Updating the Kitchen

Our kitchen has been one of the sore spots in our decor since we first bought our house. After 2 years, we had to do something about it. While it would certainly make a big difference to replace the cupboards entirely (and I really pushed for it for a while), we both agreed that this would not be a very green thing to do since our cupboards are perfectly functional.


We finally agreed that a change of hardware would give us the update we needed. I think you'll agree based on the pictures that the handles on the cabinets were definitely keeping our kitchen locked in the 80s. 


Hardware's not enough of a change for you? Consider refacing the cupboards instead of completely replacing them. It will save you thousands of dollars as well. 

Volunteering

Had a great day! I volunteered with Feed My Starving Children today. I helped package 684 meals in under 2 hours. That's over 1 year, 9 months worth of food for a child! Each box we filled was made up of nutrient-packed single servings that would guarantee the kids being served a fulfilling meal a day for at least a year. It doesn't sound like much, but these same kids would otherwise just hope to have a meal every 3 days. I will definitely be volunteering with Feed My Starving Children again. I'm so excited to add one more element of social responsibility to my life.

Getting ready for the garden

I got so excited to see seeds at the store this weekend. My big plan this summer is to start a garden. In Minnesota, this means starting the planting season indoors. Since I just planted my first flower garden last spring and have no idea if it will even survive the winter, I guess I'm being a bit presumptuous to assume I should start a vegetable garden before the snow melts.

Despite the possibility that my gardening skills may cause more harm then good, I eagerly walked into Bachman's to buy all things necessary for indoor gardening. I boldly chose a variety of heirloom* and organic seeds without help from staff. As I checked out, I casually asked, "so when should I start these seeds?"

Turns out, I really am overzealous. Of the seeds I selected, only the tomatoes, broccoli, and bell peppers need to be started indoors. And, they don't need to start until at least the end of March. Like I so often did in high school, I guess I started my countdown to summer too early. But in order to hold on to my sunshine bright glimmer of hope, I bought the seeds anyway. Now my indoor garden sits in its packaging in a window, waiting for my gardening countdown to reach 0.


*Heirloom seeds are seeds that have been handed down from generations passed. Often, people save their heirloom seeds from year to year and may hand them down over generations. Over time, many of these cultivars have died out, much like an extinct species. By planting heirloom seeds, gardens are given greater variety and flavor. In addition, genetic diversity (which I view as life-enriching) is protected. And overall, I like the connection to a deep sense of history I get by planting such old varieties of food.

Want to save water?

A cheap way to save water as well as your wallet is to limit how much water you use when you flush. Since we're not in a position to buy a dual flush toilet right now (and it'd be wasteful to get rid of a perfectly good toilet anyway) we limit our water usage by putting a milk jug filled with water in the tank. This limits how full the tank gets, and therefore prevents the bowl from filling too full as well. This also still leaves enough water to...take care of business.

And while I'm on the subject of toilets, I'll take this opportunity to mention we also buy toilet paper made from recycled paper. I thought this would be a tough transition from our cushy Charmin, but it does the job just fine.

Got Snow?

Today's simple tip:

Skip the snowblower. Reduce your carbon footprint and get some exercise. If I can shovel snow onto piles literally as tall as me, I have confidence that you can too!