Wow – can you believe we’re halfway through the challenge?!
It’s amazing at how little changes like getting a full 8 hours of sleep and reading the label on your lotion can make such an impact towards a healthier life!
Wait a sec… I should backtrack (momentarily) just in case you haven’t been following along.
We’ve started a 31 day challenge to frugal natural living. I’m affectionately calling the challenge “Kinda Crunchy,” because I don’t think it’s really possible to be all the way crunchy, all the time. There’s only so much we can do with limited time, limited resources and limited energy.
And the priorities for each family are different too. What’s important to one family might be a low priority for another family.
But we DO all have similar goals – to be healthier, to live a more natural life, and to do it all without going broke.
So I think it’s fair to say we’re all kinda crunchy.
Knowing where to start in the realm of natural living is perhaps the most difficult aspect of all. I’ve been there and it wasn’t fun. But I’ve learned from it and want to pass on my knowledge to you.
Kinda Crunchy is a 31 day challenge to frugal natural living. You can read the full details about the challenge here, but I’ll quickly sum up the challenge here too:
- 31 days of challenges pertaining to the four pillars of natural living: real food, easy DIY’s, saving money and natural living
- each challenge is broken down into specific action items for beginner, intermediate and advanced readers and sent to you via email
- we’re only covering the most important topics, skipping the wimpy ones
- every goal is broken down into bite-size pieces and explained in plain English
I’m re-capping part of the challenge here. I don’t want to limit the challenge to just those who signed up. If someone out in Googleland happens to accidentally stumble across this post and want to get healthy too, they should be able to.
Kinda Crunchy Re-cap (Days 9-15)
Day 9: Plastic & BPA
There are some seriously bad toxins in plastic, and unfortunately most families have plastic all over their homes.
Asking you to simply throw away all the plastic in your house is a bit extreme, so we focused on the kitchen for now and broke this down into three itty bitty steps that are well within reach.
Day 10: Eat Seasonal
Seasonal produce tastes better, retains more nutrients and 9 times out of 10, is more affordable. But sometimes convenience wins out.
Incorporating seasonal produce into your meal plan is easier than you think, and it all starts with education. A super informative printable with two baby steps and you’re well on your way to eating seasonal, year round!
Day 11: Whole Grains
Whole foods contain everything they need for our bodies to properly digest them, and goes for grains too.
I understand though not having a grain mill and the family being leery of the “wheat-y” flavor of whole wheat. That’s why I offered solutions to both of these and explained why I buy my whole wheat grain from Palouse Brand.
(Hint: It has something to do with the fact that I can trace my wheat back to the field it was grown in!)
Day 12: Cleaning
I’ll admit that I’m not a big fan of cleaning, but it’s one of those things that has to get done.
The first baby step is a two-for-one where you can clean the floor and air with one fell swoop. As a bonus, it improves your mood while you’re cleaning, making the second two baby steps a bit more fun (and just as effective on dirty surfaces!)
Day 13: Utilities
There’s quite a bit of money to be saved when you go through your utility bills with a fine-toothed comb, but there’s also a few things you can do at home to make that savings even bigger.
We boldly tackled two utility bills and took drastic (yet simple) measures in the home to face the bills head on so that next month, they’re a whole lot easier on the wallet.
Day 14: Hidden Toxins
There are toxins all over the home, and this step takes us out of the kitchen and into the bathrooms, hall closets and medicine cabinets.
There are two chemicals in particular that are the most dangerous, and the most prevalent in the home. The fact that one of these affects kids’ fertility and reproduction is no laughing matter. That’s why Maty’s Healthy Products has been a lifesaver – it’s medicine I can trust and rely on.
If you only have time for one challenge this week, day 14 would be it.
Day 15: Cook from Scratch
Forget about the lack of time, lack of skill and lack of know-how.
We’ve busted those myths when it comes to cooking from scratch and I shared how one amazing kitchen appliance can help you get so much more done – without you even needing to be home!
So whatcha think, do any of these apply to you? Could you use some help with HOW to make progress in these areas?
Sign up for the challenge and it will be delivered instantly. If you decide it’s just too much or too overwhelming for now, set it aside and pick it back up when you’re ready.
That’s the beauty of your journey and this challenge – you go at your own pace!
We’ve teamed up with five amazing sponsors to bring this challenge. They’re brands I use, missions I believe in and families I support 100% (and even met in some cases!)
- Bend Soap – the makers of my “all of the above” soap that’s gentle enough for my sensitive skin yet tough enough on dirty stained clothes
- Maty’s – the makers of the only cough medicine that has ever worked for me (and there’s no icky ingredients or side effects!)
- Palouse Brand – a family-owned company in Washing that grows, cleans, packages and ships beans and whole grains to you directly from the farm (and you can track your package back to the farm!)
- Redmond Trading – they’re digging up some seriously amazing clay that’s found its way on my skin (for acne) and in my mouth (for healthy teeth!)
- You Need a Budget (YNAB) – reset what you’ve been taught about budgeting and get it right once and for all by giving your money a job – yes, make your money literally work for you!
The challenges have been interesting thus far. I am saving each e-mail and placing them in a Crumbs folder. I intend to write them out in a notebook, 1 per page with thoughts and implementation dates. On some we are at advanced stages and others just beginners. Really if you look at it you are giving us 90 days worth of challenges. This way we can implement them gradually without becoming overwhelmed. Thanks again for all the effort you are putting into this. I have long looked for a baby step type guide to bring about change in our home.
The frugal natural living challenge is great! I need to do it also. I try to eat healthy and clean with only natural ingredients but sometimes I need some more inspiration. Thank you for sharing!
Is there a way to access the pdfs that went with the challenge? I accidentally deleted one, and I can’t seem to find it on your website. Thanks!
Hi Michelle – can you email me? We’ll get the missing one to you ASAP!