While I fully embrace these slow living hobbies as a homesteader, you by no means need to homestead in order to live a relaxing and calm life! In fact, I think it is so important for everyone to have hobbies like these in their lives, no matter where you live.

When you choose these hobbies, or similar ones, over binge-watching a show, for example, you are making wise decisions for your health, both physical, mental, and spiritual! I have to admit that when I feel drained, I often resort to watching podcasts or YouTube videos. But it’s the times that I am intentional about picking up my hobby that I feel fulfilled, productive, and energized!

Slow living hobbies like these can be difficult to start because there is often a learning curve. The struggle to learn something new can cause us to give-up or put it aside for a while. It takes a level of resilience and diligence to first learn them, and then enjoy them. But, that’s what makes them so fulfilling in the end!

Here are some ideas of slow living hobbies you can pick up and start today…

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1. Reading

Reading is so good for our brains! Our family takes weekly trips to the library, and we pick up new books every time. Each time we read something new, whether fiction or non-fiction we are sparking creativity or a new thought.

Reading relaxes you, and is better for you than screens, especially at night time. Try just reading 15 minutes before bed every night. Or, read something like your Bible or a devotional each morning when you wake up to start your day right. You can even read books about simple living like this one!

Related Post: My Top Books Of 2024: Homesteading, Homeschooling, Homemaking And More

2. Researching A New Project and Blogging

I had to include this on the list because I am a researcher at heart. And, as a homesteader, I am always researching something new to try. It could be a new animal to raise, a new food preservation method, or an old-fashioned hobby. I find that I do this so often that it really is one of the slow living hobbies I enjoy most!

In fact, I consider my blog here my favorite hobby. I simply do it because I love it. I love researching topics, trying them out, and then sharing the results with my audience. I also blog a lot about the books I’ve been reading, the first hobby I listed here! If you want to start your own blog, check this page out.

Related Post: 5 Empowering Slow-Living Motherhood Practices For The Whole Day

3. Doing Something New

After I’ve researched something new, I have to try it out! Trying something new is one of the best slow living hobbies because you are expanding your knowledge, getting out of your comfort zone, and experiencing more of what this world has to offer.

If you need ideas, try volunteering somewhere new, signing up for a new sports league, or attending a new event in your community. Even host a new weekly game night at your house! Don’t be scared to try new things and embrace the uncomfortable.

You never know who you’ll meet or what you’ll learn. Just sitting at home and being lazy is not good for you and does not help anyone else. Let’s be people who make a difference in our communities!

Related Post: 17 Homemaker Habits And Skills That Will Make You The Best Homemaker

4. Being Outside and Exercising

Going for a walk every evening after dinner is a great way to burn those calories and have a new healthy hobby in your day. It’s so simple yet it makes a world of difference. It’s also so beneficial to get the morning sunlight thirty minutes after waking up.

This is hard for us to do in our long winters, so instead we have to be intentional about embracing winter sports and activities. That includes ice skating, cross country skiing, or snowshoeing. It can be easier to stay cooped up inside, but getting outside certainly makes us happy people in the end.

As a homesteader, I would also include animal husbandry, foraging, and selling at the farmer’s market as outdoor hobbies I especially enjoy!

Related Post: Can You Be A Minimalist And Still Homestead? Here’s How We Successfully Do It!

5. Gardening

Gardening does not have to be overwhelming! In fact, it can be as simple as tilling the ground and putting a few seeds in. It can also be just growing pots of plants on your porch or deck. Even herbs on a windowsill are wonderful to grow all year long! Once you grow something and its fresh flavor you will love this hobby!

Here are some gardening books I recommend for beginners and those with some experience.

Related Post: The Top 10 Cookbooks Every Homesteader Needs In Their Kitchen

6. Knitting

This past winter, I found my old knitting needles with an unfinished project on them. I decided to finish the project and remembered how much I loved just sitting around and knitting as a child. Knitting is quite simple and a fun way to make hand-made gifts for the whole family. You can find many tutorials online to get started. Plus, there are easy crochet and knitting kits to try, too!

7. Sewing

On that same note, I also pulled out my sewing machine to fix some of my clothing items. I also made aprons for my children to wear while we cook together. It was fun and a great way to stay busy and productive. Plus, there are so many other fun things I have in mind to sew next.

You can quickly get started sewing with a sewing machine like this, fabric, and an online tutorial!

Related Post: How To Teach Homesteading Skills To Your Children (Over 50 Ideas!)

8. Board Games

We don’t play enough board games anymore. They are so fun and a great way to connect with others. Have you tried a new board game lately? Invite a group of friends over and host a board game night instead of just staying home by yourself!

My husband and I also enjoy playing board games together regularly. It’s especially nice that many board games have versions available for two players. We play Splendor Duel or Code Names Duet, for example.

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9. Playing Piano

I haven’t played piano much since I was a child, but now that I’m older this is one of the slow living hobbies I want to pick up again. Once we have a piano in our new house I will start taking simple lessons again on Hoffman Academy. It will be a fun way to learn a new skill while also bringing joyful music to our home!

10. Cooking From Scratch

As a new wife and mom, I had to practice cooking from scratch a lot. I didn’t have a lot of experience so each day I would have to try something new and allow myself to fail. Over time, I learned the kitchen skills I needed and now I make nearly everything from scratch!

In the winter, I especially love trying new recipes from cookbooks and baking more than normal. It’s a delicious way to stay busy and create something meaningful with your hands!

Related Post: The 7 Best Cookbooks On Cooking From Scratch With Real Farm Ingredients

11. Warm Shower or Bath

Lastly, I consider just relaxing without stimulation one of the slow living hobbies we need to encourage others in. Taking time for yourself doesn’t have to be crashing on the couch in front of the T.V. Instead it can be taking the time to take care of yourself, such as a warm bath with candles and Epsom salts.

Allow yourself the time to relax after a busy day in the quiet, without media, news, and advertisements constantly grabbing your attention. Pray, meditate, and just be still. Our culture is always so busy that we need to be reminded that taking time to ourselves and letting our mind wander is beneficial to our health as well!

This is certainly not an all-inclusive list, so let me know, which slow living hobbies do you enjoy? Leave a comment below!

The post 11 Slow Living Hobbies I Embrace As A Homesteader appeared first on GoodPointGrandma.

When you simplify your life as a Christian woman you open up time, space, and energy to grow closer to God. Over the last few years, I have truly been leaning into the mindset of “less is more.”

What are the things that are life-giving in my life? Spending time with God, connecting with others, and (surprisingly) it is joyfully and generously giving and serving others. When we participate in hustle culture, the rat race, keeping up with the Joneses, etc. we become drained and burnt out.

Letting go leads to abundance. I recently heard this quote by the Puritan preacher Jeremiah Burroughs, “A Christian comes to contentment, not so much by way of addition, as by way of subtraction. Seeking to add a thing will not bring contentment. Instead, subtracting from your desires until you are satisfied only with Christ brings contentment.”

It is so difficult to give up our consumer mindset in today’s culture. But here are a few things I strive to do and that you can do to simplify your life as a Christian woman.

Let’s check them out…

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1. A Morning Checklist (Not Doing It All)

I first heard this idea from Mystie at Simply Convivial. Instead of feeling overwhelmed by a planner and falling behind on it constantly, grab a cheaper alternative: a pack of index cards.

The night before, write tomorrow’s date and three simple tasks you would like to complete. If I am feeling very overwhelmed, I will have a weekly card as well, with all the tasks that need to be completed that week. Then each day I can slowly do things toward each of those tasks.

I also write something to encourage me or focus on each day so that my head does not explode with all that is ahead of me. The simplicity of the index card truly keeps me grounded and on track. Ditch the fancy planner!

Throughout the day I check off the items on the list and reference it, and then at the end of the day, it just goes in the trash. It is cheap and easy to use, and so much simpler than the other home and life management systems presented to us.

When we are intentional with our time, we can be intentional with investing in our relationship with God and our relationship with others!

Related Post: The Top 5 Books On How To Keep Your House Clean Every Day

2. Getting Rid of All Social Media

Since getting rid of all my social media accounts I have felt so free! I am refreshed, more present, and content each day because of it. No more ads constantly making me feel the need to purchase something, no more wishing I was somewhere or doing something else, and no more distractions when my children and husband need me most.

It truly is so easy to simplify your life as a Christian woman when you do this yet so many of us won’t. It took me so long to get to this point. The social media accounts addict us, think we are missing out, and beg for our attention all day long. Don’t let them control you!

As a Christian woman, you were made for so much more. Go out into the real world and make a positive change in your family and with others face-to-face. It is so life-giving to impact others in a real, tangible way. You can do it!

Additionally, it has made my phone boring. I don’t look at my phone in the morning anymore, I don’t keep it near my bed, and I barely look at it throughout the day. It has opened up time to let my mind wander into prayer, sit down and read my Bible, and serve others with simple things to make their life easier.

If you don’t think that you have time to give someone a listening ear, make a meal for a friend, serve at church, drop off a random gift to your sibling, etc. then you spend too much time thinking of yourself. It’s a hard reality I have come to face. Even consider eliminating your smartphone altogether to give yourself the breathing room to serve others. These are great ways to simplify your life as a Christian woman but you first have to give it a try.

Related Post: How To Limit Distractions As A Mom: The One Small Yet Huge Solution

3. Learn What You Can Control

While it’s easy to say, “Don’t worry about things that are beyond your control.” it’s not something we easily live out. This includes the news, the weather, the traffic, what others think of you, how others respond, what you think about, etc. Instead, lean into what you control.

You can control how you respond to situations and how you spend your time and money. Our words and actions make such a difference in how events play out in our lives and how we represent Christ to others. As a Christian woman, you simplify your life when you focus on what you can control throughout your day.

Pause and pray before reacting. Think before you speak. Choose to fill a need. Ask others how you can best serve them. Fill your mind with God’s promises. Don’t overthink about the worries of your life and give them back to God.

You can also simplify the friends that you have and the influences that are on you. Reevaluate how you spend your time, who you are influenced by, and what you think about throughout the day. Then pray for wisdom and grace from the Lord to change those things!

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4. Speaking of Finances

I truly believe that the way we spend our money is a reflection of our heart. How much do you consume compared to how much you give? It is convicting for me as well.

When you set up a budget and live within your means you simplify your life as a Christian woman. (I like the EveryDollar app!) The limits that our finances have on us are not burdens but blessings. It keeps us from overconsuming, following trends, and falling into the culture of this world. It is a gift to ask God how you can use your limits appropriately. Saying no is hard but so much better for us in the long run.

With the items that you currently have, declutter them and be generous with meeting others’ needs. I have learned that the less I own, the more I am free to do other things, like serve others! To not have the weight of so many physical items on me, I have the capacity to “store up treasures in heaven.”

Related Post: 7 Amazing Christian Mom Books To Help You Remember Biblical Truths

5. Your Time And Energy Matters

After you simplify your possessions, simplify how you use your time. Volunteer at church where your talents matter and where you can be 100 percent engaged. Don’t just check the boxes, but use your energy, time, and talents to truly make a difference in the kingdom of God.

You can be generous without people-pleasing others. We love to serve when we are fully satisfied in Christ, not when we are looking for the approval of others. Examine your heart to see where it may be emotionally tied to certain events in your life. Ask God for His help to reexamine your schedule and use your time and energy wisely.

6. It’s A Lifestyle

A simple life is truly a lifestyle. Health is a lifestyle. Growing in your relationship with God is a lifestyle. Speaking kindly to our family members is a lifestyle.

These are not things you cram into a one-hour calendar block. When I freed my mind from this mentality, I was able to really simplify how I viewed the world. Our mission as Christian women is to glorify God, serve Him forever, and live a life that brings others to Himself.

We do this through each thought and action we have throughout the day. While that may sound overwhelming and not simple, it is important to remember that Christ works through us. None of this is in our own doing. Yes, we need to make these decisions for ourselves each day, but it is the power of God that works through us to bring people to His kingdom. It is not of our own strength.

Remove distractions (keep a task list, delete social media, control your thoughts, have a budget, and serve others well) so that you can have the time to read your Bible consistently, pray throughout the day, and become sanctified to reflect the character of God.

How do you simplify your life as a Christian woman? Which tip will you be trying first? Let me know in the comments below!

The post How To Simplify Your Life as a Christian Woman To Grow Closer To God appeared first on GoodPointGrandma.

I recently heard that the mundane and overwhelm in motherhood constantly take turns wreaking havoc in your mind as a mom. I found that so relatable!

Currently, I have three toddlers and have been living in a state of overwhelm. But before that, I battled the state of the mundane when I became a new stay-at-home mom. It was difficult to find joy in each of those seasons when they initially hit.

Over the course of that cycle from overwhelm to mundane and back again to overwhelm I have learned some important life lessons. Many of them have been difficult to walk through but as I come through to the other side, I can look back and see what worked and what did not.

Here are my tips for you as you balance the cycle of mundane and overwhelm in motherhood. Let’s check them out…

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1. The Mundane Is A Blessing

I recently heard someone say something along these lines that completely shifted my mindset: It is a blessing to be in the mundane moments of motherhood because that means your life is secure.

You have security in the home you live in, the food that is supplied, and the health of your family when the daily tasks feel mundane. If they weren’t mundane, your life would be in a state of chaos.

We are blessed to not face the insecurity of wars, the trauma of weather events, lack of food, pandemics and viruses, etc. The list could go on! I had never considered that perspective before. A simple, boring life is truly a blessing! Yet, Satan tempts us even during these times to despair.

When life feels mundane as a mother – folding the same basket of laundry, washing the same dishes, mopping the same floor – I can see the blessing in all of it! I am safe and secure enough to do these daily tasks without interruption.

2. Overwhelm Does Not Last

We cannot function in a state of overwhelm forever. At some point, it will end and there is a light at the end of the tunnel.

I can speak to this directly as someone who just went through the hardest year of my entire life. My husband built our own house from scratch (minus the foundation, but even milling all his own lumber) in a year while experiencing a severe tractor injury. At the same time, I gave birth to my son while basically being a single mother to my two other toddlers in postpartum and then suffering a miscarriage. There is more heartbreak to our story as well that I won’t share at this time.

But, the point is that the overwhelm felt so extreme at times that I thought it might be too much to bear. Yet God is faithful. Keeping Him as my rock kept my hopes up. I knew He would provide and I knew “this too shall pass.” We go through trials and tribulations to grow closer to the Lord and become more like Him!

He places us in seasons of overwhelm to mold us into people who reflect His holiness even better. The state of overwhelm is not easy by any means, but it is worth it!

Now that we have reached that light at the end of the tunnel I can look back and see how effective that season was in my motherhood journey. But without trusting the Lord and turning to Him in the hardest moments, the outcome might have been much different.

Related Post: How To Cultivate Contentment In Motherhood And Be Grateful Everyday

3. Living In The Glory Days But Preparing For the Days Ahead

I now call it the glory days (or moments) when I think I have missed both these seasons. It is when I am not overwhelmed and I am not discontent in the mundane. It is when I can truly say that I am content and thriving in my motherhood.

And while I rejoice in those moments, I also am not naïve anymore to the cycle that will come again. I will be tempted by the mundane next, or I will face a season of overwhelm in the blink of an eye.

You never know what life will throw at you. And so I prepare for the future. I remain grounded in reading God’s word and praying to Him. I get ready to fight off the lies in my head when the discontentment settles in. And I change what my priorities are when I get overwhelmed so quickly.

I have learned that to balance the mundane and overwhelm in motherhood, you have to prepare for it!

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Related Post: 7 Amazing Christian Mom Books To Help You Remember Biblical Truths

4. Practically, Make Each Day Count

How do you prepare for it on a more practical level? When you are in each of these seasons: stop and write out your priorities each day.

I first learned about this from Mystie at Simply Convivial. She shares that instead of relying on a planner that doesn’t serve you well, just grab a pack of index cards. Each evening prepare for the next day to the best of your ability.

I start by writing the date at the top. Then, three goals I have for that day to achieve. It can be as simple as homeschool, make dinner, and clean the kitchen cabinets. I sometimes have a weekly checklist as well where then I can work on a small part of weekly goal as one of my points.

Then I write something to focus on or something to encourage me. It keeps my mind grounded and from the temptations to be overwhelmed or begrudged by my circumstances. As I go through my day I reference the index card, check off the items, and stay focused on what really matters that day.

As simple as that sounds, it has truly been something practical that has kept me from the negative thoughts of the mundane and overwhelm in motherhood. Just having something to ground you (which first and foremost is my morning quiet time with the Lord) keeps your mind away from the lies that we are fed in motherhood.

My last tip I shared about in this blog post. It is to completely get off of social media as it is often a driving cause of this cycle of mundane and overwhelm in motherhood. It may seem difficult at first, but it has been so incredibly freeing to me!

Do you experience the cycle of mundane and overwhelm in motherhood? Let me know in the comments below which tip most impacts you!

The post How To Balance The Cycle of Mundane and Overwhelm in Motherhood appeared first on GoodPointGrandma.

My husband laughed at me the other day when I came home from the library again with more books than I could carry (a lot of which are on this top books of 2024 list). He asked how I even knew so many books existed, let alone wanted to read them all, and we laughed.

Yes, I’ve read a lot of (mainly nonfiction) books this year! So, I thought I would compile a list and share some of my favorites with you if you were looking for some good reads. Plus, if you have any book recommendations you think I would like, please leave a comment and share them with me and all of us!

Here are my top books of 2024…

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1. The 4-Hour School Day by Durenda Wilson (April 2024)

I started keeping a record of my top books of 2024 in April, but I wish I had started at the start of the year because I know I read some good ones, I just can’t quite remember all of them!

I’ve really enjoyed listening to this author’s podcast and reading her books. They are so encouraging to the homeschool mom, which I plan to be very soon! This book talks about what we really need in education – an unhurried approach in the loving and safe environment of the home! (I also love her book The Unhurried Homeschooler)

The reason I enjoyed it so much this year was because it reminded me to slow down and enjoy these years with my children. I am educating my children for life, and skills that can’t be measured on a standardized test. I love her analogy of the greenhouse effect and it is something I will remind myself of for years to come.

My goals in these early years of home education (if you can even call it that yet as my oldest is almost 4) are: providing a simple, consistent routine; inviting my children to do my daily activities with me; slowing down to allow them the chance to ask questions; and creating the life I want to have each day with my children by setting the example.

Check it out on Amazon here!

2. The Real Simple Method to Organizing Every Room: And How To Keep It That Way by The Editors of Real Simple (May 2024)

I really enjoyed the tips of this book and how it is laid out. As I consider moving into our new house later this year, and I already know the basic information on decluttering, I want to focus on organizing the new house well.

I love that this book has information on not just organizing but maintaining it and finding creative solutions for small spaces. There are also lots of tips on keeping the space clean and inviting. The pictures are so helpful and relatable. I’ll have to read it again for reminders once we officially move in.

Check it out on Amazon here!

Related Post: The Top 10 Best Interior Design Books for Beginners To Read Today

3. Far Beyond Gold: Running from Fear to Faith by Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone (July 2024)

This book was encouraging to read as not many people in the spotlight choose to follow Christ, and do it genuinely! When I saw an interview of Sydney sharing about her book before the Olympics began I knew I had to read it.

I was skeptical reading it, I’ll be honest. Many people claim the name of “Christian” these days without actually making God and the Bible the true authorities of their lives. After reading her book I can tell that Sydney is someone who truly pursues Christ each day!

It was fun to read about her love story with her husband and how he played a vital role in sharing the gospel with her. Sydney used to be crippled by fear and anxiety when she faced competition on the track, but now she gives it all back to the Lord and runs for His glory!

It’s a book I will continue to recommend, especially to other athletes, as it shares how we can fully trust God and give Him our lives completely!

Check it out on Amazon here!

4. 8 Errors Parents Make and How to Avoid Them by Michael Brock (July 2024 – Top Books of 2024)

A podcast I enjoy listening to recommended this book and so I decided to check it out. It was actually a really great book because it combined so many parenting philosophies that I have heard over the years from family and other authors. I found it helpful to have someone put all that information together in one book after pulling the concepts and ideas from other people (that are all based on Biblical principles.)

It helped me recognize some areas where we are weak in our parenting and strive to correct those. I appreciated the honest, brutal truths from Scripture and also very tangible ways to implement those each day. It’s a book that is staying on our bookshelf!

Check it out on Amazon here!

Related Post: 7 More Books On Christian Parenting That You Can’t Miss Out On

5. Until the Streetlights Come On: How a Return to Play Brightens Our Present and Prepares Kids for an Uncertain Future by Ginny Yurich (August 2024)

I loved reading this book because it was such a wonderful reminder to me of what truly matters concerning the education of my children: outdoor play and boredom for creativity! I desire a slow-paced life and yet I still compare myself to other moms. They are teaching their children to read already or ordering curriculum before they are ready. Instead, I want to enjoy these little years and let learning come naturally!

We build our family culture, and a slow-paced life is something that needs to be fought for in today’s world. I am choosing to be intentional with these things thanks to the encouragement of this book! I highly recommend it to all other moms.

Check it out on Amazon here!

6. Swimming Against the Current: Fighting for Common Sense in a World That’s Lost its Mind by Riley Gaines (August 2024 – Top Books of 2024)

I was so excited when I saw this book on the “New Books” shelf at my library! I know Riley’s story and have heard her on several podcasts, but I didn’t know all the details that she shared in this book.

I am so proud of everything she is advocating for, all the research she included, and all the details regarding the harm of transgender athletes competing in women’s sports. It was a great reminder for me, that while I may not be facing the same hate she is currently facing, times are changing, and normal, everyday persecution of Christians is coming quickly!

Check it out on Amazon here!

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7. House Rules: How to Decorate for Every Home, Style, and Budget by Myquillyn Smith (August 2024)

With the excitement of having a brand-new house to decorate and enjoy this year, I have read so many home design books. Some of them just seem unrealistic for a homesteading mom of young children or the design tips are hard to implement in our very cabin-esque house.

This book was by far my favorite to read and actually apply the principles! Some of my favorite tips are “combine the opposites” where she shares that to live in a rustic cabin without it feeling like Cracker Barrel, add in some shiny, modern, reflective, and light pieces to intentionally balance it all out. Also “respect your boss” (which would be our wood walls, floors, and ceiling interior) and “pattern fills a room.” This is where I will need to focus on neutralizing the room instead of adding more pattern because of the cabin-style and large amount of wood elements.

I also shared about this book in this blog post!

Check it out on Amazon here!

8. Really Very Crunchy: A Beginner’s Guide to Removing Toxins from Your Life without Adding Them to Your Personality by Emily Morrow (August 2024)

This book was so fun and cute to read, especially since I have seen the author’s comical Instagram reels! While the information on toxins was very beginner-level and nothing new to me, it was fun to read about her experiences with how we interact with others when it comes to these things.

I appreciated her take on being kind, not judgmental, and yet still providing information where necessary when in conversation. It was a unique take on the growing trend of being toxic-free and provided a great perspective on not making it your idol or dumping your opinions on others.

Check it out on Amazon here!

Related Post: The Ultimate List of Toxic-Free Products To Swap Out At Home

9. The 100 Most Asked Questions about God and the Bible: Scripture’s Answers on Sin, Salvation, Sexuality, End Times, Heaven, & More by S. Michael Houdmann (August 2024)

I have enjoyed reading different Biblical arguments and information on GotQuestions.org over the years. When I saw that they compiled some of those questions into a book I was excited to read it!

I’d have to say the most impactful questions for me were “What is the difference between sheol, hades, hell, the lake of fire, paradise, and Abraham’s bosom?”, “Did Jesus go to hell between His death and resurrection?” and “What happens after death?”. I had never considered these differences in places and that there is actually more than just heaven and hell but also a “sheol.”

Also, the section about end times was so helpful and a great reminder of things that are often difficult to understand.

Check it out on Amazon here!

10. The Opt-Out Family: How to Give Your Kids What Technology Can’t by Erin Loechner (September 2024 – Top Books of 2024)

What a beautiful book on reminding parents that we need to know our children better than the algorithm does! That we have the power to opt out of this technology-deep world and choose real-world experiences every day!

A few months ago I got off of social media. Then after listening to a podcast interview with this author, it pushed me to completely delete all my social media accounts, and wow how liberating it was! I knew I wanted to read her book right away to stay firm in being an opt-out family!

I loved her constant reminders of how real-world things truly make the impacts we need in our families – a shoulder squeeze, eye contact, boredom for creativity. That’s why it’s one of my top books of 2024. How refreshing life is when we are invested in it fully and completely!

Check it out on Amazon here!

Related Post: How To Limit Distractions As A Mom: The One Small Yet Huge Solution

11. Raising Amazing: Bringing Up Kids Who Love God, Like Their Family, and Do the Dishes without Being Asked by Monica Swanson (October 2024)

This book was so solid! It reminded me of all the important things to focus on each day, especially when it comes to parenting. That includes keeping God first, our marriage a priority, and raising our children to have good character.

But beyond that, it was helpful practically. I was reminded to do things like allowing natural consequences (and giving consequences) to teach our children life lessons. Also, keeping watch over the influences on our children, being able to say no, letting our children face adversity, and preparing them for spiritual battles were some more good reminders. I appreciated the perspective of the dad and one of their sons at the end of each chapter. I have also enjoyed the other books by this author: Boy Mom, Becoming Homeschoolers, and all of her resources!

Check it out on Amazon here!

12. The Mountain Rose Herbs Book of Natural Body Care: 68 Simple Recipes for Health and Beauty by Shawn Donnille (November 2024)

I love purchasing from this company so when I saw that this book came out I was excited to read it! The recipes in it that I especially loved were the Chamomile Rose Hair Rinse, Foot Mask, and Menthol Vapor Chest Rub. But I also enjoyed the first few chapters where they go into detail on ingredients and how to properly DIY herbs.

Check it out on Amazon here!

13. Revolutionary Parenting: Raising Your Kids To Become Spiritual Champions, What the Research Shows Really Works by George Barna (November 2024)

I have to say I think this might be my favorite parenting book to date, which really surprised me. It’s not a book you quickly hear recommended or see on book lists. Yet, I think, as the author describes, that the research behind this book really does make it stand out from all the others. The author doesn’t give a formula to follow (because there isn’t one) and instead gives key things to consider, or pieces to the puzzle, that you want to make sure you aren’t missing.

Parenting is all about relationships – our relationship with God, our spouse, and with our kids. These each have to be real, intentional, authentic, and based on love and trust. From that comes setting rules at the right pace and consistent discipline, distinct to each child. You are modeling everything for your children!

Check it out on Amazon here!

14. Healing Mushrooms: A Practical and Culinary Guide to Using Mushrooms for Whole Body Health by Tero Isokauppila (November 2024)

I really enjoyed learning all about the amazing benefits of mushrooms! Especially the top 10 mushrooms that this book focuses on – reishi, chaga, cordyceps, lion’s mane, shiitake, maitake, turkey tail, enoki, oyster mushroom, and tremella. And next, I’m excited to try some of the recipes in this book to incorporate them into our meals more often!

Check it out on Amazon here!

15. Triggers: Exchanging Parents’ Angry Reactions for Gentle Biblical Responses by Amber Lia and Wendy Speake (December 2024)

I have been journaling through this book and it has really helped me with the anger/mom rage that I have experienced lately. It goes through many practical things that affect us as moms, and how we can respond Biblically in each one of them. This is a book I will be purchasing and keeping on my bookshelf for years to come! 

I wasn’t sure if I’d finish this book before publishing my top books of 2024, or even if I’d want to include it in my list of top books of 2024, so I was glad to finish it just before the new year!

Check it out on Amazon here!

Have you read any of the books on my top books of 2024 list? Let me know in the comments below!

The post My Top Books Of 2024: Homesteading, Homeschooling, Homemaking And More appeared first on GoodPointGrandma.

If you’ve read any of the books in my first blog post, The 7 Best Cookbooks On Using Sourdough and Natural Yeast, then you’ve read some of the best cookbooks on sourdough breads already!

But, as I discovered more cookbooks on sourdough breads, I couldn’t help but want to share those as well. So, here are seven more wonderful cookbooks to explore as you make sourdough bread, whether you are a beginner or an expert!

I make the same freshly milled, whole-wheat, organic einkorn sourdough bread every week for my family, and we love it! But I still like to mix things up once in a while which is why these cookbooks are so handy. They have fantastic recipes for all things sourdough, not just your basic bread loaf.

Let’s check them out…

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1. Fermented: A Beginner’s Guide to Making Your Own Sourdough, Yogurt, Sauerkraut, Kefir, Kimchi and More by Charlotte Pike

I think that every new sourdough baker should first read a book on fermentation before getting started. If I had not understood what fermentation was or how vital it was to my diet, I would have given up quickly on the process of sourdough.

Fermented foods are all around us, yet we often don’t even realize it! This cookbook is great for beginners and any novice when it comes to fermenting any food. You will first learn how to make fruit and vegetable ferments like sauerkraut and kimchi. Then, dairy ferments like yogurt and then beans and legumes like miso soup and black beans before diving into sourdough baking with 11 different recipes.

There is also a chapter on drinks like milk kefir and mead. Plus, you’ll learn about preserves like vinegars, pickles, and chutney. All the chapters have the perfect information for a beginner and are simple to understand!

Check it out on Amazon here!

Related Post: The 7 Best Cookbooks On Using Sourdough and Natural Yeast

2. Flour Power: The Practice and Pursuit of Baking Sourdough Bread by Tara Jensen

This is one of the cookbooks on sourdough breads that have so many helpful aspects to it. You will learn all the bread lingo, the anatomy of the wheat berry, different types and classifications of wheat, home-milled flour, storing grains and flour, bread-making tools, plus everything about fermenting it into sourdough!

I love the encouragement and practical tips this author gives for beginners. She even has a first basic recipe called Workweek Bread, a half whole grain and half white flour daily loaf. The recipes all have fantastic step-by-step directions and pictures to show you how to do all the shaping!

Half the recipes focus on whole grain flour and desem, a Flemish style of leavening. It is so nutritious! This is a great book for any sourdough baker because you can continually level up your baking as you work through the recipes in the book without feeling overwhelmed.

Check it out on Amazon here!

3. Whole Grain Sourdough at Home: The Simple Way to Bake Artisan Bread with Whole Wheat, Einkorn, Spelt, Rye and Other Ancient Grains by Elaine Boddy

As I’ve shared before, I love baking bread with einkorn flour. As someone who had been gluten-free for years, I wasn’t sure if my body could handle einkorn, since it does have some minimal gluten in it. However, when I was able to adjust quite well, I became hooked on only making sourdough einkorn bread at home (freshly milled and organic too).

If we are going to go to all the trouble to make our sourdough bread, why not make it as healthy as possible? That’s where ancient grains come in. They have so many added benefits, but they do need a bit more help when baking them.

A cookbook like this one is a great place to start because we are so accustomed to the hybridized flours that are available to us now. Ancient grains have not been modified to have more gluten and stronger structures, therefore they are much more sticky and fragile to work with. However, the benefits are worth the slightly bigger learning curve.

I encourage you to try cooking with ancient grains with this cookbook! It even includes a master recipe in the beginning to keep things very simple and easy to use.

Check it out on Amazon here!

Related Post: 7 Cookbooks Using Real Food Ingredients From The Traditional Foods Movement

4. Baking Sourdough Bread: Dozens of Recipes for Artisan Loaves, Crackers, and Sweet Breads by Göran Söderin

What a simple and easy book to feel inspired to begin baking with sourdough! It has options to make rye, wheat or spelt, oat, potato, lentil, or wild yeast sourdough starter. I was so intrigued by the potato, lentil, and wild yeast versions as all that was new to me!

There are 29 recipes, the perfect amount to try everything without feeling overwhelmed like some of the other cookbooks on sourdough breads. The interesting recipes include carrot bread, lentil bread, potato bread, oat bread, olive bread, and rosemary bread! The recipes come from Europe which is why they are unique yet so delicious.

Check it out on Amazon here!

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5. New World Sourdough: Artisan Techniques for Creative Homemade Fermented Breads by Bryan Ford

The author starts with detailed step-by-step instructions on how to make your sourdough starter, how to make a levain, how to mix the dough, how to shape the dough, how to proof the dough, and how to bake the bread. Various methods are discussed so you can choose what works best for you!

Next, you dive into rustic bread recipes. I love that the author included a whole-wheat bread option and shared his favorite loaves of bread from Latin America!

The second half of the cookbook is enriched breads, with more ingredients to indulge into. This is one of the cookbooks on sourdough breads that is simple, yet has several unique twists so you can experience flavors from around the world. It’s a great option for a beginner or someone who has a bit of experience under their belt!

Check it out on Amazon here!

6. Artisan Sourdough Made Simple: A Beginner’s Guide to Delicious Handcrafted Bread with Minimal Kneading by Emilie Raffa

The contents of this cookbook are first, Baking Your First Loaf. It includes how to get started and what to make first. Then, Sweet and Savory Artisan Loaves. There are 9 delicious recipes here that will hit all your taste buds! And then, Pan Loaves and Sandwich Bread, with six classic recipes.

There are also sections on Whole Grains and Specialty Flours; Foaccia, Rolls, and Everything Else; Bread Art; Recipes for Leftover Sourdough Starter; and To Enjoy With Bread. I was so impressed with everything this small cookbook had included in it!

The recipes are fun, simple, and quick to understand. Plus, the recipes are ones the whole family will enjoy!

Check it out on Amazon here!

Related Post: The 7 Best Cookbooks On Ancient Grains, Einkorn, And Milling Flour

7. The Sweet Side of Sourdough: 50 Irresistible Recipes for Pastries, Buns, Cakes, Cookies and More by Caroline Schiff

Do you have a sweet tooth? Here is one of the best cookbooks on sourdough breads that goes beyond the bread itself! The recipes include sweet breads, biscuits, scones, pies, tarts, cookies, bars, cakes and more!

You’ll learn how to make a starter and build a leaven before diving in. Some of these recipes are very rich, but others just make great snacks with your morning coffee like the Sesame Honey Boule bread. There are enough recipes to try a new one each week of the year!

Check it out on Amazon!

There you have it, more helpful books on sourdough breads and baked goods! Which one will you be reading first? Let me know in the comments below!

The post 7 More Helpful Cookbooks On Sourdough Breads And Baked Goods appeared first on GoodPointGrandma.

If you’re a busy stay-at-home mom, you may not know how to find the rest you need. Balancing work and rest takes intentionality and practice. That’s why I want to share how, each day, I find rest as a busy stay-at-home mom, to the best of my ability!

Sanity-saving trips and tricks, home management routines, and schedules for everything may seem like the answer to being productive. But, without rest, we stay busy and crash, not maintaining consistent productivity.

It’s not my goal to be a stay-at-home mom who has it all together some weeks and other weeks falls apart. I want to be consistent and grounded in the work that I do. Not only for my sake but also for the sake of my family!

Of course, some seasons require giving ourselves grace when we don’t fulfill the tasks that we hope to accomplish. And sometimes we need to step away from our goals so that we can serve our family members better. When we have fulfilling rest as a busy stay-at-home mom, we maintain this consistency.

Here’s how I do it…

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Pausing In Prayer

When things get crazy, at any moment of the day, I am constantly learning the art of pausing. And, specifically, pausing to pray.

When I have two children start screaming and my husband walks through the door with a question while I’m trying to make dinner, I want to just erupt with my words. But, instead, I need to pause and calm myself down with some deep breaths. Then, say a quick prayer.

I need to create moments of solitude when chaos ensues. I do that by praying for strength from the Lord and waiting to speak and act for a few seconds or minutes. Sometimes this may even mean stepping into the other room for a bit.

Prayer has the transformative power to change moments as it refocuses my heart on what is important in the moment. It helps me choose to act in love before I can act in bitterness or anger.

Related Post: 13 Healthy Habits for Moms To Take Care Of Themselves In The Busyness

Create A Place of Solitude

Where do you go to feel refreshed and recharged? Place a chair in the corner of your bedroom and call it your quiet time chair. Use it only for reading, praying, or napping. Make it a comfortable place where you can be alone to become refreshed.

Spending time alone is important! And having a chair to retreat to makes that even more doable. Light a candle nearby, start the diffuser, and look out the window to have a relaxing atmosphere.

Make Quiet Time Non-Negotiable for the Kids

As a young mom of three toddlers and a future homeschooling mom, I make quiet time/nap time in our house a non-negotiable. Each day after lunch everyone spends at least an hour or so in their bed resting or reading books while I rest in my chair or on the couch.

Without this time, I would not have fulfilling rest as a busy stay-at-home mom. As the children get older, I plan to always have quiet time in place. The children need the time just as much as me to reset and rest halfway through the day.

I don’t do housework during this nap time/quiet time. I enjoy rest for myself. The children can help me with housework throughout the other points of the day. We try to tidy the house before quiet time so that the clutter doesn’t nag us when we want solitude.

If I have not done my devotions during the morning time, then I will read my Bible and pray during this time. And whatever you do, do not scroll social media during this time. (or ever, as I encourage you to get rid of all your social media accounts.)

Related Posts: 6 Practical Phone Boundaries For Parents To Set A Healthy Example

Less Is More

Make it one of your goals to live within your means as a stay-at-home mom. That means keeping your priorities focused by eliminating clutter in various areas of your life.

Debt, materialism, and physical clutter all lead to mental clutter. Lean into minimalism in various areas of your life and reap the benefits of peace and calmness in your home and life! I share more about this here!

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Rest Your Mind

It takes effort to train your mind to find rest, but that is the only way for your rest as a busy stay-at-home mom to be fulfilling. You need to form a new habit from thinking about your to-do list and worrying to enjoying the silence and being grateful.

I love to meditate on a Psalm, especially using this book or this one to help. The world is noisy and everyone constantly wants our attention. It takes intentionality to choose to meditate and be joyful in our life.

You can feel refreshed and fulfilled as a stay-at-home mom when you intentionally choose to pause and rest each day, and learn on the Lord for His strength. Let me know in the comments which new habit you will be doing first!

The post How To Have Fulfilling Rest As A Busy Stay-At-Home Mom appeared first on GoodPointGrandma.

That’s right, I haven’t washed my hair for an entire year and you’d never know it! My hair is clean, healthy, vibrant, and I absolutely love it.

I first shared about my hair journey in this blog post where I explained how I only wash my hair once a month, which is what I still do in a sense. I do what some people call a deep cleanse, which I’ll share more details about below. (No shampoo or conditioner!)

Since moving to our homestead, I’ve been simplifying my family’s life in numerous ways: minimizing our possessions, only cooking from scratch, making all my own household products, becoming debt-free, raising all our own meat, and more. These radical things sure do make me seem a bit crazy at times when it comes up in conversations.

But, as I wanted to get more done on the homestead and in my homemaking, I looked for ways to save money and become more toxic-free with my hygiene. One way was to stop using shampoo and conditioner, which I couldn’t believe worked after I tried it (read this blog post first!)

And I bet it will work for you too. Here’s the details…

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No Hair Products For An Entire Year

It has been an entire year since I have used any hair products on my hair. That means no shampoo, conditioner, dry shampoo, gels, creams, hairspray, etc. I don’t think I have even applied any heat to it during that year, and if so, maybe just one occasion.

I’ve never highlighted my hair or colored it. And I’ve never applied much heat to it over the years. I prefer to leave it all-natural you could say! I have about medium-thin/thick, straight blonde hair.

Overall, I have had very healthy hair, before and after using this hair cleansing method. However, I couldn’t certainly see some big before and after changes for someone with very damaged hair who tries this out!

Related Post: How I Trained My Hair To Only Be Washed Once A Month

Why Go All-Natural?

In my last post, I shared that I still enjoy using homemade shampoo in my hair every once in a while, about every month, to keep it clean. However, after a few months, I realized that it just wasn’t necessary!

My deep cleanse method was more than sufficient for my hair to be clean! And it simplified my life even further to only cleanse my hair once a month. Basically, my hair just didn’t need to be shampooed and I could tell.

If you are on a similar journey, try ditching the shampoo for a month and only doing a deep cleanse and see if your hair can handle it! After some time, it should adjust its natural oils to not require any shampooing, based on my experience.

In fact, my two toddler girls are just like me, and just like I haven’t washed my hair for an entire year I haven’t washed theirs either. And, you could never tell with them either! They have beautiful, healthy hair that never looks greasy. I don’t even do the cleanse on them. I just rinse it with water and every once in a while brush some coconut oil through it.

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My Hair Routine Now

Now I simply do my deep cleanse hair method that I shared in my last post once a month. I shower 3-5 days a week typically, depending on the season and I don’t shower daily unless it is the height of summer.

When I shower, I either just rinse my hair under the water, put it up and don’t get it wet, or do the once-a-month deep cleanse.

Here’s a refresher on the deep cleanse recipe, but I just eyeball it now. I mix 1 part baking soda to 3 parts water and massage in my hair. That is usually a half cup of baking soda with 1.5 cups of water. While I am in the shower I rinse the mixture over my hair, let it sit for a minute or two and rinse it out.

After that, I rinse with apple cider vinegar. I mix about 2 tablespoons of ACV with 1 cup of water and slowly pour it over my scalp and hair. It doesn’t require to be rinsed out in water after this, but you can if you’d like.

I’m always sure to brush my hair before and after my shower and I haven’t felt a need for conditioner. By doing this rotation about once a month I find that my hair is never greasy! It makes life so easy and I am so glad my hair does not depend on a daily wash to stay clean and fresh!

Why I Love It

It saves me time because I don’t need to wash it every time I hop into the shower! It saves me money because I don’t need to buy any hair products at all. (I’ve realized how much marketing plays into us believing we need things in our lives.)

It also saves me energy and space, when I no longer need to keep these things in stock in the house. I think everyone should try this method with their hair and experience how this too can minimize your life! When you minimize your life in numerous little ways, they add up to make a huge impact!

It may seem silly to say, but having one less thing to worry or think about has truly made my life easier as a mom! It is a piece of our simple and slow life that keeps us out of the rat race. Plus I love when people compliment my hair and I can share with them that I don’t wash it. It sure does bring up a good conversation!

What questions do you have about how I haven’t washed my hair for an entire year? Let me know in the comments below!

The post I Haven’t Washed My Hair For An Entire Year And You’d Never Know! appeared first on GoodPointGrandma.

I’ve been practicing “mom minimalism,” as I like to call it, for a few years now. And, as a stay-at-home mom, I’ve had to learn how to navigate decluttering and managing a home quite differently than a young single male would! This is why I have appreciated these books on minimalism for moms specifically!

They aren’t written specifically to moms because only moms can read them and glean from them. But, I think they speak directly to the heart of a mother. As moms, we must navigate everyone else’s things alongside our own, and that adds up to a lot of things!

Minimalism is a breath of fresh air for mothers because it allows us to manage less, making more time for things that truly matter! To some people “mom minimalism” may not look like minimalism at all. It may still mean having a stocked pantry, baby items in storage, plenty of books for the children, and outdoor toys. 

We don’t need a lot, and our children certainly don’t either, but we do need more than anyone without children! Especially, as a homeschooling and homesteading mom myself, I realize that I still need a wide array of things to help teach my children and become more self-sufficient. So while we choose to minimize most things in our lives, we don’t minimize things like good books, hand-me-down clothes, outdoor sports activities, scrap metal, or gardening tools.

As a mom, you will find where you thrive when it comes to minimalism. There will be some things that you just need to let stay for the sake of your tinkering husband or your energetic kids. That is where these books come in, to help you find where that line is!

Let’s check them out…

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1. Messy Minimalism: Realistic Strategies for the Rest of Us by Rachelle Crawford

This is certainly one of the best books on minimalism for moms because life sure is messy! This book had me hooked in because it felt like I was talking across the table to another mom. The author is real, authentic, and practical regarding books on minimalism!

The book takes you on a journey from learning why minimalism is a good choice, how to mentally get there, and then how to declutter and maintain the new lifestyle with habits! Moms, I know we benefit the most from minimalism yet have the idea in our heads that it is only for lonely single men or RV-traveling families.

It’s for the average mom, no matter how messy your life seems! I encourage moms to read this book first when they want to dive into the minimalism journey because it speaks directly to all of our pain points and brings more peace and order into our lives.

Check it out on Amazon here!

Related Post: The 6 Best Alternatives To Buying Kids Toys And Avoiding More Junk

2. Minimalism for Families: Practical Minimalist Living Strategies to Simplify Your Home and Life by Zoë Kim

I love that there are books on minimalism for moms that focus on family life. We’ve too often seen single people or just couples practicing minimalism and think, well they don’t have kids so it’s easy.

After my first child was born I had been gifted and given so many baby things to say it was overwhelming was an understatement. It took time to see what I truly needed as I raised my children and honestly, I realized that I just didn’t need much.

In this book, you will also discover what you don’t need much of. The book walks you through each room of your house, and what it looks like for someone with a family to declutter each space. I especially appreciated the bedroom section. Our children need so little when it comes to toys, clothes, furniture, and décor. (But, I do still keep quite a few books in our house.) Also, the author’s no-gift ideas reminded me so much of ours.

This is a great book for families and moms just diving into minimalism with several family members in the house with you!

Check it out on Amazon here!

Related Post: 12 Decluttering Habits To Help You Keep A Happy Home

3. Hello, Habits: A Minimalist’s Guide to a Better Life by Fumio Sasaki

If you want a book all about minimalism, then read the author’s first book Goodbye, Things: The New Japanese Minimalism. But, if you want a book on how to make minimalism stick and be your new way of life, then read this one!

While this book doesn’t directly talk about minimalism, it does reference how minimalism and having less in our lives improves our habits, which in turn improves our lives. The book provides information on willpower and habits and then 50 steps to make new habits stick.

Some of the habit tips I had heard before, and you probably have to, but they were good reminders alongside the new information I had never heard. If there is any sort of habit in your life that you are looking to form or break, then consider this book. I think it’s best to go into the book with a specific habit you have in mind to get the most out of it. He also includes 14 good habit inhibitors!

Check it out on Amazon here!

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4. Cozy Minimalist Home: More Style, Less Stuff by Myquillyn Smith

Yes, I am a cozy minimalist! That is, I’m a minimalist who still wants color, character, and warmth in my home. It doesn’t have to be industrial or blank walls. Our families need us to treat minimalism as simply a tool to create a cozy space for them.

As a mom you can still be a minimalist and live an extremely full life, actually a more full life! You can decorate your home and find time for yourself each day when you learn less is more. While other minimalism books written by men have helpful tips, I think books like this are truly where moms thrive!

This is one of the most encouraging books on minimalism for moms to read today because it shows you have less without sacrificing a beautiful home!

Check it out on Amazon here!

5. Project 333: The Minimalist Fashion Challenge That Proves Less Really is So Much More by Courtney Carver

I had heard of Project 333 before – 33 pieces in your wardrobe for 30 days – but never jumped into trying it for myself. I like to think that everyone in our family keeps our wardrobe very minimal, but after recently completing the 100-Day Dress Challenge by Wool& I realized I could do even better.

Overall I loved reading this book because it was so honest about all the emotions that come into play when it comes to our wardrobe. Every single thought or worry you may have about simplifying your clothing is addressed. There are even four examples of real women who do the challenge!

If your wardrobe seems overwhelming to you or you get frustrated with getting yourself (or your kids) dressed in the morning then you need to read this book and do the challenge! I especially love the chapters about how even simplifying your wardrobe can spill into all areas of your life.

Check it out on Amazon here!

6. New Minimalism: Decluttering and Design for Sustainable, Intentional Living by Cary Telander Fortin and Kyle Louise Quilici

When I first saw this book, I was intrigued to read it because of its name. How could minimalism be new? I quickly learned that the authors were focusing on making minimalism more approachable.

They explained how they wanted to find the balance between traditional minimalism (almost scarcity) and over-consumption (way too many things). They had several helpful tips including the four personality traits of decluttering.

I saw myself with the personality trait of frugal, meaning it is difficult for me to let things go that have financial value. Whereas my husband is very clearly a practical guy, meaning he struggles with letting practical things go. Knowing the information they provided can help us declutter even further!

If you want a simple life without feeling like you are going to the extreme end of the spectrum then this book will be very helpful and practical for you! It may also help you encourage your kids or husband to declutter more as you try to learn about their tendencies.

Check it out on Amazon here!

Related Post: Can You Be A Minimalist And Still Homestead? Here’s How We Successfully Do It!

7. Welcome Home: A Cozy Minimalist Guide to Decorating and Hosting All Year Round by Myquillyn Smith

In this book, author Myquillyn Smith brings her first two books (The Nesting Place this post and Cozy Minimalist Home above) together and walks you through decorating for the seasons! That means keeping the imperfectionist mindset and cozy minimalist mindset in harmony.

In my opinion, the best part of this book was seeing her spaces in each season pictured together. For example, there are four pictures of her living room next to each other, one decorated for each season. The most subtle difference in her decorating really did make such a huge difference!

This book will help you first decorate for the season and then host celebrations for that season. First, she will help you change your mindset from a consumer to a creator in the season you are in, and then she will help you decorate with your senses.

Small changes in your senses are the key! What are you feeling, smelling, hearing, tasting, and seeing this season? Learn how to tweak your house to embrace those joys of the season. If you want simple and easy yet beautiful seasonal change without all the cheap clutter, then this book is for you!

Check it out on Amazon here!

Which of these books on minimalism for moms will you be reading first? Let me know in the comments below!

The post 7 Helpful Books On Minimalism For Moms To Read Today appeared first on GoodPointGrandma.

Our clothing is toxic, and not just to the environment and our wallets, but to our health! We’ve probably all heard about the dark side of fast fashion like child labor and poor wages, but have you also heard about the dangerous chemicals and plastic fibers? These books on toxic clothing reveal everything you need to know about switching to a more sustainable approach!

Each of these books reveals new insights into the harm of large corporations producing fashion cheaply. Our clothing has become extremely toxic to our health in numerous ways. And, as consumers, we can make small changes that add up to big impacts.

I have been on a journey to change my wardrobe from downsizing to choosing sustainable natural fibers when I purchase new items. In my recently completed 100-day dress challenge by Wool& I learned so much about which clothing items hold up over time, feel good on me, and that I don’t need that many clothing pieces in my wardrobe.

Check out these books to start your journey…

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1. To Dye For: How Toxic Fashion Is Making Us Sick and How We Can Fight Back by Alden Wicker

This book is so wonderfully written with a great deal of research and many personal testimonies! You will never look at clothing the same after reading this book. The amount of toxic chemicals and harmful dyes in our clothing is shocking! Plus, you’ll learn about how unregulated it all is too.

The introduction of the book alone had my jaw dropping. I can’t believe how much harm has been caused by our clothing. We are hearing about toxic chemicals in our food, water, air, and personal care products but we rarely hear about the clothing industry.

However, the author is not pessimistic and offers hope on what we can do to improve our closet and our world. I especially appreciate her approach to understanding the industry through a look back at history and a challenge to change legislation in the future. We need ingredient lists on our clothing, as crazy as that sounds!

Check it out on Amazon here!

Related Post: How To Plan The Best Low-Waste Eco-Friendly Wedding Ever

2. Fashionopolis: Why What We Wear Matters by Dana Thomas

This book is extremely convicting – do you care where your clothes come from, who makes them, or where they go when you’re done with them? How our current culture treats clothing, cheap “keeping up with the trends” garments, is not sustainable. Fast fashion has become the norm, but we can change that with our dollars.

While this book is politically biased at times, I appreciate all the facts and history behind why our garments have become what they are, especially blue jeans. The facts of this book are alarming, yet the author remains hopeful about where the fashion industry is headed – toward reform.

I desire to invest in quality pieces I love to wear, stay in “my style,” and keep my wardrobe minimal. The more informed we are about our clothing, the better decisions we can make regarding what we purchase.

Check it out on Amazon here!

Related Post: 12 Decluttering Habits To Help You Keep A Happy Home

3. Unraveled: The Life and Death of a Garment by Maxine Bedat

How exactly is a garment made? How long does it last for? And how does it impact our world? This book tackles all these questions by following the journey of a pair of jeans from life to death, as the author says.

First, you read about cotton farming in Texas. Then, the textiles made in China, garment workers in Bangladesh, and how they end up in the store for you to purchase. The book then takes a deep dive into consumerism: why our culture is what it is today, and what happens to the garment when it is disposed of.

This book is very educational and informative, making the topics easy to read and understand. There are lots of great pictures and graphs in this book to help retain the information. Hope is the closing theme of the book: you have the power to make change as a consumer in a variety of different ways!

Check it out on Amazon here!

Check it out on Amazon here!

4. Overdressed: The Shockingly High Cost of Cheap Fashion by Elizabeth L. Cline

America has a spending problem, and also a clothing problem. We consume and dispose of clothing without giving it a second thought. Cheap fashion has harmed us in numerous ways, and you’ll hear about them all in this book.

What is ethical fashion? Hopefully, it’s the cultural change to where we are headed. After reading this book you will begin your slow journey to more sustainable fashion choices, avoiding deals and steals, just like the author! It certainly encouraged me on my journey.

Check it out on Amazon here!

5. Consumed: The Need for Collective Change: Colonialism, Climate Change, and Consumerism by Aja Barber

I love the opening paragraph of this book: “Welcome to Consumed. This is a book about stuff (particularly apparel) and why we need less of it, and what information you need in order to climb out of this mess.” (pg. xv)

The book is divided into two sections: the information about the problem(s) and then how you can change the system as a consumer. I loved the deep dive the author did into the marketing “tricks” played on the consumer, like Black Friday and greenwashing. I also loved that she dove deep into the root cause of our consumption: insecurities, financial burdens, bad habits, and lack of education.

If you want to start making a change today this is one of the books on toxic clothing and fast fashion that you need to read today!

Check it out on Amazon here!

Related Post: 17 Homemaker Habits And Skills That Will Make You The Best Homemaker

6. Fibershed: Growing a Movement of Farmers, Fashion Activists, and Makers for a New Textile Economy by Rebecca Burgess

According to this book, a fibershed is a place-based textile system where both the materials and the people needed to turn those materials into clothing reside. What an amazing way to be connected to your clothing, exactly the opposite of what the fashion industry is focused on!

In this book, you will learn all about your clothing from its history to where we are today, and what we can do to change it all! This is one of the books on toxic clothing that shares about synthetic dyes and the cost of coloring our clothes.

I was convinced that if I support the slow food movement, then it’s time to also support slow fashion. The fibershed movement includes natural dyes, enriching soil, avoiding synthetics, plant-based fibers, and more things wonderful for our bodies and the environment.

This book is filled with wonderful pictures and great life lessons like less is more, composting, and how to support local farmers. I especially loved all the resources in the back and learning about the Great Lakes Fibershed as I would like to own sheep one day on our homestead!

Check it out on Amazon here!

7. The Conscious Closet: The Revolutionary Guide to Looking Good While Doing Good by Elizabeth L. Cline

This is another book by Elizabeth L. Cline that is considered a sequel to Overdressed. It goes past the ethical dilemmas of fast fashion and provides solutions to us, the consumer. The path has six parts: get rid of your fast fashion wardrobe, buy better clothes, buy clothes consciously, pick toxic-free clothing, take care of those clothes, and join the movement.

I especially appreciated learning about the fundamentals of wardrobe building and the breakdown of each fiber used to make clothing. This is one of the books on toxic clothing that devotes a whole section of the book to educating you on the topic. It is a great book for everyone seeking to build a healthier and more intentionally simple wardrobe!

Check it out on Amazon here!

Which of these books on toxic clothing and switching to natural fibers will you be reading first? Let me know in the comments below!

The post The Top 7 Books On Toxic Clothing And Switching To Natural Fibers appeared first on GoodPointGrandma.

How do you limit distractions as a mom? The answer is simple, yet has a tremendous impact. It is to get rid of your social media accounts!

Now, before you stop reading, either because you’ve heard that before, you don’t want to, or you feel like you can’t, try thinking about how many distractions social media has caused you just today alone.

You see I was that same person, I didn’t think I needed to give up social media, I didn’t want to, and I didn’t realize how badly I needed to! That was until one day I finally realized how distracted it made me, even with limits and boundaries.

Social media is intended to suck us in and it works. It causes us to be disconnected from those around us and only leaves us feeling gross about ourselves after. The temporary fix or high it brings us is ultimately not satisfying or fulfilling. I know you’ve experienced it before!

I’ve been without social media for several months now and the positive impact on my life is too great not to share! You can be a more present mom when you get off social media today!

Let’s discuss it further…

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Our Children Deserve (And Need) A Present Mom

My oldest had just turned three and kept asking me what I was doing on my phone. While I was limiting my social media time, especially when she was awake, I still found myself being distracted by it during the day.

Honestly, one day I just didn’t want to tell her I was on Instagram and then have her ask what that was. She didn’t need to know.

I knew that I wasn’t feeding my soul and I could be a better example for her. I kept her away from screens, why didn’t I have the self-control to do the same? That conviction is what caused me to delete social media that night.

My children constantly need me to be present and alert to them. Yes, other things distract me during the day like a text message, a crying baby, or the dinner cooking on the stove, but they don’t completely shift my attention as social media does.

Social media would suck me in, always feeling the need for more, as it’s designed to do. Not to mention how the advertisements were affecting my thoughts throughout the day. I was constantly thinking about what I needed to consume next instead of being grateful for the blessing right in front of me.

Related Post: 4 Reasons To Perform A Christian Social Media Detox

What About The Smartphone?

Some people have chosen an even more direct approach and eliminated their smartphones. I considered this approach but ultimately decided against it.

I still desire apps like my bank account, grocery pickup, marco polo messaging, and my email on my phone. Plus, the maps app and camera feature are just too convenient. They are things I enjoy accessing weekly and don’t find them a hindrance to my daily life with my family.

But, if you find that you need even more time away from your phone, consider switching over to an old-school flip phone. It will certainly be a learning curve and frustrating at times, but not impossible.

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How It’s Possible

I can’t tell you how much relief I have experienced since being on social media. And, I truly had no idea until committing to eliminating it indefinitely. I’ve done several social media detoxes in the past, but always with the intention of returning.

This time I had no intention and I’m not sure I will ever return. My accounts are still active and I use Newsfeed Eradicator to access them if need be without seeing anything on my feed. Some local events, FB marketplace, and specific business-related messages are important for our homestead. I’m glad I can still access them on a computer nearby without ever being tempted to scroll again!

I never keep any social media apps on my phone and use the Minimalist Phone to keep me off my phone even less.

However, I would encourage you to delete the accounts permanently if you never plan on using these things and do not need access to them. My alternative has been to sign up for newsletters from companies I previously kept up with on social media. I also make more effort to text and call friends and family for updates now!

Related Post: 6 Practical Phone Boundaries For Parents To Set A Healthy Example

The Benefits Are Amazing

When I limit distractions as a mom I experience so much joy. I have more time to stay present with my children and husband, but I also have more time to be in God’s word. Ultimately, those relationships are all that matter in this world, so why wouldn’t I give them my full attention?

The first month was the hardest when it came to breaking habits. But now I realize I have no anxious feeling about checking in on Instagram or seeing what that notification is on Facebook. (I’ve never used TikTok and use YouTube occasionally as it is where I prefer to listen to podcasts.)

I truly feel like I am soaking in each day with my family, leaning into everything my kids are experiencing, and believe without a doubt that I will never regret not being fully present in their childhood and missing out on something.

It’s hard for me to put into words the blessing it has been to be without social media which is why I can only encourage you to experience it for yourself. I choose to lean into the hard instead, not avoid it or push my child away. I choose to keep my priorities in line with this boundary.

Have you tried to limit distractions as a mom? Was it successful? Would you consider giving up social media indefinitely? Let me know in the comments below!

The post How To Limit Distractions As A Mom: The One Small Yet Huge Solution appeared first on GoodPointGrandma.