Many of us have a complicated relationship with our stuff. And while no one wants their possessions to possess their lives, our stuff often has fascinating stories to tell.

On today's show: A conversation with psychotherapist and professional organizer Helen Sanderson about what the state of our homes reveal about our psychology.



Here's a preview:

[3:45] Pack rat, minimalist, or somewhere in between? Here's what our homes show us about ourselves

[6:15] How to best guide your child toward tidiness, no nagging necessary

[12:00] When a neat freak and a slob get married: How to best navigate differences in home maintenance styles

[17:00] Home management is like tending a garden (and other applicable metaphors)

[20:00] Thoughts on finding the drive to get to "maintenance"



Resources mentioned:

The Secret Life of Clutter
Helen on Instagram


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It's More Than Just Stuff

Creating eco-friendly, minimalist homes (without the extra work).

Kids & Family

Parenting

Home & Garden

Leisure

Is the glass half empty, or is it half full? According to Tony Robbins, trading your expectations for appreciation instantly changes everything. Psychological research agrees: Gratitude has the power to improve every single aspect of your life.

On today's show: how to truly feel gratitude for your stuff and people. 

Here's a preview:

[3:00] Want to be 18% happier? It's as easy as putting on a new pair of glasses, metaphorically speaking

[10:00] HABITUATION! Our brains are primed to forget why certain stuff and people are important 

[19:00] Say it with me: Stuff doesn't create gratitude! 3 tips for feeling grateful for what you already own

[28:00] We expect way too much from our partners. Let's fix that together

[35:00] Feeling less than grateful for the people in your life? That's normal (there's also a simple antidote)



Resources mentioned:

Episode #460: Pleasure-Saturated
The Gratitude Diaries: How A Year Looking On The Bright Side Can Transform Your Life (by Janice Kaplan)


This show is listener-supported. Thank you for supporting!
Join our (free!) Facebook community here.
Find your tribe. Sustainable Minimalists are on Facebook, Instagram + Youtube @sustainableminimalists
Say hello! MamaMinimalistBoston@gmail.com.

Our Sponsors:
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* Thank you to LifeStraw! https://lifestraw.com/ 

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An Attitude Of Gratitude

I hope you'll enjoy The Kevin Rose Show. We have become devoted listeners and we hope you check it out to see why!

Introducing The Kevin Rose Show

Packaged foods (obviously) have ingredients lists. Our favorite beauty products have ingredients lists. And those cleaning products under the kitchen sink? Yup, they've got ingredients lists, too.

Ever wonder why our clothes don't have ingredients lists? While we'd *like* to think our favorite garments are made of woven fibers and nothing more, the sad truth is there are countless unregulated toxic chemicals in our closet go-tos (and these chemicals are likely harming our health).

On today's show investigative journalist Alden Wicker explains why synthetic fashion and dyes made from fossil fuels are so deeply intertwined with the rise of autoimmune disease, infertility, asthma, eczema, and more; she also suggests concrete action steps for curating a clean(er) closet.

* The book we're discussing today is our June Book Club selection. If you want in, please join us via Substack! https://sustainableminimalists.substack.com/

 

Here's a preview:

[7:00] Uncovering the chemicals in our clothes and what they're doing to our health

[10:30] Taking a special look at the especially problematic petrochemical-based azo dyes (often used on petrochemical-based fibers)

[17:00] If all this stuff is in our clothing, why don't garments have ingredients lists?

[22:00] Carter's, Victoria's Secret, and victim body blaming

[31:00] Why 'organic' doesn't mean much when it comes to clothing

[36:00] For subscribers! Action steps for curating a clean(er) closet

 

Resources mentioned:

To Dye For: How Toxic Fashion Is Making Us Sick — And How We Can Fight Back
Plastic-Free Activewear? Here are 15 Brands That Use Natural Instead of Synthetic Fibers (via Eco Cult)
The Best Non-Toxic Fashion Brands For Chemically Sensitive People (via Eco Cult)
Future Card
 

Resources mentioned:

This show is listener-supported. Thank you for supporting!
Join our (free!) Facebook community here.
Find your tribe. Sustainable Minimalists are on Facebook, Instagram + Youtube @sustainableminimalists
Say hello! MamaMinimalistBoston@gmail.com.


Our Sponsors:
* Thank you to Equilibria! Use code SUSTAINABLE for 15% off sitewide: http://www.myeq.com
* Thank you to LifeStraw! https://lifestraw.com/ 

Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/sustainable-minimalists/exclusive-content

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Toxic Fashion

Modern life panders to our innate desire to be sedentary, and never has it been more difficult to resist the alluring convenience of screens.

Yet walking matters. On today's show author Annabel Abbs-Streets suggests tangible ways to attain the full range of benefits that walking has to offer — physical, emotional, and spiritual — that's backed by latest research.



Here's a preview:

[7:00] A laundry list of all the physiological benefits of walking or hiking for movement (get ready to be blown away)

[11:00] Why it's important to walk with our eyes, plus: the mental health benefits associated with panoramic vision

[16:00] Want more calm in your life? Research finds that these very specific nature sounds matter

[21:00] Terpenes, baby! Large trees offer us these psychological and physiological benefits

[25:00] Don't shy away from that mud puddle. Soil microbes matter!

[30:00] How to best optimize your daily walk for health and wellness benefits



Want more episodes like this one? Check out #384: Forest Bathing 101


This show is listener-supported. Thank you for supporting!
Join our (free!) Facebook community here.
Find your tribe. Sustainable Minimalists are on Facebook, Instagram + Youtube @sustainableminimalists
Say hello! MamaMinimalistBoston@gmail.com.

Our Sponsors:
* Thank you to Equilibria! Use code SUSTAINABLE for 15% off sitewide: http://www.myeq.com
* Thank you to LifeStraw! https://lifestraw.com/ 

Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/sustainable-minimalists/exclusive-content

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Optimizing Your Walks

The environmental news headlines you need to know for Friday, May 10 2024:

[00:30] Fish are shrinking around the world and no one knows why

[4:00] Have a gas stove? Here's another thing to worry about 

[7:00] Exactly how green initiatives push some voters to the far right 

[11:30]  A Sriracha shortage has climate change to blame

[15:00] Climate change raises the risks of another pandemic, and here's why



This show is listener-supported. Thank you for supporting!
Join our (free!) community here.
Find your tribe. Sustainable Minimalists are on Facebook, Instagram + Youtube @sustainableminimalists
Say hello! MamaMinimalistBoston@gmail.com.

Our Sponsors:
* Thank you to Equilibria! Use code SUSTAINABLE for 15% off sitewide: http://www.myeq.com
* Thank you to LifeStraw! https://lifestraw.com/ 

Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/sustainable-minimalists/exclusive-content

Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

It's More Than Just Stuff

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