Urban gardening for minimalists

I love gardening, even though for much of my life I didn't have access to my own outdoor space. I also live in a climate where the growing season is about four months long (if we're lucky). If all you have is a windowsill, you can still create a cool, minimalist urban garden.

Why garden? It makes our spaces look more lively, we can grow flowers instead of buying (and then tossing) bouquets, and plants make great gifts.

Container Gardening

Container gardening is easy. You can grow a variety of herbs and other small plants with minimal care; they often just need water and a sunny window. You can buy plants at garden centers, farmer’s markets, grocery stores or home improvement stores.

Have pets? You can try this adorable little cat garden, or make your own using pet-safe seeds.

To grow my own plants, I use yogurt cups, a bag of potting soil, and seeds I saved from the previous year. I like to grow marigolds, since they're easy to start, and last until autumn if transplanted outside. Just rinse out the yogurt containers, poke a few holes in the bottom, fill with soil, and add seeds and water. Place in a cardboard box or saucer to catch extra soil/water, and let it sit in a warm, sunny location.

Buying specialized "greenhouse" kits are expensive, but it can be tough to keep container gardens safe when you have pets nearby, or keep plants a little warmer in a cool place. Here's a tip: you know those clear plastic zipper bags that linens come in? Save those and put your plants inside. Voila, instant mini-greenhouse.

Seed "Bombs"

I've been gardening for years, but I just heard about these recently. Seed bombs are little spheres of seeds and paper, compost, or clay that you can just toss and let grow. They’re great to involve kids in gardening, and they can be used as party favors. You can buy them on Etsy here or make your own.

Community Gardens

Many cities have community gardens that you can join. In a community garden, volunteers donate time and/or plants and then bring home their share of the harvest. If there isn't one near you, look into starting one, especially if your school or workplace has a little land that isn't used.

And if all else fails, most places don't object to flowers being planted, especially if someone volunteers to water and weed them.

For more ideas, check out The Minimalist Writer on Pinterest.

Photo originally by Markus Spiske on Unsplash

Easy minimalist & zero waste ideas (that don’t cost a lot of money)

When people see "zero waste," they usually think about drastic lifestyle changes, but it's possible to reduce your waste without rearranging your whole life.

Why go zero waste? On top of the enormous environmental benefits, you can save money. Reusing products is cheaper than constantly buying disposables. Many cities near me are now charging by the trash bag or levying fees for garbage collection. And if they don't, it's bundled into your property taxes or rent. Why pay to throw out stuff you never needed in the first place?

Here are a few quick, easy, zero waste solutions you can implement right away.

Coffee

If you buy coffee on their way to work, consider bringing a reusable cup. Some stores now offer discounts for bringing your own cup, and you're avoiding sending all those disposables to landfills. Or, brew coffee in the morning and take it with you in a stainless steel container.

A post shared by Ellie Daforge (@elliedaforge) on Jan 14, 2018 at 12:43pm PST

If you have a machine that brews single cups, get a reusable filter cup (pictured above). I fill mine with ground coffee ($3 a can that lasts months vs. as much as 50 cents per disposable K-cup) and toss the grounds in my compost bin when I'm done. (Just don't put coffee grounds down the drain--they can clog pipes.)

Reusable water bottle & lunch container

When I was a kid, sandwiches always went in disposable bags. I still pack my lunch every day, and a few years ago I switched to a reusable plastic container for my sandwich. I haven't needed to buy sandwich bags since. I even bring a larger container to restaurants that give huge portions instead of asking for a disposable take-away container.

I have a reusable water bottle that unscrews in two parts, so I can wash it or add items like ice or fruit. If you can't buy a reusable bottle yet, a mason jar will work.

Bar soap or refills

Those little disposable soap pumps add up, both in cost and landfills. If you want to keep the pumps you have, buy large refill jugs (usually about the same price as one tiny pump, and last a lot longer). Or, switch to bar soap to reduce packaging.

“Unpaper” towels (and handkerchiefs!)

Instead of using paper towels, cut up old towels/shirts or use washcloths, and use a 50/50 mix of vinegar and water to clean most surfaces.

Reusable bags

Many stores now charge for a disposable plastic or paper bag. Pick up a few cloth bags (often sold for $1 each, or given away free by some businesses--or check thrift stores) and put them by your door, or take them with you when you go out. There are some that fold up very small, so you can place them in a purse or backpack. Many reusable bags are also insulated, helping to keep food cold or hot when you're transporting it home. And if you don't want to buy a reusable bag just yet, you can use a cardboard box.

If you have disposable bags still lying around your home, you can bring them back to the store for recycling (look for a bin near where soda cans are collected).


I hope these tips were helpful. In a future blog post, I plan to outline more minimalist/zero waste tips for parties.

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