The temperatures are falling, the leaves are turning, and the leggings are coming out of the closet again. What does that mean? Time to get cozy!
This month, I’m all about bedding. Switching out the coverlets for the down comforters, bringing out the flannel sheets, and getting my bedroom all ready for a long winter snooze.
Just head over to the linens section and find two flat sheets that are larger than your comforter. They can be matching or mismatched –or a fun little touch. When you get them home, lay them flat on the floor with your comforter on top. Then trim them down so there’s only 1” extra on each side.
Pin the trimmed sheets with right sides facing and stitch along three of the four sides. Then just add buttons or snaps to the third side to finish it off. VOILA! I usually use duvet clips in the corners to keep them comforter from shifting too much.
I love finding handmade or stitched blankets and throws, or embroidered pillows that have a unique character.
Don’t like the pillow cover’s style? Buy it just for the nice downy insert or interesting shape it might have and make your own!
So when you’re busy making your nest cozy for winter, don’t forget to check out your local thrift store in Panama City Beach, FL. You might be surprised by the treasures you’ll find (or make!) from the linens available for pennies on the dollar. Not only are you going to love snuggling in for the winter, but you’ll also feel better knowing your purchases help others stay warm too, by funding in your community.
As the first snow day of the year swiftly approaches on the East Coast, you are reminded that the holidays are on their way. After all, there have been holiday-themed movies playing on the Hallmark channel since the middle of October!
With that comes family time, time to relax with friends and also for some professions, the fun tradition of the office holiday party. Office holiday parties are tricky to dress for – so below, I’m sharing a range of outfit inspiration that can work for any type of holiday party or event.
1. Formal Holiday Party
If your office holiday party is anything like mine, a dress and heels are totally required. I love the look above because it has a professional neckline and length, while also staying festive with the burgundy red velvet material and pearl accent belt.
A dress like this is perfect, because it allows you to show your style. Though the work holiday party may not take place at the office – it’s still important to look professional in front of your colleagues!
2. Casual Holiday Sweater Party
If your office likes to keep it casual, and the dress code allows for a fun and casual sweater like the one above, styling the sweater with a pair of jeans and boots can keep you warm and also festive this season.
If you need to wear business attire to work however, make sure to schedule some time outside of the office with your coworkers where you can celebrate the holidays with a fun sweater like the one above! Check out your local thrift shops in Panama City Beach, FL for sweaters like this one.
3. Holiday Staff Meeting
Even if your office might not have an official holiday party, the last day before the holiday break or the last staff meeting before the holidays is the perfect time to flaunt your festive style at the office. You don’t need to go all out, but a casual take on a seasonal look.
I love the way the look in the photo above combines a casual flannel top with a glam sequin skirt.
The perfect pair of jeans is an elusive beast. They’re the real-life woman equivalent of Cinderella’s glass slipper, but much more durable and definitely more practical. (I mean, did her slippers have pockets? For real.) Sure, jeans can be fancy, unique, and swoon-worthy on the hangar or other people’s bodies. But if the jeans don’t feel good on us, and look good on us, the whole deal is off– designer label or not.
Around 450 million pairs of jeans are sold in America each year, so there’s always plenty of selection to choose at thrift stores in Panama City Beach, FL. I’m a dark wash kinda person, so that always narrows the plan of attack a bit. When I spotted a pair marked “Extreme Motion” and “Modern Series” that had a soft inner elastic waistband, contrasting zipper, stretchy feel and actually looked like they’d fit over my post-two-kids sized rump, I had to give them a go.
The funny thing is that mom jeans are apparently a thing again now (really, young’ins?) and that means great vintage jeans to be found for those lusting for some high-waisted blues. Sometimes you’re even lucky enough to find a vintage pair that are super rare, like she did!
The best part about buying used denim is that THERE ARE SO MANY BEST PARTS about buying used denim! It’s timeless and recycles cotton, rather than sending it to landfills. That’s important because growing cotton is taxing on our soil to grow and on our environment to manufacture.
Find yourself with too much denim on your hands? Donate your old ones to make space for the ones that make you feel good. Plus you’ll be helping to create opportunities for people in your community to find jobs, build skills, and earn skills that will give them a hand up– and that’s something that always looks good on you.
Spring really seems to drag its heels this time of year, doesn’t it? Especially when you live as far north of the equator as I do. Though these late winter days do feel as though they are stretching slightly longer, and the sun is creeping ever so slowly back up further in the sky each day. I’m finding myself dreaming of the green that will surely return soon, but never quite soon enough for my liking.
So I look for ways to trick my cabin-fevered soul into thinking things might *just* happen to start blooming tomorrow by really doubling down on the on shades of green I surround myself with this time of year.
A great way to beat the winter blues has been to greenify my bedroom a bit extra during those long dark nights.
With a few sold yards leftover off after hemming both of the curtains to a less comical length, I figured I could use some new Euro sham covers for my plan old white pillows. They make a perfect resting spot while I read books against my headboard while I pile myself under ALL THE BLANKETS and pretend spring is around the corner.
A few sprigs of greenery was also a good trick I started to help myself limp through winter in recent years.
The absolute best part of greening up the winter blues with the finds of thrift stores in Panama City Beach, FL has been that it’s also helping to keep our planet green, too.
A More Sustainable — And Fun! — Way to Decorate Your Home
Treasure hunting at thrift stores is one of life’s little delights that I really enjoy. I don’t know what I’m going to find today, but I know it will be something good!
Decorating your home by reinventing furniture and home décor items other people no longer want or need is a more sustainable way of living. And, I would argue, it’s also more fun. The challenge is designing a look that perfectly reflects your personal style — and simply feels good whenever you walk through your door.
Getting started is easy. Just choose home décor items that appeal to you. You can design a room around a favorite color or a beloved collection or even just a really comfy chair.
Remember: What other people think of your design choices doesn’t matter. YOU are the one who lives here! If it looks good — and feels good — to you, it’s perfect.
Choosing vintage furniture is another great way to design a more sustainable home. Vintage furniture is usually sturdy, well made and functional. And it costs less than buying new.
If you have children (or amazing nieces and nephews!), you probably have one-of-a-kind artwork. Decorate your home with it! It will make them proud to see their work on display in your home. And it always makes me happy knowing this art was created especially for me with love.
The next photo is a good example of what I mean when I say simply choose home décor items that appeal to you. I started with my grandmother’s fancy old lamp. It doesn’t really “go” with anything in my home. But it reminds me of her and it makes me happy so I found a spot for it.
Next, I perused my bookshelf and found two books with turquoise covers that matched the lamp.
Finally, I topped off the books with a flower arrangement I purchased at Goodwill for $3.99. I’m not good at keeping plants alive so this was perfect for me. Hydrangeas are one of my favorite flowers. I didn’t have an exact spot in mind when I purchased the flowers. I just liked them because they didn’t look too “fake” and they reminded me of summer. They appealed to me, so I bought them. When I got home, I found the perfect spot.
It reminded me of Christmas ornaments and the colors matched my rug so I bought it. I also found a tall vase to stick it in. Now I have an inexpensive and unique little objet d’art tucked into this corner thanks to somebody who donated it to Goodwill instead of tossing it into a landfill.
Will it appeal to everyone? Nope.
But that’s OK. Everyone doesn’t live here. I do! And I like it.
I hope this post encourages you to follow your instincts and choose home décor items simply because they appeal to you. You don’t need to justify it with a good reason why you like it. You just need to like it!
And by shopping for items you like at the local thrift stores in Destin FL, you are curating a home that reflects your personal style perfectly — and you are doing it in a sustainable way.
7 Ways to Have a Sustainable Thanksgiving Celebration
Just because Thanksgiving looks a bit different this year, practicing COVID-19 preventative measures, doesn’t mean it can’t still be fun, festive and eco-friendly!
Accordingly to Take Care of Texas, “Thanksgiving is a leading holiday for food waste and trash, higher energy usage, and other negative impacts on our local environment.”
To have a more mindful and sustainable holiday, here are seven easy-to-implement tips that you can add into your Thanksgiving traditions for years to come.
1. Craft some sustainable décor.
One of my favorite things about the holidays is the decorations! I love setting up my house with my family and making everything feel more festive. Having decorations made from up-cycled and sustainable materials is the icing on the cake. This year I am decorating my thanksgiving table with a flannel garland that I made from thrifted flannels shirts I bought from a thrift shop in Destin, FL.
2. Ditch the disposables.
Thanksgiving is a time when we should all be more thankful. We should be thankful for the beautiful world we live in and give back to it by not using any type of disposable dishes or utensils. So what if you have to wash a few dishes? At least you won’t be adding to the landfills.
3. Bring reusable shopping bags when buying groceries.
When shopping at the grocery store, its always a great idea to bring reusable shopping bags for the items you buy. Right now, some grocery stores are restricting reusable bags due to the COVID-19 pandemic. If that’s the case where you shop, be sure to save your plastic bags and bring them to a plastic bag recycle location which many grocery stores offer.
4. Use cloth napkins and dish towels instead of paper towels/napkins.
Setting a Thanksgiving table with a linen table cloth and napkins adds an element of elegance to your dinner event (that you just cannot achieve with paper napkins and tablecloths). Now all you need is some up-cycled candlestick holders and colorful candles to finish off the look!
5. Travel smarter and get outside more.
This year because of the pandemic, we all need to be staying close to home and celebrating in small, safe groups. While it is disappointing to have to forego Thanksgiving travel plans, especially when that means not seeing extended family and close friends, we all need to stay well and safe.
As an alternative, once the turkey is in the oven (and someone is at home keeping an eye on it), take a walk outside to a nearby park to admire the autumn leaves and spend some time in nature. You can also video conference with your loved ones and still enjoy the meal together!
6. Rethink Black Friday and Cyber Monday.
My plan this year includes cutting down on the number of gifts I give to each of my family members in an effort to reduce my conspicuous consumption. I know the time and effort I spend searching for thrifted gifts will be much appreciated by my family and friends.
7. Eat the leftovers!
When it comes to Thanksgiving, I actually like the leftovers more than the main meal. After cooking for the entire day and eating along the way, by the time we sit down to the meal, I’m almost too full to eat. By the next day, all the food we cooked seems to taste way better since the ingredients have had time to set and my stomach is empty and ready to relive the Thanksgiving feast.
Wasted—What Happens to Our Garbage in the Landfill?
We’re drowning in waste! Yes, you read that right. The fact is that, all over the world, we create more than 3.5 million tons of trash… every day! And, sadly, that number is growing. And it is 10 times greater than it was 10 years ago.
I think too many people never take a moment to think about what happens to their garbage once they throw it out. We kind of live in a society of “once it’s in the waste bin, it’s gone.” Unfortunately, our waste will be hanging out in a landfill long after we’re gone — and some will cause lots of damage.
The problem with the amount of rubbish going to landfills is that they are quickly filling up: some of the largest landfills and dumping sites receive up to 10,000 tons of waste per day.
A major disadvantage to burying trash in landfills is the potential to pollute surrounding soil and groundwater with toxins. When trash decomposes, it releases methane and other greenhouse gases that contribute to climate change, and may also cause health problems to humans and animals.
So, what happens to all this rubbish once it ends up in the landfill? Not designed to break down garbage, landfills simply are places to store waste. The problem is that lots of waste — like plastic, for example — is very durable and takes too long to decompose.
It’s estimated that some plastic items can take up to 1,000 years to decompose in a landfill. Simple plastic bags, which have a very short life span but are used (usually only once) by many every day, take from 10 to 1,000 years to decompose. A plastic bottle can take 450 years.
Because garbage in landfills ends up sealed in the ground, it doesn’t decompose much at all. But bacteria still will reach the rubbish, especially organic materials like food rot, and starts to produce harmful gases like ammonia, sulfides, methane and carbon dioxide.
Methane and carbon dioxide are greenhouse gases that contribute to global warming. Furthermore, toxins and chemicals from garbage rotting in landfills also pollute the local environment, including the water and the soil.
Some cities, like San Francisco and Seattle, as well as the country of Sweden, Finland and Denmark are able to recycle more waste than they send to landfills. The majority of the U.S. and rest of the world send their trash todumps.
So, what is the solution? Making the extra effort to recycle and compost has a positive impact on the world and environment. Because waste negatively impacts the natural environment greatly, we all have to start recycling and composting much more.
When we throw rubbish away, we risk releasing harmful chemicals into the landfill sites, which then will leak into our natural waters and environment, harming animals and us. Instead of throwing clothes donate them to thrift shops in Panama City Beach, FL.
The fact is that what we buy and consume does not have the greatest impact on the environment: how we discard these items does. The very best way to reduce waste is to reduce, refuse, reuse, recycle and rot!
If someone has leftovers from their garage sale, donating to a thrift store could be the best next choice. These funded programs typically serve people in local communities who have barriers to employment.
That would be people who have a disability, reentering into the community after being released from jail or prison, or for someone who has a lack of education and job training. In addition, someone finding their first job could find a position at a thrift store in Panama City Beach, FL. By donating to a thrift store, you’re helping your own community.
They’re able to divert things that typically are found in a land-zone, and reuse it. The organization is friendly to the environment by recycling used clothes and items in that way.
When is the best time to donate to a thrift store?
“Anytime is great to donate to thrift stores. A lot of people normally donate more in the spring after getting into spring cleaning. For thrift shops, the spring time is a heavy donation time. However, there’s really no bad time to donate.
What would be the best items to donate to a thrift store?
The value of the item is in the eye of the beholder. Thrift store receives a lot of clothes and apparel, but the industries also has plenty of furniture. The stores get things that treasure hunters and customers are looking for, and they’re always looking for unique things.
How does a thrift store benefit the community?
Serving quality goods for people is an important role for thrift stores and to be able to provide a variety of items such as cooking ware, electronics, clothes and apparel at a good price range.
The donated clothing items are almost always brand new, and shopping at a thrift store is good for customers who are managing a budget and for college students who are moving into their first apartment or dorm rooms searching for cheap furniture.
Sustainable living can seem daunting. Things like changing habits, finding new brands you like and trust, and building a new eco-friendly routine can either be overwhelming… or a whole lot of fun! It all depends on how you choose to look at it.
Unfortunately, there are a lot of misconceptions out there that are causing people to hesitate before jumping on the green bandwagon with us.
We’re here to correct those myths once and for all.
Myth #1: Sustainable Living Is Just Too Expensive
You hear this one the most, right?
It makes sense given that switching your lifestyle up may make you think you’ll need to buy all sorts of new eco-friendly gizmos and gadgets, but that’s not the case. In fact, there are several ways to go green that will actually save you money.
Your Electric Footprint
Simply programming your thermostat and turning off the lights at home when you aren’t using them are two of the easiest money-saving actions you can take to start living an eco-friendly life.
According to Mr. Electric, one incandescent bulb costs $6.60 and lasts over 1,000 hours (41 days). The longer you can stretch out that 1,000 hours, the more you’ll save.
Say hello to a smaller electric bill and a bigger bank account.
Natural Cleaners
According to the National Resources Defense Council, the average home uses up to 25 gallons of toxic chemicals every year, many of which are store-bought cleaners.
Trading in some of these harmful products for green alternatives is easier than you might think. Rather than buying expensive brand-name disinfectants with nasty chemicals, use natural alternatives like vinegar and lemons for cleaning.
Eco-Friendly Appliances
One of the main objections people get caught up on is how pricey eco-friendly appliances are. Yes, it’s true that they’re often more expensive upfront than their wasteful counterparts, but the long-term savings are way better for your bank account.
The savings you’ll reap down the road are worth the investment, plus you’ll be doing a big part to help save the planet. Your future self will thank you (for a bigger wallet and a better environment!).
Myth #2: It Takes Too Much Time & Effort
Some people have it stuck in their minds that sustainable living is synonymous with inconvenience. Not so!
You can live a green life even when it feels like you’re always strapped for time.
The best thing you can do is start small. Pick one thing that you can do to help the environment and do it consistently for a month before adding anything new.
That one thing doesn’t have to take a ton of time or cost a lot of money or drain your energy to make an impact. You can contribute in a big way by making little changes.
Reusable Products
You could choose to brew coffee at home, use a reusable mug instead of buying a plastic cup every day on the way to work, keep a reusable straw in your car or office desk, or use reusable flatware to eat your lunch rather than grabbing a plastic disposable set.
As often as you can, choose the reusable option rather than buying something you’ll have to toss out later. Not only will you be helping the environment, but you’ll also be saving money.
Cloth Bags
Another easy way to go green is to use a couple of reusable cloth bags for groceries. Keep your reusable bags on your coat hanger so you remember to grab it on the way out the door before you go or keep a stash in your car.
You’ll never have to worry about wasting grocery bags again. As an added bonus, reusable bags are much stronger than plastic so you’ll never have to worry about your eggs or other valuable groceries falling through the bottom of the bag.
Trade-in Your Paper Products
According to the University of Indiana, “Approximately 1 billion trees worth of paper are thrown away every year in the U.S.” Luckily, there are many alternatives to paper products that are easy to swap out.
Thanks to modern technology, you can easily trade-in paper notepads and journals for typing out your notes and thoughts onto your computer’s word processor or smartphone’s notepad. If you like to keep notepaper around the house, reuse any sheets that still have a blank side. Cut them into quarters for smaller scratch pads, if needed.
Rather than using paper towels to clean your home, switch to reusable microfiber cloths. They’re soft and won’t leave harmful scratches on your surfaces, and they can be easily cleaned with your regular laundry again and again.
When you do have to use paper products – whether for work or school supplies, cleaning, or hygiene – make sure to choose sustainable, recyclable, compostable materials. Bonus points if you then toss those paper goods into your own composter!
Sustainable Hygiene Products
Another easy eco-friendly win is to use bamboo toilet paper rather than regular toilet paper made of virgin wood pulp.
Reel Paper delivers eco-friendly TP automatically to your door, making it easy for you to be a hero to the environment while saving you time and effort.
Myth #3: I Won’t Make a Difference
One of the biggest misconceptions people face when thinking about going green is… “I’m just one person. How can I possibly make a difference?”
Many people believe the problems facing the environment are just too big to fix on the individual level.
Wrong!
You have the power to create change. What our planet really needs is for each individual person to commit to making a difference. Only then will we start to see real, lasting change. And it all starts with you.
The biggest difference you can make is doing your part with the little things. Eventually, small, seemingly insignificant actions create a ripple effect which can lead to massive change.
It starts with buying eco-friendly products, shopping at a thrift shop in Panama Ciy Beach, FL, reducing your electrical footprint, and choosing a reusable container rather than a paper cup. These small actions turn into habits. Habits turn into a lifestyle. And your lifestyle impacts and inspires the people around you.
Before you know it, by making the little choices every day that help the environment, you’ll become an eco-hero.
Our environmental footprint reached a tipping point in the 1960s when Swedish company, Celloplast, acquired a U.S. patent for the “T-shirt plastic bag” – what we now call the grocery bag. Since then, our use of plastic has extended beyond a simple bag to containers, toys, and household items.
Today, landfills around the world are overflowing with waste and filling our oceans with island-sized masses of plastic products.
Plastic is hurting the environment, killing wildlife, and drastically increasing our environmental footprint. So the question is, to heal Earth, can we live without plastic? Can we reverse the impact of the last several hundred years and improve our environmental footprint for the future?
The answer is yes, we absolutely can improve the health of our planet. And replacing our plastics with sustainable, earth-friendly items is one of the easiest places to start. Also one more way to reduce landfill overflow is to donate old stuff to thrift stores in Panama City Beach, FL. Whether it is clothes, shoes, home decor items, kitchenware, furniture etc, you can donate to these stores.
Here are five plastic swaps you can make right now to decrease your environmental footprint.
Stainless Steel Straws
The average American uses 38,000 plastic straws during their lifetime. Klean Kanteen aims to reduce that number to just one with their stainless steel straws.
Klean Kanteen uses high-quality stainless steel and food-grade, removable silicone flex tips (in really fun colors!). This family-owned company carries other simple household swaps, too: reusable water bottles, food canisters, and even baby bottles.
Beeswax Food Wraps
Beeswax food wraps have taken the stage as a sustainable alternative to plastic food containers and cellophane.
Vermont-based Bee’s Wrap makes their wraps by pouring a mixture of beeswax, jojoba oil, and tree resin over a sheet of organic cotton and letting it harden. Not only are beeswax wraps simple to clean (just rinse and air dry), but they’re also easy to dispose of: You can either compost your wraps or use them as fire-starters.
Whether you’re keeping veggies fresh or wrapping up treats for your kids, beeswax wraps help reduce your environmental footprint!
Reusable Food Storage Bags
Silicone bags are a wonderful solution to the thousands of plastic bags we go through for food storage. Stasher Bags are durable and dishwasher and freezer safe. Plus, they come in various colors and sizes to suit your needs.
Silicone, made from silica, is a non-toxic, odorless, BPA-free natural resource. So you can pack your or your kids’ lunches knowing Stasher Bags are a safer, longer-lasting alternative to plastic bags.
Rocketbook Everlast Notebook
Constant notetakers can rejoice at Rocketbook’s eco-friendly alternative to the traditional paper notebook. Shark Tank may have rejected the $30 smart notebook, but anyone looking to reduce their environmental footprint will swear by it.
The Everlast Notebook works with a FriXion pen that allows you to scan notes into PDF or JPEG and save files to email, iCloud, or your phone via the Rocketbook app. When you’re done, wipe down your pages with a damp cloth to start fresh. You have 36 pages to work with, but most users find they don’t need more than five.
If you’re concerned about lowering your paper waste and decreasing your environmental footprint, we encourage you to give Rocketbook a try.
Reel Paper
Instead of rushing to the store every time you need to restock on bathroom supplies, consider subscribing to Reel Paper. You can rest assured that you’re lowering your environmental footprint because our toilet paper is 100% bamboo.
What makes bamboo so special? Bamboo grows about three feet every 24 hours and uses 30% less water than traditional hardwood trees. Plus, Reel Paper is three-ply and just as soft and durable as your average toilet paper – without the plastic packaging.
For every roll you buy, we also donate to SOIL, an organization working to clean up waste in Haiti and support locals with a revolutionary, Earth-friendly business model. You can feel good knowing with every Reel Paper purchase, you’re helping those in need while doing good for the planet.
Steve Clark 