“It is impossible to make a house thoroughly hygienic

and up-to-date if its cupboards and drawers are allowed

to store articles which have long ago served their purpose.”

- The Home of To-Day (1934)

Maybe Grandma was a minimalist, after all.

I’m not talking about the I only own 100 items type of minimalism.  That’s not practical for most of us (except urban bachelors).  I’m talking about taking control of your belongings, and choosing to keep only what you need and love.

You might have tried some of the tricks to reduce your stuff – throwing something out when you buy something new, for example.  Or perhaps you’re drowning in organizational products … sock organizers, magazine folders, stacking jewelry cases, and specialty flip flop holders.  But the major issue is that you have to change your mindset.  Rather than passively accumulating, you have to really take ownership of your stuff.

Just ask yourself: Do you need it?  Or do you really love it? (I mean, do you really, really love it?) If so, it comes into your life.  If not, let it go to someone else.

Making sure your home is filled with things that you need or love, means you’ll have less stuff.  Less stuff means fewer organizational products.  Less stuff is easier to store and move.  And best yet, less stuff is easier to clean around.  Less time organizing, sorting and cleaning gives you more time for things you love to do – like bake cookies!

The Home of To-Day emphasizes decluttering.  Apparently Grandma had as much of a problem hoarding stuff as we do.  In fact, it says “Nothing takes up so much time or is more fatiguing than sorting out ones’s possessions.”  I completely agree.  The decluttering process is not fun.  But the results… ohhhhh so satisfying.

Translation: “Thank you darling for giving me a vacuum cleaner … and a blender”

From Arts et Menager magazine, France, 1952         (click for bigger image)

And to make it even more interesting, check out the vacuum attachments … one is a ‘seche cheveux’ = hairdryer?  That seems to be stretching it a bit, non?

But I also found these few products, which I’m hoping will be green enough to remain in my routine this year.

I’m feeling a bit overwhelmed by all of the information and mis-information on the internet about cosmetic chemicals.  I’ve been looking up some products in the Skin Deep database, but even then, I’m perplexed by many of the answers.

I’m going to focus on creating handmade beauty products that work well and smell delicious, and will worry about the chemicals later.  But I do hope I can let some of my existing products see the light of day again this year!

If you’re interested, here is the progress so far… it’s huge!  It’s the tall plant on the right (you can also see my out-of-control mint plant on the left.  Mojitos anyone?)

It’s up to my waist in height and has two huge, white flower-like things on the end.   I’m just going to let it keep going and see what happens.

Did you have any garden experiments this year?? Let us know in the comments.

In Budapest the other week, I found this shop window filled with old corsets of all shapes and sizes.  Really gorgeous display.  I love the yellowed, aged fabric set against the white background. They look so ephemeral and delicate, which contrasts with the strong (and uncomfortable) boning.  Makes me happy I don’t have to wear one on a daily basis.

I’m thrilled to see that the 2010 Summer Grow A Long has 40 participants!  If you’re still interested in making some fun, crafty projects this summer, sign up on the right side of the blog.   I’m working on creating a forum where we can interact and discuss our projects this summer.  Stay tuned!  If you’re a member of the Grow A Long already, leave a comment and let us know how it’s going for you!

And finally, I’ve inherited a (vintage) sewing machine!  Very excited about this.  My last attempt at sewing was when I was 9 years old, so I’m going to need a lot of help and advice if there are any skilled sewers out there.  I’m already having tons of project ideas, and have stumbled across ThreadBanger which is giving me lots of inspiration on how to reinvent old clothes.

Have you been working on any vintagey projects this summer?  How’s the Grow A Long going for you? Let us know in the comments.

From Nationaal Archief on Flickr

I hate housework. I can spend hours in the kitchen cooking, baking, experimenting and losing track of time.  But when it comes time to clean up, I notice every single second of it.

“Properly done, housework can become an important health factor.” says The Home of To-Day from 1934, one of my vintage household reference books.  ”The natural rythmic use of the body will – if practised – turn housework from jerky, wearing activity into health-giving exercise.”

Um, this may be true, but I can’t help but believe it’s just clever marketing to try to keep the housewife content!

I like trying vintage techniques for cleaning since they often use fewer chemicals, and reuse basic products for many things (so you have to buy less stuff.)  But I’m still a sucker for modern technology.   Handwashing dishes is fine, but would I use a dishwasher if I had one? Oh yes.

One vintage cleaning product I LOVE, is baking soda, and I’ve found another use for it – cleaning my glassware!

While getting ready to photograph my nettle tea making for the blog, I noticed my french press was looking a bit streaky, even after a good wash.  (Oh just look at the care & attention I give to this blog for you, my dear readers…)

So I mixed up a paste of baking soda with just enough water to moisten it:

And then used this paste and a sponge to scrub the streaks on the glass jar…

E t voila!  Streak-free french press for my tea making photos.

I haven’t tested baking soda on any very delicate glassware.  It’s a mild abrasive, but still scrubby, so you might want to test it first on a small area before going after your best glasses.

Do you have other clever uses for baking soda?? Let us know in the comments.

In honor of Earth Day, here are five vintage lifestyle hacks that you can use to green up your life:

1. Cut back on plastic bags – Plastic is a great invention … but great-grandma wouldn’t have known what it was.  I love the convenience of plastics too, but an easy way to reduce a lot of plastic waste is to reduce the number of plastic bags and plastic packaging you use!  I have a small parachute-fabric tote bag that zips into its own little pouch the size of my mobile phone.  It lives in my handbag.  And I end up using it almost every day to carry my lunch to work, and to carry home things I’ve bought at the store.  You could also just get a bigger handbag and stick little purchases in there.

2. Cook more – I’ve already written about why you should cook more.  But you should.  Cooking encourages you to buy whole foods which require less packaging.  You avoid prepared foods which have lots of impact on the environment with their excessive packaging and the energy used to create, process and ship them.  Plus, by cooking more, you can buy locally produced foods which supports the local economy and reduces the miles food has to travel to your plate.  Cooking for yourself is healthier.  And it’s a great activity to do with friends, your partner or your family.  I just can’t say enough about how important it is to start cooking, for yourself and the world.

3. Make your own cleaning products – Did you know you don’t need 3 different cleaning products for every room in your house?   Before the days of the superstore, people managed to keep their houses clean using just a few simple ingredients.  With vinegar and baking soda, you can make your own cleaning products that will make your home sparkle.  The benefits? Less packaging (of course).  Save money.  And no scary chemicals!

4. Get crafty with recycling – Sure, you diligently sort your recycling every week.  But what about a different type of recycling – repurposing and reusing your unwanted things?  You probably remember older relatives who won’t throw anything away.  I don’t advocate that, but turning a creative eye to what we no longer need can add some style to your life at low or no cost.  At the most basic, you can turn leftover glass jars into vases, food storage, and pretty containers for your homemade liqueurs, preserves, and beauty products!  Or what about turning soda bottles into hanging planters?  If you’re feeling crafty and creative, there are endless ways you can reuse your recyclables for yourself and as gifts.

5. Discover your green thumb (or support someone else’s) – Great-grandma had to grow all her own fruit & veg.  Fortunately, we don’t have to!  If you have a garden, great.  But many of us don’t have the space (or the time, or the inclination!)  Even if you have no green thumb at all, it’s always a good idea to include some plants in your life.  How about a few houseplants (remember from elementary school how plants take in CO2 and give off oxygen?)  And if you’re pressed for time or space, how about some herbs planted in a windowbox or in a few flower pots in a sunny spot?  (And how convenient, having fresh herbs around might just help you to cook more too…).  For whatever you can’t grow, try to support local agriculture - whether that’s your neighbor sharing their garden produce, your local farmers market or farm-share scheme, or the neighborhood co-op.  Local, organic food = less transport, less fuel, fewer chemicals, fresher food.

How do you incorporate vintage tips like these to reduce your impact on the environment?  Let us know in the comments!

Fabulous vintage easter hat photo from George Eastman House on Flickr

I hope you have a wonderful Easter weekend with friends and family!

If you have  some leftover easter chocolate, why don’t you try making Easter Bunny Blondies?

Image from Schnittke

Walking down the household cleaning aisle (or aisles!) in a big box store can be overwhelming.  Not too long ago, I too had a cabinet full of cleaning supplies for every situation imaginable.  Glass & mirror cleaner, kitchen cleaner, bathroom cleaner, degreaser, kitchen scrub, bathroom scrub, toilet cleaner, shower cleaner … the list goes on!   Until recently, all of these specialized products didn’t exist.  How did our grandmothers keep their houses so sparkly and clean?

In reality, you only need a small assortment of cleaning basics, and mix them in different proportions for different cleaning jobs.

Not only does this strategy reduce cleaning product clutter in your cabinets, but it is much healthier. No scary chemicals in these basic items!

Baking Soda – a.k.a. sodium bicarbonate. Yes, the stuff you bake with.  Buy it in huge quantities, it’s the backbone of any vintage cleaning system.  Baking soda works wonders as a mild abrasive cleanser – just make a little paste with water.  It is also a fantastic deodorizer – this is why mom used to keep a box in her fridge – it just makes the smells disappear!

Vinegar – Plain white vinegar is a fantastic glass and surface cleaner.  Put in an empty spray bottle and use just like regular cleaner.

Borax – Slightly more toxic than the previous two, but still less than standard cleaners.  You can buy Borax in the laundry section of the grocery store.  Frequently used as a boost to laundry detergent (or as an ingredient if you’re making your own laundry detergent!).

Soap Flakes – Gentle soap flakes are great for handwashing clothes or making your own laundry detergent (recipe coming soon).  Also you can dissolve the flakes in hot water and use for an all-purpose cleaner (cleaning sinks, bathtubs, showers, etc.)

Have you swapped any of your new-fangled cleaning products for these vintage alternatives?   What are your favorite tips?