Accidentally Green

Making Healthy Decisions That Honor God and Happen to Help the Environment

Help! My Relatives are Filling My Children with Junk Food!

Every year, it’s the same routine. After a year of healthy eating attempts, the holidays hit. For six weeks I’m tempted by rich goodies at Thanksgiving dinner, holiday gatherings, Christmas parties, New Year’s extravaganzas – and in my family’s case, two birthdays and an anniversary. All of those celebrations end up being filled with culinary splurges I’d never typically eat. Forget about any balance of naughty and nice – it’s too easy to be swayed to make naughty food choices at every single ... Read more

Help! I’m Too Sick to Make Healthy Choices!

Have you ever felt like you’re caught in the middle of a vicious cycle? You want to make healthier choices – really, you do! – but you just feel too sick to do anything. Maybe it’s allergies. Or a neverending cold. Or an autoimmune disease that leaves you feeling weak and in pain. Maybe you’re fighting cancer with all that you have. Maybe you’re dealing with adrenal fatigue and are plain old exhausted by trying to cram too much into your life. Maybe you deal with crippling ... Read more

Creating Homemade Moisturizers with Shea Butter

Typically I don’t make many homemade products – because my attempts are pitiful, and they always take so much time. I’ve wanted to try to make homemade moisturizers and scrubs, though, especially after reading books like Stacy Karen’s Simple Scrubs to Make and Give. Over the past year, I’ve slowly gathered necessary ingredients – a canister of cocoa butter here, a jar of coconut oil there. In the past month, I was so excited to finally get my first container of shea butter – Key ... Read more

A Greener Front Door

Going green can start from the moment you walk in your front door. Wonder how? Check out this short video: A Greener Front Door from Hilary Bernstein on Vimeo. Want to catch up on The Beginner’s Guide to Going Green? Click here to watch the introduction. Click here to watch Getting Started (Episode 1). ... Read more

Readers’ Thrift Shopping Advice

I’m not the only fan of thrift shopping – in fact, many Accidentally Green readers love thrifting. Yesterday I shared my tips. Today I’m sharing tips from readers: Aaron advises to check for stains before purchasing. Andrea shares, “If there is a ritzier part of town or a ritzier town nearby, go to the thrift store there. It will have the nicer stuff. (Fewer people shopping, more people donating, and donating more name-brand and gently-used stuff.)” Angela says, “Run through quickly and ... Read more

The Art of Thrift Shopping

Think back to your middle school and high school days. Were you overly concerned about what you wore? Did labels matter to you? Did you just have to have a pair of Guess Jeans? (If you weren’t in school in the 90s, I have absolutely no idea what brands have been hip – please enlighten me.) Labels and brands mattered to me. I wanted to be in style like my friends, and the mere thought of shopping at discount stores sent shivers up my spine. My ideal shopping experience was at ... Read more

Going Green? Here’s How to Start …

Sometimes you may want to go green - or make healthier choices - but you're unsure how to do it. Where do you start? The journey to a greener life doesn't have to be difficult. In fact, it can be quite easy. Here's my proven strategy:  Getting Started from Hilary Bernstein on Vimeo. Want to catch up on The Beginner's Guide to Going Green? Watch the introduction by clicking here! What are your hints when it comes to getting started on a green journey? ... Read more

When a House Becomes a Home

My parents built and moved into their current home when I was 4 years old. In the beginning, living was rough – with basically just the shell of a house, there were no doors on the inside – just drywall, windows, and chipboard floors. My dad wanted to pursue woodworking as a hobby, so he worked project by project, room by room for more than 3 decades. Now that he’s well into his retirement, his projects are finally wrapping up. Long ago he added the doors, trim, cabinets, banister, and ... Read more

My #1 Homemaking Tip

In celebration of this week’s Homemaking From Scratch online conference, I’m sharing my Top 3 Homemaking Tips this week. Today is Tip #1: Just do it. Homemaking isn’t always easy. But it CAN be enjoyable. I’ve found that having a plan greatly helps – and I love making my home a healthy one. But it’s not enough just to plan or to know about healthy changes that should be made. You have to do something. If I only think about having a clean home but continue to let the clutter collect and ... Read more

Creating a Homemaking Plan

In celebration of this week’s Homemaking From Scratch online conference, I’m sharing my Top 3 Homemaking Tips over the next 3 days. Today is Tip #3: Have a plan. Homemaking isn’t always easy. In fact, it can become incredibly frustrating: Just when you finish cleaning the home, washing the dishes or finishing the laundry, the house, dishes and clothes get dirty all over again. It’s a neverending cycle. Yet a worthwhile one. God has called women to: Build their homes. (“The ... Read more

Safe, Homemade Laundry Detergent … Without Making It On Your Own

Disclosure: Meliora K has sponsored this review. All opinions are completely my own. Have you ever tried to make your own laundry detergent? I did – for a couple years. As a new stay-at-home mom, I wanted to save money so I grated my own soap, melted and mixed the thee-ingredient soap. The soap cleaned well enough, but the process wasn’t exactly convenient – especially with two little babies. And after making healthier and greener choices, I finally checked into the safety ratings of ... Read more

Safe and Simple Ways to Decorate Your Home

When it comes to making your home, there’s nothing that can add so much personality as your unique decorating touches. Some people love, love, love to decorate and they have quite a flair. Others aren’t so gifted in that area. Regardless of your decorating ability – or your finances – there are safe, simple and environmentally friendly ways to infuse your own personality into your home décor. How are they safe? They’re resourceful ways to reduce your exposure to harmful products like ... Read more

.
.