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A Minimal Life & Style Blog

Natural Cleaning Products – Living + Wellness

Living a clean, healthy, and balanced lifestyle has always been important to us, as well as trying our best to do our share to keep the planet clean. It wasn’t a surprise when a couple months ago I challenged us to cut back on our waste and attempt to live a zero waste lifestyle. It’s definitely not as easy as my friends make it seem – it requires research, a lot of preparation, and a good board to keep it all organized. In order to help me make sense of it all I want to share with you what I’ve learned from others as well as the progress we’ve made. But where to begin? I decided to start by swapping out harsh chemicals for natural cleaning products.

A friend of mine recently introduced me to the wonders of white vinegar. That stuff is liquid gold! It’s versatile and can be used on just about everything. The smell is not my favorite, but anytime you’re trying to get rid of smells essential oils are a life-saver. So, let’s start by breaking down each ingredient that you’ll need to make your very own natural cleaning products.

Water (1 cup)

 

  • Environmentally friendly
  • non-toxic
  • biodegradeable (wink wink)

White Vinegar (1 cup)

  • antimicrobial
  • biodegradeable
  • Environmentally friendly
  • non-toxic
  • Safe to use on (most) surfaces
  • Organic and distilled work best

Tea Tree Oil (3 drops)

  • Antiseptic/ antiviral
  • biodegradable
  • cleansing and purifying properties
  • Non-toxic

Lemon Oil (4 drops)

  • Cleanses and purifies
  • Supports healthy respiratory function
  • smells amazing!

I grew up in a household where bleach was the main ingredient in all of our cleaners. I grew so accustomed to the smell that in my mind it means things are clean. Yes, it burns a little but it’s clean…. Or so I thought. Doing research quickly made that notion disappear. In reality it’s destroying your health and the planet.  Chlorine-based gases are known to be associated with the destruction of the ozone layer. The fumes  cause respiratory problems and are brain-damaging. Not to mention that if you accidentaly ingest it or mix it with other household cleaners you could kill yourself.

What are the benefits?

For me the biggest benefit is knowing exactly what is in my multi-purpose cleaner. Compared to buying cleaning products that claim to be “natural”, making my own is still much more cost effective. Plus, store bought “natural” cleaning products, for the most part, still come in plastic bottles that you end up tossing out (don’t even get me started on plastic).

Making it is so simple! To be honest, the part that took the longest was making sure I did all of my research. I wanted to make sure it was going to be a good change and that I wasn’t just falling into the latest health fad. So, likewise, I encourage you to do your own research. And if you’ve already gone through this process and have any tips let me know!

Looking Back

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In our lives there is always something we regret thinking, saying, or doing. In my case, thinking I had met and fallen in love with the greatest person and saying those two words that symbolize a lifetime vow. These… doing these I do not regret.

This is our story – a story of who we were, who we’ve become, and where we want to go.

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Our story started on a summer evening. He came to a stop at a red light at the bottom of a hill I was driving down. In that moment, as our paths crossed and our eyes locked, we caught a glimpse of one another. In those few seconds, for the first time, we noticed each other. That same night our story continued with a text about rims. Car rims.

We were in our early twenties, not yet able to fully comprehend adulthood. Every day brought something new and exciting. For as long as I could remember my life was always changing and I was constantly having to adapt. On the contrary, his life was stable. A part of me thinks that I (my distracted and perplex self) was exactly what he was looking for. Of course, I know his warmth and solidity was what I desperately needed. Don’t you see? It was unexpected, but there it was… He and I were inevitable.

As the months went by our love grew deeper. After his meticulous planning (unbeknownst to me), the day came when he looked into my eyes the way no one had (or ever will again). He kneeled. I knew what was to follow but all I could do was stare blankly at the man who would become the kindest and loveliest part of me.

On January 7th we stood before each other and promised to always put love first.

We’ve spent the last five years re-arranging our mind to allow space for each other. We’ve learned to constantly think about each others needs and above all LOVE has remained our priority.

… to be continued.

LONDON – Travel Diary

London-2015

Visiting London has always been at the top of my list. I spent the whole time saying  things like “Oh my gosh! We’re in London!” and “I could totally live here – the weather is awesome-possum!” So let’s just come out and say it – we love London! Not only is it home to the best TV show ever – Sherlock Holmes – but it’s also the place where one of my favorite movies takes place – The Young  Victoria. We spent a lovely week walking, touring and sippin’ tea all over London.

We can’t wait to go back but for now here’s a small glimpse of our trip.

Day 1

We were able to spend a lovely day with friends (best tour guides ever). We met at Leicester Square and walked to Trafalgar Square to get the quintessential view of the city. We then walked to Buckingham Palace and saw the changing of the guards. The Queen was too busy to have tea and scones with us but we did enjoy the view of the palace from the outer gates.

On our way back, we walked through St. James Park on our way to Downing Street, Big Ben, Westminster, and Parliament Square. We then climbed the 311 steps to the top of The Monument, which commemorates the Great Fire of London. I’m terribly afraid of heights but I knew I had to push through the fear… because we’re in London at a very famous monument! So, why not? Well, I’m happy to report that with everyone’s help I made it 309 steps. Then, I freaked out and couldn’t continue the last 2 steps. By the time we got down my hair was a mess but I was smiling because we each received a certificate for having climbed to the (almost) top.

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westminster

the-monument

walking

Day 2

Kensington Palace! Oh I just loved Kensington! Have I mentioned how much I love the movie The Young Victoria? We made sure to download the soundtrack so that while we toured the museum we could listen and sway to it in the background. I made sure to go in every room and sit and enjoy the view from every windowsill. Sadly, we visited the gardens too early and they were not in full bloom. Here’s a good tip for all you tea lovers – if you want to have tea at The Orangery make a reservation before your visit to Kensington. Sadly, we didn’t. Oh well, next time.

Afterwards, we walked to see the Albert Memorial and the Royal Albert Hall and then on to the Victoria and Albert Museum because I really really wanted to see the Wedding Dress Exhibition. There is no entrance fee to get into the V&A but there was a small fee to go into the main exhibition.

I wasn’t allowed to take any photos inside of the Wedding Dress Exhibition but for all you romantics and wedding enthusiasts I really really recommend you go.

Across the street was the Science Museum, which we of course went in to. They had an exhibition on the history of modern communication, a large area about space travel and rockets, and lots of fun interactive displays. I made Keen shock himself on the large static electricity display. hehe!

If you’re like us, your favorite thing to do after a long day of museums is get lost and walk unnecessarily long distances trying to find a book store (which we eventually did find after several wrong turns and a couple wrong tube rides). We were so cold and tired we only spent a few minutes browsing the 5 floors of Foyles before we popped across the street for a recognizable yummy dinner – Chipotle. Thats right – nothing says London like tex-mex burrito bowls and Coke.

Kensington-palace

Queen-victoria

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Can’t wait to share the rest of our week in London. We hope our itinerary gives you some inspiration and if you have any questions regarding the places we visited let us know. Cheers!

Places to visit in Switzerland — Gimmelwald

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What is your dream vacation? Maybe a warm sandy beach? Let me quickly tell you about mine.

Picture this — you’re surrounded by snowy mountains as you walk up towards a small cabin. In the background is the blissful sound of snow tumbling down a slope and breaking tree branches. As you breath in the cold fresh air your lungs open as far as they can go. It almost hurts. You open the door to the cabin and are instantly greeted by a cozy looking fire. You start to look forward to the delicious cookies and the fresh milk you just purchased at the local shop. Are you there yet?

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Gimmelwald gave me everything I just described, right down to the fresh milk. If you are ever looking for places to visit in Switzerland — Gimmelwald is a must! It’s a small quaint town in the Swiss alps. We arrived via train to the city of Lauterbrunnen. Then we hopped on a free, 10-minute bus ride to the cable car station. We rode the cable car straight to Gimmelwald. Easy-peasy.

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We spent 3 lovely days relaxing and walking through this tiny town. (The above picture is basically the town.) The hubs took the cable car up 2 more stations to reach the Schilthorn for the amazing views. (PS: That’s the place to ski, if you’re not afraid of heights and dense fog.) The town is small and you rarely see any other human beings – it’s the perfect place to relax and admire the stunning surroundings.

If you really want to enjoy the take-it-easy feel that Gimmelwald offers, we suggest you make a stop at the grocery store located across the street from the train station. Once you’re up in Gimmelwald, finding a grocery store/market is impossible, because there aren’t any! Haha. If you arrive on a good day, you might find some cookies, chocolate, chips, cheese and milk at the first Honesty Shop in Europe. You might be asking yourself, what is an Honesty Shop? Remember how I said that you rarely see any other people? Well, the Honesty Shop is a self check-out store. There is no clerk, cashier, or stock-boy. You’re all on your own. The prices are clearly listed on everything. There are envelopes and pens for you to write down what you took and how much money you are leaving. There is no change bucket so bring plenty of change with you.

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There are also several trails that lead to waterfalls. Unfortunately, we were not able to see any due to the snow. We hope to someday be able to go back during late spring and really enjoy Gimmelwald in all its magnificence and splendor.

Tootles!

Traveling with Only a Carry-on – A Minimalist Guide

how-to-pack

Guess where we’re going? We’re spending a month traveling through Europe – Madrid, London, Paris and different parts of Switzerland! Best anniversary gift ever! I started traveling on my own since the age of 12 – my mom would put me on a plane to grandma’s house. Anyway, the point is I LOVE TO TRAVEL!  I love everything from packing to going through TSA, it’s just fun! (many may disagree)

This trip was one of the easiest packing experiences I’ve ever had. It took me about an hour this morning, which also included taking these photos. So, I thought it would be nice to share a couple of tips with you.

Tip #1 – Capsule Wardrobe. I can’t tell you how easy it was to pack my capsule wardrobe. If you haven’t read about it yet you can do so here. The gist is that I am living with a 32-piece capsule wardrobe for spring.  I can literally fit my entire closet into a carry-on, can you believe that?! Still, I only packed what I really needed. I packed all of my capsule wardrobe tops, jeans, navy bottoms and 2 skirts. I also packed my super-duper comfortable booties and a pair of walking shoes.

Tip #2 – Roll it up. I’m sure you have all seen the rolled up jeans technique on Pinterest. If you haven’t tried it yet, do it. It is a real space saver. I don’t know why, but it is. I’ve also started doing this with my chiffon tops.

Tip #3 – Play some Tetris. If you don’t find packing fun, think of it as a game of Tetris. The goal is to neatly fit your items into a suitcase, or in this case, my carry-on. Start by placing the thicker and heavier items at the bottom. I don’t know about your suitcase but the bottom of mine is not flat, so, I place my rolled up jeans on the bottom to create an even surface. Sometimes thats enough, but not for me. I always end up with space in between my jeans and that’s when the real Tetris begins. I place small items such as my unmentionables or my rolled up chiffon tops in between. That way no space is wasted.

Tip #4 – Stuff  ’em. Speaking of no wasted space, did I mention shoe space? I honestly never thought about this until I saw a friend pull 4 pairs of socks out of her shoes. Genius! It also helps shoes keep their form.

Tip #5 – Wear your thicker items. This will save you a ton of room! Whenever you are traveling in cold weather you’re bound to have a heavy jacket/coat. If you wear it on the plane you stay warm and it could also be a nice pillow.

Tip #6 – Hands Free. Most airlines will allow you to check one 50 lb bag. I always check my bag when traveling short distances.

packing-carry-on-suitcase

travel-satchel

Inside my Fossil satchel, which I love and take with me on all my travels, I carry my iPad mini, Kindle, headphones, sunglasses, travel journal, wallet with passport, nail file, and ibuprofen. In a separate small cosmetic bag I carry a wash cloth, and my toothbrush and toothpaste to freshen up. It looks like a lot but my bag stays surprisingly light.

Let me know if you have any other helpful tips or anything that will make traveling with only a carry-on easier.

Safe travels!

In the clouds… Literally.

Being up 13, 287 feet sets the perfect ambiance for a romantic walk. That is if you can comfortably breath at that height. It’s a good thing we’ve acclimated to the altitude, otherwise, I would have never gotten these.

fogWe missed the good weather and arrived just as the clouds, cold wind and rain started to roll in. Just perfect, don’t you think?

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Although we missed a spectacular city view, we were content with snapping a few quick pictures before the rain got too bad and too cold. Earlier that day I had commented on the fact that we never got a picture of us on the trip and we were flying back to Cuenca that evening. That’s how this happened. Great ending to a fantastic mini-trip.

Plane

I hope you enjoyed these quick shots, let me know if you have any stories of feeling like your floating in the clouds.

– Fawndly