We’ve made some pretty major eco changes around here, and we wanted to share our switcheroos for anyone out there who’s interested in creating a less toxic environment at home (did you know the air inside the average house is four to ten times more polluted that the air outside?!). So without further ado, our pretty painless trade outs that make greener, healthier living a snap:
Switcheroo #1: We swapped out our old water bottles (we used to reuse plastic Propel bottles and other sport bottles to keep water cold in the fridge) for stainless steel Klean Kanteens that ensure there’s absolutely no nasty leeching or off-gassing into our air and our drinking supply (John even keeps one at work so no matter where he is, he’s drinking pure h20 and nothing more). We also replaced all of our Tupperware and plastic mixing bowls with glass containers and bowls (and even switched out our old plastic cereal dispensers for some pretty cool oversized glass jars) to further eliminate any chance of tainted food. The added bonus is that we no longer have to think before sticking things in the microwave since everything’s glass and not plastic. Love it.
Switcheroo #2: We tossed our scary and probably carcinogenic non-stick Teflon coated pots and pans and snatched up a Chefmate 8 Piece Stainless Steel cookware set (on sale for $35) from Target. 100% stainless steel insures that nothing’s tainting our food (or our air as it heats up) and although there’s a bit more clean-up involved, it always feels like a fair trade for a healthier home (we’ve read report after report that advises sticking to glass, cast iron and 100% stainless steel and avoiding aluminum and of course Teflon at all costs). Update: we upgraded to these seriously amazing pots & pans a few months later and love them (no more scrubbing).
Switcheroo #3: We replaced the sheets on our bed with Target’s Home Organic Sheet Set made with 100% organically grown cotton fiber and eco-friendly dyes (even the packaging is recycled and made with vegetable dye!).
Switcheroo #4: We replaced our old, lumpy memory foam mattress pad (which are known to off-gas, and since you spend a third of your life in bed…) with an 100% cotton and down feather bed without any firesafe chemicals or waterproofing sprays from Bed Bath & Beyond. Oh and we also switched out our vinyl shower curtain and liner (a huge off-gassing offender) for a floor to ceiling fabric curtain and liner combo for added ambiance and a truly clean shower experience.
Switcheroo #5: We tossed our old cheapie vacuum cleaner (from our apartment days) and picked up a surprisingly affordable Dirt Devil Vibe Quick Vac with a HEPA filter (by far the most effective way to keep the air cleaner and allergens at an all time low when it comes to vacuuming).
Switcheroo #6: We switched all of our paint and stain for no VOC alternatives (now available everywhere from Lowe’s & Home Depot to Benjamin Moore).
Switcheroo #7: We made it a priority to purchase organic produce, meats, eggs, and even butter/dairy products and eliminated sugar free gum and all sodas except for Boyland’s or Jones soda (which are made with pure sugar cane- no aspartame for us, thanks). Of course it’s expensive (and grocery costs are already at an all time high) but our health is pretty darn important too, and it’s about time we started taking care of the only bodies we get.
Switcheroo #8: We also switched out almost every product in our bathroom. By trading chemically enhanced hand soap for Dr. Bronner’s Castile Soap (we love the almond scent) and swapping our shampoo, conditioner and lotion for Avalon Organics products we definitely greened up our clean-up.
Switcheroo #9: I also upgraded my make-up to purer and more eco-friendly alternatives. All my old nail polish was traded for a few bottles of Honeybee Gardens natural nail polish (so natural it’s vegan!) and my old Nars bronzer and blush were swapped out for Physicians Formula Organic Wear (which come in recycled packaging and are available right at CVS). Even my ChapStick & Vaseline were traded out for Dr. Bronner’s 100% organic lip balm (the petroleum in Chap Stick is now listed as a possible carcinogen due to the refinement process). Make-up never felt so healthy…
Switcheroo #10: And of course we already swapped out our dishwashing liquid, laundry detergent, and glass cleaner for Seventh Generation products that are just as good to Mother Earth as they are for babies and dogs to inhale. We also vowed never to burn anything other than soy candles and have completely eliminated air fresheners and fabric softeners- two highly scented (and highly chemical) contributors to indoor air pollution. The funny this is that we swear our clothes are just as soft so we wonder if fabric softener is a total placebo product anyway. Try going without for one load and tell us if you can honestly tell the difference.
So there you have it. Some pretty simple (yet totally rewarding) changes that we made to reduce our toll on the planet (while reducing the toxins in our home). Of course there are still a few more switcheroos that we can’t wait to implement: adding a water filtration system under our sink, planting an organic veggie garden, swapping our old mattress for a 100% latex organic one, replacing the air filters in our heating and air system (something you should do at least once a year for clean indoor air), adding bat houses and birdhouses to naturally control the mosquitoes in our yard, etc. But we’re confident that we can do it thanks to the super seamless transition we’ve made to our newer, greener existence.
What about you guys? Do you have any easy changes that you’ve made to detox your home? We’re still learning as we go, so we rely on you to keep us up to speed on all things eco!
For more home-detox tips, check out this Planet Green post
Images courtesy of Amazon (some of the links included above are Amazon Affiliate links).
Darlene says
Great advice! We have also been making those changes! Here’s another for you: Stay away from Sodium Laureth Sulfate which is found in most shampoos, shower gels, toothpaste, bubble bath it is a poison (look it up) We have found shampoos without the SLS at TJ Maxx, but haven’t found a toothpaste without it yet. Let me know if you find any brands without it!
Jennifer says
I just did a post (though not nearly as eloquent) on my blog yesterday (http://mardenfamily.blogspot.com) as I am pregnant and trying to clean up our act as well! I want everyone to know that it is really easy to make these simple changes thave have a huge impact, and you don’t have to wear birkenstocks and eat granola all day to be healthy and organic:) A few other items to check out: http://www.shaklee.com- great organic cleaning supplies, dryer sheets, and microfiber towels (among other things); LOVE Bert’s Bee’s shampoo and face scrub; http://www.sarasnow.com- my favorite advocate for living a green lifestyle and an all around informative website with a lot of helpful links. Keep us updated on any further changes you guys make!
Katy says
You might be interested in Pangea products, too. They do lotion, soap, skin care. What interests me most about them is not the completely natural ingredients (no petroleum products AT ALL) but their commitment to recycled packaging. They use glass bottles with labels etched on, so no glue or wasted paper, and their soap comes in cartons that you can PLANT to grow amaranth and sweet basil. How rad is that???
jen says
These are all great ideas. Sometimes it feels overwhelming that with all the changes you can make, there will still be something else harmful out there that you didn’t think of or know about.
I’ve seen you mention a couple times about the veggie garden you want to create. There’s a really cool method that my dad got me hooked on. It’s great for anyone, but especially someone living in a suburban neighborhood without 10 acres to devote to gardening called Square Foot Gardening. It’s a special take on the raised bed concept of gardening and it gives you the greatest bang (lots of veggies) for your buck (not just money, but yard space especially). And since you’re already composting, you’re well on your way.
The book can be found here on amazon: http://www.amazon.com/All-New-Square-Foot-Gardening/dp/1591862027/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1225208879&sr=8-1
or more info at http://www.squarefootgardening.com
McGee says
When you say that you switched out your paints for low-VOC versions, do you mean that you repainted your entire house? Or that you’ll only be using low-VOC paints and stains in the future?
heather says
Great suggestions. I’d check with your city first as to whether the water filtration is really needed since a lot of people install them when they are not necessary. I tried doing laundry without fabric softner once and my clothes all stick together – didn’t you notice a problem with static cling? :) I’m trying to make my house more eco-friendly as well so I really appreciate this post!
Sarah says
You mentioned that you had switched to a floor to ceiling fabric shower curtain. Do you use another floor to ceiling fabric liner behind that to make sure that water doesn’t get all over the floor? I never thought about the fact that plastic liners would be bad for you, but I also know that my husband and I get water everywhere even with the plastic liner in place.
Kristen says
About your comment that you got rid of your plastic shower curtain,…we also have a fabric shower curtain but we also have a plastic liner on the inside. When we have a shower, we tuck the liner into the tub to prevent water from getting all over the bathroom and let the fabric curtain just hang in front of the tub. How do you not get water all over your bathroom, as water will just shoot right through our fabric curtain if we don’t have a liner?
Amy says
I have made most of the very same changes you have over the last couple of years. One thing I did want to mention thought is fabric softener. I CAN tell the difference when I don’t use a fabric softener. But there are fabric softeners out there that aren’t chemically. I use Mrs. Meyers Clean Day Lemon Verbena dryer sheets, and they work great and smell amazing! http://tinyurl.com/dryersheets
Sarah and Kristen – I got a fabric liner from Target for the inside of my shower, and it works perfectly. Water does not just shoot though the liner, it drips down back into the shower. Plus, I have used it for almost 2 years, and never a spot of mildew or mold! My plastic liners always got mildew. I throw it in the laundry every once in a great while, but its clean and effective and free of plastic and vinyl!
jbhat says
Reading about all of these switcheroos makes me wonder how I’ve managed to live as long as I have, as reasonably healthily as I have. It’s so scary that I think I will just dress up as a vinyl shower curtain for Halloween, and put one of my Calphalon pots on my head. Yikes! But really, since I’m almost done with our vat of toxic Tide, I’ll get some Seventh Generation next time. Thanks for the listing these helpful resources!
jen says
to respond to the fabric shower curtain question: we recently just made this switch and here’s how it goes. Your actual shower curtain – the one with pretty designs that you color coordinate to your decor, etc. – that stays. And as always, it hangs outside the shower. But instead of putting a plastic liner inside of that to repel water, there are FABRIC shower liners that go inside the tub behind your pretty shower curtain. (think: most nice hotels these days all have fabric liners instead of plastic)
This is good because 1) it doesn’t off-gas like plastic ones do and 2) they resist mold/mildew to a point, but if they get gross, you just pop them in the washer instead of into the garbage like the plastic ones. so once you buy one, you’re set for a really long time.
make more sense?
Lisa says
Great tips,
I thought you would like the solution about the switch covers on the accent wall. I have a great “Home Journal” post that I just put up today. Take a look if you have time.
take care,
Lisa
EAM says
You can use white vinegar as a fabric softener. Just pour 1/4-1/2 cup in the dispenser or use a Downey ball if you already have one. The smell is totally gone and for things like sheets and towels, it makes a difference!
I changed out my plastic shower curtain liner for a cloth one and it is soooo much better. Definitely requires some diligent washing with our hard water, but I just drop it in with our white sheets.
Lauren says
Question for Sherry: Were you able to use up the rest of your existing product (e.g. nailpolish) before getting a new one? The reason I ask is that the best “green” solution (and I’m including the meaning of green to extend to use of natural products) is to make the most use of what one already has. It’s better to finish the current bottle of nailpolish before tossing it into a landfill to slowly erode. Our bodies are built to resist a certain amount of toxins (as is the earth), and another month of wearing toxic nailpolish won’t lead to sudden death.
McGee says
Lauren – I was wondering about this as well with regard to the cosmetics. Most of my cosmetics are natural products made by Origins or Aveda, but as I run out of the rest of my make-up and skin care products, I am switching over to more environmentally-friendly options. I can’t justify just throwing out perfectly good – not to mention very expensive! – products just to have them end up in a landfill somewhere.
Darlene says
Where do you buy the fabric shower curtain liners?
Jessica says
I love my fabric shower curtain liner! I always hated the vinyl ones – I’ve had my fabric one for a couple years now and haven’t had any problems with it. I also love my stainless steel cookware – they clean up surprisingly well if you let it soak with a little hot water covering the bottom before you try to scrub. I’ll have to look into those sheets – I was trying to find some cheap ones for my 2 year old’s bed and being organic’s a plus! Thanks for the info about the nail polish too… my 2 year old’s always watching me paint my toenails and wants hers painted, so I’ve been searching for some that would be safe for her! I think it’s easy to go too far with trying to be completely “organic”, but you had some great tips/info! Thanks :)
Jessica says
I think this is the fabric liner I got from Target:
http://www.target.com/Fabric-Shower-Curtain-Liner-White/dp/B0001XMQTE/qid=1225222827/ref=br_1_2/181-0155286-0509827?ie=UTF8&node=16049761&frombrowse=1&rh=&page=1
It’s cheap and has lasted me a long time! No mildew problems.
Kimberly says
Another way to buy “greener” and safer food is to avoid meat (beef, poultry, fish), eggs and dairy products that have been factory farmed. Factory farms are not only very unnatural and stressful environments for the animals that spend their lives there, they are major polluters of the land and air surrounding their facilities. There’s lots of info online regarding factory farms; I recommend Peter Singer’s book “The Way We Eat: Why Our Food Choices Matter”. I am in no way connected with Singer; this book so completely changed the way I look at my food and where I buy that food that I can’t help telling people about it!
I would LOVE to add a gray water system to my home. Evidently these systems recycle non-polluted water (say from the washing machine) and use it in the home where crystal clear water is not necessary (ex: for flushing toilets).
Great post! Thanks, John and Sherry!
Kimberly says
Just saw the square foot gardening note above…my husband has done this for 2 years now and loves it! Its amazing the food that comes out of 16 square feet of ground…definitely check into that!
Rachel says
These are all great switches but don’t forget-you can make your own cleaners, and laundry soap, eliminating the plastic bottle, saving money and bringing even less into the home! It’s been years since I bought any type of cleaner.
Nicole says
Be VERY careful with your organic makeup. It is known to collect bacteria and other yuckie stuff since there are no preservatives. You need to keep it in the fridge when it’s not in use.
YoungHouseLove says
Hey everyone,
So glad you’re all enjoying our eco post- and chiming in with helpful tips and tricks of your own! As for the flurry of questions here are our answers:
1. Moving forward we’ll be using no-VOC paints (color matched to our current Glidden colors) and have already used FreshAire paint for the white trim touch ups that we recently made and some no VOC stain for a recent kitchen project. Repainting the entire house seems a bit crazy, even for two crazy people like us!
2. We switched out our plastic shower liner for a fabric shower liner (we snagged an extra long one at Bed Bath & Beyond) so in cahoots with our regular shower curtain,the white fabric shower liner keeps water in the tub where it belongs. Sorry for the confusion but thanks to those who tried to clarify!
3. I wouldn’t dream about dumping my old make-up into a landfill and instead actually passed all of my remaining blush, bronzer and eye shadow to a friend who was happy to use them up for me (I’m not much for make-up anyway so I only had about five products to “recycle” to my best friend). And when it came to mascara, since you’re supposed to replace that every six months (and it had been about a year) I was happy to just toss that since it was past it’s prime. Since John and I have begun composting we find that we actually have a lot less stuff going into the ol’ garbage bin, and we couldn’t be more proud!
Hope that helps clear things up… like the cleaner air in our home:)
Thanks again for all the helpful hints you lovely lovely people. We especially love the help with the veggie garden, testing our water, the DIY cleaning suggestions, the organic makeup warning, the factory farmed info, and the rest of your fabulous info and ideas. Muah!
xoxo,
Sherry
erin says
A fun thing to do if you’re into crafty things (I am) and cooking-type/science-y things is to make your own soaps and lotions. I make all my own bar soap and it is so nice and gentle on my skin (regular soap like Ivory and Dove have the natural glycerin removed and add back synthetic moisturizers) and it’s nice that it’s natural and that I can control what is going into what I put on my body. My soap I make with regular oils and other stuff (oatmeal, honey, etc) that I just pick up at the grocery store. For lotions you need a little more specialty stuff, because lotion is an emulsion of water and oil (like mayo) but not refrigerated so you need preservatives (there are eco-safe ones) and stablizers that help keep the emulsion. My beauty scrubs and lip balms I make myself too with household stuff and anything “special” I need I can get at Whole Foods. It started because I have fairly sensitive, dry skin, and turned out to be a fun hobby that saves money too. You would be amazed at how cheap it is to make a really nice, gentle exfoliating face scrub – something you’d probably pay $10+ for at the store.
It’s actually fairly quick and easy and doesn’t require any special equipment, though like with any hobby you can get special stuff to make it more interesting. I don’t use hardly any special stuff (I have a silicone mold and that’s it, but you could use a square silicone cake pan), I figure I don’t really need it. People have been making soap for hundreds of years without a bunch of fancy crap.
If you want, I can email some easy receipes, or just search online – there’s a ton of stuff. You can also make laundry soaps, dish soaps, shampoos, other cleaners, all easy on the body, wallet, and environment.
No More Sugar Daddies says
I use Dr. Bronner’s Castile Soap for everything! Almond is my favorite sent as well. When I use it to do laundry I never need fabric softener. I wash my hair with it and then conditon with Trader Joe’s Nourish Spa Conditioner. It’s about $2.50 and totally organic.
Great post. You’ve given me so many ideas as usual :)
Jules says
I just want to quickly second the use of vinegar as a fabric softener as well as the idea of making your own cleaning supplies. The vinegar works great and leaves no odor, btw!
Jenn Searls says
Ditto the comments about white vinegar as a fabric softener. When my oldest son was diagnosed with terrible eczema, the doctor told me to cut out fabric softener right away (especially the sheet kind). He said that it makes clothes feel like they’re covered in fiberglass! So we made the switch, we use vinegar when we think about it and we’ve never looked back.
Rachel says
These are all great ideas, but i was wondering if anyone here has tried the Ceramic coated pots and pans? I really want to get rid of my teflon stuff, but I’m dreading the scrubbing I may be subjected to as a result of the switch to stainless steel. I’ve seen the pots on HSN and read about them in a few magazines, but I was just curious if anyone here has had any firsthand experience with them or knows someone who has? They are a little pricey so I want to make sure it’s worth the investment.
Jeni from Kansas says
Thank you for giving me some fabulous wedding registry items to add to my list. :)
Andrea says
Hi–I just read this post & was wondering how that Chefmate set cooks or how it has held up? Thanks!
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Andrea,
We actually upgraded to the most fabulous set of cookware we ever encountered. The stainless steel Chefmate stuff held up great, it was just a pain to clean (since it’s not covered in bad Teflon chemicals) but the latest invention is Greenware, a set of non-stick cookware with “ceramica technology” which has no chemicals (it’s sort of like a ceramic coating) but food just slides right off.
We can’t say enough good things about our new set of pots and pans. They’ve also held up great and we plan to have them for many years to come. Here’s a post about them with a link to the set we got:
https://www.younghouselove.com/2008/12/feeling-gifted/
Hope it helps!
xoxo,
Sherry
Amanda says
I was looking for new blush/bronzer today, also to replace my Nars due to it’s high $, and I thought of you when I saw the Physician’s Formula organic line- I bought the blush/bronzer combo and LOVE it! Thanks for recommending.
YoungHouseLove says
Wahoo! So glad to hear it. Wear ’em in good health!
xoxo,
s
Nic says
Just wanted to add a little tip I read about in frugal book that might work for some people in place of fabric softner. We made the switch to using white vinegar in place of commercial fabric softner in our front loading washing machine. It softens the clothes just the same as fabric softner, is better for the fabrics, and it doesn’t leave the vinegar smell that many are afraid of it leaving. We’ve used it for a couple of years and my clothes have never smelled like vinegar.
Caitlin says
I highly recommend Aveda hair products for those trying to make that hard switch to organic hair care!
Amy says
Though we’re a bit slow on the uptake of switching all of our products to being organic, we thought we’d start from scratch with our daughter who sleeps on an organic mattress and has an organic changing table pad…her linens, not so much…but we’re getting there!
The point of this – organic California Baby products. Incredible. And available at Target! Diaper rash cream to shampoo, citronella bug repellant, sun screen…they’ve got it all!
Steph says
This is a great post, thank you!
I swapped from standard washing detergent to organic, but I missed the fresh (but totally fake and chem-heavy) scent that the nasty stuff gave my clothes. My solution came about by accident – I was putting eucalyptus oil in with a load of towels as I wanted to disinfect them and voila, the load smelt lovely. Now I tip a tiny bit in all my washing, with the added bonus of any germs being knocked out in the process :)
Anna says
Hi guys! I love the blog! You guys are awesome! I have been a huge follower for about a month now. Quick question, do you dilute the Dr. Bonner’s when you use it for handsoap or just use it straight?
YoungHouseLove says
We dilute it just a bit. It’s actually recommended on the package so we don’t feel like we’re compromising the formula and it helps it go a little further. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Melissa Bishop says
Hey guys,
After reading this article I started looking around for other eco-friendly pots and pans and stumbled upon Manpans. From all the reviews I have read they seem pretty great. I like that they are made in the USA and are very ecofriendly. Have you heard anything about this brand?
YoungHouseLove says
Actually we haven’t- we’ll have to look into them. But we’re still loving our Greenware so we won’t be replacing that anytime soon. In fact we’ve converted a ton of our friends and family members and they all love it too. We really can’t say enough good things about it!
xo,
s
Briony says
I just came across this post and I love some of the ideas. Have you ever tried Green Beaver’s organic products? I love their lotions. They smell so good you want to eat them! They even make toothpaste without sodium laureth sulfate which I saw someone asking about. Something new for you to try. http://www.greenbeaver.com
YoungHouseLove says
Thanks for the tip! Off to check it out…
xo,
s
Jessica says
I have a quick question about your first Switcheroo. I am keen to switch all my plastic items to glass/stainless steel but I’m wondering what you use for lunch boxes and the sort. My partner and I always take left overs from dinner the night before (think rice dishes and sauces) in our plastic lunch boxes, I’ve never seen anything other than Tupperware/plastic for that sort of thing. Do you have any recommendations or have you seen anything?
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Jessica,
A ton of stores now sell sturdy pyrex-type glass tupperware sets (they still have plastic lids, but if they’re removed when you use the microwaved it’s a lot safer than the plastic tupperware- and a lot easier to clean in the dishwasher). John brings them to work with leftovers all the time. We’ve seen them everywhere from grocery stores to Crate & Barrel (C&B actually has a big set of them for $19.99). Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Josiah Russell says
i read somewhere on the internet that long term consumption of Aspartame is not really good for the health. ‘;~
Jayme says
Just wanted to comment on Darlene’s request for an SLS free toothpaste. Biotene is a brand of toothpaste that you should easily find in your drugstore that is in fact SLS free! As a dentist, I commonly recommend this toothpaste to cancer patients as it is less irritating to their oral tissues (which due to chemo and radiation are often sore). You may want to give it a try :) Hope this helps!
Jayme
YoungHouseLove says
Thanks so much for the tip!
xo,
s
Sarah says
Hey Sherry,
Reading your posts about more organic living got me excited to try to incorporate more organics into my own life. I ran right out and bought some of the Physician’s Formula Organic Wear make up that you mentioned in the above post. Then I started doing some research…turns out that just because a company slaps the label “organic” on it, doesn’t necessarily mean it’s all organic or even very good for you. How do you avoid being tricked by companies claiming to sell organic and earth friendly product?
YoungHouseLove says
I use good ol’ online research and I read the ingredients. It’s very hard to find powders without talc (which is actually dangerous when inhaled, but in nearly every formula on the shelves). Happily, Organic Wear is 100% talc free – and also doesn’t have a lot of other things in it that we try to avoid. Just google around and see what you can turn up! Good luck!
xo,
s
Liliana says
Hello, I read quite that quite a few people miss using dryer sheets and I must say in our house, we don’t. We have been using http://www.charliesoap.com/ for about a year and half and we love it. The only time I miss dryer sheets is if I hand dry the clothes but other than that, you don’t need them. For dish washing we use Method and for hand washing either Method or Trader Joe’s hand soap.
Here is a great site for cosmetics/beauty info, I have found it very useful http://www.thebeautybrains.com
We have All Clad Stainless Steel cookware and we don’t have a problem cleaning it at all. We also like the Calphalon One Infused Anodized, both brands have worked well for us.
~ L.
Megan says
Hi there! Quick question about your Target Organic sheets….I’ve been thinking about getting them for a while now. Do you still like them? Do they pill at all (my husband hates that)?
I read your blog everyday. We’re getting ready to buy a house sometime in the next year so I’m really looking forward to hearing more about your house hunting experiences.
Thanks so much for everything!
Megan
YoungHouseLove says
Still love them and no pilling!
xo,
s
Melani says
I just found your blog and have been addicted. I started with the 1st post in 2007 and am now up to this point, in about a week! Anyway, I have noticed in several posts and pictures you use Dr. Bronner’s soap, which I just tried awhile ago, and wondered if you have issues with it clogging up in a soap bottle, like the one in your kitchen? The bottle warns not to put it in a pump dispenser, but is it really an issue? I don’t know anyone else who uses it so I hoped you could help. Thanks!!!!!!!!!!!!!
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Melani,
We water it down by about 50% (which it also recommends on the bottle) which seems to keep it from clogging dispensers and it still suds up nicely. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Barbara says
You guys have probably already learned about Community Supported Agriculture programs, but they seem to be another great way to eat in season, local, organic (provided the farm is organic), and in many cases grass fed and more humanely treated animal products. And have the added benefit of focring you to try new veggies, since you don’t really get to choose what comes in your share. More often than not, they also deliver into the city (sometimes even to your door.) Richmond seems to have a pretty good one http://www.ruralvirginiamarket.com Anyway, thanks for all the great info :-)
YoungHouseLove says
Love it! Thanks for the link!
xo,
s
Mandy says
I’ve been trying to swap out my old products for chemical-free alternatives since my son and I both began to have serious breathing problems about two years ago, but the entire process is so overwhelming! How long did it take you to completely get rid of all of your chemical products? Did you just throw everything out at once and start from scratch?
YoungHouseLove says
About a year or two before I got prego I went crazy and completely overhauled our house. I figured since we were exposed to so many caulks and paints and stuff (many things weren’t no-VOC like they are now, the least we could do is use fewer chemicals on our bodies. I systematically waited until things like shampoo and toothpaste ran out and just replaced them each with something eco. It wasn’t that hard (getting used to new toothpaste might have been the worst part and I’d rate it a 2 on the difficult scale- so not a big deal!). It’s not for everyone, but it’s has been a great choice for us!
xo,
s
Alex says
I know this is an old post, but I’m just now reading it. If you want a gum that is good for your teeth and free of aspartame try Xlear Spry gum. It’s only sweetened with xylitol, and they also sell mints and kids candy called SparX. I’ve found it at natural food stores and The Vitamin Shoppe :)
YoungHouseLove says
Thanks Alex!
xo,
s
Melissa R says
I know this is old, but I wanted to tell you about these little guys I got a while ago!
http://www.modcloth.com/shop/decor/a-spike-in-softness-dryer-buddies
They are re-usable little hedgehogs that act like dryer sheets. I have 2 cats and a dog, and our clothes are always hair and lint free! I can’t say enough good things about them.
On an unrelated note, if I could somehow magically copy your living room and kitchen, I would be a happy camper.
YoungHouseLove says
Love that!!
xo,
s
Aubrey says
Do you guys ever have a problem with your fabric shower curtain liner? My mom purchased one a while back and the water from the shower soaks through the fabric liner and gets her fabric shower curtain soaked. I think I want to switch mine out too, but I don’t know if I want my shower curtain to get completely soaked everytime I shower.
YoungHouseLove says
Hmm, we’ve never had that issue, but we only leave the fabric curtain liner in the tub (the other one rests outside the tub, and somehow that space between them keeps the outside one from getting wet). Hope it helps!
xo
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