Today is World Environment Day with the theme, “Seven Billion Dreams. One Planet. Consume with Care.”
Watch the World Environment Day 2015 Official Video:
So, how do you begin living with less? Here are 4 things you can do today that will not only help you live with less, but will help you live a less stressful life:
Declutter
As you know, we are not fans of clutter. We encourage all of our clients–residential and commercial–to throw out or donate everything they don’t need or use. Struggling to decide if it is something you think you might need? We love this tip from Apartment Therapy: “Take and hide everything you think you could do without for a few months, to give yourself distance to be able to give them away.” Once you realize how much you really don’t need, donate or recycle the hidden items. Do this trick every few months and you will keep stripping away all unnecessary items from your home–leaving you with a more simple lifestyle.
Clean Out Your Closet
According to Becoming Minimalist, we wear 20% of the clothes 80% of the time, leaving all of us with a closet full of things we don’t need. First, take out seasonal items and box them up for storage (MakeSpace will pick up and deliver items to and from a storage facility). Next, get rid of all items that no longer fit or are out of style–consider donating them to charity, selling them to a local thrift shop or hosting a clothing swap with friends. For items you just can’t seem to part with, try this tip from Refinery 29: “Compile everything in an opaque bag, tie it up, and hide it in the back of your closet. If, after a year (yes, a year), you haven’t gone snooping in that bag for something you forgot, just drop the whole thing off at your local charity.” You will be amazed at how much better you feel when your closet isn’t crammed with clothes and shoes (and how much easier it is to get dressed in the morning!)
Think Multipurpose
Before you head out to the store, look for ways to reuse what you already have such as old magazine racks being used to store kitchen paper products, turning placemats into coasters or using old coffee mugs to house your indoor herb garden (they look great on your windowsill). If you must go out and shop, always look for items that serve multiple purposes in your home. A couch that is also a bed, an ottoman that can be used for storage, a shelf that turns into a desk–you get the idea.
Eat Healthy
“The reduction of artificial wastes and packaging materials is probably the most tangible benefit to the environment,” writes Mark’s Daily Apple. Buy local as much as possible, purchase meats from organic farms (LocalHarvest has a list) and grow your own vegetables (Apartment.com offers tips for growing vegetable gardens on a balcony or patio). Get into the habit of making a weekly meal plan before you head to the grocery store as well as keeping an inventory of what you have on hand. If you have a nice pantry area, consider buying some food in bulk (think beans, oils and flour), putting them in your own reusable containers or bags. Checkout grocery stores such as Fairway Market in Brooklyn (and other NYC locations) that have a wide-variety of bulk food options or join a food co-op such as the 4th Street Food Co-op in East Village Great way to save money and the environment.
Talk to us: What is your best tip for living better by living with less? Happy World Environment Day!