Ten Ways to a Simpler Life

Ten Ways to Begin a Simpler, More Back to Basics Lifestyle
by
Kat Yares

In this fast paced world, there are a number of ways to begin to live more naturally without making yourself feel like you are missing something. Not only will you feel better, you will probably save money in the long run also. The tips I've listed below can be used anywhere, city or country, house or apartment.

1. Make a weekend day a family cooking day. Not only can you cook ahead many of the meals for the upcoming week, you will be spending quality time with your family. Don't buy prepackaged foods for this adventure try making meals from scratch. Not only will you be cooking foods that are more delicious, they will be immensely more nutritious.

2. When you go shopping, look for products that are minimally packaged or have packaging that can be recycled. Buy in bulk when possible. By doing this, you will be pouring less waste into landfills, thus helping to protect the environment.

3. Plant a garden. You don't need acres of land to plant a garden; just a small amount of space can yield fresh vegetables during the summer. Many vegetables, such as tomatoes, bush beans and lettuces, can be grown in containers on the patio or porch.

4. Do some form of gentle exercise daily. It doesn't matter if it is a yoga routine or simply a walk around the block. Take some time daily to be good to your body.

5. Instead of paying high prices for name brand beauty products, try making your own. Many things from soap to anti-wrinkle creams can be made in your own kitchen for a fraction of store bought prices. In addition, you will have the added benefit of being able to pronounce every ingredient in them.

6. Learn to appreciate what you have, right now, today. Not only will this give you peace of mind, it will also cut down on the stress in your life as you will no longer feel you have to compete with the neighbor down the street.

7. Recycle everything that can be recycled. Give old magazines to local nursing homes, donate unwanted books to your friends of the library sale, and find outlets for outdated electronics. Many adult education centers could use that older, but still functioning computer. Most cities have programs that give working cell phones to agencies that help battered women break free from abusive relationships.

8. Consolidate car trips. Instead of driving an extra trip to go shopping, try shopping on your way home from work. The same for dropping off dry cleaning, library trips and any other little chores that require travel. This will save not only gas, but also, contribute to cleaner air.

9. Read labels. If more than twenty five percent of the ingredients sound like foreign words, do you really want to put that product in or on your body?

10. Make at least one meal a week a meatless one. Not only will you learn to spice up your diet, the meal will generally be a healthier one also.

So there you have it. Ten simple things you can do to begin your journey toward a more natural lifestyle. As time passes, more articles will be posted here going more in depth on each specific thing you can do and why you should.

This article was first published at:
Garden&Hearth's Open Hearth
Natural Living Section