When In Doubt, Throw It Out!

I started saying that to myself a lot in the last year..."when in doubt, throw it out."  It seems like I have really embraced the opportunity to clean up many aspects of my life.  As with anything it is a work in progress.  Anyone who knows me knows that I like to keep things...hang on to them...  It is usually for sentimental reasons, or in the words so often used by my father, "I might need that someday."  Really?!  That napkin from the cupcake shop I visited 8 years ago with friends, or that cork coaster I picked up from some recruiting event, or that People magazine from 5 years ago with my favorite singer on the cover...  In reality they all end up in a PILE.  Then that pile gets moved around from one room to the other, from one drawer to anther, from one closet to another, etc...until it ends up in the never-to-be-seen-again attic or garage.  (Just ask my mother who anytime she asked me to clean my room would end up with another garbage bag of "stuff" in her attic...she is still suffering from the aftermath of that!)  UGH!  I finally just became fed up with it.  Enough!  It would be one thing if I was organized and motivated enough to be a scrapbooker, or something.  I would love that!  Then each book could have its neat little place on a shelf, and I could easily walk down memory lane any time I wanted.  That is who I want to be, but...not going to happen at this point (for now at least).  Coming to terms with that fact I decided to purge!  It started with my clothes and shoes.  I donated a ton of things that I would realistically never put on again...and frankly I was sick of seeing them hanging around.  Then I just got better at weeding through things here and there...getting on kicks with certain areas every once in a while.  Like the pantry that has seriously expired items and things I simply can't eat or use anymore, the refrigerator with birth announcements of kids that are now in kindergarten, etc. (ok, that might be a slight exaggeration.)

My latest thing is TOXIC products!  A long time ago we switched over to all green/eco friendly cleaning products, but I still had remnants of the old, toxic stuff lurking about.  I went through our laundry room, every bathroom cabinet/drawer/closet, and all the other nooks.  I found lots of stuff that, looking back, I can't believe I ever bought.  Then I went through my cosmetics...that made me feel even worse!  Out went all the old nail polish...I shuddered thinking about the years I spent with that stuff on 24/7!  The body lotions with the mile-long ingredient list of things I can't pronounce, that the biggest organ I have was drinking up daily.  The perfumes that now cause me to feel nauseous and lightheaded.  YUCK!  Sure all of these thoughts make me feel super old and uptight, but mostly I am grateful for my growing awareness.  I am not saying all of this to make anyone feel judged for the products they use, but I am putting it out there to inform.  I am also not trying to ruin anyone's fun (especially as far as beauty products go).  If you think about it, read about it, and keep things the same, that is your decision to make and I understand.  I know that cost can also be a factor, but you might be surprised by the reasonable options out there.  You can make one or two changes that will make a huge impact on your health.

Back in my younger days I didn't really think much about this stuff, because I was more focused on looking good and having fun!  Then things started to change when I decided I wanted to be a mom.  Since then I have done more and more research and have been able to make better choices for myself and for my family.  Since getting sick I have really put this priority front and center.  I am always psyched to see the impact it has on the people I love, too.  My mom's bathroom closet looks a lot different now, and my husband has switched a lot of his personal care items.  You don't have to cut everything out of your life, but you can make smarter selections.  If you really want to wear nail polish you could try brands like Spa Ritual, Zoya, Scotch, Vapour, etc.  They are still not good for you (don't believe the hype - there is no such thing as a "healthy" nail polish), but they are a better alternative.  Sometimes we are fooled into thinking we are making better choices, and that is where I get upset.  The companies that use the words "natural," "herbal," "healthy," when they are pumping their products full of chemicals are disgusting.  It is called "greenwashing," and it is very misleading.  I remember back in the earlier days when I was trying to make positive changes, and I was lured in by the (new at that time) Jergen's Naturals.  Then I happened onto an article online about the truth of what's really in the lotion, and I felt so duped!  Now I know better, and I want to make sure others do too!

Here are a few tools to help you out.  First of all, if you don't know about the "Environmental Working Group" (EWG) you MUST, MUST, MUST check them out!  I have learned SO MUCH from them!  Go to their website (www.ewg.org) , sign-up for their e-mails, use their databases, and DONATE if you can!  They do amazing work, and I LOVE them!  Below is a link to a document from them about household products.  Please read it!  Another golden nugget is "The Story of Stuff."  You can get lost in their amazing website, too: www.storyofstuff.org.  If nothing else, PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE watch this video about cosmetics.  It will change your life...for the GOOD!  I promise.

Soooo...off we went today as a family to the Hazardous Waste Disposal site for our area.  (Please always remember that you have to dispose of these toxins in a safe and responsible manner so you don't contribute to further polluting the earth! - http://earth911.com/)  It should tell you something that by law you are technically required to dispose of nail polish at one of these types of facilities!  It felt really great to get all of that junk out of our home.  Another step to making our lives healthier...saying goodbye to our previously toxic existence and hello to doing the best we can to be healthy in a holistic way.

Going back to what I keep telling you, YOU have the power!  The more you know, the more you grow (remember those commercials?!)...and once again, from MY ;-) Oprah (really from Maya Angelou), "When you know better, you do better."  No one else is going to look out for you, especially not the huge corporations who are making major dollars off from you.  Take care of yourself and your family!  (You can start by reading the document below and watching the video!)

http://static.ewg.org/reports/2012/cleaners_hallofshame/cleaners_hallofshame.pdf