My Homeful Life

  Fall Decorating Are you ready to embrace the cozy vibes of fall while also being kind to the planet? Me too! In this blog post, we're diving into the world of eco-friendly fall décor, here is 5 ideas on how to spruce up your home without a trace of plastic or disposable items. 1. Leaf Garland: Gather fallen leaves from your backyard and string them together for a beautiful and biodegradable garland or wreath. If you are worried about bugs/spiders/larva you can always freeze the leaves. Garlands and wreaths are not just for your door, you can put them in the garden too or the mailbox. 2. Pinecone Centerpieces: Collect pinecones during your nature walks and arrange them in a rustic bowl or vase for an earthy touch. You can also cut them shortways and paint them to look like flowers or sprinkle them with glitter (this is my 4-year old favorite, don't worry you can get eco glitter these days!). 3. Pumpkin Planters: Instead of using plastic pots, hollow out small pumpkins...

All aboard the Morning Express! I'm tired of chaotic mornings and want to start my day on a smooth track. I had the idea to run my morning like a trap line. Yes I am obsessed with Alaska! But it’s probably easier to think about it like a train. The same stops at the same time every morning. I’ve used chores and activities I need to get done for the example below, but you could create your own scheduled stops on your morning train to bring order and efficiency to your daily life. ALL ABORD! Grab your ticket and let's get rolling! (Is the train analogy getting old?) First stop @ 0600: Wake-Up Junction (Get out of bed) This is the hardest for me, I'm so tired all the time. But set your alarm for the same time every day and resist that snooze button temptation. Consistency is key, and waking up at the same time helps regulate your body clock and sets a positive tone for the day ahead. I am just working on doing this on the weekdays and maybe in the future I will do i...

by using Permaculture ZONES  In my last Blog I spoke about Permaculture Zones – read it here . Today I am going to use these magical zones to help make my property more efficient. Picture this: a typical corner block in suburban Australia, quarter-acre with a 70’s house and a HUGE shed/workshop and some beautiful rose bushes. It’s brimming with potential and ready to be transformed into a homestead full of sustainable abundance. Today we are going to use Zones, so let's get started! HOW TO USE PERMACULTURE ZONES Step 1: Observe Reality! It’s  important  to start with what actually already  occurs  day to day. It’s not a  theoretical   exercise  about what you want your  property  to look like, it needs to be what you actually do  otherwise  it wont make your life more  convenient! So observe yourself and your family. Draw on the map where they go multiple  times a day, daily, weekly, monthly, occasionally/seasonally...

Designing a suburban homestead – using permaculture Zone Analysis Today I am continuing on my journey of designing a permaculture property. Picture this: a typical corner block in suburban Australia, quarter-acre with a 70’s house and a 90’s shed/workshop and some beautiful rose bushes. It’s brimming with potential and ready to be transformed into a homestead full of sustainable abundance. Today we are going to focus on Zones, so let's get started! First things first, let's talk about permaculture zones. These zones are an easy common sense way to divvy up your property to help organize the placement of things based on how often chores need to be done! It can also be used inside your house. It  starts with zone 0 being constant chores, we try and put these in the home to be nice and close to the people doing the chores ( efficient  right?). Then zone 1,2,3,4 radiate  outwards from the home until you get to zone 5 which is zero chores that need doing (hopefully this is t...