Sustainable Living in Denver (Without Feeling Overwhelmed and Guilty)
Before you read any further, do us a favor, would you?
Relax your shoulders. And your jaw. Now take a nice, full breath.
Better, right?
So, how’d we know you needed that? We know because we’re human too, and we’re living in this same chaotic, messy world you are.
We know how easy it is to get wrapped up in all the things. And our constant distractions certainly aren’t helping: dinging phones, buzzing computers, watches that alert us every time an email comes in. Even our refrigerators can talk to us now. Some of it’s important, but—if we’re being honest—some just isn’t.
Regardless, it all makes it tough to focus on what really matters.
So how do we combat all that TOO MUCH? How, in the midst of all that STUFF, do we take better care of ourselves and our people—and even our planet? We create a sustainable lifestyle.
Make little changes—from the inside, out.
Remember how good it felt to simply relax your shoulders? (Go ahead, do it again if you need to.) That was so satisfying because it was something close to you that you could actually control. The truth is, no matter what sort of mayhem’s going on around you, you can always make simple changes from the inside. And little changes can make a big difference.
And when we say “little” changes, we mean it. Listen, we understand you probably WANT to take better care of yourself and our planet and all the wonderful people who live here. But HOLY MOLY all this “sustainability” stuff can be overwhelming. Where do you even begin? And how do you form habits you can stick with? And what if you accidentally blow up your kitchen while brewing your own vegan, organic soap?
Yep, we totally get it.
So we’re not about to add a bunch of chores, guilt you into going off the grid, or suggest any other radical lifestyle changes… like, you know, training for a marathon or something. (Gross.) (Unless you’re into that, in which case: GO YOU!)
Instead, over the next few months we’re going to post some simple, doable ideas to help you tackle all that TOO MUCH. By the end, you’ll be able to create a lifestyle that works for you, for our planet, and for everyone who lives on it.
Sure, there’s deep breathing. But there’s so much more.
Over the next five months we’ll be bringing you all sorts of goodies: tips, ideas, interesting tidbits, and easy-to-follow action steps for making your life a bit more sustainable. And—just because we like you—we’ll be giving away a little something with each post. You’ll have to stick around to find out exactly what those freebies are.
Here’s a sneak preview of what’s coming:
Organizing your home.
You’ve probably heard of Marie Kondo’s method for organizing a home, “sparking joy,” and thanking our belongings for serving us well. If you’re all, “Ummm… whut?” right now, no worries. We’ll summarize her truly life-changing approach to getting control of your stuff, and we’ll offer some easy action items and inspiration to help you get started.
Feng Shui for real people.
Stick with us here. We know feng shui sounds a little hocus-pocus, but with house plants. We thought so at first, too. But then we read Move Your Stuff, Change Your Life and the results were dramatic! So much so, that we can’t help but share it. Improve your energy, your relationships, your mood… and so much more! But we can’t spill all the beans here. Check it out for yourself here.
No. More. Plastic.
You’ve heard a million times how awful plastic is, and maybe you’ve kinda sorta tried to get rid of it. But then you forget or give up because, let’s face it, plastic is EVERYWHERE and eliminating it is HARD. We’re not gonna guilt you into believing that forgetting your reusable grocery bags one time will force your great grandchildren to migrate to Mars. Nope. We’ll just share some simple changes you might not have thought about that will help you cut down your plastic consumption and we’ll send you a free book to help you get started.
Sustainable laundry.
Is there any other chore that feels as never-ending as laundry? You probably don’t LOVE doing it. (If you do, call us. We’ll gladly offer ours for your entertainment!) But maybe you’d feel better about it if you knew you were contributing to a more sustainable environment in the meantime. Let us help you get started. And if that doesn’t sound enticing, maybe you’ll at least find that favorite lost chapstick in your pants pocket. Now we’re talking.
Sustainable pet ownership.
All right, all right… enough trying to convince you laundry is awesome. This one’s easy: Pets are definitely awesome. You want to give Fido and Fluffy the best life possible, and since they live in this world too, why not make it a better place for them? (Also, this particular post may or may not be riddled with funny cat gifs. You’ll have to come back to find out.)
Sustainability is good for everyone.
OK, one final time just for good measure: Deep breath in and out. Shoulders down. Jaw unclenched.
Simple, right? Start from the inside, and work your way out for a sustainable life that’s good for the planet—and for you, too. We can’t wait to tell you more!
Wanna chat?
We LOVE talking with our Denver real estate clients about all things sustainability. Wanna hop on a call?
