Saving in Small Ways
One of the many things I appreciate about small space living is the way it helps us save both time and money. Still, as in any setting, either can slip away all too easily.
As part of our recent lifestyle shift rooted in going deeper with both sustainability and saving money, we’ve hugely reduced our rate of dining out and getting to-go meals.
From brewing our morning our morning coffee here at home (rather than getting it to go in our S’well thermoses) to opting to take a walk on the beach rather than dine by it, we’re slowly saving our pennies and reclaiming lost minutes, which we’ve been using to read more, dance with West in our tiny living room (holiday songs remain his favorites, despite the fact that we’re nearly into Spring), and be even more engaged with the pups.
I’ve also been paying increased attention to our food waste.
We started composting last year, but there was still wasted food that headed straight into the compost.
I’m a failure with multitasking, and the number of times I’ve burned food, ruined pour-over coffee due to distraction, or stepped away foolishly leaving food within a particular beagle’s reach (AHEM, SOPHEE), is ridiculously high.
For me, slowing down means focusing on fewer things at a time, working to enjoy the activities as they flow.
(Having said that, we got a Ratio Six coffee maker so that I wouldn’t get distracted and walk away during the pour-over process. We picked the Six due to its unique design that is equally as beautiful from any angle (helpful in a small, awkward kitchen), its handblown glass carafe, its reusable metal Kone filter, and its smaller tabletop footprint.)
Adam has started making oat milk, green juice, vegetarian dog food*, kale chips, and more from home, and plans to tackle bread baking next.
On a related side note: We learned that there’s an oil, sweetener and herb refill/bulk store in LA called Wild Terra.
It can be tempting in a city like LA to go out for meals, since there’s such high quality food in such diverse formats. But so far it hasn’t felt like a sacrifice.
In fact, it feels like we’re getting back some precious slivers of time that we hadn’t realized we’d been missing.
Postscript: For those who are interested in our Ratio Six coffee maker and our low waste coffee routine (form sourcing the beans to cleaning our cups), hop on over to Ratio’s journal for a Q&A interview and additional images from the Cottage.
*Note: Making dog food at home is something we opted to do after consulting with our vet, and reading several books and websites. The meals have been tailored to our dogs, and are supplemented with extra nutrients in powder form. Consult with professionals before trying at home.
Above: My to-go coffee cup sleeve gifted to us years ago featuring custom art of StanLee. I use this most when taking mason jars on to the canoe or on walks with the pups.
In Anticipation of Spring
I almost never bring new decor into our home any more. While The Tiny Canal Cottage got its start in the home decor category, we’ve progressed beyond style alone into comfortable, sustainable small space living. Still, when I find a unique handmade or vintage item that I think will enhance our experience here at home while fitting within our budget, I do appreciate the occasional new housemate…
I recently picked 3 small additions from Connected Goods for the Cottage:
An item for the interior: For the main room, we introduced a handmade dried flower bowl, crafted in a small female-run studio. This bowl is a particularly practical replacement for a vessel of flowers, given the realities of living with a 3 year-old who is always knocking over water-filled vases of fresh blooms on our coffee table. Plus market flowers have gotten expensive (the bundle of wax flowers below cost more than I can normally spend), and often travel wastefully long distances to reach their final destinations. But dried stems are easy to come by and last for so much longer.
An item for the exterior: For the garden, I selected a handmade tea light chandelier in anticipation of the warmer evenings to come. The flickering candles cast enough glowing light that we don’t have to turn on the twinkle strands in order to illuminate the bistro table or outdoor sofa, allowing us to conserve some electricity.
An item for my everyday use on-the-go : For my routine treks around Venice and beyond, I picked a generously-sized cotton canvas utility tote, which can hold my work accessories, some toys/books for West, and all of our zero waste to-go necessities (like bottles, cups, produce bags, cloths and utensils).
These are tiny little spring touches that bring our home warmth and joy. (Additional photos below.) Remember: you don’t have to live large to live beautifully.
Trading 3-4 Hours of Sleep For 7-9 Hours
This is an out of the ordinary post for me, as it has nothing to do with small space living (though it is tied to sustainability). Instead, it’s about sleep— something with which I’ve struggled for years without a full understanding of why.
I’ll preface this entry with a spoiler alert: there are no easy takeaways contained below.
I didn’t pop a pill.
I didn’t find a magical meditation app.
I didn’t simply switch up my pillow.
I didn’t study sleep or sleep habits and make changes accordingly.
In fact, this was something that happened entirely unexpectedly. However, I can clearly identify why the shift occurred.
For context: I’ve not slept well for about 12+ years. While there were some outlier nights of either 2 hours or 8 hours of sleep, my average night was somewhere around 3-4 hours. I can fall asleep easily— that’s always been the case. (Shout out to my parents and big sister for carrying me up the stairs night after night, from early childhood well into my teenage years.) But since my late 20s I’ve not been able to stay asleep.
Prior to living in the cottage, I rented a tiny studio on the beach, and StanLee and I would get out of bed and jog whenever I couldn’t sleep. We logged about 9 miles a day, spread out over 3 outings over the day and night. It was a great way to prevent the lack of sleep from negatively impacting my energy levels or mindset.
When I was pregnant with West, I rested a lot. (I’ve never been a napper, but I certainly became one during my first and third trimesters.) Still, I never slept soundly through the nights, even as everyone kept warning me that I needed to sleep urgently, NOW NOW NOW, as I’d be unable to rest once the baby was arrived. (I never found that advice to be productive. In retrospect, it was downright obnoxious. I vow to never say such things to expecting parents.)
There are of course times in life when sleep becomes more of a challenge than others. Notable examples from my life include the 18 months of nursing, frequent bed-sharing, injury, sickness, phases of heightened stress (hello, tax season), etc. But my nightly habits for the past ~12 years pretty much made EVERY night feel like one of those notable times.
So what changed? Why did I abruptly go from getting 2-3 hours of light rest to 7-9 hours of sleep, with nearly half of that being blissfully deep sleep?
I’ll get to the point, I promise. But first, there were certainly gradual adjustments that helped when all added up, even if they weren’t what eventually tipped the scale.
Tackling Manageable Worries: I can remember spending dozens of nights awake wondering things like: I feel so tired— is it something serious? Should I go get tests done? What will we do when our Cobra health insurance runs out while I’m pregnant? Can I even get pregnant again? The planet is on fire and I feel like I’m not doing enough. What do I do? How much will I have to pay during tax season, and will we be able to afford it? Is there mold in our built-in headboard? Is the artificial grass filled with chemicals that are unhealthy for West’s skin and lungs? (That grass— which has since been replaced— was something we got in a hurry several years ago, which I fully regret.) All of these questions have answers, so I finally made a point to chip away at them every day until they were fully addressed. Converting those thoughts into actions made a HUGE difference in my buzzing brain. It might seem foolish to have waited so long, but money, logistics and time play heavy roles in tackling such topics, and I hadn’t prioritized them the way I should have. It was a mistake I’ll never make again.
Beverages: For about 6 months, I’ve been drinking water from a 32”oz mason jar, which I fill up about 4x per day. Oddly enough, I find this vessel effective due to how bulky and cumbersome it is— it simply cannot be overlooked or neglected. Because I drink so much throughout the day, I rarely have the desire to drink before bed, meaning I don’t wake up due to thirst or to visit the bathroom. As far as alcohol is concerned, I’ve been trying to get pregnant for so long that I rarely drink, or will have just 1 glass of beer/wine/champagne on occasion. As for caffeine, I love an oat milk coffee or latte, but I only drink one cup in the mornings. Limiting these beverages can only assist in achieving sounder sleep.
Bed: After reading about how manufactured fibers and treated textiles contain chemicals absorbed by our skin, I decided to invest in a quality mattress, bedding, pillows and pajamas. This is certainly an investment, so we approached it gradually over time, occasionally with the help of sponsors.
Relationships: I’m lucky to be surrounded by the most wonderful humans. They love. They care. The give. They show up. Still, there are some people who require vast amounts of energy on a normal basis, even if they don’t mean to. I made a point to be available to these individuals as much as possible without letting them inadvertently highjack my ability to focus on my family and my work. There will always be highs and lows in all of our lives, and I intend to be supportive during those moments, as well as the ones in between. But as far as the day-to-day is concerned, reasonable and loving boundaries are required. And they’ve helped… a lot.
Phone: We all know that it’s healthiest to put the phone away at night, curbing our urge to scroll, which can often result in buying things we don’t need while disrupting our minds and bodies during periods of time in which they should be relaxing and recovering. But it’s easier said than done for some of us. I always turned my phone on night mode, but between running my own small business and wanting to be available if a friend or family member was distressed or had an emergency, I would still check throughout the night to be sure that everything was fine. When I realized I was too tired to construct intelligible emails or even drive the car in case of an urgent matter, I knew that putting the phone in another room at night was necessary in order for me to be my healthiest self, and to best make myself of use for others.
While all of the above helped, something that happened to us towards the close of February was the turning point.
The Big Shift… Stress: Stress plays a prominent roll in about 75 - 90% of illnesses and doctor visits, and is considered one of the primary heath problems in America today. I knew this, and I knew that stress was absolutely keeping me awake at night. But I didn’t know how to shut it down. And while all the above steps helped decrease my stress for clear reasons, I was still tracking just 3-4 hours of sleep per night on my Ava bracelet, with only a sliver of that time being deep sleep.
Then, unexpectedly, my business experienced a major change from external factors. The system we’d had in place for years to help us earn income (via advertising) to supplement the bulk of our work (about 90% of which is unpaid), ceased to be beneficial for all parties involved, and came to an end. To put it in more traditional terms, Adam and I basically both suddenly lost our highest paying jobs at the same time.
I could’ve taken this the opposite way, becoming more stressed and even increasingly more sleepless. Especially because it happened shortly after I decided to shut down parts of my business that accepted small amounts of affiliate money from Amazon, as well as interior decor services that I found to be unnecessarily harmful to the planet.
But, down deep, I knew this bigger change needed to happen. Because I believe what I read in The Future We Choose: Surviving The Climate Crisis— we all have to do what is necessary to deal effectively with the climate crisis. And, for me, this new chapter in our lives in part of doing what is necessary— not necessarily what is lucrative.
I’m not patting my own back. Indigenous groups and mindful individuals and communities around the world have managed to be responsible stewards of the planet while providing enough for their families since day one. My actions within this culture of consumption got us here in the first place. It’s time I work harder to correct the the damage done while I was busy being complicit in it.
This is just another step towards (re)training myself and acquiring new skills and habits to help us reduce our negative footprint, increase our positive footprint, and to then share our experiences with our readers. And while it’s absolutely terrifying to suffer a huge slide in income as both a business and a family, I believe that it’s infinitely more important to leave behind an inhabitable earth for our children than it is to leave behind mounds of flashy stuff they don’t need.
I’ll keep creating, and if if people continue to deem it worthwhile hopefully the money will follow. This time around, I’ll be the one setting my company’s goals. This investment in myself has dissolved my stress to a degree I would’ve never believed possible just a few short weeks ago.
It is not the easy thing, but it is — beyond a doubt — the right thing. And in the end, THAT is what helps me sleep at night.
The Future We Choose - Regenerative Small Space Living
I recently finished reading, The Future We Choose: Surviving the Climate Crisis, which is a cautionary but inspiringly optimistic book about the future of humanity in this crucial time for our planet. Written by Christiana Figueres and Tom Rivett-Carnac (lead negotiators for the United Nations during the Paris Agreement), this incredible book offers two scenarios for the near future: one in which we fail to meet the goals set forth by the Agreement, and another in which governments, corporations and individuals confront the climate crisis head-on and create a carbon-neutral and regenerative world.
Needless to say, I want to live in the scenario in which humanity and wildlife survive and thrive. But hope is not enough— action is required across all levels. It might not seem like there’s much we can do on a household basis, but Figueres and Rivett-Carnac provide a very clear and compelling argument for why every individual’s actions matter in this moment, and what our culture can do to enact immediate change.
My family and business are adjusting our ways accordingly.
I will continue to center my business upon sharing stories and solutions pertaining to living comfortably and contentedly in small spaces. After all, as humanity adapts to the necessary changes required to combat the climate crisis, we will need to learn how to better share, and live with less stuff (yet with no less abundance). Additionally, Adam and I are also diving headlong into learning about regenerative gardening and practices for small urban spaces.
We want to be more than just a resource for comfortable and adaptable small space living. We’re also striving to be a resource for those who are interested in self-sufficient and restorative small space living, requiring less of the Earth, while also giving back to it.
According to The Future We Choose, we must create a greener planet in every space possible. Cities can become exceptional, with more trees, more parks for our children and wildlife, fewer cars, and plenty of urban agriculture.
“Every vacant lot, every grimy unused alley, has been repurposed and turned into a shady grove. Every rooftop has been converted to either a vegetable or floral garden. Windowless buildings that were once scrawled with graffiti are instead carpeted with verdant vines… Things that used to be done individually are now done communally— growing vegetables, capturing rainwater, and composting… In community gardens, on rooftops, at schools, and even hanging from vertical gardens on balconies, food sometimes seems to be growing everywhere.”
Adam and I will share what we learn as we go. We’re starting with our own research online and at our local libraries, and taking courses via Kiss The Ground. We’ll listen to folks who’ve had their hands in the regenerative practices for years (such as our friends at Apricot Lane Farms). We’ll also work towards making our home more efficient via renewable energy whenever possible within our financial means.
And we will, of course, continue to bike over drive, refuse single-use plastics, be mindful of our clothing and food, cut back drastically on unnecessary air travel, use our voices as citizens and consumers, vote at the ballot box, and vote with/without our hard-earned dollars.
Let’s see what folks in small urban spaces such as ours can do to take less, give more, and create the future we choose.
* The Future We Choose: Surviving the Climate Crisis, by Christiana Figueres and Tom Rivett-Carnac
Nurturing a Sense of Wonder in a Tiny Garden
I had a challenging week. Several issues were chipping away at me, and I was sleeping even worse than normal (which is saying something, as I’m always a lousy sleeper).
In a small space, it’s arguably easier to pick up on the mood shifts of your family members due to proximity and the level of familiarity that comes with such closeness. And while I always want to be honest with my 3 year old and nurture his sense of empathy, I certainly don’t want him to be negatively impacted by the way I operate when I’m feeling off.
In order to redirect the focus away from my issues and towards something joyful, I decided to nurture West’s sense of wonder with a lil’ addition to our tiny garden.
I’d recently discovered the sweetest little handmade fairy door and window on Etsy (via a maker/vendor who has sadly since closed up her shop— hopefully only temporarily). While West was occupied, I installed the pieces in the tree just beyond our front stoop, and added a miniature, battery-operated tea light into the recess of the window.
When West stepped outside and saw the flickering light through the window and the minuscule door, he was enthralled. (Kids do endless adorable things, but West’s reaction to learning that a Fairy family had moved into our garden was particularly memorable…)
He knocked. He whispered. He wondered about them aloud and searched the sky and the garden for more signs of their presence.
He even asked to further decorate their window by adding some colorful stones to its mossy top, and by using one of the bowls he made in a ceramic workshop as a “fairy pool.”
West was so fascinated that he asked if we could make more doors and windows. I’m not much of a crafter— I’m only mildly comfortable with DIY-lite activities. (Having written that, I’m quite proud that in the past week I made the sandals I’m wearing in these photos, and that I also patched West’s pants with some cheerful floral fabric.)
But we pulled some twigs, vines and scraps from around the yard, and visited our friends at Big Red Sun to grab some moss, acorns and a book entitled Fairy Houses.
We also scrounged up two balsa wood boxes we’d been using as drawer organizers, which provide the perfect framework for additional windows.
We haven’t finished creating our pieces yet (crafting has about a 15 minute life-span right now).
But I expect that a bit of these natural materials coupled with some glue (and patience) will be enough to produce a magical addition for the fairy family’s home, even if our versions aren’t quite as beautiful as the ones on Etsy.
The most wondrous thing of all was that sharing this experience and activity with my child not only kept him from picking up on my mood shift, but it also snapped me out of my dark cloud. The week could’ve spiraled into something much more bleak, but instead it ended with such huge happiness and hope.
In their hunt for a new home, I’m so glad the fairies picked the cottage.
Some Items You Can Probably Go Without (Part 14)
In recent years, the average size of the American single-family home has grown to over 2,600 square feet. As I walk around our neighborhood and see the smaller, still livable, single-story bungalows being torn down and replaced with zero-lot-line behemoths, I can’t help but wonder why… (For investment purposes? And if so, to what end, ultimately?)
Not only are we living in an unprecedented time during which we have to do everything necessary to curb our emissions and consumption to combat the climate crisis, but we are also living in a technological era in which entire collections of goods that once lived in our homes are now contained within our smart devices.
If we’re spending more time absorbed in our phones and less time interacting with the tangible, and if items such as movies, music collections, reference guides, books, photo albums, and more all live digitally, why do our homes need to further expand? And expand in ways that are often highly environmentally burdensome?
Of course it's important to note that a bigger house doesn't necessarily mean more stuff, and that I am indeed excited about green construction in the future. Homes that operate with renewable energy, “smart” features that keep energy down and efficiency high, and self-sustaining systems that better manage waste while generating power and resources are possibilities on the horizon. I’m not suggesting that tiny houses/apartments are “the” answer or suitable for everyone.
Our child is only 3, and as I type this post, he is the only child in our household. I have yet to live this tiny life as a parent of a pre-teen/teen or of multiple children. One day, one way or another, my family's needs and tastes will change, and I have no idea what’s next for us.
But as we adapt to the future, I plan to keep in mind that leaving behind a sprawling home filled with stuff for my kid is not my goal, whereas leaving behind a healthy Earth for his entire generation is.
With that, here are some home / kitchen items you can probably go without, whether you live in a big house or a small one. (View all the entries in this series here.)
Bathtub Caddy, Shower Novelty Stands/Holders
If you regularly relax in the tub with a book and some tea or wine and that’s your form of self care, then good for you— keep it going. But if you only take a bath every now and then (hooray for conserving water!), perhaps consider skipping the luxury bathtub caddy and novelty suction cup drink holders. A little table or stool pulled up next to your tub can work juuuuust fine.
Tea Bag Coasters, Holders, etc.
A tea bag can survive on a plate or saucer and certainly doesn’t need it’s own dedicated accessory, such as those over-the-rim slings or ramekin-style holders. Better yet, skip the tea bags altogether and opt for looseleaf to reduce waste and avoid the microplastics and nanoplastics that can be released into your mug from the bags.
Encyclopedias, Translator Guides, Dictionaries
While I love a good wall of books in a home or office, I have to admit— most of them aren’t necessary. (Like I’ve said before, I still prefer to read on paper, but that doesn’t mean I need to buy or hold on to every title like a beautifully bound trophy.) Thanks to libraries and digital resources, perhaps we can stop acquiring brand new volumes of encyclopedias, dictionaries, translator guides, and so forth.
Dish Drying Rack
A simple drying mat (or even a towel) or an over-the-sink roll-up rack can function just as well without eating up inches.
Nail polish + lipstick holders
As with any dedicated organizer, these sorts of things (usually made of acrylic) frustrate me. Due to their specific dimensions and design, they basically serve only ONE (unnecessary) function only, rendering them useless for anything else if your beauty needs, tastes or habits change. It’s likely that numerous items already available within your home can hold these products for you— no new purchase required.
VINTAGE AND HANDMADE HOMEWARES FOR SMALL SPACES (ROUNDUP 3)
I flat out don’t like shopping. (There. I said it.) However, I do find myself looking for handmade or vintage items online or in our local thrift stores when we need a particular something-or-another for the Cottage, and that’s something I rather enjoy. I don't just browse aimlessly or on impulse. When I shop, I’m on a specific mission. For me, the key is to search for the general function I need an item to serve, rather than search by a item’s dedicated name directly.
For example, when I need linens that can serve as towels, tablecloths, couch covers, and shoulder wraps, I just search for "linen throw" and explore the results from there, selecting a piece that serve multiple functions while appealing to my aesthetic. By searching for items via detail and function descriptors, I discover creative and unique homewares that serve the purposes my family needs, in formats I might not have previously considered. This is one of the traits that makes our lil' home so personal and special to us.
Many people have told me that they don’t know “how” to shop vintage or handmade on sites such as Etsy. As such, I’m going to start doing a weekly roundup of beautiful and functional one-of-a-kind vintage or handmade items I’ve found in passing that I like but won’t buy because we already have something similar. My hope is that these roundups help some readers find homewares made by independent artisans or from second-hand curators who have salvaged incredible pieces that were likely doomed for landfills, and are redirecting them for a new life.
When purchasing a piece, you can further cut back on the associated carbon footprint by messaging the vendor to assure them you’re fine with repurposed packaging and don’t need any flair. I’ve chosen to use Etsy for these roundups, as it’s the first major online shopping destination to offset 100% of carbon emissions from shipping.
UNIQUE STORAGE
UNIQUE FURNISHINGS
FOR THE KIDS
HOME ACCESSORIES
WALL DECOR
CLOTHING
New Podcast Interview Live
I was delighted to be a recent guest on the “What We Said” podcast, and the episode was released today: listen here.
We discussed tiny living and sustainability (and actionable tips for navigating both), as well as family life in under 400 sqft.
Thanks for having me on your show, Jaci and Chelsey!
Video: New "About Us" Video
I uploaded a new 2-minute "About Us" video here on the site, briefly recapping our journey since we moved into the Cottage, and explaining why we share what share.
As always, thank you for being here and experiencing life in under 400 sqft with us.
Library Book Roundup (2.16.20)
“One of the greatest lessons I have learned is that all people — young or old, big or small, girl or boy — have power. We can achieve the life we want for ourselves and our families when we pay attention to protecting our environment. We must not wait for others to do it. We can practice the Four Rs [Reduce, Reuse, Repair, and Recycle] wherever we live, whether we are rich or poor, or live in the country or the city.” - Wangari Maathai via “The Little Hummingbird” by Michael Nicole Yahgulanaas.
I’ve written repeatedly about our profound appreciation for our local library— the ultimate accessible zero waste learning center.
Beyond being the place where we can checkout 29 books per person per visit, it’s also where we go to sit in quiet and read the newspaper, keep informed about local elections and refresh our knowledge of our local voting systems, attend workshops/classes with our 3 year old, and donate our used books (since we don’t have much room to hold on to them here in our tiny house).
We pop into our city and county branches about 3-4 times per month. West usually gets about 15 titles every time we go, and Adam and I usually grab a small stack for ourselves as well.
I’d estimate that our library has saved us anywhere between $10,000 - $15,000 annually. I should note that we couldn’t spend that sort of money on books if we had to buy them all, and we would thus scale back our reading habits accordingly.
Luckily our library makes us feel as though our access to books is virtually unlimited, so we stock up with each visit.
Not only does borrowing books save us money— it of course saves us huge amounts of space as well. Plus it avoids all the waste that comes with with packaging and shipping from online shopping.
Here are some of our favorites from this week’s haul, along with a few additional titles we purchased because they were unavailable at our nearby branches. Once we’re done with them, we’ll tote them to the library with us during our return run and leave them there for others to enjoy.
Children’s Books:
The Little Hummingbird
Author: Michael Nicole Yahgulanaas, with a message from Wangari Maathai
Why we borrowed it: This book sends the message that all of us have the power to make a difference.
Yeti and the Bird
Author: Madia Shireen
Why we borrowed it: This book sense the message that it’s never too late to become who you want to be.
Our Children Can Soar
Author: Michelle Cook
Why we borrowed it: This book progresses through the story of the US Civil Rights Movement, showing how select pioneers' achievements eventually led to the country electing its first black president.
Ball & Balloon
Author: Rob Sanders
Why we borrowed it: This book sends the message that the grass is not always greener on the other side, and that we all have setbacks and fortes, no matter what our lives might look like to those around us.
The Hueys in: The New Sweater
Author: Oliver Jeffers
Why we borrowed it: Oliver Jeffers always makes us either laugh uproariously or experience a deep and meaningful tug in our hearts. This book always gets a cackle out of our child, while sending a message about authenticity.
Nature’s Art Box
Author: Laura C. Martin
Why we bought it: Nature is full of art materials, all right here at our fingertips. This book demonstrates ways in which acorns, moss, shells, leaves and so much more can be used to create beautiful, natural works of art.
Books for Adults:
Green Dog, Good Dog
Author: Dominique De Vito
Why we borrowed it: This book was written in 2009 and contains some outdated material, but overall it’s a helpful way to step back from the booming pet industry and explore the simple ways to cut back carbon paw prints.
The New Self-Sufficient Gardener
Author: John Seymour
Why we borrowed it: We’ve yet to read this book, but we were interested to see what we could learn about training vines, harvesting and preserving homegrown food.
Me & White Supremacy
Author: Layla F. Saad
Why we bought it: “Me and White Supremacy: A 28-Day Challenge to Combat Racism, Change the World, and Become a Good Ancestor leads readers through a journey of understanding their white privilege and participation in white supremacy, so that they can stop (often unconsciously) inflicting damage on black, indigenous and people of color, and in turn, help other white people do better, too.”
Fibershed
Author: Rebecca Burgees
Why we bought it: “There is a major disconnect between what we wear and our knowledge of its impact on land, air, water, labor, and human health. Even those who value access to safe, local, nutritious food have largely overlooked the production of fiber, dyes, and the chemistry that forms the backbone of modern textile production. While humans are 100 percent reliant on their second skin, it’s common to think little about the biological and human cultural context from which our clothing derives. Fibershed is a resource for fiber farmers, ranchers, contract grazers, weavers, knitters, slow-fashion entrepreneurs, soil activists, and conscious consumers who want to join or create their own fibershed and topple outdated and toxic systems of exploitation.”
Voting for the Planet (at the Ballot Box and at the Check Out Line)
While using my ever-present mason jar with its sippy lid is better than using plastic bottles, these sorts of daily lifestyle habit shifts and swaps are just smaller components of our greater responsibility, which is to get active. Voting (both at the ballot box in all levels of government AND with/without our dollars as consumers,) is one of the most meaningful actions we can possibly take.
I refuse to believe that we are helpless in this climate crisis— it is reckless. And it is wrong.
As my 3 year-old likes to say, we need: “ALL HANDS ON DECK!” As voters. As investors. As members of our communities. As learners. As civilians. As allies. And as neighbors— because our independent decisions (such as what we buy, which candidates we support, and whether or not we engage in acts of civil disobedience) have collective consequences that impact us all.
But while our responsibilities go well beyond sustainable swaps, the swaps are indeed important. Here’s an example of why:
Package Free Shop has kept over 4 million plastic straws, 3 million plastic bags, and more than 1.5 million non-recyclable bottles and cups out of landfills. They ship everything 100% plastic free in an upcycled or 100% post-consumer box with paper wrapping and paper tape, and all of their shipping materials are 100% recyclable and compostable. And they’re setting new standards for businesses and consumers across multiple industries— a ripple effect with far-reaching implications.
“We believe that it should be easy to make choices that positively benefit the environment and that no matter who you are, where you come from, what you believe in, how many zeros you have (or don’t have) in your bank account, what president you voted for, what gender you identify with, or what part of town you live in, we can all take simple steps to reduce our waste.” - Package Free Shop
I’ve rounded up a small sampling of some of my favorite items from their site that we’ve found to be of great use here in our (tiny) home.
Note: This post was not sponsored. Some items were gifted, but most were purchased. I’m sharing this strictly because of our positive experiences with the products and their impact within our household.
Washable Duster
This duster is made from multiple layers of organic cotton and viscose bamboo. Duster tendrils will curl after washing to make the collection of dust more effective. To wash, simply remove the duster from the custom made wood handle and slide back on once dry. Includes cotton strap for hanging. To clean, machine wash warm with like colors, dry in dryer or air dry.
Organic Pad
Good for your body and the earth, this reusable day pad is free of plastics, artificial fragrances, adhesives, and chemical gels, and keeps disposable pads out of landfills. Not to mention, overtime, reusable feminine products will save you loads of cash.
Reusable Beauty & Ear Swabs
Nearly 25.5 billion single use swabs are produced and discarded every year in the U.S. But not this swab. It lasts up to 1,000 uses as it's able to be cleaned with soap and water. It also comes in a biodegradable, corn based case so you can use it on the go.
Organic Hair Ties
Organic cotton and natural rubber hair tie set on compostable paper backing.
Kid’s Brush
This soft bristled brush is 100% compostable.
Comb & Brush Rake
Helps your brushes last longer by keeping them clean between the bristles.
Wire: 100% recyclable with metal recycling / Wood: 100% compostable
Razor Cleaning Brush
100% compostable razor cleaner, which works great for the pivot-head LEAF shave razor.
Tea Tree & Charcoal Face Soap
A balanced and gentle facial soap, this bar detoxifies skin with absorbent activated charcoal. Cocoa butter promotes a healthy complexion, while ground oats soothe and mildly exfoliate. Fresh and herbaceous tea tree and eucalyptus oils act as a natural astringent to combat skin blemishes. Also great for the whole body.
Travel Soap Box
Slice off a bit of the face soap, body soap, shampoo + conditioner bars, and/or body stones to use on-the-go with this soap box.
Washing Bag
This washing bag is a scientifically-approved filter solution to stop micro plastic pollution caused by washing synthetic textiles. It reduces fiber from breaking significantly and thus extends the lifetime of your textiles. Using the washing bag reduces the breaking of synthetic textiles by 86% on average. The fibers that do break during washing are captured inside the bag and can easily be removed.
Natural Dog Brush
100% natural and compostable two-sided dog brush for both long and short haired best friends.
Water Filter Pod
One of these little guys filters 99% of lead and arsenic and 97% of chlorine and flouride right out of your regular tap water. Just drop this wine cork-sized pod into any water vessel, pitcher, bottle, glass, camelback, coffee maker and more for clean, healthy and great-tasting water everywhere you go.
Slowly Crafting a One-of-a-Kind Space with Plants & Vintage Goods
When we moved into our cottage, the first place I biked in order to find items for our new home was our neighborhood vintage shop. My favorite discovery from those days was a compact wicker chair — unlike any other I’ve ever seen— that sits on our front stoop, serving as the perfect lil’ perch for removing shoes and dropping mail and leashes.
Our world is awash with consumer goods that are designed and manufactured with unsustainable resources to swiftly become outdated and discarded, then heavily and wastefully packaged and transported thousands of miles. Rerouting our dollars away from such practices and directing them towards buying local and vintage instead can almost feel like a tiny, quiet act of rebellion.
The same goes for prohibiting ourselves from being tricked into believing that our personalities can be formed, solidified and/or validated through our purchases, and that the more we buy, the happier and fuller we’ll feel. Instead of decorating (and redecorating routinely) with the same products as everyone else, vintage invites us to slow down and patiently find exactly what we love and need, rather then being told what we love and need.
And when we walk away from a second-hand shop with our unpackaged items that we salvaged from within our own town, we’re also walking away with pre-loved, story-rich treasures that form a collection that’s entirely unique.
It’s for these reasons (and several more,) that I appreciate Venice Vintage Paradise, our family’s closest source for vintage goods. Recently, this long-standing business within our quirky beachside community converted their back patio into a small, beautiful plant studio, which they’ve named Venice Roots.
The plant pots they sell are mix of handmade and second-hand, and the space is outfitted with vintage furnishings and accessories. (They even used reclaimed materials in order to construct their show-stopping back wall.) If you’re in the area, it’s absolutely worth a visit.
A note from the shop:
Venice Vintage Paradise has been a local Venice favorite on Abbot Kinney providing one of a kind vintage goods to our community for over 16 years. With the new addition of our plant studio,Venice Roots, we now offer a plethora of outdoor and indoor plants. We are providing creative and informative workshops and sourcing vintage and locally handmade ceramic planters to beautify your space.
Sustainability is on everyone’s mind these days, and how to better reduce, reuse and recycle. It’s always been part of our mission to inform and educate our community that when we incorporate vintage into our lives, we are being more environmentally friendly.
- Venice Roots at Venice Vintage Paradise
Tiny Adventures: Asheville
I believe that one of the ways that we can inspire each other to protect and regenerate the earth together is by deeper imbedding ourselves within the natural world year-round. This is one of the many reasons why I appreciate tiny living— it encourages us to get outside and dive into the environments that exist beyond our four walls.
“It’s an indisputable fact that we are deeply connected with nature. From the most past, we simply fail to realize this connection. From the perspective of ecology, our bodies are made of all-natural stuff... Greater than 95% of our tenure as humans has been spent living in intimate contact with the nonhuman world. Our bodies, minds, and emotions were fashioned by evolution in wild places where a deep sense of connection was essential for survival.”
- “How to Raise a Wild Child”
West doesn’t get to explore a traditional winter since we live in Southern California. It’s a season that he mainly experiences via stories and illustrations in the books we borrow from our local library.
So for the past two winters we’ve taken him to places where he can breathe the cold air, see and touch the snow, and see beautifully sparse trees and vines before the burst of spring. (Of course there were personal reasons for both of those trips as well, which I’m not prepared to share. Ideally we would skip the plane ride altogether, since air travel is so staggeringly damaging for the planet. What good does it do to fly to experience new views of the natural world if we’re harming it in the process?)
Last week we visited Asheville, North Carolina with my parents. We saved up for an extraordinary, minimalist, 2 bed/2bath Airbnb that was built to usher the outdoors in.
Click here for the Airbnb listing.
Click here for our 1-minute video journal from the trip.
We arrived at night, so we couldn’t see much of the land around the house— we could just hear the bubbling of a nearby creek. When I pulled back our bedroom curtains in the morning I actually gasped so loudly I woke Adam up. The view was staggering, and it was was visible from nearly every room of the home.
In addition to the generous windows, there were additional natural elements within the space that were unique, and made us feel like we were outside, even as we tucked ourselves into bed.
Bark-lined walls, sculptural boulders, and mollusk shells + agate stones inlaid throughout the concrete floors and custom furnishings reminded us that there’s nothing more beautiful than the diverse treasures scattered abundantly throughout the natural world.
As such, we spent 2 of our 3 days there almost entirely outdoors while exploring the community.
For our last day in town, we rested and enjoyed the home from sunrise to sunset.
I’m no expert on Asheville, so I’ll skip the “what to do” guide, as the community is tourist-savvy and has no shortage of expertly compiled tips available via a bit of research. Instead, I’ll simply say that the town is unique, gorgeous, eco-minded, and welcoming, and our family is thankful for the time we spent there.
Preschooler Sofa-Bed Updates
About a year ago, we began converting our sofa into a bed at night for our child, who’d previously been bed-sharing with us since we removed his closet nursery. Now that he’s transitioned from a toddler to a preschooler, we’ve made some minor yet meaningful changes to the space to reignite his excitement about his “bedroom.”
A full post about the sofa bed can be found here. (It’s similar to the same setup we create for our overnight guests, but with a dedicate set of sheets, a safety bumper and no privacy curtain.)
West often prefers to sleep with us in the built-in queen bed within our single bedroom. My husband and I welcome those moments— such time with a child is precious and finite.
But in order to renew West’s excitement about his dedicated sleep space and keep him comfortable in either bed, we’ve added a “big kid” pillow at his request.
We opted for a king size pillow that has just the right amount of give and support, and also fits the size of the sofa cushion perfectly..
(On a side note, Adam and I liked the pillow so much too that we’ve since gotten ourselves a set for ourselves.)
We also upgraded his sheets to natural linen to match the ones he’s used to in our bed:
We topped the update off with a soft, richly-textured throw blanket made entirely of recycled yarn:
I picked these pieces from Tuft & Needle after visiting their new store in Los Angeles. As I got to better know the company, I felt compelled to inquire if they’d be interested in helping me get a selection of their quality products to some children and youth in need. (I’ve spent years outfitting spaces for myself and others who are in a place a privilege— it’s high time I redirect much of that energy to assisting organizations that help individuals and families in need.) To my absolute joy, they were enthusiastically on board.
View the full post about West’s second-hand folding desk + chair here.
Tuft & Needle helped us supply mattresses, pillows and sheets to children entering foster care in Florida as they await reunification with their biological families. Not only that, but the company also helped us provide new bedding and pillows to several of the wonderful youth at The RightWay Foundation here in LA.
As I curl up with my son— whether on his cozy sofa bed or in our delightfully crowded “family bed” — I can’t believe our extraordinary fortune. We are safe, comfortable and surrounded by love. It’s our privilege and duty to pay that forward— to our neighbors, to strangers, and to the earth. So many resources aren’t equally accessible to all, and the climate crisis further exacerbates social inequalities and injustices. We won’t look away.
This post was not sponsored. As mentioned, product was generously gifted by Tuft & Needle. For anyone wishing to make a contribution to The RightWay Foundation, please use the cottage contact form to get in touch with us.
Thoughts on Wearing the Same Outfits on Repeat
A while back, I decided to stop buying (or even renting) new outfits for big events, video shoots, interviews and speaking engagements, opting instead to wear my usual collection on repeat.
As my friend Ashlee Piper wrote in her book, Give a Sh*t: Do Good. Live Better. Save the Planet:
“The ills of fast fashion exist solely because consumers create demand, which means we can easily right this wrong by pairing down, refreshing our habits, and pumping the breaks on our purchasing.”
Remember: we are by no means powerless.
Shopping vintage and second-hand, exploring swaps and exchange groups in communities, and repairing and repurposing garments and accessories are all of course great options. But thus far I’ve really just enjoyed keeping things pared down by sticking to my current collection and finding new permutations within it. It simplifies a remarkable part of my daily routine— laundry, organizing, dressing and packing are all much more streamlined.
All it takes is a mindset shift to keep us from caving into pressure to wear something new and on-trend for every notable occasion. We don’t necessarily have to approach this from the angle of “living with less.” It can also be perceived as living with more. More time, more space and more savings. (And besides— most Americans only wear 13-20% of the items from our closets anyway!*)
This week I’m headed to speak at a Create & Cultivate pop-up, and plan to wear one of the same outfits I’ve appeared in time and time again, as it’s comfortable, easy to pack and I know where and how the pieces were made.
At this point, we’re all aware that the garment industry is one of the top polluters of our planet. At this pivotal period in time — an era ominously dubbed the Anthropocene — we have the necessary strength (provided by our voices and our wallets) to pull focus back towards the environment, labor and health, and social justice, and to force the industry to catch up with us quickly, before it’s too late.
*Ashlee Piper: Give a Sh*t
Recent Features Roundup
As we close out the first month of 2020, here are a few stories by other outlets that featured the Cottage. Click the links below to explore.
Some Items You Can Probably Go Without (Part 13)
In recent years, the average size of the American single-family home has grown to over 2,600 square feet. As I walk around our neighborhood and see the smaller, still livable, single-story bungalows being torn down and replaced with zero-lot-line behemoths, I can’t help but wonder why… (For investment purposes? And if so, to what end, ultimately?)
Not only are we living in an unprecedented time during which we have to do everything necessary to curb our emissions and consumption to combat the climate crisis, but we are also living in a technological era in which entire collections of goods that once lived in our homes are now contained within our smart devices.
If we’re spending more time absorbed in our phones and less time interacting with the tangible, and if items such as movies, music collections, reference guides, books, photo albums, and more all live digitally, why do our homes need to further expand? And expand in ways that are often highly environmentally burdensome?
Of course it's important to note that a bigger house doesn't necessarily mean more stuff, and that I am indeed excited about green construction in the future. Homes that operate with renewable energy, “smart” features that keep energy down and efficiency high, and self-sustaining systems that better manage waste while generating power and resources are possibilities on the horizon. I’m not suggesting that tiny houses/apartments are “the” answer or suitable for everyone.
Our son is only 3, and as I type this post, he is the only child in our household. I have yet to live this tiny life as a parent of a pre-teen/teen or of multiple children. One day, one way or another, my family's needs and tastes will change, and I have no idea what’s next for us.
But as we adapt to the future, I plan to keep in mind that leaving behind a sprawling home filled with stuff for my son is not my goal, whereas leaving behind a healthy Earth for his entire generation is.
With that, here are some home / kitchen items you can probably go without, whether you live in a big house or a small one. (View all the entries in this series here.)
Faux plants and florals
The world needs far more plants and far less plastic. I know there are some situations that make having real plants a challenge, but if you’re not in one of those situations, perhaps consider skipping the artificial greenery and nurturing some air cleaning plants instead. (Bonus points for vintage and repurposed pots! Give those plastic starter pots back to your local plant nursery so they can reuse them.)
Select sports / camping equipment
If you’re not a regular player of a particular sport, opt to borrow or rent athletic and adventure equipment when you need it. This will save you money, free up storage space, and reduce your footprint.
Spinners, Choppers (etc)
Salad spinners, veggie choppers… unless you use them daily to feed large numbers of people, you probably don’t need them. We’re all saying we want to slow down, so let’s do it. Wash that fresh lettuce by hand, chop those veggies or eggs one by one, and let your toast fall sideways on your plate— it’ll all taste just as delicious.
Fridge containers
Add-on plastic produce keepers, egg holders, soda can organizers, novelty ice cube trays… you don’t need them. Linen produce bags— such as those by Ambrosia and The Swag — can help extend the life of your produce and reduce your food waste without the use of plastic, and without taking up huge amounts of inflexible space in a compact fridge.
Stands
Laptop storage stands, paper towel stands, banana hanger stands, and napkin holders all take up space and ultimately increase waste in one way or another. It’s past time to cut our dependency on disposable paper towels + napkins, which means we don’t need stands to hold them. And there are plenty of ways to suspend fruit to save space via simple hooks or vintage / repurposed baskets. Get creative when getting your fruit up off the counter— it’ll make your home that much more unique.
Why Details Matter (More) in a Small Space
Post Summary: Why seemingly minor details can make or break a compact home/apartment/office.
Minor features can make a surprising impact within a room, regardless of its size. But details are particularly crucial in compact spaces, where everything claims noteworthy real estate and catches the eye. Little touches can influence a space just as much (if not more so,) than a piece of furniture or even paint color.
I think this is a good thing— it means that you can potentially transform a home/office without investment much money.
In fact, depending on what you already have available in your space, you might not even need to purchase a single new item.
We’ve chosen to keep our small space neutral and natural in tone and materials. As such, our functional decor (bags, leashes, storage containers, etc.) all suit our decision and our tastes.
But a cohesive and considered look is of course attainable for all styles— not just the one demonstrated via our home.
While our home is relatively monochromatic (we rely on textures as well as the plants outside our windows to usher in rich tones and depth), attention to detail can enhance any color scheme and style of decor.
This post contains some examples of some seemingly inconsequential choices we made (camera straps, backpacks, nested bags and corner accents) that, when combined, help make our space the light and functional and, in our eyes, beautiful.
Before + After: Enhancing Small Indoor & Outdoor Spaces with Mirrors
It’s no secret that mirrors are particularly powerful accents in small spaces. Not only do they make an area appear much bigger than it actually is, but they amplify light and create a feeling of depth while enhancing overall visual interest. Mirrors are such a “Small Space 101” topic that I hesitated to do this post, but the number of inquiries and comments I’ve received about our collection of indoor and outdoor mirrors inspired me to do a little before/after roundup from our home and from a client’s office to demonstrate the impact that mirrors can have on a small space.
Outdoor Shower Mirror (After + Before)
Above: AFTER - My father shaving at the outdoor shower mirror.
Above: BEFORE - The outdoor shower wall upon our move-in nearly 9 years ago.
Living Wall Mirror (After + Before)
(View the full below/after from the living wall installation here.)
Above: AFTER - The living wall with a circular garden mirror that reflects the sun as it rises over our pocket of LA.
Above: BEFORE - The living wall looking particularly static prior to the installation of the mirror.
Sofa Garden Mirrors (After + Before)
(View the full before/after of the garden sofa installation here.)
Above: AFTER - The outdoor sofa with three mirrors mounted to its back wall.
Above: BEFORE - The back garden prior to the creation of the custom sofa + mirror combo.
Nursery/Bedroom Mirrors (After + Before)
Above: AFTER - The only closet in the cottage, which we converted into a nursery. Our custom heater cover holds three mirrors to reflect the light from the build-in windows in our headboard on the opposite wall.
Above: BEFORE - The cottage closet and heater upon our move-in almost 9 years ago.
Multi-Purpose Room Mirror (After + Before)
Above: AFTER - We mounted this large mirror to the main room wall the first day we moved in. It helps to make our home feel far bigger than it is.
Above: BEFORE - One of the only images we have of the office / living room wall without the mirror, as installing it was one of the very first things we did upon moving in.
Client Makeover: Reception Area Mirror (After + Before)
(View the full before/after from the Bond Group offices here.)
Above: AFTER - I added the Rivera Mirror from Crofthouse to brighten up the reception corner in the lobby.
Above: BEFORE - The dark and flat reception corner of the Bond Group offices lobby.
Client Makeover: Office Kitchen Mirror (After + Before)
(View the full before/after from the Bond Group offices here.)
Above: AFTER - I added a large but simply framed mirror to brighten up this windowless office kitchen without cramping the small space.
Above: BEFORE - The small, windowless, industrial office kitchen.
If you’re searching for mirrors for your compact home, apartment, garden or office, don’t forget to explore second-hand shops and other vintage sources first before buying new!
Adapting a Small Home for a Growing Child
Arts and crafts, coloring, carving pumpkins, playing with trucks, and dining with friends— these are just a sliver of the many activities our son enjoyed while at his compact, collapsable table. He used it daily, indoors and out, and it suited him from the time he began to walk until 2 years later. Now he’s a (tall) 3 year-old, and has officially outgrown the much-loved table. (Luckily we were able to fold it up and stash it in the back of the closet to keep for beach trips, canoe rides, etc., putting it to continued use.)
I quashed the we-need-a-replacement-right-now! impulse, and instead took some time to find a suitable replacement. I knew I wanted West’s next desk to be pre-used, space-savvy, and able to accommodate his current size plus a reasonable amount of growth.
After browsing our local vintage shops and checking Etsy repeatedly over the course of a month or so, I finally found a unique piece that was perfect for our space and West’s needs.
It’s a vintage folding chair + desk combo with a tabletop surface and a flip-up chalkboard.
The only thing lacking is a bit of storage, but we cobbled that together on our own with a couple of cupholders whose glass inserts broke long ago.
After eyeing the desk suspiciously upon introduction, West finally hopped up onto the chair when he was ready, and he has since been routinely using the desk for long stretches of time. (Success!)
All this to say that a second-hand purchase (which can enrich the style of your home while reducing your household’s environmental impact) can be well worth the wait— we just have to let go of our modern urge for instant gratification.
