Hi Elsa / Blog

Design / Lifestyle / Less is More

I believe that the ‘less is more’ principle that I apply to my design sensibility is also relevant to lifestyle choices, so I’m trying my best to apply it accordingly. I really admire people who fully commit and make it a life choice, like the family at Zero Waste Home, but there are smaller steps to take that we can feel good about and not have to sacrifice too much of our lifestyle/time. I’ve compiled some of the few simple ones that I’ve adapted and use regularly in our home.

Make your own stuff
I’ve posted before about making my own cleaning supplies, and I can proudly say 9 months later that I’m still adding to my natural cleaning arsenal to this day. I started with just laundry detergent, and now make all my own hand soaps and cleaning sprays. I also invested in a drying rack (Inspired by this post by Ashley of Small Measure, a great resource), and now rarely use my dryer (except for towels I want to be warm and fluffy).

More cloth, less paper
In the kitchen I’ve slowly replaced paper with cloth. I bought a bunch of drying towels and use chopped up old clothes/fabric as rags for cleaning. Replacing paper napkins with cloth ones makes every meal feel special, they are easy to make, and you can always find cute affordable ones on etsy.

A tote for every occasion
For groceries I have a collection of tote bags I take to the store, and recently purchased some produce bags from Baggu, which have eliminated the need for those pesky plastic produce bags. Baggu also has a foldable reusable bag that is amazing, I carry one in my purse at all times and it always comes in handy for unplanned purchases.

Buy used before new
We spend a lot of time in thrift stores trying to find cute things for the house (proof here). I recently found a 12 in cast iron skillet at Goodwill for $7! Great stuff can also be found at yard sales and Craigslist. Not everything is appropriate to buy used, but next time you need something, consider finding a pre-loved object you can give new life to before buying a new one.




Rechargeable is the way to go, but dispose properly
As avid video game players, we go through a lot of batteries, so we recently switched to rechargeable batteries, and let me tell you- they’re a game changer (sorry). A new set of batteries is always ready to go, so no need to wait to play ‘cause you have to go to the store. More fun, less errands.



Trying to find a place to recycle or properly dispose of toxic stuff, like said rechargeable batteries, CFL light bulbs and electronics, can be a bit of a challenge. I did a bit of digging and it turns out there are some convenient (US-based) recycling options:

CFL light bulbs: Ikea / Home Depot / Lowes




CDs/DVDs, Gift Cards
: Best Buy



Inkjet cartridges: Best Buy / Staples /  Office Depot / Goodwill




Rechargeable Batteries
: Best Buy / Staples / Lowes




Electronics and Accessories: (towers, monitors, printers, cables, mice etc.)

For electronics there is usually a small fee at the chain stores, but Goodwill has a great program that will take almost anything for free- you can also look into local charities that might recycle electronics and give find them a new home, similar to Free Geek here in Portland.

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There might be future additions to this post as I try new things and apply them, it’s all trial and error, not everything works for everyone, but small changes can make a big difference, so it’s always worth a try.

Additional Resources:

Cloth Napkins: Skinny Laminx / Linea Carta / Soraam
Natural Cleaning : The Naturally Clean Home, by Karyn Siegel-Maier
Reusable Bags: Baggu / Ecobags