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Author Archive | Jennie Lyon

Top Home & Garden Maintenance Tips: Fix Common Household Issues Fast

April 1, 2026 0

If you are a homeowner then you will know how hard it can be to manage and maintain your own home. This includes fixing anything and everything that breaks down, which can sometimes seem like a lot. If you have seen the iconic film money pit then you may be able to relate to this somewhat. If you aren’t quite sure on some of the common issues that you can face with your home then check out the article below to find out more. 

HVAC Maintenance

If you have air conditioning and heating running through your home then you need to schedule maintenance on this at least once a year. Your hot water system which could also be responsible for your heating can be incredibly temperamental when winter swings back around. Think about not working for a half the year and then being expected to heat a whole house, this is what causes a slight tantrum with your HVAC system. Contact your HVAC company to arrange a maintenance inspection, it is also a great idea to do this following winter before you need to use the AC. 

Sort The Garden 

How is your garden looking currently? If the answer is a little worse for wear then you might want to head out there and fix this. Your garden should be your haven and your sanctuary, somewhere you entertain guests when the weather is nice. However, you won’t be able to do this if you haven’t been taking good care of things. Head out there, mow the lawn and deal with any weeds that have grown unruly. If you have some trees or shrubs that you wish to get rid of then contact someone like Cox Arboriculture Services to come and give you a helping hand. 

Mold

Another incredibly common issue you can run into with your home is mold. This happens when you aren’t providing the right ventilation to the rooms throughout your house. For instance, if you have the heating on and it is cold outside then this will likely cause condensation on the windows. This condensation then seeps into the walls and into the loft space causing damp and mold. Ensure adequate ventilation all year around. 

Leaky Roof 

Finally, this can be a minor issue that soon turns into a major one if you ignore it. A leaky roof can end up damaging every part of your home, including the foundation which can then lead to something more serious. Subsidence. Nobody wants to be dealing with this so if you ever notice water marks on your walls, ceilings, or floors then it is time to head up to your roof for an inspection. In an ideal world you would be heading up there twice a year to check for holes or lasting damage. If you aren’t able to do this yourself then get booked in with a professional roofer who can check it out for you. 

We do hope you found this article useful and it gave you some top ideas on how you can sort out any common issues in your home and garden. As a homeowner there will always be something to deal with, however, remain calm and everything will sort itself out. 

7 Vegan Easter Basket Goodies for Eco-Friendly Kids

March 25, 2026 4

If you are looking for simple, sweet, and vegan treats to put in the Easter basket this year, this post is for you! Here are eight of my favorites that will make your Easter basket sweeter than usual. Wouldn’t these all be perfect for this year?

Spring Cleaning the Green Way: Eco-Friendly Cleaning Products & Decluttering Tips

March 10, 2026 0

Spring is here, and that means it’s time to refresh your home with a good deep spring cleaning! This is one of my favorite times of year to “spring clean.” I could have been a professional organizer in another lifetime, I LOVE it that much! But before you reach for conventional cleaning products filled with harsh chemicals, synthetic fragrances, and plastic packaging for your spring cleaning projects, consider a more sustainable approach.

A green spring cleaning routine is not only better for the planet but also healthier for your home and family. In this guide, we’ll cover eco-friendly cleaning products, zero-waste alternatives, and simple decluttering tips to help you welcome spring the sustainable way!

🌿 Step 1: Switch to Eco-Friendly Cleaning Products

Many traditional cleaning supplies contain toxic ingredients that pollute indoor air and waterways. Swap them out for natural, biodegradable alternatives that clean effectively without harming your health or the environment.

🧼 Best Non-Toxic Cleaning Brands

✔️ Blueland Cleaning Essentials Kit – We use ALL things Blueland in our home! This plastic-free cleaning system comes with reusable glass bottles and tablet-based refills for everything from all-purpose spray to dish soap. Just add water and clean without waste!

✔️ Branch Basics Concentrate – A plant-based, fragrance-free cleaner that replaces nearly every cleaning product in your home—just dilute it to create a non-toxic spray for surfaces, glass, and even laundry!

✔️ Grove Collaborative Reusable Glass Spray Bottles – Ditch plastic bottles for these durable, refillable glass alternatives that work with any DIY or store-bought natural cleaner.

✔️ Ecover Zero Dish Soap – A fragrance-free, plant-based dish soap that cuts grease without polluting waterways. It comes in a 100% recycled plastic bottle too!

✔️ Meliora Gentle Home Cleaning Scrub – This plastic-free, non-toxic scrub is perfect for deep cleaning sinks, bathtubs, and countertops without harsh chemicals.

✔️ Puracy Natural Laundry Detergent – A biodegradable, non-toxic detergent that’s safe for sensitive skin and free from synthetic fragrances and dyes.

🌱 DIY Natural Cleaning Recipes

Want to make your own cleaning products? Try these simple DIY formulas:

  • All-Purpose Cleaner: Mix equal parts white vinegar and water, add a few drops of lemon essential oil. (Avoid vinegar on granite or marble!)
  • Glass Cleaner: Combine 2 cups of water, ¼ cup of white vinegar, and 1 tablespoon of cornstarch in a spray bottle. Shake well before use!
  • Toilet Bowl Cleaner: Sprinkle baking soda into the toilet, add vinegar, let it fizz, then scrub and flush!

📦 Step 2: Declutter Sustainably

Spring cleaning isn’t just about wiping down surfaces—it’s also a great time to declutter your home and let go of what no longer serves you. But instead of tossing everything in the trash, try these eco-friendly decluttering tips.

♻️ Sustainable Decluttering Strategies

✔️ Donate Gently Used Items – Give clothing, books, and household items a second life by donating to local shelters, thrift stores, or charities like Goodwill, The Salvation Army, or Dress for Success.

✔️ Sell Unwanted Items Online – Apps like Poshmark, Facebook Marketplace, and ThredUp make it easy to resell clothing, furniture, and home goods.

✔️ Repurpose & Upcycle – Before throwing something away, consider if it can be reused, repainted, or repurposed into something new!

✔️ Recycle Electronics Properly – Don’t toss old electronics in the trash! Take them to a local e-waste recycling center or retailers like Best Buy and Staples, which offer free electronic recycling programs.

✔️ Organize Sustainably – Use bamboo storage bins, glass jars, and fabric baskets instead of plastic containers.

🧺 Best Eco-Friendly Storage & Organization Products

✔️ Open Spaces Storage Bins – Minimalist, durable storage bins made from recycled plastic.

✔️ Bee’s Wrap Reusable Food Wraps – A sustainable alternative to plastic wrap, perfect for storing food in the fridge.

✔️ Stasher Silicone Bags – Reusable, dishwasher-safe bags that replace single-use plastic sandwich bags.

✔️ The Home Edit Bamboo Drawer Dividers – Stylish, eco-friendly organizers made from sustainable bamboo.

🧹 Step 3: Improve Indoor Air Quality

Spring cleaning isn’t just about what you see—it’s also about the air you breathe! Many home products release VOCs (volatile organic compounds), contributing to indoor pollution. Try these natural ways to freshen up your home:

✔️ Swap Synthetic Air Fresheners for Essential Oils – Instead of artificial sprays, diffuse lavender, citrus, or eucalyptus essential oils for a clean, natural scent.

✔️ Use Beeswax Candles Instead of Paraffin – Bee Organic Beeswax Candles purify the air while adding a warm glow to your space.

✔️ Invest in Houseplants – Plants like peace lilies, spider plants, and snake plants naturally filter indoor air.

✔️ Open the Windows! – The easiest (and cheapest) way to let in fresh air and reduce toxins in your home.

🌸 Make Spring Cleaning a Green Tradition!

Spring cleaning is the perfect opportunity to refresh your home, minimize waste, and adopt healthier, more sustainable habits. By swapping out toxic products for eco-friendly cleaning solutions, decluttering responsibly, and improving indoor air quality, you can create a cleaner, greener space for your family.

🌿 What are your favorite eco-friendly cleaning hacks? Drop your go-to green cleaning tips in the comments below!

9 Eco-Friendly Family Activities To Do This Spring

March 9, 2026 0

As the spring season approaches, it’s easy to start thinking about the warm weather and longer daylight hours, but it’s important to also think about the earth. Earth day falls on April 22nd each year, but it’s important to think about how to be eco-friendly year-round. Below are a few ideas of how to keep your family entertained and environmentally conscious this spring.

Make Recycled Crafts

Making fun crafts can be a great way to spend time together and make something fun. To add an eco-friendly spin to crafting, challenge your kids to create something that is entirely made up of recycled or reused materials. Depending on their age, you can give them a handful of materials to choose from, or you can let them loose to find things in your home and yard that are going to be discarded that they can use to make something new. This can help them develop their creativity as well as see that new things don’t have to be made up entirely of new materials.

Garden Together

Gardening is a great family activity that is also very eco-friendly. As the ground thaws in the spring, it’s a great time to get outside and get started on your gardening for the year. Your kids can help you with many gardening tasks, just make sure to take into account their age and ability levels when you’re asking them for help with different tasks. Plant some fruits and vegetables to be a little extra eco-friendly!

Find Ways to Save Electricity

There are many ways to use less electricity in your daily life, but if you work as a family to brainstorm ways to use less electricity, it can stick better in your kids’ minds. There are 5.5 million miles of local distribution lines for electricity in the United State’s electrical grid, and taking some of the stress off of that system can help it work more effectively and save energy. Something as simple as unplugging a device once you’re done using it or making sure that you turn the lights off when you’re the last one to leave the room can help save a lot of electricity over time. Figure out some specific ways that your family can decrease your electricity usage to make sure that you can actually cut back in your daily lives.

Bike Around Your Town

Once the weather is warm enough, start taking weekly bike rides to explore your town and the surrounding areas. It’s a great way to have fun family bonding time without worrying about polluting the environment. You can find new places that you might not have noticed if you were driving around your town, get some good exercise, and bond as a family. That makes bike riding one of the best eco-friendly spring activities for your family.

Cut Back on Your Water Usage

Similarly to saving electricity, talk as a family about ways that you can use less water. Only 1% of the water on earth is suitable for drinking, and while we can take that for granted in developed countries, it’s important to think about conservation. Some easy ways to cut back on your water usage include taking shorter showers, turning off the water while brushing your teeth or washing your face, and using a dishwasher instead of washing your dishes by hand. Ask your kids what they think they can do and try to achieve those water-saving efforts together.

Do a Park Clean-Up

Litter is a big problem everywhere, but especially in the places that see a lot of foot traffic, like popular parks or walking paths. Every time that you go to a place like that, challenge everyone in your family to pick up a certain number of pieces of litter. If you’re worried about what’s on the litter, you can pack gloves to use to pick up the litter as well as hand sanitizer. Over time, your family will be responsible for picking up a lot of litter and making the earth a little bit cleaner of a place.

Exercise Outside

When the weather starts getting nicer, it can be easy to want to spend every moment possible soaking in the outdoors. It’s a great opportunity to encourage some healthy habits with your kids by finding new ways to get moving outdoors. Depending on the size of your family, you can arrange games like soccer or basketball, or you can try for more solitary forms of exercise, like yoga. 28% of Americans have tried yoga at some point, and doing yoga outside is a great way to soak in the good weather and take care of your body at the same time. Getting outside to enjoy the weather while also getting out some energy and helping your body is a great way to spend the spring.

Go on a Flower Hunt

A flower hunt is a great way to spend time outdoors and keep your family entertained. Next time you’re at a park, challenge everyone to find as many different types of flowers as they can. If you can, have everyone take pictures of their flowers instead of picking them so that you aren’t disrupting nature too much. After you’ve found as many flowers as you can, go home and do some research to find out what kind of flowers they are.

Play in the Rain

Spring means a lot of rain in many climates, and playing in the rain can be a very fun activity. You don’t want to get sick from spending time out in the rain, so make sure that you’re being smart about it and properly layering up in raincoats and boots, and not spending too long outside. Once you’re done, dry off and warm up with a nice cup of hot chocolate or tea and watch a movie to get the full rainy day experience.

Being eco-friendly and bonding with your family can go hand in hand with these springtime activities. Teaching your kids about the importance of being eco-friendly is a great way to help prepare them to have eco-friendly habits as they grow up.

Green Roofing Ideas to Consider This Spring

February 19, 2026 0

According to a recent report conducted by HomeAdvisor, nearly 80% of U.S. homeowners had upcoming plans for home improvement projects. And, of course, spring is the perfect time to set some of those plans into action. When all your landscaping starts to become greener, it might be a good idea to find out how your roofing can be, too. If you’re determined to embrace some sustainable practices this season, it’s often effective to start from the top down. Here are just three ideas that will make your roofing practices a bit more eco-friendly this spring.

Use Sustainable Materials

If you’re building a brand new home or need to completely replace your roof this year, you should give your choice in roofing materials some careful thought. You can see this guide to home roof replacement for some ideas.. Although asphalt shingles have been used in American homes for over a century, first appearing in 1901, this popular choice isn’t necessarily the most eco-friendly. Despite the fact that asphalt shingles are technically recyclable, most end up in landfills at the end of their lifespan (which is only half that of some other materials on the market). Metal roofing, sustainable wood shake, reclaimed slate or clay, reinforced rubber, and other recycled materials are typically much greener and are sometimes even more durable than asphalt. When choosing greener roofing materials, pay close attention to the materials recycled content, its weight, and any coatings that might be present; these can all play a part in how durable and how earth-friendly your choice really is.

Inspect Your Roof Regularly

Roofs should be inspected once or twice a year under normal conditions, and this is typically a really good way for you to know whether there are issues that could be costing you more money than necessary. If shingles have blown off or there are leaks, regular inspections can ensure you’re notified and can take action sooner rather than later. Not only can this help you to save money and to plan ahead, but it can also keep your energy expenditures down. If you have insulation issues, for example, an inspection can catch that before you lose a lot of energy (and a lot of money). Heating and cooling already accounts for more than 50% of the energy used in an average home. Poor insulation can only increase that number, That lost energy translates into negative effects for the planet; anything you can do to curb your energy consumption and energy loss will be a win/win.

Make Repairs Promptly

Now that you know exactly what kinds of problems you might be dealing with, it’s essential to make any repairs right away. The more quickly you deal with the problem, the less of a negative effect the issue will have on your pocketbook and on the planet. That said, you should make an effort to work with a company that focuses on environmental impact. While the number of jobs in the construction equipment operation industry was approximately 426,000 in 2016, not all contractors and their teams have green initiatives in mind. With so many consumers making environmental issues a priority, business owners are realizing that this can be a way to help their organizations stand out. Choosing a roofing company that’s truly concerned about sustainability will ensure that the hard work you do to reduce your carbon footprint won’t be all for naught.

Having roofing inspections and repairs performed might not be your favorite springtime activity. But taking action early on in the season will ensure that you can keep energy costs low when temperatures start to soar. Plus, it’ll be just one more way to make a positive environmental contribution.

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