplies) in the VERY back of the store and put all the fun "goodies" in the front, so you will be tempted to "shop" and buy a lot of stuff you never intended on buying in the first place!
SO, first mind-set/habit change to becoming more sustainable. STOP shopping for what you DON'T need. I can understand if alllll you can afford for food is Wal-Mart, but PLEASE, if all you can afford is Wal-Mart/Sams Club, just stick with the unprocessed food items, it is LESS expensive (this is another marketing trick btw, processed foods, which make us fat, sick and poor) while natural foods are more sustainable to you and your family, and just plain healthier.
The next step is moving more towards buying EVERYthing local. Your food, your clothes, your household goods.
But STOP there for a moment.
Also consider this for a moment: The next step to becoming more sustainable, is owning LESS stuff. A cluttered home is a stressful place. Have you run out of room to put all those random shopping trips of STUFF? And when you have less stuff, and more room in your living space, you will feel more at peace AND be more motivated to continue the sustainable lifestyle goals, which will be stated below!
SO, second piece of homework, which is the action to take part in: Begin to de-clutter your HOME. This always begins with the mind set of "what have I not used for the last year". Start slow if you need to, and take advantage of things like craigslist and garage sales, even facebook to sell the items you begin to realize you can live easier without!
The best part of this piece is that it will also give you a chance to make some money!
Therefore, take a few months to PURGE. There are a few fun websites out there for helping you get started, and stay motivated, and decide how "minimalistic" you want to get, but I tell you, once you start, that alone is the motivation to keep going and reduce, reduce, reduce!
Here is one to get you started in the bedroom closet!
http://www.livingwellspendingless.com/2013/05/24/40-hanger-closet/
This, I feel, is the BIGGEST most sustainable change...having fewer clothes and less laundry:] Especially if they are quality clothes, which will last longer and most likely, look better on you anyhow.
For my kiddos, I honestly only have 5 sets of shirts, pants and undies for them during each season...sometimes more like 7-10 tops/shirts. Only have 2 pairs of shoes usually, so we can afford the more quality shoes, and aren't tripping on shoes every season, or loosing them! Our favorite for the kiddos, since we hike/snowshoe and are outside quite a bit, are Keens.
you would not believe how HARD it is to loose items the more you pear down your belongings and stuff...that is an awesome feeling and way less stressful...when you've 'lost' your keys and it only takes 5 minutes to find them because everything in the house is mostly in it's place, even with kids toys everywhere, and the house only take 15-30 minutes max to pick up before company comes over....this is true success in a household, especially a household with children!!
And another site, which walks you through ideas and the excuses we all make for keeping stuff, and good solutions for how to work through them!
http://www.oprah.com/home/Discover-Your-Clutter-Problem/1
I do believe we as Americans ALL have a clutter problem, and may NEVER be able to completely get rid of the majority, especially if we are married with kids, lol. BUT, getting rid of things, especially when we can get a little money back, is SO motivating, spirit lifting and inspiring for a PEACEFUL home that you will WANT to come home to:]
Another thing to consider, is to start buying everything USED. Start shopping at Good Will and other thrift shops for certain items BEFORE trying to find it new. For example, I really want to get a pressure cooker for cooking dried beans in under 20 minutes, and a cast iron waffle maker before going to amazon or ebay, I have been hitting up craigslist, and Good Will...even though I haven't found these items in the last month, even year for the cast iron waffle maker, I'm holding off, because I know it's going to be more expensive to buy new, even off ebay! AND, I've noticed, when I don't quickly "buy" something and ful-fill my "need" for it right away, my brain does something different. It doesn't crave MORE STUFF, like it used to when I would just go and buy what I wanted on a credit card, or at a store (Like Bed, Bath and Beyond). When I make myself or hubby wait (because we are also no longer using credit cards), our "urge" to buy stuff diminishes! Amazing!
So, second piece of homework, if you haven't yet done it, begin to wean yourself off of these big box stores...cause guess what? If they close their doors when there is a "disaster" because their shelves have been cleaned out, if you have already weaned yourself from not needing what is ON their shelves in the first place, you won't EVEN think about Wal-Mart/Sams Club/Safeway and Frys or even Walgreens, as a needed option for stocking up if and when times get bad FAST, due to a local disaster. Because here is the second part, when you wean yourself off of these stores, and begin to make all the things you used to "think" you needed to buy, not only are you saving your family precious money AND being more sustainable, you have officially become IN-DEPENDENT of these companies wanting your money for no good reason except to make THEM money!
Second part of becoming sustainable and prepared for emergencies.
Start MAKING your own cleaning and grooming products now! Start slow, or do it all at once, however you feel most comfortable. Most of us mamas need to take it slow, due to lack of time and having a lot of products already on hand...so start to find recipes for these things when you being to run out! Here are the examples of what you can make, but just FYI, you can make EVERYthing you currently buy for your grooming and cleaning needs, AT HOME!!
LIST of ideas on what to get started, for trying and making at home!
The beauty of our technology right now is the ease to OBTAIN these recipes...pinterest is an awesome example, but google is wonderful too. Take advantage of these and begin to try them, then make binders or file folders of your favorite recipes that your family enjoys. I will include a few sites I have found with recipes just to show you all how easy it is. And again, it saves you money, is sustainable because of the lack of chemicals in these products compared to what is being bought, AND you may even see your health get BETTER because of these basic ingredients;] Our families' health has surely benefited. Example: hubby's cavities he had 2-3 years ago have pretty much been healed from our baking soda toothpaste, and now bentonite clay tooth powder, coconut oil pulling (which is mouth washing with coconut oil) AND our move to eating all our food unprocessed and as organic as we can afford:]
Grooming:
Toothpaste, http://thankyourbody.com/all-natural-homemade-toothpaste/
deodorant
eye cream
shampoo
hair jel
lip gloss http://foodpluswords.com/2012/03/homemade-mint-chocolate-lip-gloss/
body lotion
Cleaning Products:
All purpose cleaner
carpet cleaner
bathroom cleaner(s)
window cleaner
dryer sheets http://www.savvysugar.com/Homemade-Dryer-Sheets-27044025
laundry detergent http://arealhousewifeandmommy.blogspot.com/2011/09/diy-laundry-soap-over-350-loads.html
dishwasher detergent
furniture polish
hard wood cleaners
mopping solutions
homemade Oxiclean! http://arealhousewifeandmommy.blogspot.com/2011/09/diy-laundry-soap-over-350-loads.html
OK, so these are just a FEW of the cleaning and grooming products you can make according to your household needs; I do think the fun-est part is coming to the realization that we no longer have to BUY it all, and the majority of the time, we have already on hand what is needed to MAKE these products in a simpler, safer form! No longer hiding cleaning products from the kids is awesome...who cares if they suck on the nozzle of my all purpose spray as I clean the carpet or floor? It's just citrus infused vinegar and castile soap, the worst that will happen is they'll get the runs for a bit;]
The second part I want to hit on is Emergency Preparedness. Let us think back a few years...to the Japan earthquake, even though it is harder to put our thoughts into a location and people we are so far from, think about what they went through, after watching "Mega Quake" on Netflix and learning how intensely crazy that earthquake was (the strongest EVER recorded in history at a 9 on the rictor scale!!) and how much they lost and continue to loose with the slow meltdown of the nuclear power plant, I wonder, how long will it be when we have a similar tragic event somewhere here.
The government says, store at least 3 days of food and water...but is 3 days enough? It's enough to keep you from having to rush with the masses to Wally world and Sams to buy these things off the shelves, but then what? Especially if re-locating to where other family lives is not an option due to other possible factors (like no more gasoline at the stations, or roads cut off)?
The Mormon community encourages at LEAST 2-3 years of supplies! What a neat goal! This is just another reason I LOVE these two buzz words, sustainability and emergency preparedness...and how well of a marriage they make without most of us even realizing it!!
Ok, one more trip down memory lane...remember back now, to Katrina...most of us were also removed from that disaster to a certain extent, not having friends or family there most likely, but after again, watching a few documentaries on the aftermath and even on the slow re-emergence of the community, we need to REALIZE that the government may not or can not come to our aid as we think they will. People were stranded, without water or food, with horrible flooded conditions for over 3 weeks!!! The only ones that helped these people out for that period of time, besides nearby states, were the small businesses and local people who had the aid and resources to give! Local restaurants used the food they had left/stored and not able to refrigerate due to power outage, to prepare and give away to hungry communities right outside their doors!! And one of my favorite documentaries on Katrina's aftermath and new emerging/evolving community comeback is "Independent America". Go check it out on Netflix! ( I love documentaries...should get a bumper sticker that says that, lol).
SO, with that bit of info now swimming in your head... What is more important to you? To have food and water on hand for any change in our current living standards? Or to pretend we live in a fantasy world where our nation is so secure that nothing like this could possibly happen in OUR lifetime.
OR, perhaps this is the time to start making small changes, especially if you and your family are in debt.
This is the MOST sustainable act to move towards...because once you don't have any "extra" bills eating off of your income, true self-sufficiency and freedom breaks into your life!!
Go check out Dave Ramsey for his debt busting formula, and start today, kill those credit cards and build your savings!!!
http://www.amazon.com/The-Total-Money-Makeover-Financial/dp/159555078X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1393783969&sr=8-1&keywords=david+ramsey
One of my favorite things to do these days, now that our family has also moved to a completely unprocessed food lifestyle, is to buy grains in bulk, our favorite grains, and enjoy a plethora of variety in our diet!!
To begin to move in the direction of sustainability, you must start at HOME. The best place to start is your diet, especially if you or your family members have trouble keeping the weight off, health issues that persist (which most likely can be healed with a diet change...just another area to open yourself to learning...food heals just about everything, including autism, Alzheimer's disease and cancer, don't believe me? Start to google it now!) even IF, by the modern world's standards, you are eating healthy. If the weight is not coming off, even when keeping an active lifestyle, there is something wrong.
KEEP IT SIMPLE my bloggy readers, and remember these basics
The best way to eat is to eat like our great grandparents (farmer/local based dairy/meats/produce and grains)
Get enough SLEEP before you even think about exercising...cause sleep is a basic NEED.
Especially for parents with small children...just sleep;]
Get enough SUNSHINE! And if you can't due to weather or even work circumstances, find a safe natural supplement for vitamin D.
These are our most basic needs, do this and you most likely will cut down on the amount of illnesses your family gets on an annual basis by more than half, while loosing weight without much effort!
Also, start to think about the basics you would need, to NOT have to shop for groceries, for two weeks... and go from there in length of duration, and even have a goal of preparing for 6 months to a year of supplies. Our great grandparents did it out of necessity 80-100 years ago just to survive, so it is totally do-able, it has just become a lost knowledge in our convenience and "fast food" driven society. What are the basics? Water, not in small water bottles mind you, but large ones (I would start with 5 gallon reusable containers with spickets and go up to 15-50 gallon if you can via storage abilities where you live), and re-usable water bottles and water filters. Light sources without batteries, old oil lamps (my favorite) and candles and matches or other fire making sources that can make a spark on their own (go check out your local outdoor gear store!). Camping head lamps are awesome to have! Fun as well since they encourage camping, lol.
Long shelf life food, non processed (my preference for nutrient dense foods to get the body farther along in times of trouble), would be dried beans, lentils, oats, rice and canned goods (though I prefer to get glass canned goods for quality and nutrient rich foods). As well as potatoes, onions, garlic and squashes that if stored in the right cool and dark conditions can last over six months (this is how our great grandparents got through winters btw:!)
Another quick self sustaining idea for you all and then I'll end this post, which could inevitably go on forever, because, as a part of becoming self sufficient for emergency preparedness and better health and sustainable living in general is becoming a DIYer, simply by learning how to cook with the best and basic of ingredients, as well as learning how to do a lot of things from scratch...garden, fix broken items in the household, buy quality USA made items as much as possible, hike and camp more, for learning how to live off the land and gain family time together to grow in the right direction and exercise of course:D
My word of advice, LEARN. Pick a topic of interest (food, cleaning, earth made energy like solar, metal working, bee keeping, gardening, animal raising) and don't stop learning. The best thing about throwing yourself into a new "hobby" for self-sufficiency is the fact that you will not only grow, but you will most likely meet and make friends along the way who will help you meet your goals and create a more complete community.
THAT, my bloggy reading on-line friends, is the MOST important part (secret) to becoming prepared for any emergency AND becoming sustainable in every aspect of the word...COMMUNITY. We can not establish, create, grow or thrive by ourselves, we just can't. We must have others to help us in every aspect of life. That is the way the human race has been designed. We do our best work when we work together.
SO, go out there and kill that debt, prepare your family for an emergency (whether it be a job loss, natural or economic), and get yourself away from having to rely on OTHERS, especially the places you are forced to shop right now for your most basic of needs. And DO NOT stop LEARNING.
Because when we stop learning, our spirit dies, and then the body follows.
Toodles bloggy buddies, and to our future, may we flourish and thrive no matter what is thrown our way...we must start with our neighbors and local community, however!
CHEERS!
