OK! so here we go, How to transition into a clean lifestyle with kids? A questions a lot of us parents seem to ask ourselves every time a new documentary on Netflix comes out.
Well let’s get started then!
The first thing you want to accomplish in this transition is education. You want to be as aware as you possibly can because let’s be honest we all have those little ones who follow our every step and as parents we want to make sure that their next step is their best step. So I recommend educate, and not just yourself but your family as well. Try finding farmers markets in your areas, natural stores, natural online stores, DIY products that can be made with other natural products, and multipurpose products like coconut oil which is literally used for everything under the sun! You can find all of this information at you local library or….. tadaa the INTERNET. We have so many avenues now to find and obtain information. Let’s take advantage of them!
Food & Water
Transitioning with food and water is something we all have to consciously do. Don’t get me wrong, getting take out is way less time consuming when you have little ones to feed but we have to make sacrifices somewhere right? Firstly try finding local natural stores, farmers markets, natural supermarkets like Earth Fare , Whole Foods or Publix (signing up for their weekly sales emails saved us a ton of money). Some of these markets have pre-prepared meals that you can just stick in the oven and viola! A healthy, clean dinner, GO MOM!
Water is another area that is so important especially if you’re conscious of the amount of plastic you use and the chemicals that you and your family can be exposed to when drinking unfiltered tap water. You can invest in water filters for your kitchen and bathroom but that can be on the pricey side, if you have the mula, I say GO for it! But for the rest of us normal folk we go to our local Earth Fare and get 10 gallons of Alkaline water which lasts us for about a week and a half in our water dispenser. This is a great alternative when you’re just starting to transition for your drinking and cooking water.
Cleaning
Cleaning products I believe are the easiest section to transition from. The market is saturated right now with “green products” it is also easy to fall for the clean marketing trap. For starters I did a lot of DIY cleaning products which included vinegar based all purpose cleaners, Multipurpose soaps like Dr. Bronners (which can be used for your laundry as well). Believe it or not this is also a huge money saver since you’re only using one product for multiple uses instead of having to buy individual products for different tasks. We use our Dr Bronners for our laundry, tubs and sinks, body wash There are also many sites where its easier for you to purchase these products like Thrivemarket.com & Grove.com. See links below.
Skin Care & Makeup
Skin care and makeup is so important to us mommas and in my opinion it’s the hardest part of transitioning because let’s get serious, I am not throwing away all of my makeup to have to buy makeup again! That’s just throwing away money right? Wrong! Skincare and makeup is a section you should definitely take your time in transitioning. Outlet skin is our biggest organ so anything we put on our skin is absorbed into our bodies. Not only can it be costly but you have to find the brands and products that match your beliefs. In the meantime you can research DIY products that you can try while you find your perfect brand. Another way to try high end clean products is by getting trial sizes and if you like it you can invest with the proper knowledge and you’re not throwing away money. You can find clean skincare and makeup at your Local beauty store, follain.com or your local natural store.
Babies & Baby Products
Last but certainly not least, transitioning babies to a cleaner lifestyle! I believe this is extremely important especially starting off with diapers. Cloth diapering (this area I need more research in but the little that I did I would def recommend moms to look into it) is a great alternative to disposable diapers. It creates less waste and is cheaper in the long run if done right. We’ve moved from generic diaper brands to brands like Honest Company and HelloBello, which have a great subscription service which means no more late night diaper runs- haha… no but seriously, I hate those runs and with a subscription service you don’t need to drive for a diaper run (another way of living a clean lifestyle). For our baby products we use companies like Honest Company were you can save money if you bundle the products with your diapers. I also use a lot of the same products for myself on my babies, like coconut oil for diaper cream and nipple balm and Dr Bronner’s Soap Baby Unscented for our body wash.
Transitioning to a cleaner lifestyle was never meant to be hard, but it is something that is a gradual change. We have to be open and accepting to our own journey in trying new things and being able to educate ourselves & creating new memories while living this beautiful life the best way we can!
Links & Apps to help transition into a cleaner lifestyle
Food & Water: Earth Fare, Whole Foods, Publix & Thrivemarket.com
Cleaning: Thrivemarket.com, Grovecollaberative.com, & Pinterest (DIY Ingredients).
Skin & Makeup: Thrivemarket.com, sephora, follain.com
Babies & Baby Products: Thrivemarket.com, Honest.co
App: Think Dirty (Scan your products and get a level of ‘clean’ for each one)
Links:
Thrive Market: http://thrv.me/9mQXp1
Grove Co. : https://www.grove.co/referrer/47822860/
Follow me on Instagram and follow our family’s journey to a cleaner lifestyle @sheynatural
