As the date moves closer and closer, I'm working on paring down my belongings to only the things that I really need, or are really important to me. Ideally, the number is somewhere around 150. I'm not exactly sure what my 150 are yet, but one thing I've learned is that you can do a whole lot with very little.
In other words, make fewer things more useful.
Prime example. Coconut oil. Seemingly infinite uses.
Besides cooking with it you can:
1) Moisturize with it.
2) Shave with it.
3) Oil pulling.
4) Polish furniture
5) Remove makeup
Essentially, coconut oil has just replaced lotion, shaving cream, furniture polish, and makeup remover. Instead of 6 products, you only really have to buy one. That's not even to mention making mayonnaise, deodorant, toothpaste, sunscreen... and the list is endless. From one product.
More ways I've found to do more with less:
Replace shampoo and shaving cream with hair conditioner.
Now, I don't typically wash my hair with soap at all. Every once in a while I do feel like my hair has gotten a bit too gunky from a hard workout at the gym, or a grimey day working outdoors. Instead of having shampoo AND conditioner, I just use conditioner. It strips the excess oil and dirt just as well as using shampoo, but it's half the product, and far less damaging than using a harsh, drying soap. I also shave with hair conditioner. It makes the hair soft and it moisturizes the skin.
Dish soap is not just for dishes.
It can wash laundry too.
I discovered this one by incident- in that I was sent a free sample of dish soap (3 large bottles) that I didn't really need, and I had laundry to do. Google told me that dish liquid can, in fact, be used in place of laundry detergent, so I tried it. Sure enough it worked! Not only did I get the grease spots out of my clothing (perpetual Paleo problem) but my clothes smelled wonderful!
Go All-Purpose
Sometimes All-Purpose products really are ALL purpose. Two of my favorites include Tropical Traditions All-Purpose Cleaner (which really does clean everything from apples to windshields) and Dr. Bronner's Magic Soaps. Between these two products, I can clean EVERYTHING in my house. No joke.
It's not just soaps and housekeeping either. Sometimes items can pull dual purposes.
A pie plate is a salad bowl. A ramekin is a soup bowl.
A mason jar is a glass. A large glass is a rolling pin.
Tongs, a flat spatula, and a slotted spoon are all the cooking utensils you need.
This list is far from complete, and I'm learning new little hacks as I go along.
How do you do less with more? I'd love to know!
A fork can also be a whisk and a spatula. The best rolling pin I ever used (I'm a professional baker, although don't often actually consume my product since going mostly paleo) was a dowel rod cut to size - not necessarily a multi-use object, but cheap as hell if it's not already lying around the house.
ReplyDeleteOh yes! I use a fork to whisk all the time!
DeleteIn the one instance I really need to roll dough (Welsh cookies) the tradition is to use a large glass. Then ya just flip it up and use the mouth of the glass as the cookie cutter. :)