The Lazy Girl’s Guide to Hemming

Lifestyle

For most of my life, I have been considered vertically challenged. Now, I LOVE my height, but I am always needing to hem my pants. It can get old real fast. So, I have the lazy way to hem pants. This makes the process so much easier, and it takes less than 10 minutes.

Here is the perfect example of pants that are WAY too long. So, we are going to fix them.

This whole process is three steps, and so simple. I used a sewing machine, but you could also do the sewing by hand. Here we go:

Step One: Put on pants INSIDE out. Pin just above where you want the pants to sit. Be extremely careful when removing the pans with pins in them. You do not want to accidentally stab yourself (definitely speaking from experience here)

Step Two: Sew around the bottom edge.

Step Three (Optional): For skinny jeans, you will need to take in the sides to get that perfect slim pant leg. Once again, put the pants on inside out. This time pin along the outer edge. Careful when removing.

Then you are DONE! So easy.

I hope this helps you, and makes your life A TON easier.

Love, Liv

10 Easy Ways to Reduce Waste

Lifestyle

You guys. If you are late to the game, 2019 is here. If you are like most people, you make a resolution, and give up right around this time. If one of your resolutions is to reduce waste in 2019, or if you just want to start reducing your environmental foot print; I want to help! So, I have compiled 10 of the easiest ways to reduce your environmental foot print-no need to give up! They are just that easy.

Meatless Mondays. There are so many benefits to cutting out meat for one day per week. You lower your risk of cancer, heart disease, and type 2 diabetes. Plus, a side benefit, studies are showing that people who participated in meatless Mondays lost weight, and stabilized their weight. There are numerous environmental benefits to meatless Mondays as well. By eliminating one burger per week out of your diet, it is the equivalent of taking your car off the road for 320 miles. The list continues; there are countless benefits to meatless Monday.
Reusable Napkins. You can make them at home! The average American spends almost $120 on napkins, paper towel, and toilet paper per year. Now, I am not to the point of using reusable toilet paper, but you can save money by making napkins. I went to my local fabric store, and bought fat quarters for just under .50 cents each. Then, I cut them in half, and sewed edges. They were so easy to make, my husband even jumped in on the action and sewed a few.
Reusable paper towels. Just get towels to use around your home, or you can cut up old towels. In the U.S. there is more than 13 billion pounds created of paper towel every year, and that number just keeps growing. If families in the U.S used one less roll of 70 sheet paper towel, it could help eliminate up to 120,000 tons of waste.
Get reusable glass products. This is one of the best way to reduce plastic in your life. Thus, reducing your toxic load. I love glass food storage containers. Most are microwaveable safe, and I have been finding so many in local stores it is awesome. When you microwave in glass, you do not have to risk BPA or other harsh chemicals hidden in plastic. I travel everywhere with my glass water bottle. They are safe to use when you add essential oils to your water. Glass is best.
Make the coffee at home. I am not talking in single serve pods. In 2015, the U.S. consumed enough single serve pods to wrap around the globe 10.5 times. THAT IS INSANE. Get a reusable filter for your single serve coffee maker. Make your coffee at home, and use your own mugs. It takes up to 20 years for the standard to go up to break down in the environment. Let’s all save time and money, and make the coffee at home.
Thrift/shop at second hand stores. Guys. One of my favorite things to do ever is to go thrifting. There are so many more options for uniqueness and creativity. If the clothing is the wrong size, there are several quick fixes to make that perfect fit. This is one of those options that can help save you a ton of money in the long run. Plus, you save the clothing from the land fill.
Get a smart power strip/Unplug things. This is another one of those easy things that does not take much effort on your part, but can help save you money. Most smart power strips turn off energy to things that go into standby mode. It will turn the light off in the corner of the TV, and overall just helps conserve energy around the house. You can get smart power strips on Amazon. They are well worth the purchase.
Reusable bags. This is probable the easiest way to cut down on your waste. Approximately 10% of the garbage that washes up on the U.S. coastline. Most reusable bags have a longer life span than 700 plastic bags. It just makes sense. Get the reusable bags. There are even bags small enough to keep in your car or purse for unexpected trips to the store.
Line dry. Who doesn’t love the smell of fresh line dried laundry. This is one small thing that will save you money in the long run. Plus, your clothes will smell amazing without using dryer sheets.
Eat Local. This should be a no brainer. I love shopping at local farmer’s markets because you can ask questions to the person who comes in direct contact with your food. What sort of fertilizers do they use? When were these vegetables picked? What is the growing season? It can all be answered by the person in front of you! I get excited just thinking about farmer’s markets. As an added bonus, sometimes the farmer’s will even give you a tour of their facilitates. So, you can see your food before it is picked. How exciting is that?! Go experience your local food growing culture.

I hope these tips help you!

Love, Liv

Zero-Waste Moving

Lifestyle

Wow. Summer this year seemed to fly past. Among all the craziness of summer winding down, my husband and I spontaneously moved. We did not plan on moving this quickly, but it was too good of an opportunity to pass up. Long story short, we wanted to move with as little environmental impact as possible. At first this seemed like an impossible task, but with a little persistence, it was manageable. Here are some of the tips and tricks we learned:

1.) Reuse bins and boxes. We asked to borrow several friends moving bins. We also reached out to local stores to get a few extra boxes. They were free, and the stores were happy to give them to us. Pro-tip: use your suit cases to move books. Books are heavy, and the suit case makes them easier to move.

2.) Unload as you go. Now, this might seem like common sense, but I have always packed everything up and moved in one day. This time around, my husband and I did not have that option. Instead, we would pack up as many bins that would fit in our vehicles, take them to the new place, unload, and repeat the next day. In the long run, it required less moving materials. Plus, our new place is right down the road from where we work; so, we did not add any extra fuel emissions.

3.) Get creative with packing material. You don’t need bubble wrap, or other packing material. YOU ALREADY HAVE IT! Put down the bubble wrap. Now, step away. Use your sweatshirts, other clothing items, towels, scarves, really anything fabric, to pack away valuables. I found, we could fit 3 plates per 1 sweatshirt. We used blankets to wrap small decorations. Use sham covers to move your extra blankets and pillow cases. Get creative. You already have all the packing material you need. Plus the stuff you have is free.

4.) Pack lunches/snacks. Bring a box with a few plates, eating utensils, and a way to wash your dishes in one of the first boxes you unpack. This way, you have all you need to eat at your new place Plus, packing your own food helps you save money during the process, and cuts down on your waste. BRING YOUR REUSABLE WATER BOTTLE. That is just a pro-tip for life.

5.) Donate. Donate. Donate. Nothing makes you feel more like a hoarder than trying to downsize. Have a “donate box” in every room. Get yo’ self that tax deduction! Pro-tip: get some friends together and organize a clothing swap. You can bring your old, unwanted clothes, and get new-to-you stuff for free! Donate the unwanted items after the event.

BONUS TIP: Save ripped, old jeans to make a rug for your new home. That will be featured in one of my up coming blogs. So, stay tuned.

Anyways, I hope this was helpful, and your moving is quick and painless.

Love, Liv

DIY Dishwasher Detergent

Lifestyle

I like to eat off clean plates, I mean who doesn’t? Unfortunately, many of the cleaners we put in our dishwasher are more toxic than the stuck on food we are trying to remove. So, if you want a non-toxic alternative to your dishwasher detergent, give these a try.

Ingredients:

1/2 c. Baking Soda
1/2 c. Washing Soda
1/4 c. Citric Acid
3 tbsp. Vinegar
10 drops On Guard Essential Oil.

Combine all ingredients, and press into an ice cube tray. Leave dry for 24 hours. I add a cup of vinegar into every load to help boost the cleaning power.

I really wanted to see how strong these pods are, and to see if they really work. So, one night I decided not to rinse my plates (do not do this at home), and let the food dry on them overnight. Gross, I know, but I do gross things so you don’t have to. I was shocked on how well these worked! After running the dishwasher.

All. Of. The. Plates. Were. CLEAN.

After the first wash! WHAT?! Not only do these work better than any dishwashing detergent I have ever used, they are cheaper, easy to make, and best of all, non toxic.

Let me know how yours turn out!

Love, Liv

Composting in an Apartment

Lifestyle

I have wanting to start composting for a while, but I live in an apartment. I always thought I wouldn’t have space, or it would be really difficult. Good news for everyone: I was wrong! Composting can be done anywhere, and is way easier than you think.

First off, composting is not just letting your food rot in a container. It does take some work. You can use worms to help break down your food, but I want to figure out what I am doing; otherwise, we might have a worm massacre on our hands. Instead I used some news paper. Newspaper breaks down really easily, and gets the process going.

I decided to use a standard 5 gallon bucket to start, I figured I can always go up in size. I normally cook for two people. So far, the 5 gallon bucket is a perfect size for the amount of compostable waste my husband and I produce. You will need to drill a bunch of holes all over the bucket and lid. You will want a lot of air flow through your compost bin. The more air flow the better. Air flow does not mean dry, I keep a spray bottle near my compost bucket. When I go and mix the compost, I give it a spritz if the compost is looking dry. Healthy compost should always be slightly damp.

I keep my compost bin out side under our porch. Do not keep your bin in direct sunlight. Whenever I am cooking, I grab the bin, bring it in the house, and put all my kitchen scraps in. I keep a brick on the top to help keep pests out of the bin. Get a bin that has an easy lid to remove. You will want to mix your compost every day.

I started my compost with a few vegetable scraps that had seen better days. You can cut the scraps down to a smaller size to make the compost process faster. Kitchen scraps are great to start composting; they will give the end result a hearty mix of carbon and nitrogen. Which is what helps makes a healthy soil. Egg shells are quick to break down, and get the composting process started. Since I am vegan, I don’t have egg shells. That is where the news paper comes in. It works very similar to the egg shells, and it breaks down quickly.

Here are a few ideas to start your compost:

Vegetable scraps/peels
Coffee grounds
Tea
Dried leaves and twigs
Grass clippings
Untreated wood scraps/sawdust

Let’s talk about things not to compost:

Poop-just don’t do it. Poop, especially from critters, can contain organisms caring diseases, and can be transferred to whatever you use your compost on.
Dairy products: although they break down, when the bacteria in dairy spoils it can become toxic, and make people very sick. Because the bacteria is not being denatured, it will become toxic. Assuming you will want to use your compost in a garden, or around plants you will eat, just be safe and keep dairy out of your compost.
Meat, fat, bone, animal products: composting can actually preserve animal products, and attract critters to your compost.
Glossy paper: unlike news paper, glossy paper does not break down, and will remain in your compost.
Plants treated with pesticides: the pesticides will not break down, and will transfer to your compost.
Metal, tin, plastic: Things that are not biodegradable

Happy Composting!

Love, Liv

All-Purpose Cleaning Spray

Lifestyle, Products I Love

What is if your all-purpose cleaning spray? Most cleaning product containers have to be thoroughly cleaned before being recycled because they are so toxic. If you want to kick those toxins out of your home, this is the cleaner for you.

About a year ago, I cleaned my bathtub. I grabbed what everyone does to clean my tub. Bleach based products, straight bleach, and of course a “natural” cleaner. Not long after I was done with cleaning, one of my cats jumped into the tub. I started thinking about what his little paws were absorbing. So, I started really looking into the ingredients in those cleaners under my kitchen sink. It. Was. Disgusting. I was at a loss for words.

Most environmental experts estimate the average house hold has 62 toxic chemicals in their home. 62. We think we are “cleaning” out homes, but end up spreading toxins that are even worse for our bodies. Household cleaning products can include any amount of toxins because big corporations can re-name them as “antibacterial” or “fragrance” without having to disclose the actual ingredients in the product. There are potential neurotoxins in your home; potential endocrine disruptors, and a laundry list of other potential carcinogens. We think of our homes as a safe place where we can relax after a long day, but the things we are using to clean our homes with should have us running for the hills.

I was fed up. I didn’t want to introduce anymore toxins to myself, my husband, or my adorable fur babies. Enough was enough.

This cleaner has replaced EVERYTHING that I previously used for cleaning my home. It cleans everything from: floors, to counter tops, and leaves a streak free shine on windows or mirrors. It cost $2.78 to make (including the spray bottle). Best part, I know and can pronounce every ingredient in the cleaner. Talk about a win-win.

Ingredients:

1 c. vinegar
10 drops On Guard Essential Oil
5 drops Wild Orange Essential Oil

Make sure to use a stainless steel or glass container for your all-purpose cleaning spray. If you want to get your own on-guard, you can find it here.

That is it. So simple. It smells amazing. Plus, if you husband is like mine, he loves the smell, and started cleaning the house more because he loves to smell the cleaner. (No complains coming from me).

Here is how well this works:

In Wisconsin, sometimes we get 30 inches of snow in the the middle of April. So, after brushing off cars, shoveling, and crying about the weather, there can be a wet mess left on the floor from boots and outdoor apparel. That is what you see below.

This is after using the all-purpose cleaner I made.

Seriously, this stuff is the real deal. It is amazing on any surface. Let me know how it works for you!

Love, Liv

Straws

Lifestyle

Straws suck. Seriously. Most straws end up in the trash, when they could be easily recycled. It is SO easy to live without them. When you are out to eat, ask for your drink without a straw. If you need your iced coffee with a straw, look into re-usable options.

There are several options online for reusable straws. This option has 6 silicone and 2 metal straws with brushes for $14.95. It is an awesome deal.

Cats

Nilla and Meekah want you to know it is SUPER easy going strawless, and you can totally do it!

If you want more info, or want to sign a pledge to go strawless, check out No Straw Please . Try it for a month, and let me know how easy it is!

#NoPlasticStraws

Love, Liv