If you have a baby on the way or your little bundle is already here then no doubt you want to ensure you have a green friendly and non-toxic nursery—read on! In these days of eco consciousness, for us to keep our children’s world as safe as we can, we need to start in our home and what better place than your baby’s first environment (after the womb of course)? Perhaps you don’t have a separate nursery because you co-sleep. That great! We just need to make sure all of baby’s hangouts are safe as possible. Experts abound to tell you all about making sure you have outlet covers and no stuffed animals in the crib. Few tell you about the potential toxins that could be lurking in the paint you used on the walls or the new mattress you bought for their crib or bassinet. Even fewer will tell you that you don’t need a fraction of the baby stuff being marketed to new moms.
This is serious business but it is actually getting very easy to outfit a nursery or sleep/play space with safe and green materials. When you also acknowledge that babies actually NEED very little by way of stuff then your job is even easier. You don’t have to go broke buying all the stuff in a baby catalog. Be honest…that stuff is more for you than for baby. They don’t care if their nursery is the perfect color combination of celery and aquamarine. All they care about is the touch, smell, and sound of their mom and dad. They are probably never going to care about how cute you decorated that nursery so your energy AND money is better spent elsewhere. Here are…
10 Tips For a Safe and Minimalist Nursery
1. If you are painting for baby use zero VOC paints or natural paints such as milk paints. Your color options may be slightly reduced but wall color is not as important as the potential for you and your baby to be breathing in noxious chemicals.
2. Avoid new carpeting. Carpet harbors all sorts of nasties like, mold, mildew, dust, dirt, and allergens. If at all possible go with hard wood flooring and wool rugs.
3. Use natural baby care products and avoid the conventional top sellers. You actually don’t need all the baby powder, baby oil, and lotion that the magazines and TV ads tell you that you do. If you must purchase some of these items stick with natural brands such as Earth Mama Angel Baby but in all honesty you can usually eschew most of these products.
4. Choose to use cloth diapers. They really aren’t that much more work (just a few loads of laundry) and they are way cuter than throwaway diapers. They are better for your baby’s skin/health and they are the planet friendly option as well.
5. Select an organic and/or natural mattress wherever your baby will be sleeping. Conventional mattresses are doused with nasty chemicals and flame retardants. Baby mattresses are often covered in plastic which tends to off-gas for a long time. Organic cotton or wool mattresses for cribs and bassinets are available.
6. Spring for organic sheets too. Your little one will be in close contact with all the chemical nasties in conventional options, as will you, for many hours each night. In the beginning they also spend a great deal of time napping. Their sleep environment should be as safe as possible.
7. Everyone’s clothing should be washed in safe, natural detergents but especially that of babies. Soap nuts are a good option…they are fruit with natural soap in them and they can be used repeatedly in the wash to clean clothing naturally.
8. Buy essentials ONLY. Wear your baby and you don’t need a pack-n-play. Change your baby on the bed and you don’t need a changing table. Grab a reusable tote when you leave the house (the kind you use for groceries) and you don’t need a diaper bag. Ask yourself how much you REALLY need for your new baby. The answer is…not much.
9. Use an air purifier in the baby’s room to clean the indoor air and remove allergens and other air born contaminants that are lurking there. Living plants are another great choice.
10. Buy a baby sling or wrap. Bouncy seats, baby walkers, strollers…you don’t really need them. Just get a nice quality, organic baby wrap and you and your partner can wear your baby. Both of you will relish the close contact.
When tackling the nursery and getting ready for your new baby just remember that the more “stuff” you buy or bring into the house the more you have to worry about potentially as far as chemical nasties and pollutants are concerned. It is best to go minimal and be on the safe side and to be more conscious about the few things that you do buy. The best part is that you can afford to be choosier because you aren’t throwing money after useless stuff that baby doesn’t need. Everyone wins.
What conventional and popular baby items have YOU found to be a waste of time and money?
This is a guest post from Carrie…a fabulous minimalist mama with a large family.
At the moment I’m 25 weeks pregnant. So far, my husband and I have purchased the following items for our new little one: a bassinet, a small box of gender neutral newborn clothing, and cloth diapers (all purchased secondhand). Why haven’t we gone all out with a baby registry and/or spending a good portion of the budget on new baby gear? It’s not because this is our 7th child and we already have tons of baby stuff left over from the other kids. We actually got rid of nearly everything after our last baby. And it’s not because we can’t afford to buy baby things.
So why are we acquiring so little? Mostly it’s because we prefer a simple, uncluttered home – and we’ve discovered that babies need so very little by way of material goods. A lot of gadgets sold for babies are in the “marginally helpful but not truly needed” category. What babies really need: warm soft clothing and cotton diapers, food from mom, a safe place to sleep, and the arms of a loving caretaker. (And, an infant car seat for safe travel.) Even diapers are somewhat negotiable if you’re practicing elimination communication.
We’ve found that many things we already have substitute quite nicely for a multitude of expenditures. Here are a few examples:
Babies and toddlers can sleep with mom and dad. You may need to make a few changes to ensure the sleep environment is safe for a baby, but this rarely involves making a purchase. Instead of a crib and play yard/play pen, a soft cloth carrier such as a baby sling can keep baby safe and close (and therefore happy!) during the day. If baby is fussy or colicky due to health problems such as reflux, a sling to keep baby near mom and upright is preferable to many gadgets sold for this purpose.
The only food baby needs for its first 6 months or so is breastmilk. If mom is going back to work full time she will likely need to invest in a high quality pump and BPA free bottles, but some moms are able to arrange their work and caregiver arrangements so as to feed baby straight from the breast.
Once baby is eating, it’s not necessary to buy special bowls and cutlery or food grinders and other “baby food” gear. Most babies will do just fine and may even prefer the texture of simple food mashed with a fork. Babies can start eating banana, avocado, soft cooked carrots, potatoes (and other well cooked mashed vegetables), egg yolks, homemade bone broths and even well cooked meats in their first year of life.
Tons of baby toys are sold each year but many parents have noticed that babies prefer to play with ordinary household objects. Good children’s picture books are a better investment, since they will be loved for years and not quickly “outgrown”. Once you do begin accumulating toys, keep things simple. Classic, open-ended toys like wooden blocks are great for a wide range of ages and are durable and safe.
Having a baby doesn’t have to mean cluttering up your home with tons of stuff. Most parents find that only a small percentage of that stuff is actually useful to them. If this is your first baby and you’re not sure what to buy, ask friends whose values are similar to your own about the things they really needed for their new little one. Resist the siren song of the big box baby stores and buy what you’ll need on Craigslist and eBay, and be vocal about the fact that you’ll accept hand me downs. This way you’ll save money and keep good stuff out of the landfill.
Carrie is a homeschooling mom of 6 (soon to be 7) who writes about frugality, minimalism, good books, feeding a family and productivity at: http://www.NaturalMomsTalkRadio.com. Be sure to check out her free podcast episodes for informative experts on natural family living.
So have you seen The Lorax yet? If so, then you know that it is fodder for lots of conversations within your family about environmentalism and how to put into practice Lessons With The Lorax. The movie is phenomenal and fun but the subject matter is serious and there is no time like the present to work together as a family to do your part and speak for the trees, and the air, and the waterways, and all things Mother Earth. The Lorax movie just brings us a fun way to launch into it with renewed vigor.
One way to gets kids interested and excited might be to give them title of Lorax for a week and alternate weekly between children. For a week they get to be the voice that speaks for the planet. They get to be the watch dog that makes sure lights get turned off and water isn’t wasted. Giving kids this bit of power makes them more aware of the issues and how to solve them. Once all of your kids have had their turn at the wheel you can ask them to look outward for more ideas and broaden their reach. What can they do on their block, in their community, and at their school? Empowering them at home will give them the confidence that they can make a difference elsewhere.
But… back to the home. What can you do there? Letting them be the Lorax for the week might be fun enough on its own but you can also up the ante by offering rewards when certain goals are met. Mom and Dad get to be the Lorax too though, just to set the standard and let the youngins see how this game is played. Have fun!
- Teach kids to be aware of household waste and give them tips on how the family can reduce the amount of garbage that hits the curb each week. If you usually throw out two bags each week, challenge the kids to help you whittle it down to one. Trash can be reduced by recycling as much as you can, reusing what you can, buying foods with little or no packaging, composting scraps, and reducing purchases.
- Start a laundry challenge. Explain how much energy and water goes into washing clothes and how much is wasted when they can’t wear the same pair of jeans for 2 to 3 days or they change clothes multiple times a day. See if you can reduce the number of laundry loads you do and get help hanging the laundry to dry so that the dryer doesn’t have to be used as much.
- Let them audit your household. Give them the power to police water use, energy hogging, and general wastefulness. You will be surprised by all the ways those keen minds will find to help reduce your impact.
- Let your the children help research and decide on purchases. Letting them make buying decisions now will only help them be more mindful consumers later on. Let them choose which toilet paper is the greenest option or what gadget might help them conserve energy or reduce waste. Doing this is especially good for older kids because it gives them the opportunity to really research products make better choices.
- Take an eat local challenge. With your kids at your side make a list of meals you can make with all local ingredients and take them shopping with you and have them help in the food preparation. Explain how you are saving resources by buying from vendors and farms in your own hometown.
- Start a children’s garden. If you have the space, it would be beneficial to let each child have their own small garden bed and help them plant in it. Then they are responsible for weeding, watering, and harvesting. The smiles and feeling of accomplishment will be priceless.
If we want them to be the ones speaking for our planet then we have to help them find their voices…
This post is part of the “Lessons With The Lorax” Blog Tour organized by Universal Pictures for The Lorax Movie. Visit some of the other stops here:
Yesterday kicked off the winter hiking series at our local Columbus Metro Parks. I have said it before but it is always worth repeating… the Columbus Metro Parks are pure awesomeness. All year long they arrange fun stuff for families and it is usually free.
Where I was raised a patch of green grass with a baseball diamond and a swing set was called a park. Here the parks are full of wild, forested land and swamps, ponds, or rivers with trails winding through. Each park is diverse and unique and it is so fun to explore them all. Our very first hiking experience in Ohio was organized via the park system and the winter hiking series. We have been hooked ever since. Our house is sandwiched between the larger Blacklick Woods (where we went yesterday) and a quarry park. This was not accidental.
Yesterday we set out and let my youngest choose what trail to follow… red or blue. He chose blue, the 4 mile trail versus the 2 mile.
It was in the 40s so not too cold, although too cold for what my husband dressed in… shorts and t-shirt. The trails were also super muddy because the snow that covered the ground all week finally melted. We were all pretty dirty by the time the hike was done.
Afterwards there was free hot cocoa and Snowville Creamery Chocolate Milk (a local dairy). There was also a fire and marshmallows. Had to pull up a hay bale and enjoy that too.
There was a more substantial vegetarian minestrone soup but we passed on that. In previous years it was so hot the kids couldn’t eat for about 20 minutes and this little pit stop wasn’t the end of the hike… still more to go. Mom and dad didn’t eat any because it had pasta/wheat in it. I did have a toasted marshmallow though and I snuck some sips of hot cocoa. Those kind of foods have gone extinct in our house but what can do when you happen across them in the wild?
Good exercise, good fun, and my fave people on the planet. Can’t wait for hike #2 at Sharon Woods!
A grand summer vacation or spring break may not be in the cards for every family. The costs for family travel seems to go up every year and you may not live close enough to an amusement park, so what do you do? Well, if you are like me I plan lots of small day trips instead and most of them revolves around free or low cost activities that take us outside to explore. This is all part of our family simplicity project. We work as little as we can, taking the lower pay with it, so that we can spend more time together. When we want to do special things that means we have to get a bit creative. A Disney Cruise is not in the cards for us, it may never be, but we can still have a lot of fun while staying close to home. Just think outside the box!
Explore Local Waterfalls – Finding local waterfalls and swimming holes is the BEST! When I lived in Arizona there was no shortage of stuff like this to find so imagine my surprise when I checked out the Go Waterfalling site and found there was a waterfall about 20 minutes away from me. It was a blast and the kids loved it. Plus we now know there are some more about 1-2 hours north of us. Sounds like a nice day trip to me!
National Parks - Most Americans live within a day’s drive of a national park. Ranger tours, hiking trails, campfire talks… sounds pretty nice to me and you don’t even have to sleep in the park if camping is not your thing, you can find a cheap motel nearby instead. Make it an educational event by identifying local plant life, trees, and wildlife, discussing survivalism, etc. Mom and Dad can bring a camera and work on their photography skills so they can make a National Park scrapbook when they get home. Check out your local library for guidebooks specific to any park you want to go to.
Look for Covered Bridges – My mother and I LOVE to go driving around Ohio and scope out the covered bridges. No doubt when I take the kids up to spend time with her this summer we will make several of these trips. The photo above was taken on one such occasion. We ran into our first Ohio rattlesnake on a covered bridge so the kids are always excited to see if we can find more.
Historical Site Exploration – Do a Google search and see if you can find local battlefields, Indian ruins, or other places of historical interest. Visit homes that were part of the underground railroad or check out famous grave sites. We are very fortunate to live close to an outdoor amphitheater to witness the epic life story of the legendary Shawnee leader, Tecumseh as he struggles to defend his sacred homelands in the Ohio country during the late 1700’s. When I was a kid we used to drive to it in a motorhome and camp there overnight during the summer. In Arizona we would make day trips to Tombstone… good times.
Explore Caves and Caverns – Does your state have caverns and caves to explore. It probably does. Do some searching and see what you can find. You can usually go on tours and learn all about the history of the cave and what it was used for in centuries past. We have been wanting go to visit Mammoth Cave in Kentucky (5 hours away) but there are also several that are closer.
Scavenger Hunt! - A nearby city puts on a scavenger hunt each year where you have to drive to all sorts of local cemeteries, landmarks, and historic places and get a unique stamp in your adventure passport. It is a lot of fun and can be recreated easily. Spend a few evenings outlining an adventure tour in your local area, the kids will love it.
Check Out a Day Trips Book – Most major cities have published books with fun things to do in your area or within a days drive. It was by perusing books like this that we discovered that there are honest to goodness Castles in Ohio. We had fun visiting a few of them and want to hit up more this summer.
Go to Local Festivals – The availability of festivals and fairs will really depend on your state. In Ohio we have TONS of counties so their is a county fair practically every week in the nicer months it seems. We also have a Bratwurst Festival, a Strawberry Festival, a Popcorn Festival, a Tomato Festival, the Country Music Festival… it goes on and on. They provide funs ways to get outside, explore local communities, and eat some tasty food.
Harvest Some Food - Summer to us means raspberries, blackberries, strawberries, and sweet corn. We like to visit You-Pick farms in the area and pick our own food. The kids have a blast harvesting it and they are super excited to get home and eat, bake, freeze, or can our treasures.
Visit the Animals – Take a trip to the zoo, a wildlife sanctuary or preserve, local stables, anywhere where you can interact with the local wildlife.
What are your favorite family vacation day trips?
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Hi there! I am a green, paleo, crossfit mom of three. I am concerned about health, wellness, and sustainability issues. This is my life. This what I am passionate about. Come get to know me and feel free to 
