Living Simply

7 Easy Ways To Reduce Plastic Waste in Your Home

March 18, 2024 by Amy Slenker-Smith 3 Comments

March 18 is Global Recycling Day. I'd love to celebrate but we've reached a point of no return. Not only should we reduce plastic waste and use, we simply have to. This is no time to celebrate with statistics like this: The equivalent of one garbage truck of trash enters the ocean every minute The North Pacific Gyre (aka Great Pacific Garbage Patch) is twice the size of Texas 1 Million single-use plastic bottles are sold every minute. Americans use 50 Billion water bottles per year. Only 3 out of 10 are recycled. Studies show that 93% of bottled water contains microplastics in the water itself. Also, plastic is now in our food supply. By 2050, the ocean will have more plastic than fish by weight. I am overwhelmed by the magnitude of these statistics and saddened for our world. Something has to change. But How? Start small. Just start! Like decluttering, start with your own stuff. Make a few simple changes and set the example for others to follow. The best way we …

3 Easy Ways to Recycle Old Trophies

February 5, 2024 by Amy Slenker-Smith 3 Comments

Kids collect trophies, ribbons, plaques, medals and paper plate awards by the buckets! My young son’s collection is manageable but we are less scheduled than your average family. Fewer activities definitely means fewer items to display and store. Inevitably, empty nesters and their adult children will find themselves digging through boxes of ribbons and trophies wondering what to do with old trophies. And what I usually hear is that no one wants the stuff. Especially the children who actually earned the awards. As an organizer and minimalist, I encounter this often with my clients. And it tends to be more difficult for the parents to part with the items. If you find yourself struggling to let go of these items and with adult children who just want you to throw it all out, take a breathe. I encourage you to respect their decision and give them the items to handle as they see fit. And yes, that may be the trash can. Sentimental Items When it comes to all sentimental stuff, …

It All Began with The Clutter Comment

July 24, 2023 by Amy Slenker-Smith 2 Comments

Growing up in a generous family there were gifts for every holiday. More was always more! I carried this mindset into college where I met my husband Steve. After graduation, we got married and moved to Washington DC. We were checking off all the boxes: fast-paced careers, new cars, travel and buying a house. All part of the American Dream right? Or so we thought for many years. The Famous Clutter Comment I’ll never forget Steve's comment as we were packing to move into our ‘starter’ home. The Clutter Comment as I've called it for over 20 years. It would eventually be the catalyst for my desire to embrace a simpler lifestyle with less. We owned a large display of 20+ picture frames that showcased our life together. Photographs of family, friends, pets, and travel were neatly arranged (or so I thought) on top of our piano covering nearly every square inch. Steve commented, “It looks so cluttered.” I Don't Have …

6 Easy Tips To Host a Simple 4th of July Picnic

June 26, 2023 by Amy Slenker-Smith Leave a Comment

July 4th is right around the corner. Maybe you're planning a picnic to celebrate. I hope so! Because I have some suggestions for hosting a simple picnic that won't leave you scrambling to do all the things and never enjoying the event. Shop Early Buy beverages and paper products in advance. I prefer to handle this labor-intensive shopping trip early. Drinks are heavy! Last-minute errands will arise for forgotten items. So deal with the non-perishables early and save time. During my weekly shopping trip, I shop for my meal plan and the picnic. I stock up on items like onions, garlic, butter, olive oil, mayonnaise, ketchup, and mustard. I also buy the hot dogs and ground beef and store them in the freezer until picnic day. Let Guests Help Everyone asks this question, "What Can I Bring?" This time, be ready with an answer and make the party fun for you and your guests. Plan the menu, make a list, and delegate items to your guests when they ask. Be specific and make it easy for …

Why You Need to Take a Minimalist Vacation

June 12, 2023 by Amy Slenker-Smith 6 Comments

Two of my favorite things are minimalism and travel. So naturally, I enjoy a minimalist vacation. In early 2020, I spent 5 glorious days in the sun and sand. Nothing could have been better for my health and wellness. In hindsight, we were lucky to sneak this trip in before the world fell apart. There's something about a view of the ocean. It was a couples-only trip to Jamaica. My husband and I were so excited because we had not been back to the island since our honeymoon. A lot has changed in 20+ years. Not just on the island, but for us too. We are indeed older, wiser, and living more simply, even on vacation. Old-Amy On Vacation The Old Amy had some pretty bad vacation habits. She tried to stay connected to work, family, and friends. She was tethered to all of it as if she never left. Old Amy packed a large suitcase and carried on a work laptop to be productive during the flight. And she even sacrificed vacation time to take conference calls and respond to emails. Her …

How to Organize Your Pantry

April 15, 2023 by Amy Slenker-Smith Leave a Comment

I often hear that the pantry is the most disorganized spaces in your home. Am I right? Well, you can tackle it one shelf at a time! Since we simplified, I can empty and reset my pantry in 2 hours or less, including cleaning the shelves and updating labels. My pantry is a cabinet, not a walk-in space. I think that is a blessing. It might take you longer and you may need to tackle one shelf at a time. My Step-by-Step Approach for how to organize the pantry can be used over and over again until you've taken care of all the pantry food and contents. Give it a try this week! Remove everything from the cabinet or shelf Clean canisters, shelves, and containers Declutter expired items and poor quality ingredients Group items by category Vinegar/Oil Flour/Sugar Canned goods Snacks Pasta and Rice Repurpose extra food storage containers for organization Remove items from multi-pack plastic or trim boxes for easy access Granola bars …

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