

Sustainable Minimalists
Stephanie Seferian
Creating eco-minimalist, non-toxic homes (without the extra work). Although minimalism has experienced a rebirth in recent years, the "less is more" movement has been around for centuries. Yet today's minimalist influencers have resurrected minimalism with a decidedly consumerist spin, as modern minimalism is nearly synonymous with decluttering. While there's a lot of chatter about tidying, it's radio silence and crickets when it comes to sustainability. The result? Aspiring minimalists find themselves on an endless hamster wheel of buying, decluttering, buying more, and purging again. Overemphasizing decluttering and underemphasizing the reasons why we overbuy in the first place is thoroughly inconsistent with slow living as a movement; consumption without intention is terrible for the planet, too. Your host, Stephanie Seferian, is a stay-at-home/podcast-from-home mom and author who believes that minimalism, eco-friendliness, and non-toxic living are intrinsically intertwined. She's here to explore the topics of conscious consumerism, sustainability, and environmentally-friendly parenting practices with like-minded women; she's here, too, to show you how to curate eco-friendly, decluttered homes (without the extra work).
Episodes
Mentioned books

Mar 3, 2022 • 20min
Getting Your Partner On Board
“How do you get family members on board with minimalism? I’ve heard from so many of my friends and family about how they would love to embrace minimalism, but their partners don’t want to. It seems to create a lot of animosity in relationships … What are your thoughts?” Living harmoniously with another human being requires constant dialogue and compromise. It’s no surprise, then, that when one person adopts a minimalist lifestyle the maximalist in the relationship feels uneasy.... Read MoreThe post Getting Your Partner On Board appeared first on Sustainable Minimalists.Our Sponsors:* Thank you to LifeStraw! https://lifestraw.com/Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/sustainable-minimalists/exclusive-content

Mar 1, 2022 • 28min
How To Find Quality Clothes
If you’ve been listening to this podcast for a while, you’re likely well-versed in the benefits of slow fashion. But where do you find clothes worthy of keeping for the long haul, and what specifically should you be looking for when shopping? On today’s show we are continuing our fight against the fashion industry’s transition to single-use clothing by discussing the nuts and bolts of intentional clothes shopping. Lindsay Christinee, journalist and founder of The Wellness Feed, joins the conversation with... Read MoreThe post How To Find Quality Clothes appeared first on Sustainable Minimalists.Our Sponsors:* Thank you to LifeStraw! https://lifestraw.com/Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/sustainable-minimalists/exclusive-content

Feb 17, 2022 • 22min
Build Back Better?
When it comes to our future, climate scientists paint vastly different projections than politicians. (Think: extreme weather events, toxic air, entire nations under water, and major humanitarian conflicts over food and water.) Politicians paint much rosier pictures: electric vehicles, new industries, and better jobs, all made possible by investments into clean energy. President Joe Biden’s signature bill – the Build Back Better Framework – is a monstrosity of legislation with ambitious emissions goals. And while it passed in the House of... Read MoreThe post What’s In The Build Back Better Bill appeared first on Sustainable Minimalists.Our Sponsors:* Thank you to LifeStraw! https://lifestraw.com/Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/sustainable-minimalists/exclusive-content

Feb 15, 2022 • 29min
Reducing Home Toxins (Without Spending $$)
Too often, conversations about reducing home toxins center themselves around replacement: Get rid of your mattress and buy a new one. Toss your plastic Tupperware and replace with glass. And that plastic shower curtain liner? It has got to go. But replacing items that are in otherwise fine working order wastes money; it wastes environmental resources, too. Today I’m speaking with environmental engineer (and podcast host!) Emma Rohmann. Emma offers her practical and impartial voice to the low-tox conversation by... Read MoreThe post Reducing Home Toxins (Without Spending $$) appeared first on Sustainable Minimalists.Our Sponsors:* Thank you to LifeStraw! https://lifestraw.com/Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/sustainable-minimalists/exclusive-content

Feb 10, 2022 • 19min
Ugly Fruit, Misshapen Veggies
Food waste is clearly an environmental problem: In the United States alone, Americans throw away approximately 63 million tons of food each year. Enter the ugly produce market. For-profit companies selling misshapen fruits and vegetables argue that they are saving perfectly healthy food from becoming waste. Consumers, too, who subscribe to such services believe they are acting both nobly and ethically. But is any of this true? On today’s short and sweet episode I’m answering a listener’s question as to whether... Read MoreThe post Ugly Fruit, Misshapen Veggies appeared first on Sustainable Minimalists.Our Sponsors:* Thank you to LifeStraw! https://lifestraw.com/Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/sustainable-minimalists/exclusive-content

Feb 8, 2022 • 28min
Keep The Memories, Lose The Stuff
Your boxes of photos, family’s china, and even your kids’ height charts aren’t just stuff. These items are attached to a lifetime of memories, and letting them go can be scary. The reality is that people don’t miss stuff. They miss the people and memories behind their stuff, and keeping certain items in the right quantities can memorialize our loved ones and their unique life stories.On today’s show I speak with featured cleaner on Hoarders and host of the... Read MoreThe post Keep The Memories, Lose The Stuff appeared first on Sustainable Minimalists.Our Sponsors:* Thank you to LifeStraw! https://lifestraw.com/Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/sustainable-minimalists/exclusive-content

Feb 3, 2022 • 16min
Just Let It Go
Decluttering is liberating, and letting go of items that no longer serve us creates space to breathe and grow. If we experience benefits from decluttering physical stuff, it stands to reason, then, that we can experience similar if not greater well-being by letting go of intangibles. Transformation comes from letting go—not from holding on tighter!— and so today’s short-and-sweet episode is about letting go of whatever you’re holding onto that holds you down and holds you back. Here’s a... Read More The post Just Let It Go appeared first on Sustainable Minimalists.Our Sponsors:* Thank you to LifeStraw! https://lifestraw.com/Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/sustainable-minimalists/exclusive-content

Feb 1, 2022 • 31min
Supporting Your “Skin Story”
As consumers, we’ve been conditioned to head to the store and buy whatever we need whenever we need it. But when it comes to personal care products, making exactly what your skin needs reduces waste, empowers you to have 100% control, and fully supports your skin story. Today I speak with certified aromatherapist Emelia Kohler. Emilia’s on the show to give us the motivation and knowledge to first understand our own skin stories and then confidently create products in our own kitchens... Read MoreThe post Supporting Your “Skin Story” appeared first on Sustainable Minimalists.Our Sponsors:* Thank you to LifeStraw! https://lifestraw.com/Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/sustainable-minimalists/exclusive-content

Jan 27, 2022 • 21min
Boundaries And Generational Clutter
Want Grandma’s crystal vase? How about that bedroom set that’s been sitting in your parents’ basement for decades? Generational clutter comprises All. The. Things. that your elder relatives currently possess but want to pass onto you. On today’s short-ish episode I’m answering a listener’s question on how to deal with generational clutter with grace (while still upholding your boundaries). Here’s a preview: [2:30] 3 varying attachment styles; plus: how different generations view “stuff” [5:45] Defining the role of the... Read MoreThe post Boundaries And Generational Clutter appeared first on Sustainable Minimalists.Our Sponsors:* Thank you to LifeStraw! https://lifestraw.com/Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/sustainable-minimalists/exclusive-content

Jan 25, 2022 • 29min
Simplified Family Scheduling
Daily life in 2022 leaves many of us busy and distracted. Life and its quiet, nameless moments of joy can pass us by if we aren’t intentional about how we spend our time. Today I speak with Reilly Flynn, co-founder and CEO of Lome Calendar. Reilly is here to give us tangible tips that capture both the intention and the expectation of the moment as we schedule our family’s free time; he also distinguishes between rhythms, routines, and systems as... Read MoreThe post Simplified Family Scheduling appeared first on Sustainable Minimalists.Our Sponsors:* Thank you to LifeStraw! https://lifestraw.com/Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/sustainable-minimalists/exclusive-content