Crunchy? Silky? Crispy at best?

Crunchy? Silky? Or as Abbie Halberstadt has coined it, crispy at best? These are words used to describe where you fall on the spectrum of natural living. As I began my journey of marriage, homemaking, and motherhood, I knew I wanted to make the best choices for my family. I wanted to bring things in our home that would be good for our health and wellness. But being a 90s kid with your typical 90s mom, I was starting from scratch! Since those early days, I have learned so much and would consider myself pretty crunchy. According to some, I still have a long way to go, but I do my best to be a wise steward and make low-tox choices.

Over the past decade of homemaking I have researched, read articles, listened to podcasts, and gleaned wisdom from people I trust. Little by little, changes added up, and we are living a more natural lifestyle. I try to not be one who is swayed by every new fad that blows my direction (there are a million of those! Thank you social media!) Some have merit to them, some do not. I desire to employ wisdom and stewardship in every facet of my life, even down to the “little things” such as what laundry detergent will we use and what foods will we choose to consume or avoid. These seem like minute details of life, but in a toxin-ridden world, they add up!

Part of the stewardship I have as a wife, mother, and homemaker is to do what I can with the resources God has given us to make my home a haven- a safe place. I want our bodies and health to thrive. This means I am aware of what we eat, wash our dishes and clothes with, clean our home with, and so on. I want us to be able to be the best we can be for the Lord. I fully understand that there are things far beyond my control, but when it’s something I can control, I try to do so wisely.

Going back to the early days me… When I began to realize the overwhelming amount of toxins and chemicals found in almost every product we use on a daily basis, I decided it was time to make some changes! I started where everyone recommends you begin- in the cleaning cabinet. As one supply ran out, instead of running to Walmart for more Windex or bleach, I did some research and made a more natural swap. Now, I can safely hand my cleaning caddy to my 8 year old daughter without fearing that she will die of chemical exposure (we do still teach safety and how to properly handle cleaning solutions!) I cringe when I think of all the “cleaners” I rubbed all over everything thinking I was eradicating germs. It might have accomplished that, but it was also introducing so many toxins into our home. There’s a saying that goes “the nose knows!” Well, it does! Trust it. When you pursue a low-tox lifestyle, you’ll quickly find that your nose will tell you when something is toxin laden!

Where to Begin

A cleaning spray bottle next to a bowl of baking soda and some lemons.

-Start with easy swaps.

When you run out of a cleaning supply, instead of replacing it with the same brand item, do a quick search and try to find a more natural solution.

-Start with one area of the home.

What room do you think needs the most overhaul? The laundry room? The kitchen? The bathroom? Focus on one area.

If it is the laundry room, look to make little swaps as you run out of things. Out of detergent = look for a more natural option. Out of dryer sheets = swap for wool dryer balls, you can even add essential oils to them for scent. Out of bleach = that’s ok! Your whites don’t need it anyway! Hang them out in the sun for a few hours, and voila! Bright as new!

-Opt for reusable options.

Cleaning supplies like paper towels, wipes, plastic bottles, etc can all be easily replaced with reusable options. These are better for the environment and much better on the budget! I have a cleaning caddy that I keep stocked with rags to replace paper towels, glass bottles to refill with homemade cleaners, and so on.

-Utilize nature.

It is amazing how God designed the world for our good. The simplest things like I mentioned above about using sunshine to brighten your whites work! Some other natural elements to implement in your home might be opening the windows or having plants that clean the air. Did you know that even opening your windows for 10 minutes a day can cause a huge difference in the air quality of your home?!

-Dust.

I know, it’s not a fun job, but keeping up with the dusting is a huge aspect of keeping a clean home. Dusting regularly reduces allergens, inhibits mold growth, reduces asthma and respiratory symptoms, and improves indoor air quality.

Favorite Cleaners and Cleaning Supplies

  • Norwex: The envirocloth and window cloth in particular are great cleaning tools! You can find video demonstrations on YouTube about their cleaning power, but believe it or not, all you need is the cloth and water! This has been a great option to use as I’ve included my littles in household cleaning tasks. Some other products I love from Norwex are the dusting mit, bathroom scrub mit, mop system and the cleaning paste (for all those places that need extra scrub and shine!).

  • Young Living: I don’t do a lot with essential oils, but I do love using them in cleaning. It’s a wonder all the things that lemon is capable of! And if you are like me and you struggle to feel like a room has really been cleaned without it having a fresh smell, insert oils and a diffuser! In the early days, I missed that lemony scent of Clorox wipes in the bathroom. I equated that smell with a clean sink and toilet. I can still get that fresh smell, but without all the chemicals of Clorox wipes! I just pop a few drops of lemon oil or citrus fresh in our bathroom or kitchen diffuser and breathe in the moment of a clean room! I also enjoy YL’s Thieves Cleaner. A little goes a LONG way! Simply dilute a capful or two in a glass spray bottle with water, and you have a great multipurpose cleaner! I use this for cleaning the sinks, toilet seats, counter tops, pretty much everything. I have also used their Thieves laundry detergent and found that to be a good option for washing clothes.

  • Tineco Vacuum/Mop: We recently bought this vacuum/mop and Simeon and I keep looking at each other and asking, “Why did it take us so long to get something like this?!” We have five littles ages eight and under. Let’s just say that meal time clean-up took ages… and it happened at least three times a day! We needed a solution. This vacuum/mop has been AMAZING! It cleans up all types of food messes off the floor while mopping. It also leaves almost a completely dry path behind. I cannot rave about this enough! It has saved us so much time. I think our future knees will thank us!

  • Carpet and Upholstry Cleaner: We recently moved and were looking for something to use to clean used furniture we purchased from marketplace. We found this, and it has been a handy tool for so much more than cleaning couches. With little ones in the home, there is always a spill on the carpet or people getting sick on the floor. It’s been easy clean up with this tool.

  • A Healthier Home by Shawna Holman: This book takes you through your home room by room swapping things out to make your space a little less toxic. She has many great cleaning recipes that I use in my home (as well as recipes for personal care items, etc!)

Remember

Rome wasn’t built in a day. It has taken us over a decade of marriage to make many of these swaps become our norm and accumulate the different cleaning tools and gadgets we now have. Don’t let any of this cause you to spend money you don’t have! Be wise with the resources God has given you, and if this is an area that is important to you, take baby steps to make it a bigger part of your life. Little changes add up over time.

I’d love to hear what your favorite cleaning supplies, resources, and tips are! Share in the comments below!