Review: Abe's Market Discover Natural Sampler Program

I recently had the opportunity to try out Abe's Market new Discover Natural Program, a new product sampling program that allows you to choose three products from Abe's sample section for a flat shipping fee of $2.00. Abe's offers more than 100 sample products to choose from, and they're neatly divided up by food, health, pet, bath/body and home categories. 

My sample pack arrived nicely packaged, almost like a little gift, with recyclable Kraft paper cushioning the samples. The intoxicating scent of the Yerba Mate Exfoliating Blend bar by Wembe drew me in right away. The soap was tucked in next to a pouch of Burt's Bees Replenishing Body Lotion and small box of ginger treats from The Ginger People. There was also a post card in the box with motivating thoughts to share with friends. 

The Yerba Mate bar is a nice size, easily lasting a couple of weeks. I liked being able to try the soap -- I'm not sure I would have bought a full-size without being able to smell it first. It had an energizing effect that I really like, so this sample was a hit. 

The Burt's Bees Replenishing Body Lotion was sized for one use so I put it in my gym bag for an after-yoga treat. It went on smoothly and smelled nice, with cocoa and cupuaca butters that lasted all day. It was a nice treat. There was also a coupon enclosed for $1 off a full-size bottle. 

My last sample was a box of six ginger chews from The Ginger People, ranging from "peanut" flavor to "spicy apple" and "double strength." I like ginger and tend to carry it with me when I travel as a natural motion sickness remedy. I tried the "hot coffee" one as a pick-me-up one afternoon, and it was so gingerly potent it made my eyes water! Since these are seriously gingery treats, I'm going to save the rest for an upcoming car trip. 

Considering that many natural, organic products are a bit on the pricey side, it's nice to have the option of trying out the products before you invest in the full-size version. This program is also an inexpensive way to get some natural and organic products in convenient travel size for upcoming summer vacations. I've already found myself pursuing the sample selection looking for another round of treats to try out. If you like to try before you buy, Abe's new program can be an affordable way to expand your natural and organic repertoire.

10 Habits to Simplify Your Life

Simplifying can be overwhelming, but you don't have to do it all at once. Changing one process or habit can make a big difference, so try taking baby steps to whittle your way to a simpler lifestyle. Here are 10 things that you can do today to start working on a simpler lifestyle. Choose one and try it today. Tomorrow, or next week, you can choose another. The important part is just to get started.

1. Reset your home each night before bed. Spend 10-15 minutes on a quick run-through of your home. Straighten books, pick up toys, gather clothes that didn't quite make it to the laundry basket, take dishes to the kitchen, and hang up jackets. Sort, open and act on your mail. This is just a quick pick up to keep the clutter at bay. 
2. Do one thing each day. Pick a drawer, closet, or shelf that’s driving you crazy, and work on it for at least 10 minutes. By focusing on doing one little thing each day, you'll move closer to the simpler life you’re seeking. 
3. Reduce the amount of "stuff" that you have in your home. Cutting back on the amount of stuff allows you to focus on what you do have and can also keep you from buying more stuff you don't need. Reducing consumption is one of the most important steps toward a sustainable lifestyle. As you shed your stuff, you'll have more energy and focus for "life" and you'll free up time to do things you really want to do instead of worrying about taking care of and accumulating more stuff. To get started, take at least one thing out every day. Walk through your home with a critical eye and look for things you don’t need, use or want. Keep a box by the garage or front door for temporary storage until you can drop the box at a local charity. 
4. Load (and, if necessary, run) the dishwasher or hand wash the dishes. Dirty dishes on the counter, sink and anywhere else in your home are invitations to pests and bacteria, not to mention the distinct possibility of unwanted smells or the growth of new life. Additionally, they clutter up your kitchen and make preparing meals a pain. You’re more likely to save a few bucks and eat at home if your kitchen is clean and ready to be used. 
5. Never leave a room empty handed. When you leave the room, for whatever reason, be sure to grab that glass that needs to go back to the kitchen, the trash on the table that needs to hit the bin, the shoes that need to go by the door, or the book that needs to head back to the office. This will also make your daily evening reset go much faster. 
6. Drop one commitment. Think about all the things in your life that you’re committed to doing, and try to find one that you can let go. Is there something you dread doing? Something that takes up time but doesn’t give you much value in return? Decide today to drop that commitment. Make a phone call or send an email, and let the appropriate people know that you need to stop. You'll feel relieved, and you'll free up some time and energy for something that's more important to you. 
7. Simplify your To-Do list. If your To-Do list is more than 10 items long, you can probably simplify it a bit. Try to find at least a few tasks that can be eliminated, delegated or automated. Shorten the list.
8. Schedule more time. We rush through the day, from one appointment or task to another, until we collapse on the couch, exhausted, at the end of the day. Instead, simplify your life by doing less, then schedule more time for each task. If you normally allow 15 minutes between appointments, schedule 30. If it normally takes you 30 minutes to drive to that errand, give yourself 45 minutes. Eat slower, drive slower, walk slower, work slower. Savor the slowness and the calmness that comes from not hurrying. 
9. Single-task. Instead of multi-tasking, do one thing at a time. We've been conditioned to think that multi-tasking is THE way to work, but really it can be overwhelming and distracting. Resist the urge to check email or do some other habitual task while you’re completing a task at hand. Stick to that one task until you’re done. It’ll make a huge difference in both your stress level and your productivity. 
10. Go to bed earlier. Most of us are sleep deprived, feeling draggy and exhausted all day and relying on caffeine and sugar pick-me-ups to feel even a little energetic. Make a point to go to bed a little earlier tonight, even if only 15 minutes earlier than usual. Keep it up for a couple of days, then move your bedtime back another 15 minutes. Keep this up until you find that sweet sleep spot where you can get to sleep quickly and wake up refreshed in the morning. Being well-rested and alert will make all your other simplifying tasks (and your most complicated tasks as well) that much easier to handle, since you'll have a clear head and some energy to tackle them.

Simple DIY Household Cleaners

I've combined my DIY household cleaner recipes here for easy reference. These items are easily accessible at any grocery store, and you probably have most of them already around your house. For liquid soap, I prefer to use Dr. Bronner’s. 

Recycle an old Parmesan cheese shaker to store baking soda. Don’t forget to label your bottles!

To download a printable pdf of these cleaning recipes, head over to Scribd.

All-Purpose Spray Cleaner/Window Cleaner
You can use this one anywhere – kitchen, bath, floors, counters, car, etc. The vinegar is a disinfectant.
• ½ cup white distilled vinegar
• 1 tsp liquid soap
• 2 cups water
• 3-5 drops essential oil (optional, for scent)
*Mix together in a spray bottle and shake before each use.

Basic Soapy Cleaner
I use this one everywhere – it’s especially good for cleaning little spots on the carpet and upholstery.
• 2 cups water
• ½ tsp castile soap
*Mix together in a spray bottle and shake before each use.

Tea Tree Anti-Mildew Spray
This spray is fabulous in the bathroom – spritz after cleaning and let the tea tree kill mildew.
• 2 tsp tea tree oil
• ½ tsp liquid soap
• 2 cups water
*Combine in a spray bottle and shake well before each use. Do not rinse off – allow the tea tree oil to do its work.

Creamy Cleanser (Soft Scrub-Style Cleanser)
Another all-purpose cleaner you can use anywhere – great for the kitchen and bath.
• ½ cup baking soda
• Enough liquid soap to make a paste
*Combine with a spoon and apply with a sponge or rag. Rinse well. For a basic scouring powder, just use the baking soda straight.

Basic Wood Cleaner
This one is good for polishing wood furniture and moldings.
• ¼ cup white distilled vinegar
• ¼ cup water
• ½ tsp liquid soap
• a few drops of jojoba or olive oil
• 3-5 drops essential oil (optional, for scent – orange essential oil is great for this)
*Combine is a bowl and apply using a rag or sponge.

Leather Furniture Polish
Perfect for leather furniture, leather jackets and shoes.
• ½ cup jojoba oil
• ½ tsp liquid castile soap
*Combine with a whisk, then apply in dabs using a soft cloth. Wipe away any residue.

To download a printable pdf of these cleaning recipes, head over to Scribd.

Two book recommendations for even more DIY inspiration:

Reduce Your Waste: Tips to be Green during Your Spring Clean

Today's post is written by guest writer Jessica Phan, a designer for Balsamhill.com.

As the cold winter months give way to warmer weather, we not only shed thicker clothing but also a year's worth of accumulated items. The arrival of spring means the same for many homeowners: spring cleaning. This year, change your routine and go green while getting rid of unwanted items at home. Here are some ideas:

Clean the non-toxic way.
Removing mold from bathrooms, deodorizing rooms, and cleaning stains off the carpet make the house look and feel brand new. Instead of using cleaning products from the supermarket, make your own from items the pantry and fridge. Vinegar, baking soda, and lemons are great alternatives to high-grade cleaning materials that contain toxic chemicals.

Use old fashioned elbow grease.
Give your electrical appliances a break and clean house the old fashioned way. Besides, you won't be able to get into every nook and cranny with that bulky vacuum cleaner. What's more, you can burn up to 400 calories an hour doing manual housework, and you won't even need to join a gym to get fit for spring.

Remember that when cleaning, you have to work your way from top to bottom. Start by taking the curtains down and setting aside all fragile items like vases, framed photographs, paintings and other decorative items made of glass. Using an extended broom, sweep the ceilings to get rid of cobwebs. Next, wipe the windows with a cleaning rag. From there, you can proceed to sweeping the floor and mopping it until it sparkles. Wipe the items you set aside earlier with a clean cloth before putting them in their respective places.

Source 

Take advantage of the sun.
Exposure to direct sunlight is an excellent way to remove odors. Best of all, it's free! Instead of using the dryer on your washing machine, hang curtains out to dry. After dusting the carpet by whacking it with a broomstick or your son's baseball bat, leave it out on the porch railing or a heavy-duty clothesline while you clean the rest of the house.

Give old items to charity.
Giving old stuff to charity allows you to help other people and keeps your home clutter-free at the same time. Set up a charity box where you can toss in reusable items such as clothing, old appliances, and furniture. Get in touch with your local community for outreach programs or drop it off at your nearest Goodwill or Salvation Army.

Recycle, recycle, recycle.
Sort through your belongings to check which ones can be recycled. Empty mason jars, for instance, can be used as decorative vases or storage for small office supplies like staples, push pins, and paper clips. Cut up and sew tattered shirts to make cleaning rags or maybe even a quilt. Use old newspapers and magazines to protect fragile items while in storage or shipment. You can also use newspaper to clean mirrors and glass surfaces. Don't throw out those old toothbrushes yet -- use them to clean hard-to-reach corners in the bathroom or your running shoes!

Spring cleaning is hard work but the results are always rewarding. Make it even better by going green. This way, you reduce your carbon footprint while keeping your home -- and the planet -- a better place to live in.

Jessica Phan is a designer for Balsamhill.com a purveyor of high-end artificial Christmas Trees. Living in the San Francisco Bay Area is perfect for her because she has a wide range of interests, including Art & Design, Fashion, Photography, Painting and Thrift Store Shopping.

Spring Cleaning Guide: Tackle It in Zones

A clean, clutter-free home is more comfortable, and it can boost your self-esteem and save you money. When you can easily find what you need, you can avoid buying extraneous stuff, and you'll feel more confident in your abilities to stay on top of your world. Although cleaning and decluttering might seem like a daunting task, particularly when you're tackling "spring cleaning," you don't have to feel overwhelmed. Take it one step at a time. The first challenge for this year's spring cleaning was to grab a basket and go around the house redistributing items back to the rooms they belong in. Now it's time to make a game plan for tackling the whole house in an organized, strategic manner. I like to start by dividing the house into zones.

Challenge 2: Make a plan to divide and conquer.

1. Make a plan by dividing your home up into specific areas to tackle on separate days. I have my home divided into six zones, one for each day of the week, leaving one day free as a "day off" or to use as a catch-up day as needed. I suggest the following zones, but feel free to tweak your zones to fit your specific living situation: kitchen and dining, bathrooms, master bedroom, other bedrooms, living areas, home office. 
2. Start with the area that bothers you the most. First pick the zone that's bothering you, then pick a space within that zone. It can be a small area, such as your desk or bed or bathroom cabinet. It's hard to clean an entire home at once, so breaking it into manageable zones and then smaller areas within those zones can help you focus and motivate yourself to get started. Picture the "after" by using photos of clean and organized rooms as inspiration.

 
3. Give yourself a time frame, and mark it on the calendar. For spring cleaning, I recommend a few days in each zone. Once you get through the heavy decluttering and cleaning, you can start managing your zones on a weekly basis, with each zone having one day a week for maintenance cleaning and purging.

Tip: Write your zones down and post them in a prominent place, on the fridge or on a bulletin board that you refer to often. Mark a #1 by the zone you're starting in first.