It all started in the bathroom. After reading about parabens, I pulled every bottle off the shelf and took a hard look at the ingredient labels. I was shocked at the toxins hiding behind the unrecognizable words and the sheer length of the list. Once I replaced my personal care products with safe, Environmental Working Group approved alternatives I turned my diligent scrutiny to the rest of the house.

My sense of distrust grew rapidly. The more I read about the hidden toxins around the house, the more upset I was that I was being unknowingly exposed to these things. I had thought that these things were regulated, that everything in my home was tested for its safety and effectiveness.

I couldn’t have been more wrong. From the chemicals stuffed in our mattresses to the leaching plastic liners in our canned food, everything is presumed safe until it is proven to be harmful to humans. Unfortunately, this testing takes years, if it’s done at all, and even then it’s difficult to get it removed. And by then we have been smearing it on our bodies and breathing it in daily for years.

Make It Easier

It gets exhausting being your own scientist, investigator, and researcher, but it doesn’t have to be so hard. I made a list of all of the products that you can easily swap around your house to stay safe and live more sustainably. Check out the full article on Rodale’s Organic Life.

Related:

What you need to know about parabens.

Clean up your beauty routine. Top ingredients to avoid. Myths about cosmetic safety.

Are you bathing in toxins?

Is organic worth it? Some scary truths about pesticides.

What toxic substances are regulated? How do they developing affect kids? What’s the link between pesticides and A.L.S.?

The Pomodoro Technique completely changed the way I work and organize my time.

I started using the Pomodoro Technique without any research or real understanding. I had read a piece from Zen Habits about setting a timer and working for the entire time. When I was playing with the idea a coworker introduced me to the Pomodoro Technique. Built in breaks?!? I was sold.

My productivity increased greatly! It was easier for me to end procrastination and tackle difficult tasks with the timer ticking. Even the most challenging thing on my to-do list doesn’t seem so bad if I only have to do it for 30 minutes. Of course most tasks take more than that, but mentally it’s easier to handle.

8 Tips to Increase Your Productivity

1. Stay on task. It’s so tempting to jump around your to-do list or get stuck in your inbox. But when the timer is running, you are only doing one task at a time. I frequently move the tab or application I am working in to its own desktop so I can’t be tempted to play in other tabs. It’s only 25 minutes. You can stay focused for that long.

2. No cheating. No pausing your timer so you can surf the web or otherwise procrastinate. I will, however, pause for bathroom breaks. When you are on your third liter of water for the day, waiting for 20 minutes can get dicey.

3. Keep the momentum going. It feels great to finish 25 minutes of an uninterrupted task. It feels even better when you finish the day with five or six solid sessions.

4. Respect the breaks. When it’s five minutes, don’t take 30. On the other hand, when I’m in the flow I will often skip the breaks and go straight into the next session. This is great for writing or staying on task, but eventually I burn out. Keep track of how many breaks you skip and reward yourself at the end with the total (skip three breaks, enjoy 15 minutes of free time).

5. Tell people about it. No, I don’t mean try to convert everyone, but letting your coworkers or family know that you are working for an intensely-focused 25 minutes at a time can help prevent distractions. Make it clear that when you are working or you put up some sort of signal like headphones you are not to be interrupted. It can be a bit of an awkward conversation, but explaining how much your productivity has increased and how it makes you more focused on the task at hand can go a long way.

6. No phone. Turn all the noises and bright flashes off. Put it in the drawer. Whatever it takes. No phone, no texting, and definitely no social media. Everyone that I normally text with throughout the day knows that I might not respond for 30 minutes or so. Or more because I’m terrible at checking my phone.

7. Schedule. Block off your calendar for uninterrupted blocks in the length of your Pomodoro session. It takes a little while to know exactly how much time specific tasks will take you, so be generous when you are first starting out.

8. Make it work for you. The Pomodoro Technique is meant to help you stay focused and get your work done. If you work better in 45 minute bursts with 15 minute breaks, do that! If you need shorter chunks later in the day, go for it.

While the traditional method is 25 minutes of work and a five minute break in between, I changed my timer to 30 minutes of work with a five minute break. I track my time for freelance projects, and trying to tally up a hoard of 25 minutes was a severe pain.

Resources

I use the free Pomodoro One timer on my computer. It’s also a phone app. I like that it has the time increments built in and it tracks my sessions. I’m much more honest with the app than with a plain timer I’m setting myself.

This video breaks down how it works. I love their six objectives and how to customize the Pomodoro Technique to fit you and your work/study needs.

Any timer works. However, I would recommend not using your phone – it’s too tempting to read your message or notifications when you are checking to see how much time you have left. Tim Ferriss notoriously uses a plain kitchen timer.

The key to a fantastic, minimalist wardrobe? A fearless tailor.

Finding a great tailor can transform your wardrobe. From making everything in your closet look like it was made for you to helping you mend your favorite pieces, a tailor can keep your clothes sharp.

So happy to have this dress back in my life! My brother and I circa 2011.

If you are anything like me, you hate pretty much everything you put on in the dressing room. It never fits right. Love everything about a piece except for the details of its fit? A tailor customizes the clothes to your body and taste.

Even better, a tailor can extend the life of your clothes. I recently brought in a dress (picture above) that I had taken in when I was in college. A few years later (and some new muscle mass), I could no longer breathe or sit down in it. Necessities in my book. I took it back in and they let it out in just the right places so it fits like a dream and I won’t pass out. Score!

My tailor has fixed holes in my sleeves, rips along seams, and gaping waistbands of stretched jeans. While I would love to be able to do these things myself, the reality is that it will never happen. Being able to take it to someone with the expertise and equipment is worth every penny to me.

If I’m not sure about an item, but I see potential, I buy it and bring it in to my tailor to see what we can do with it. If I still don’t like it after seeing my options, I take it back.

I feel great in every item in my closet. I know they all fit the way I want them to. Instead of constantly tugging at hems or trying to tuck things just right, I don’t think about my clothes or how they look once they’re on. I have no tolerance for clothes that don’t fit. I either get them fixed or they’re out. This means that I love, and wear, everything in my closet.

I’m in a huge cleaning mode right now. There’s something about the warm weather that makes me want to open all of the windows and scrub until it shines.

While I’m one of those people who enjoys cleaning (I’m a sucker for instant satisfaction), I can’t stand excessive scrubbing or time wasted. I’m very conscious of the chemicals that I bring into my house. The cleaning products we use end up rinsed down the drain and flushed into our oceans, bays, and rivers. Sewage treatment plants cannot pull the bleach and other caustic chemicals out of the waste water before it is discharged into the environment.

All of these DIY cleaning recipes are effective and safe for you and the environment. They will help you clean your home from top to bottom!

5 DIY Cleaning Recipes

Homemade Stain Remover
Remove tough stains from your laundry, carpet, and upholstery with this two-ingredient recipe.

DIY Castile Laundry Soap
Use your food processor and have six months of laundry soap done in five minutes. If only you could do the laundry the fast.

Hardwood Floor Cleaner
All you need is this easy spray and a microfiber cloth to make this effective hardwood floor cleaner. The cleaner removes dirt and grime without harming the finish of the wood. You can use any flat mop or even re-use an old Swiffer mop.

Homemade All-Purpose Spray
From counters to sinks, this cleaner cuts grime just about anywhere. I mostly use it for sticky bits on the counter and tough grease on the cabinets and stove-top. It’s also great to disinfect the counters before making jam or rolling out cookie dough on them.

Castile Soap Toilet Bowl Cleaner
There isn’t much, if anything that I won’t clean with castile soap. A teaspoon or two is plenty to clean even the dirtiest toilet. You can clean the whole bathroom with it! For a sparkling toilet, squirt a teaspoon or so of castile soap into the bowl before scrubbing with a brush.

Smelly Shoe Spray
Goodbye, stinky shoes! Beat the feet smell with this easy spray. Use it after each wear to keep your shoes and feet fresh.

Related:

Paper towel alternatives

Cheap and effective dorm cleaning

Do you know what’s in your cleaner?

I cannot get enough minimalist wardrobe inspiration. I could spend all day looking at people’s capsule wardrobes or tiny closets.

In the process of creating my own minimalist wardrobe, I sought out inspiration from all different sources. Whether you love fashion and want to mix up your wardrobe every three months or you just want to not have to think about what to wear anymore, there’s inspiration in here for everyone.

Minimalist Wardrobe Inspiration

Blogs:

Project 333
One of the first “capsule wardrobe” bloggers, Courtney from Be More With Less started a movement around wearing 33 items for 3 months. Her 33 items include clothing, accessories, jewelry, outerwear and shoes. Her blog has helpful tips for trying out Project 333 yourself as well as outfit posts and encouragement. Need a little more help getting started? Check out her course with worksheets.

Unfancy
Caroline’s blog was my first real introduction to capsule wardrobes. Her photos are stunning, and I love her outfits. While she isn’t doing a strict capsule anymore, she is still posting guides on defining your style as well as her uniforms. Her photos are full of light and mostly classic pieces. Added bonus – she is beginning her foray into ethical fashion! Follow along for brands to keep an eye out for and how to curate an ethical wardrobe. Don’t miss her free wardrobe planner.

Private Life of a Girl
Transparency, quality, and key pieces are all a focus for Sophie from Birmingham, UK. Her posts feature the key pieces of her minimalist wardrobe as well as tips on how to create your own. She digs into slow fashion and how to keep a minimal wardrobe exciting.

Reading My Tea Leaves
Erin is very thoughtful about what she adds to her wardrobe (and puts on her blog). Her simple approach to her closet is refreshing. Want to be really impressed? Check out her wedding dress that she still wears.

Into Mind
This blog is perfect for the Type A, Just Tell Me What To Do people. There are so many guides and worksheets to help you wrangle your closet into the minimalist wardrobe you dream of.

Articles:

These articles will get you ready to clean out your closet and start your minimalist wardrobe. While I highlight the one post from each of these bloggers, I highly recommend a dip into the rest of their site for more inspiration.

A Practical Guide to Owning Fewer Clothes
Ten steps to get you to your goal plus a dose of motivation to keep you going.

Cait Flanders’ Teeny Tiny Wardrobe
If you are looking to create a micro-wardrobe, or just want to see one in action, Cait’s where it’s at. She inspires me to make my items do quadruple duty and donate the ones that just don’t need to be there.

Vivianna Does Makeup’s Spring Capsule
While I may think the best part of this video is her accent, I love seeing what she puts in her capsules. I also really appreciate that she shows clothes I can’t buy since she’s in London. No temptation, all inspiration.

5 Reasons Why You Should Have a Minimal Wardrobe – Joo Joo Azad
Sometimes you just need a little nudge to finally leap.

Pack Like a Minimalist
And make your next trip of any length a breeze. (Am I the only one obsessed with seeing what other people pack?)

More:

See my 53 piece minimalist wardrobe.

My workout clothes.

How to Create a Minimalist Wardrobe From Your Closet

My minimalist workout wardrobe fits in one drawer, but it contains more than most people would probably expect. My exercise clothes take up half of my minimalist wardrobe. While it takes up less space than the rest of my clothes, my minimalist workout wardrobe has more pieces in it than my daily wardrobe.

I strongly believe that your wardrobe should reflect and support your lifestyle. These clothes are my bread and butter. They let me do the things I love! And the number of items I have may seem like a lot, but they get me through all four seasons and my favorite activities like running, yoga, CrossFit, Olympic lifting, and couch potatoing.

Minimalist Workout Wardrobe

Bottoms
5 cropped leggings
5 shorts
3 full length leggings (2 winter running tights, 1 regular)
2 running tights
2 bike shorts (with cushioned pad, not the ’90s shorts we all loved)
1 yoga pant

Tops
7 sports bras (many halfway out the door)
7 long sleeve tees
6 tanks
2 sweatshirts
3 quick-dry, no-chafe tees
1 running jacket

Shoes
1 pair running shoes
1 pair training shoes (worn to CrossFit/gym)
1 pair lifting shoes
1 pair of trail running shoes

Other
3 lap swim suits
2 pairs arm warmers (1 pair for warmth, the other is thin and cooling for sun protection)

Total (minus shoes): 49 pieces

How is this Minimalist?

I’ll be the first to admit that this seems like a lot of stuff. But the large number fits my lifestyle and gives me more freedom and less stress. I workout six days a week, sometimes seven when I’m in the middle of a training cycle. This means I go through a lot of clothes. I’m not the kind of person who can rewear exercise clothes, not because I think it’s gross but because I get gross. I sweat through my clothes during most of my workouts.

Because I hang dry all of my clothes and I do my laundry once a week, I need to be able to make it through 8 days of exercise (seven plus an extra for laundry day).

My 50 pieces get me through my highest volume of training – the most stressful sections  – without having to squeeze in extra laundry or worry about having clothes. It lets me focus on the things that are actually important.

A video posted by Mandy Ferreira (@treading_lightly) on May 5, 2016 at 4:48pm PDT

Double Duty

It’s no secret that I love activewear. And, let’s be totally honest, these items are my favorite in my wardrobe. They bring me immense joy, and since I work from home, I can often wear them all day long.

Working Towards Less

While I have already sold and donated quite a few things, I am being really thoughtful about what I have and questioning how much I need. Right now I’m going to keep what I have, but as things wear out there are some that just won’t get replaced. For instance I have two fleece sweatshirts, which isn’t necessary but I do wear them both weekly. At some point in the distant future I would like to replace both of them with one really nice fleece. Same for my bike shorts. The support tank, a long sleeve, and a running tight likely won’t be replaced.

Is this the right number for everyone? No! Is it the right number for me? Yes.

Can you make do with less? Absolutely! This is just what works for me.

I have been anxiously awaiting the release of Minimalism: A Documentary About the Important Things since they first started talking about it at least a year ago. Despite my high expectations, the film didn’t disappoint.

Minimalism is a must see for anyone who wants a little inspiration to be less stressed, more fulfilled, and more connected with themselves and the people around them.

I went into the film feeling a bit like I’ve heard all of Joshua Fields Millburn’s and Ryan Nicodemus’ stories over and over. I was worried it would be another retelling of how they got into minimalism, but instead they crafted an incredible film full of fascinating people who have made their lives more meaningful. They didn’t even focus solely on the “stuff,” but rather they delved into how over-working and constantly distracting ourselves led us away from living the lives we want.

Minimalism was visually stunning. The scenery throughout was amazing, and the music was so good I’m hoping they release the soundtrack.

I also really enjoyed seeing what it was like for The Minimalists on their book tour a couple of years ago when a handful of people would attend and comparing to how many people show up now. People know who they are, and minimalism is clearly spreading.

From fast fashion to information overwhelm to expanding homes to fit all of our stuff, the film took a holistic look at our discontent and our consumption of all things. They delved into the environmental impact of our lifestyles, something they have avoided in the past, and put minimalism in the context of the global community instead of just inside our closets.

Despite it being a pretty heavy topic with terrifying footage of people fighting each other over Black Friday deals, there were times where I laughed. There were also so many times where I found myself nodding along and thinking ‘yes, that’s me.’

Of all of the many incredible people featured in the film, I really connected with Dan Harris, the author of 10% Happier and ABC news anchor. He and I are the over-worriers. The stressed-out over achievers. The ones who make ourselves sick because that’s what we do best.

“For a guy who spent his whole life worrying and thinking that my worrying was the edge I had over everybody else because I knew I was going to be more anxious more compulsive than any of my competitors, I realized that there is a certain amount of worrying that is what I call ‘constructive anguish’ and then there’s just useless rumination that’s just making you miserable.” Dan Harriss

I didn’t leave the theater transformed – perhaps I’m already past that point. But I did leave it comforted by how many other people sat in the theater next to me, nodding along and thinking about how they want to live more meaningful lives.

For more on The Minimalists, check out their blog, books, and podcast.

You can’t “snap” me. I likely will not see your Tweet. I don’t actually check my Facebook. I don’t have a Foursquare account or Yelp or Beme or whatever the kids are into these days. These social media platforms don’t add value to my life. They don’t bring me joy. So I don’t use them regularly.

Minimizing my social media accounts and the amount of time I spend on the few I kept gave me a sense of calm and control. It was too overwhelming to try to keep up with everything and everyone.

In an effort to consume intentionally and cut out the things that don’t add value to my life, I have drastically reduced my use of social media.

Conscious Consumption

It is so easy to spend an hour scrolling through Pinterest, liking photos on Instagram, and stalking elementary school classmates on Facebook. But that’s not how I want to spend my time. I don’t want to mindlessly scroll because it keeps me from actually listening to my thoughts or attending to the task at hand.

Now when I check in I am conscious of the time I am spending and I am careful to not overstay my welcome. I give myself a general time limit, and as much as it was a struggle in the beginning, I try to only check my main accounts once a day. I went from scrolling Instagram every extra second I found to once in the evening (where I usually stay longer than intended, but I’m working on it).

Letting Go of Pressure

When I first started really examining my social media behavior, I felt a lot of pressure to be on platforms and be a social media maven. So many posts on news and career sites boast how great it is to have a massive following and chide you for not having thousands fall at your feet on social media.

The pressure was getting to be way too much. I was stressing myself out about something that wasn’t really going to make or break my life like these sites claimed. Of course more followers can help you look better in a job interview or widen your audience, but that doesn’t mean that you will be more fulfilled or that those followers will actually engage with you.

Less is Better

In keeping with my “less is better” belief, I decided to focus my efforts on the social media platforms that fit my needs and interests best. For the most part this means I’m on Instagram. Every once in a while I also check in or post on Twitter. Pinterest is a place I keep ideas and bookmarks, not somewhere I try to get followers. Facebook is a rarity – I posted once in the last year.

It took me a little while to admit that this is the life I want. I don’t want to be tied to my phone or the Internet. I like enjoying my day in RL. I am happier without it.