A Typical Day in our Home is as follows:

5:30am wake up at the latest (4:45 on Friday/Saturday’s as I open the cafe)

Lunches / breakfasts prepared while I drink my tea

Kids dressed & ready by 7:30am leaving them time to play/create/chill

I’m out the door by 7:45am as I start at my family’s cafe at 8am, hubby does the school drop off run & heads straight to his office.

Work til 12/1 depending on the day – bike home to get dinner started, eat lunch, spend 30mins or so with hubby if he is home (he works from home but travels for meetings, speaking engagements)

2pm : head to the school as parking is atrocious, take paperwork/current book I’m reading so that the 45mins wait til school is finished is not wasted. While waiting I check emails, write blog posts, do paperwork for either the cafe or the Martial Arts branch that I run.

3pm: Home with the kids, afternoon tea, homework, spend some time with them cooking/crafting/playing.

5pm : On Training Nights I’m out the door to Teach a Martial Arts Class – on my way to my class which is 25 mins from our home I drop the kids to their Class as they train under my superior Instructor, this way there is no clashing between us as Parent/Child during class

6pm: Run Class (SUPER FUN!) this is what I classify as “me time” as I love what I teach & get so much out of it.

7:10pm : Leave Class to collect kids on my way home again. I have an amazing Assistant that packs up my hall & attends to any remaining students so that I can leave on time.

7:45: Home, quick Dinner that I prepared at lunch time for us all

8:15: Kids in bed  – dishes, clean up, prepare lunch boxes for following day, finish up any paperwork needed for following day, do any top up cooking to baking needed for the following day.

10:30-11pm : BED

Hahahaha, when you look at it, it looks like a big life, and truth be told it is, but it’s all worth while for the future ahead.

I use any spare moments among the chaos to research, read, study & learn about my passions ( anything Zero Waste focused, saving the planet focused etc) and I do my best to implement 1 new thought/idea into our world every 1-2 months so that it’s well used so to speak by the time that I share it with you guys.

We own a very cute 3bed, 1 bath post war cottage that we love – our mortgage is well under the Australian average, we are very blessed to live in what is still classified as a “country town” so land prices are not as absurd as the rest of the Sunshine Coast… Hubby & I keep our earnings separate, so we take turns paying the mortgage payment, and split life’s costs between us for the rest of it. We deliberately chose to live in a smaller town as this keeps our day to day living costs down & this way we can save towards our future

We choose to buy all fresh produce package free, 80% unpackaged staples & make as much at home as possible, this really does keep our costs down as we’re not paying for the convenience of it being made for us.

When we were buying plastic wrapped bread for example, it was costing $4 a loaf for the good quality wholemeal or seeded bread. Now that I bake it at home it costs $2.90 a loaf & the slices are huge therefore we eat 1/2 as much as we used to, making the loaf I bake last longer than the bought one did…

I use Sunday afternoons to bake/cook up a storm for the week ahead. Cookies, bread, at least 3 nights worth of dinners, any other snacks we need etc. a big salad for lunches & whatever else is needed. This takes me 2-3 hours but it’s “me time” once again as I’m happy in kitchen because I know exactly what’s in the food I’m nourishing my little family with.

Each night I make sure the kids uniforms are ready for the next day, their bags are cleaned out, their lunch boxes are empty ready for the next day. Any books/activity items etc that are needed are placed close by for the following day. I try & remember to prepare snacks for myself for work the next day so that I’m not tempted by all the yummy treats we sell at work

I have most Sundays off which means this day is used for anything & everything I enjoy – walking the beach, exploring a rain forest, chilling at home, reading etc. Down time is the only way I keep going each week – it is SO important

I also make it a priority to “date my husband “ – this is essential to our lives running smoothly as without a happy marriage, life generally goes to crap (speaking from experience) now our dates are not extravagant or expensive – most of the time it is simply cooking something I know he will enjoy & know has been made especially for him. We will put on some nice music & just sit n talk about life, laugh at the silly things we’ve done that week ( I’m always doing or saying something that turns out to be mixed up & therefore quite amusing) sometimes the night turns into deep & meaningful conversations, every now & then heated discussions and just about all the time it ends with us both feeling closer together again & ready for the next week ahead…

I make sure my reusable bags are always ready, my jars are washed as soon as they’re empty & put aside ready for my next trip to the Bulk food store & that their are reusable cups & produce bags in my handbag, the basket on my bicycle & in the car… this stops us needing to use plastic or single use items… We all take our Water Bottles EVERYWHERE and if for some reason they’re forgotten, we ask for a glass of water wherever we are rather than buy a plastic bottle or we make do til we get somewhere that we can get a glass of water…

I think that’s just about everything, if you have any questions, feel free to email me or contact me on Instagram.

Peace

!!??

For those of you who know me, I’m one of “those people” who dislike technology – ironic that I’m using my phone to type this blog I know.. but that comes out of the fact that it’s the ONLY piece of technology I personally own… Now, my home has a Tv (it came with hubby when we got married) He owns an IT company (yes, you read right, insert hysterical laughter here) so he owns a Pc to which he makes his livelihood off of and a Tablet for his meetings. Our Miss 9 owns an IPad for school as it’s now a requirement – what’s wrong with books by the way!? Mister 6 owns nothing! He will also require an IPad next year (grr) but for now, nothing.

Now, I am guilty of changing my phone every couple of years when the contract runs out, UP UNTIL NOW – this will not be happening until it physically does not work anymore this time round…

How do we “get away” with such little tech in our home you ask – simple – I say No to anything else – seriously, the kids have only asked a couple of times for a PlayStation4 because they own one at their fathers place & I sat down with them and explained that because we only get a certain amount of days together per week, I’d much rather spend time with them playing or drawing or exploring than in front of the tv. It took them a few weeks to get over it & a lot of patience on my behalf because of their winging & griping – but you know what? They rarely even ask for tv anymore & have forgotten the whole PlayStation thing… Now, this way of living takes more effort, more organisation & more thought, BUT it is SO WORTH IT! The kids & I cook, bake, play cards, play board games, they practice their skateboarding tricks & scooter skills, their homework is always done on time. We go for walks, in the summer they swim at the local pool, in winter we build forts inside & play imaginative games etc… This means I don’t get as many “breaks” as some parents would like & I’m ok with that. I understand that this way of life is not for everyone & I know that technology is here to stay & will eventually be running our world – but my little home does not have to be run by it & I’m going to do my best to keep it that way for as long as I can. I do not want us opening contributing to the tonnes of E Waste our country produces on a daily basis & I want to show my kids & anyone else that will listen, that there is a low-tech was of life that still exists and is fun to live.

Please, clean out your cupboards, drawers, desks & shelves of broken, outdated or otherwise useless E Waste, google where your local recycling points are for it all & feel the weight lifted from your clutter as another space opens in your world for Imagination, Re-Connection & creativity in your family life.

We have made the decision to declare June a “Spend Nothing “ month. And we are both excited & scared about what it will hold.

We have worked out the ground rules – I’ll list them below for anyone interested…

1/ We will NOT be buying ANYTHING NEW whatsoever… That’s a given…

2/ $$ are to be spent on necessities only…

To us that means no bought coffees, breakfasts, lunches etc.

3/ Extra curricular activities must be FREE,

We will not be paying for entertainment or activities to entertain ourselves – instead, we have been putting a list together of fun & free “date days/nights” that we can pick from if & when we want to.

4/ meal planning is a must

We are going to do our best to reduce our grocery spending for this month too by using every left over & freezer meal we own..

5/ Treats must be homemade. No sneaky bakery stops or ice cream shops 

6/ The car is to be used ONLY when it’s necessary.

This is made possible only because we live within walking distance to the kids school, my work & the local shopping precinct. We can walk, cycle or scooter to any of the things/places we need locally. This means I should only need the car max 3 times a week for going to teach my martial arts class as the location is unfortunately 25mins from my home. This is not something that can be changed at the moment, so it’s something we accept & I get that drive to chill & think without distraction. (Most of the time anyway haha)

7/ We have 3 Family Birthdates during the month of June

Hello handmade/homemade/regifting! I have planned in advance for this which is always a good idea. NO, I haven’t run out & bought all these new gifts – that would defeat the purpose of why we’re doing this. I have however, been doing my research into diy gifts & have added a few everyday items that will be easily used in this house, to my grocery list so that I can collect them & use them to create practical, nourishing, from the heart gifts for my family.

8/ We have pre-warned our kidlets & families of our plans

That way it isn’t a rude shock when we say “no thanks” to the spontaneous dinner out or nasty plastic toy at the local shop.

9/ We have agreed to talk about anything that arises

Or if we suddenly feel like we can’t “do this” or really want to splurge or any such thing. We are partners in life, which includes wifey’s crazy, with intention ideas that she makes the whole family get involved in 

I will do another blog post about Free Date Ideas that we’ve come up with for anyone looking for inspiration.

Peace

1/ Don’t buy water

Buying plastic bottles of water is entirely unnecessary unless you live somewhere with unsanitary water. Use reusable bottles when you go out, and keep a pitcher or filter jug refrigerated at home.

2/ Ditch paper towels

Paper towels might be convenient for cleaning or drying your hands, but you don’t need them. Use sponges and cloths for wiping and towels and dishcloths for drying instead.

3/ Eat your leftovers

Food waste is a big problem. Don’t throw away your leftovers or your cut-offs. You can have a leftover night or reuse anything from leftover chicken to vegetable odds and ends for stock.

4/ Learn about best before dates

People throw away too much food because they think the label tells them to. Learn what you can and can’t use after the date on the label to avoid trashing something that’s still edible.

5/ Keep an arts and crafts box

Before putting cardboard and other materials into recycling boxes, consider putting them in an arts and crafts box for the kids.

6/ Repair your clothes and shoes

It’s easy to make basic repairs to your clothes with some sewing skills or even just the right tools. If you can’t do it yourself, take it to a professional.

7/ Reuse sheets and towels

Old bedding and towels can find new life as lots of things, from cleaning rags to children’s clothes. Simply rip them up or get out a sewing machine to make something new.

8/ Have house water use rules

Set clear rules on how and when to use water in your home. Include things like not running the water while brushing teeth.

9/ Take reusable bags shopping

It’s so easy to take reusable bags to the store with you. Put one in any bag that you take out with you so that you always remember to take one.

10/ Use bar soap

Bar soap tends to use less packaging than liquid soap. Instead of a plastic bottle, it comes in a wrapper that’s often made of paper.

11/ Pick reusable baby products

If there’s a baby in the house still in nappies, choose reusable ones instead of disposables. You can also get reusable wipes and cloths instead of going through lots of wet wipes.

12/ Use eco-friendly menstrual products

Tampons and pads produce a lot of waste. Consider trying something more eco-friendly, such as a menstrual cup or reusable cloth pads. Both can be used over and over, and last for years.

13/ Look for less packaging

Many products have too much packaging. Try to look for those that have less or even no packaging at all. Use reusable produce bags to avoid the plastic ones.

14/ Make your own home and beauty products

You can make everything from kitchen cleaner to deodorant at home, and keep your products in reusable jars and bottles. Plus, you can keep it all natural.

15/ Buy refills

Instead of buying a brand new bottle of something every time you run out, look for refill packs. They often use much less packaging, and you can reuse the original bottle.

16/ Sell or give away things you no longer need

If you don’t need something anymore, don’t just throw it. Give it to a friend, list it on eBay or find your local Facebook selling group.

17/ Take a packed lunch to work

You might give your children lunch to take to school, but you can do the same. Take a packed lunch to work to avoid buying lunch with unnecessary packaging.

18/ Turn off lights and electricals

Turn off lights when you’re not in the room, and unplug electricals that you’re not using. You can save energy and save money on your energy bills.

19/ Choose paperless bills

You don’t need to receive your bills on paper if you’re able to see them online. The same is true for statements from your bank. Choose the paperless option to save paper.

20/ Get a reusable travel mug

Instead of buying a coffee every morning, fill up a reusable travel mug at home. Buy an insulated mug, and it will keep your drink hot. You’ll save time too.

21/ Only drive when necessary

You don’t need to drive everywhere if it’s possible to walk, take public transport or perhaps cycle. Try to cut down on how often you drive places to cut down on emissions.

22/ Drink loose leaf tea

If you’re a tea drinker, swap tea bags for loose leaf tea. You can brew it in a pot and use a strainer, or use an infuser ball for individual cups.

23/ Install LED light bulbs

Swap regular light bulbs for LEDs. They last a lot longer and use less energy, so you save on your energy bills and won’t have to change them as often.

24/ Only run your washing machine or dishwasher full

Save water and electricity by waiting until your washing machine and dishwasher are full before running them. Hunt around the house for clothes and dishes if you have to (especially if you have teenagers!).

25/ Line dry your clothes

Put your clothes out to dry on a washing line when it’s a sunny day. They’ll dry in no time, smell great from drying in the fresh air and help you save energy by not using the dryer.

There are so many small things that you can do to cut down on waste. Start becoming a zero waste family today.

So every year my love & I go on our Annual Motorcycle Ride for 2 weeks. Just us, our Motorcycle, A tent  and whatever we can fit in the bike bag on the back.

This is the ultimate back to basics test in my opinion haha 

I have evolved so much in the last few years… Once upon a time I was the woman at the Airport who needed to have the “heavy load” tag added to my suite case (and that was on the WAY to my destination, then normally another suite case was required to bring all the crap back that I’d wasted my time & money on while I was at my destination – YUCK!) anyway… These Days I am the EXACT OPPOSITE 

So what do I normally pack for our 2 week trip?

• 1 x pair of black leggings
• 4 x underwear
• 2 x pairs of socks
• 1 x bikini
• 1 x all weather jumper
• 3 x tops

I wear my jeans, a singlet, (a bralette) and my bike riding boots  

I throw in my travel brush & some tinted moisturiser … THATS IT.. 2 whole weeks.. Girls, I know, breathe… Haha 

We make sure we stay in a caravan park half way through or with family or friends half way through so that we can wash our stuff – sleep in an actual bed rather than a tent & have a home cooked meal…

I always take our 

• Keep cups
• Stainless steel straws
• Cutlery
• A couple of containers for takeaway
• Reusable Filter Water Bottle so that we can stop at any stage for a drink
• I also take 2 x cloth bags for any food shopping we do along the way

I always make sure I’ve checked out the major towns we’ll be stopping in along the way on the internet so that I know if they have a co-op or fresh food market or bulk food store that I can collect supplies in. This method is NOT fool proof as there are lots of little outback towns that look at you like you’re from mars when you ask them to fill your keep cup or ask for “no straw,” let alone a bulk food store.

I understand that the beautiful outback is a place where people can only get supplies a certain way & I think they’re amazing people for living & keeping those small towns alive & kicking for us to visit.

My advice for a near zero waste travel is to RESEARCH RESEARCH RESEARCH… Be prepared – take your reusables – and just do your best.

You will not do a perfect job the first few times round, it takes experience to get it down pat so don’t beat yourself up over it. Take small steps, even if it’s just saying no to plastic as much as possible while traveling.

Maybe choose to “dine in” everywhere rather than taking away your meals/drinks.

It doesn’t take a huge effort to take your reusable straws or keep cups or cloth bags etc… Every little bit helps…

Now… Souvenirs… Everyone has a different opinion … I believe that photographs, journaling & small everyday “things” that are along the way are perfectly acceptably. Now, let’s clear the the “things.” I’m meaning things like the Kockatoo Feather that I received from a flock of kockatoos as I was out on one of my early morning walks – they were feasting on some local berry bushes & chattering away so I stopped to watch them – one of them wandered over to me, fluttered his huge wings, and ruffled his feathers, not aggressively, but showing off – and out flew A feather, he then went & joined his buddies again – so I picked up the feather, thanked him & continued on my walk.

I also have a dried rose from my love’s & my first holiday together, he brought it on a romantic whim & I babied it the whole trip so that it got home somehow in one piece to be dried & preserved.

Collect memories, not cheap plastic souvenir crap that’s going to gather dust on a shelf for years & then be thrown out.

Kids “presents” from our trips are normally food or if they are in need of something practical I’ll try & purchase it while we’re on our trip & post it home so that they feel they’ve been thought of, but once again they don’t have cluttered rooms…

Pretty sure that’s the basics. Like always, if you have any questions, don’t hesitate to shoot me an email or comment on my Instagram so that I can do my best to answer you 

Until next time, safe, happy & Zero Waste travels be yours 

Journey so far… AND SOME EXCITING NEWS…

How is it already half way through February?! Anyone else think that time is speeding up?

So today is payday and when that day rolls around, normally most people go shopping …. Not this little black duck …. Today marks day 43 in my second no spend year – the interesting thing is some days are super easy & some days I just want to spend every cent I’ve worked my backside off to have. Anyone else feel this way?

I have discovered that having children makes “no spend “ even more interesting… Anyway, things are going well. I really want to focus on reducing my possessions again as it always brings me clarity of mind and I learn to appreciate what I have even more. I also want to go through my kids possessions as I feel like their stuff is slowly taking over their rooms. It’s amazing how even though we strive for a zero waste – minimalistic- low carbon footprint kind of life, stuff creeps in. Well meaning people give your kids “samples” or “prizes” for participating (that’s a whole other can of worms for a later date blog) and being kids they happily accept, play with it for 2 minutes & then it disappears into the toy basket never to see the light of day again…

I am considering a purchase at the moment, I have a month to think about it as The end of March marks a special date – My love’s Birth date (its kinda a big deal, the big 5.0.!)so I have several ideas that I am mindfully & consciously considering as a gift… He is the kind of man who has had the same shorts for the last 6 years, that he washes & wears – only because of me have the t shirts with holes been downgraded to the rag bag & “new” (op shopped) shirts have taken their place – you catch my drift, he is one of the most minimalistic people I know. So a gift for him requires a lot of thought & must have meaning…

ON A ZERO WASTE NOTE… My love went to put the bin out for emptying last Wednesday & came hurriedly up the stairs calling out for me. I was concerned that there was a snake or something as one had been spotted in the neighboring yard, but no, he wanted to let me know that our Wheely bin was EMPTY! We had gone through our first official week putting NOTHING in landfill!!!! This is huge!!! It has taken 2 years of this zero Waste journey to get to this point and I was so happy I squealed haha I know this will not be the case every week, but It’s a goal and we are working our butts off daily to achieve it  

Thanks for reading, let me know what you’d like me to blog about to do with Zero Waste – Family – Budget – Veganism with a family etc… I’m an open book & willing to share whatever knowledge I gain

Shopping Zero Waste is becoming easier by the day. Here are some easy tips/tricks:

1/ Reusable Bags 

They’re everywhere – and they’re your first step in the right direction- now, don’t be fooled by those “reusable” plastic ones that all the major supermarkets are pushing, they’re horrible! They Last maybe 3 shops & then you’re stuck with thick plastic bags to try n dispose of – not good! I have op shopped some of my reusable bags, purchased some & been given others as gifts. I carry 2 in my handbag, ones that fold easily, this way I find I am never caught without one if I happen to need to carry more than my hands can handle. I always have some in the boot of my car. And I have taken to keeping one at work as well – this pretty much guarantee’s that I’m not caught without one. I make a habit of putting the ones that need to go back in car at our back doorstep so that I basically trip over them haha, this way they get taken back to the car.

2/ Reusable produce bags.

They’re pretty much everywhere now. My local fruit n veg shop even stocks them now after seeing me use them a couple of times, the owners daughter asked about them & then a few weeks later when I ducked in there, low n behold they were selling them. I normally shop at farmers markets as they’re generally cheaper, fresher & more local produce, but on those odd occasions, I choose to support my local fruit n veg shop. I try & avoid the big supermarkets, especially for fruit n veg! I’m not perfect, still so far from it, but I’m a work In progress. *bonus note* netted produce bags double as great wash bags in your washing machine! FYI… you’re welcome
You can either purchase Produce bags, or sew them yourself from old sheets, netting curtains etc etc – I am blessed with extremely creative friends who sewed me personally monogrammed produce bags for my Birthdate last year so amazing! It helps to have friends that support your lifestyle choices.

3/ Reusable Containers – Jars – Boxes etc.

I personally believe that we should use what we already have before we go purchasing anything. If you used to be a Tupperware junkie in a previous life & your drawers/cupboards are full of the stuff – use it! Don’t produce MORE waste by donating it or throwing it away just so you can “look the part “ and go spend all these $$ on the latest reusable stainless steal containers or vogue designed Jars that match your decor  I have op shopped Tupperware, jars that have come with sauces or something else in them, that I simply wash & reuse. I collect the plastic bags that would otherwise get thrown out at work (after only one use ) and I bring them home, wash them & use them to store produce in my crisper in the fridge or collect the cat litter or for projects that the kids do at school… the list goes on. I cannot think of the last “new” container that I purchased?? Why would you is my question most of the time ha ha…

Now comes to where I shop.. Let’s get real…

We are a typical middle class Aussie family. My husband has his own business that he runs from his home office. I as above mentioned, manage a coffee shop. We have 2 kidlets, a mortgage, one car, 2 motorcycle’s & a cat. 

We do our best to manage the money that comes in, all while doing our best to live this zero waste lifestyle that I’m so passionate about. Having said that, We are not completely zero waste *yet* – and that’s ok – when our budget allows for it, I do completely package free, Zero Waste shops. When it doesn’t, I simply do my best.

Take last week for instance – We had our usual home bills, plus School fees due, plus excursion fees due (why they’re already having an excursion is beyond me, they’ve only been back a school 3 weeks haha) Skateboarding school fees due, advertising fees due for my martial arts class that I run – the list went on – and we still needed to eat! I sat down, looked at what we had in the pantry/fridge/freezer & then built our meals around that. I had already been to our local farmers markets that Saturday, then I went to our local Bulk food store (The Source bulk food store Maroochydore) and filled my repurposed jars with a few small goodies that I don’t like to buy in packaging because it only comes in plastic at the supermarket. Then I went to the supermarket, yes a big chain store one, and I did my best to only purchase what we NEEDED and for that stuff to at least come in Reusable or recyclable packaging. We ate really well still, I will not compromise our health for $$, and I did some negotiating on when bills needed to be finalised with various people. I half paid them where I could & promised to pay the rest this week, which I will honour my word by doing so, and this week I will do my best again.

This journey isn’t perfect people, it’s real, it’s messy, it’s frustrating, its wasteful at times even… BUT, it’s dreamy, hope filled & all round freaking amazing when you look at it too.

Start somewhere, do something & feel goof about it. Choose to reuse that takeaway container you accidentally accumulated by taking it with you to the deli for your olives or to the bulk food store to fill it with goodies  put a foldable reusable bag in your handbag & use it instead of a plastic one next time you shop. Save that pasta sauce jar & store leftovers in it instead of purchasing plastic containers to do so.

Small, simple steps are actually all it takes to make a difference. And before you know it, it’s habit & you’re rocking the Zero Waste lifestyle. 

While many look like they’re made of paper, they contain plastic linings that don’t biodegrade.

Disposable coffee cups are estimated to be the second largest contributor to litter waste after plastic bottles.

With Australians’ growing love of coffee, without action the problem could become even worse.

That equates to 20 million new plastic bags being used every day.

Around 200,000 are sent to landfill every single hour.

Plastic bags are a global problem, with millions ending up in the ocean each year.

It’s not surprising that so many countries have sought to restrict plastic bag use by making retailers charge for each one they give to consumers, or even banning them completely.