

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

Apr 30, 2019 • 22min
070: The Basics of Minimalist Kitchens + Minimalist Cooking
Did you know? The average American kitchen holds a whopping 1,019 items. Yet professional chefs argue that fully functioning kitchens demand *just* 16 items. No need to spend an arm + a leg on top of the line models, either: you, too, can whip up delectable meals with just 16 items that cost under $300 total. This week, I’m dabbling in the concepts of minimalists kitchens + minimalist cooking with simplicity wellness coach Mirley Guerra Graf. Mirley believes that...
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Apr 23, 2019 • 27min
069: For Dumpster Diving Skeptics
Freshly baked artisanal breads, still warm from the oven. Imported cheeses in original packaging. Untouched organic berries. Did you know? You can find all this + more in your local dumpster. Cameron Macleish first learned about the food waste epidemic as a broke college student. These days, he dumpster dives and – with his mom’s help – cooks delectable meals with his finds to push back against both food waste + food insecurity. While Cameron neither wants nor expects us to dumpster...
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Apr 16, 2019 • 16min
068: Self-care for Busy People
Have you scheduled self-care into your days lately? I get it: We’re all busy. When we must cut something, we almost always cut the tasks that rejuvenate ourselves from our schedules first. I believe that self-care is less about time-intensive, expensive spa treatments (although if they light you up, go for ’em!). Instead, self-care is a collection of little habits that promote healthy + peaceful existences. On today’s episode, we get some serious self-care bang out of *just* 5 minutes. Liann Hughes is...
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Apr 9, 2019 • 15min
067: 10 Handbag Essentials for On-the-Go Sustainability
So you’ve slashed into the trash your household produces. (That’s great!) But what about when you’re out + about? Are you conscious of garbage when you’re on-the-go? The truth is this: Strategic handbags go a *long way* toward low-waste or zero-waste living. It’s easier than it sounds, too: I carry everything I need for eating out, doing errands + stopping anywhere spontaneous in my medium-sized shoulder bag. On today’s episode I divulge the ten items I keep with me at...
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Apr 2, 2019 • 24min
066: How a Dry Month Complements Mental Minimalism
Have you ever embarked on a dry month? Would you consider one? This week we explore the space where minimalism, intentional living + sobriety collide. My guest this week is blogger Kim Miller. Through the lenses of #winemom + motherhood drinking culture, Kim + I examine the idea that clutter isn’t *just* physical stuff. Clutter is old ideas + habits that don’t serve us. Clutter is anything that takes us out of the moment + away from our best selves, too. Kim...
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Mar 26, 2019 • 18min
065: Your Guide to a Total Home Detox
Ever find yourself questioning the air quality in your home? How about your water? Many of us have completed personal detoxes to eliminate internal toxins from our bodies. But how many of us tackle the toxins that reside in our homes? Toxins are everywhere, even in the cleanest of living spaces. As such, indoor air quality is typically 2-5 times more polluted than outdoor air. Worst of all? Abundant toxins can + do lead to health problems. There is good news, +...
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Mar 19, 2019 • 26min
064: How to Shop Secondhand the 21st Century Way
Let me guess: You like the *idea* of thrifting as a means of preserving both your hard-earned money + the planet. But in practice, things get muddled. Who has the time, energy or desire to sift through mounds of less-than-ideal garments in search of a genuine find? Here’s the good news: These days, it’s easier than ever to shop secondhand. My guest this week is Lauren Spraggins. She’s a fashion reseller who searches for, cleans, mends + presses secondhand items....
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Mar 12, 2019 • 33min
063: Why We’re Sick + How to get Healthy (Hint: It Has to do with the Planet)
Humans are sick + are getting sicker. So is planet Earth. Our health as a species is intricately linked to the health of our planet. Indeed, perhaps the most concerning aspect of greenhouse gases, polluted oceans + shrinking ecosystems is that – ultimately – we have manufactured an environment unfit for human life. My guest this week is Dr. Stephen Hussey. He’s a chiropractor, health coach + author who’s on the podcast to outline concrete action steps for reclaiming our...
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The post 063: Why We’re Sick + How to get Healthy (Hint: It Has to do with the Planet) 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 5, 2019 • 18min
062: 5 Ways to Take Home Less Plastic from the Supermarket
Zero-waste living is easier than you think. The secret? It all starts at the supermarket. Take home less plastic. On today’s episode I’m divulging my 5 tricks that can be implemented by absolutely anyone on his or her next shopping trip. ** This episode offers a tiny taste of what I’m teaching in 14 Days to a Zero-Waste Kitchen. Registration officially opens today! I hope you’ll join me for guided, one-on-one instruction + more content just like this. ** * Access this...
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Feb 26, 2019 • 22min
061: 5 Steps to Staying Motivated when Decluttering Gets Hard
It happens to all of us. We embark on a decluttering endeavor – a whole house purge, even – only to lose steam halfway through. Indeed, it’s as if the motivation to finish vanishes into thin air. We’re enticed by benefits of a minimalist home, including less stress, more free time + fewer items to clean. The problem is, though, that the act of decluttering induces stress, sucks up free time + requires hours of work. On this week’s...
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The post 061: 5 Steps to Staying Motivated when Decluttering Gets Hard 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