Did you know that of the 1.6 million tonnes of domestic waste disposed of in 2018 in Singapore, one-third was made up of packaging?

We can reduce packaging waste by:

• Bringing our own containers, bags, cutlery/straw when we shop

• Choosing package-free options wherever possible

• Refusing non-essentials whether they’re packaged or not

As long as we understand that the gift-giver & receiver speak the same love language, the gift-giving process can be handled with respect, grace & joy.

Our children don’t need much. How many “expensive” & “trendy” items have we bought for our children that have not been attended to by them but instead they use the item for just a few days & then turn their attention to the box it came in?

The KonMari® method is not just about organising your things in beautiful containers and trays but is rather an introspective, intentional, and mindful process of curating belongings in your life that serve a purpose & are in alignment with your values.

Living sustainably doesn’t need to look the same for everyone and the only person we’re “competing” with, is ourselves. So long as we start, somewhere, however “small” our efforts might look, it is better than not doing anything at all.

Clean your home without harsh chemicals & prevent the purchase of different packaged cleaning solutions by using a versatile soap such as Castile soap for cleaning around the home.

Gift-giving is a joyful experience. It is a time when we celebrate our loved ones and show them our gratitude for being a part of our lives. However, this experience may at times be a stressful one when we are unsure of what the recipient might like or find useful. Ever since my family and I began our minimalist journey, we have become mindful of not only what we give to others but also of our requests for gifts.

"I cannot believe that the purpose of life is to be happy. I think the purpose of life is to be useful, be responsible, be compassionate. It is above all to matter, to count, to stand for something, to have made some difference that you lived at all" - Leo Rosten

When my oldest child was born 6 years ago, I had zero knowledge about the Montessori approach and minimalism when it came to purchasing toys for him. We had a plastic mobile for his crib, plastic shape blocks, a noisy activity table.. you name it and we had it! He was our first born and of course I wanted to get him the best there was available for his age. After he turned a year old, I happened to stumble upon a Montessori blog (after googling how to purposefully engage him at home) and a Facebook group of Montessori homeschoolers that discussed toys which would meaningfully engage children for prolonged periods of time.

I've been tempted to start living a minimalist lifestyle with my family for ages. My husband is a minimalist and he has been my biggest source of inspiration! I stumbled upon a book by the Japanese organising Guru Marie Kondo: The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up sometime ago and fell in love with it almost instantly! According to Marie, you keep things in your life that "spark joy" and give away the rest.