Homesteading is the foundation on which Insteading was built. The core values of homesteading are ones that we at Insteading like to promote to our readers and ones that we like to establish in our own lives Self-sufficiency, living off the land, and choosing eco-friendly alternatives are all things we encourage. Our Homestead Living content
Search Results for: eco-home/eco-furniture
Pergola Plans
Picture this: You’ve just finished your gardening chores for the weekend, and now you’re relaxing in your backyard with a refreshing glass of lemonade. You sit down in an Adirondack chair with your feet kicked up. Suddenly, you feel the heat of the day scorching your face. Relaxation is officially out the window. This is
Can I Compost Paper Plates?
Learn which paper plate types and sources are compostable. Correct preparation, and optimal composting conditions are crucial factors to produce the best compost quality from compostable paper plates!
tentree Holiday Gift Guide
When you’re on the search for the perfect gift this holiday season, you may feel yourself completely overwhelmed and inundatedย by the number of newspaper advertisements and holiday sales there are to choose from. If you’re anything like us here at Insteading, you’re keeping your eye out for a high-quality gift that your family and friends
Tire Art
Over 1 billion tires are manufactured annually, made of synthetic rubber, natural rubber, carbon black, polyester fabric, and steel wire. Tires stay in the environment a long time. Green-thinking artists are doing something with them. The Best Tire Art Tire Frame by Chakaia Booker Pic: newcambridgeobserver.com chakaiabooker.com Male Torso that left his path by Chakaia
17 Natural Mosquito Repellent Options For The Home And Garden
I detest mosquitoes. I hate that itchy sensation they leave and the fact that they can carry Zika or the West Nile Virus. I also prefer not to use toxic chemical repellents like DEET. Especially when a plant-based, natural mosquito repellent gets the job done. The good news is, planning and planting a natural mosquito
Can I Compost Tea Bags?
Discover which types of tea bags are suitable for composting, how to prepare them properly, and the optimal composting conditions. If composting isn’t an option, explore alternative ways to make use of tea bags and minimize waste.
Farm Sinks
Itโs with good reason that homeowners are installing the farmhouse sink once again. Not only are they an aesthetically pleasing design element, theyโre highly functional. The farmhouse sink has no extra counter space to reach or lean over, making it more comfortable to stand at, which is especially important for people spending hours in their
5 Tips For Raising A Baby In A Tiny House
Raising a baby in a tiny house has both challenges and benefits. When we moved to our tiny house, I was seven months pregnant and incredibly nervous about how we would fit into the space! The Stuff Our first challenge was fitting all of our new baby items into our home. When you add a
How To Cool Down A Room: 15 Easy Methods
Lately, summers have been getting hotter. Without some sort of home cooling mechanism, the scorching temperatures quickly become unbearable — and in some cases, deadly. The human body isnโt designed to withstand high heat for long periods. Without reprieve, high temperatures eventually lead to heat illness and heat stroke. Discomfort, dizziness, profuse sweating, and disorientation
Green Home Plans
Top 10 Reasons to Live in an Electricity-Free Home (PPB #27)
When I designed my cob house here at Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage two years ago, I decided that I was going to live without electricity. I had no plans to buy a solar power system or a wind turbine. I was going to make the leap to live electricity-free in my home, in order to live
Off-Grid vs. Grid-Tied Home Solar Systems
It’s still possible to generate your own electricity whether you live in the middle of town, or the middle of nowhere. To decide which is better for you, it’s essential to know the difference between off-grid and grid-tied home solar systems.
Cob Construction
Cob Under Construction
Can I Compost Tomatoes?
Not only are tomatoes beneficial for your health, but they’re also good for your compost. Correct preparation, and optimal compost conditions will yield the best compost quality and prevent potential problems.
Sustainability 101: Wash Your Car Without Wasting Water
If you wash your car at home once a month, it can use up to 6,000 gallons of water a year. Here are 4 ways to keep your ride clean without the waste.
Eco Sports Cars
Porsche 918 Spyder Plug-in Hybrid prototype (all of Porsche’s concept cars have been brought to market) has emission levels of just 70 grams CO2 per kilometre on fuel consumption of three litres/100 kilometres (equal to 94 mpg imp). Acceleration from a standstill to 100 km/h in just under 3.2 seconds, top speed of 320 km/h
Can Construction
. Lightning Ridge, Australia www.boxvox.net Beer Can House Mailbox and a screen above made of can tops strung on wire. Houston, Texas.ย orangeshow.org Beer Can House Houston, Texas.ย orangeshow.org Soda Can Siding Richard Van Os Keuls used 22,000 cans to side an addition to his home in Maryland. trendhunter.com Kipps Bay Decorators’ House Tin can top panelling
Cork Art
Most cork on the market is the renewable outer bark tissue peeled off the Cork Oak tree (Quercus suber) which is native to SW Europe and NW Africa. Once the trees are about 25 years old, the cork tissue is debarked every nine years. The process does not injure the treeโcork oaks live for about
Easy Upcycling: Repurpose An Old Door Into A Dining Table
Need to replace your front door? Don’t toss the old one: easy upcycler Jennifer Tuohy shows you how to turn it into a dining table.
Outdoor Beds
Outdoor beds are trending, but you may be wondering, โWhy an outdoor bed and not just a hammock, chair, or bench?โ Prepare to list your bench set for sale, dear reader. Aside from the most obvious use for outdoor beds (the ability to lay down outside on something other than grass, dirt, brick, concrete, or
Wrought Iron Fences
Offering timeless romance and unrivaled strength, wrought iron has beenย trending since the 16th century. What’s the right style for your homesteadโutilitarian security-oriented fences or artistic statement accessories? Letโs explore. Wrought Iron in History Allow me to share a short history of wrought iron with you: ย royals of past (think Louis XIV, even olโ Al the
Rustic Dining Tables
Thereโs something about a dining room table that suggests so much more than a practical piece of furniture. If you look carefully, you can almost see the story being told. The faded spot where the stain has worn off at the head of the table where Dad always sits with his coffee and his newspaper.
Creative Bed Frames For a Cozy Bedroom
For as much time as we spend in our bedrooms, itโs surprising how little attention we sometimes give that space. Itโs likely because we feel like no one else will see it, so it can wait until weโve addressed other rooms throughout the home. But what about you? Why shouldnโt your bedroom be the sanctuary
How To Upcycle Broken Dresser Drawers Into A Shelf
My brother had a dresser he was looking to get rid of. It was no longer usable … as a dresser that is! I could see the DIY potential, so I upcycled and repurposed what I could salvage and made some shelves for the kids’ playroom. This project is super simple and doesn’t require too
Black Walnut Trees
The black walnut tree is a part of the tree species Juglandaceae. While theyโre native to some parts of Canada, you will most likely find black walnut trees in the United States. In the states, black walnut trees are found in Georgia, Florida, South Dakota, and Texas. In Canada, you are most likely to see
Outdoor Benches: 25 Unique Styles From Rustic To Modern
No one has ever gone into their backyard and thought, “Wow, there are just too many places to sit!” In fact, it seems to be the opposite! It feels like no matter how prepared you are, there is always one guest standing awkwardly between two ferns. Firstย and foremost, outdoor benchesย offer more seating for you and
28 Stunning Outdoor Rugs: In Every Shape, Size, and Style
Todayโs trends are offering up so many cozy, comfy and beautiful options to bring the indoors out. From throw pillows to furniture, weโre seeing our patios and decks become โroomsโ of their own. Accessorizing our homes is one of the best ways we can show off our own signature style. Itโs especially nice to find
Pallet Garden: 20 Clever Ideas For The Ultimate Upcycle
Wooden pallets are more than โhaving a momentโ. In recent years, theyโve made their way in and onto nearly surface imaginable. From furniture to shutters, to walkways and light fixtures, wood pallets are one of the best upcycling opportunities around. And you can often get them for free. Not only are old pallets an eco-friendly
DIY Bookshelf: The 22 Best Projects To Try
If youโre already a DIYer, then you know the satisfaction that comes from creating something with your own hands. Itโs especially gratifying when the project isnโt terribly complicated, and letโs be honest, thereโs an added bonus if we can save a little money. Bookshelves are an excellent DIY project because there is an endless number
Lessons Learned From Our First Year of Cabin Life
Last year, my husband and I moved from Austin, Texas to a little log cabin in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. We changed our entire lives over the course of 20 days: quit our jobs, sold most of what we owned, and moved across the country. Not to mention, I was seven months pregnant at the time.
25 Effective Bedroom Storage Ideas To Make The Most Of Your Space
Your clothes are scattered in the corner. Clutter fills your nightstand because youโre not quite sure where to put your piles of books and knick-knacks. The top of your dresser is a mess of disorganized jewelry. And inside the drawers, itโs tough to locate anything in the mixed-up socks and accessories. Needless to say, you
20 Free Backyard Playhouse Plans
Treating your kids with a backyard playhouse is a fantastic way of providing them a safe outdoor sanctuary where imagination can run free. Unfortunately, a ready-to-use playhouse can be a costly investment. Fortunately, there are plenty of free plans — which is what we’ll help you find today. We’ve found 20 of the best free
18 Free Garden Bench Plans for Your Outdoor Paradise
You may have a beautiful garden but without a place nearby to sit, how can you admire it? While purchasing an outdoor bench may seem like the easiest solution, benches can be expensive — and there’s no way to customize a store-bought bench to fit your garden’s theme. Building a garden bench instead won’t just
Homestead Stories: Dynamite Tree
โI need at least one of these trees,โ I decided. โA dynamite tree. A tree that can kill in multiple ways — and I donโt mean by falling on a person. Though that could definitely kill as well.โ โWhy would you want that?โ my friend inquired. โIt might blow up in your face.โ She had
Homestead Stories: Weird Trees
โLook at this tree!โ I passed the image to my friend. It was a blustery, rainy day, and a good time to sit indoors and plan our next gardening adventure. I was looking for unusual trees to add to my ever-expanding forest, though I knew many of the “unusual” trees wouldnโt do well in my
Farmhouse Table Plans
The dinner table is a symbol of unity. Itโs where we discuss our lifeโs most recent events, positive and negative. Itโs where we share meals with people that we love. Farmhouse tables, also known as harvest tables, enhance that familiar feeling. These strong and sturdy tables were once used as farmersโ workstations, but nowadays, they
15 Calming Meditation Room Ideas
Meditating at home can be a real challenge, especially when you don’t have a dedicated space in your house or apartment. When you’re meditating or practicing yoga, it can be really easy to get distracted by the items around you: the cluttered bookshelf, dirty dishes in the sink, or kid’s toys piled up in the
16 Cozy DIY Dog Houses for Your Dogs
We all love our animals. We want to give them the best homes, comfort, and shelter possible. When they’re outside, it’s nice to provide them shelter so they can be protected in their outdoor space. That’s why it’s so essential to build your dog a comfortable, functional, and stylish dog house. By making a DIY dog
Homes on Stilts
Homes on Stilts
30 Gorgeous Flower Box Ideas To Welcome Summer To Your Home
Pop a flower box underneath your homeโs front window, add one to your porch railing, or put a few around your patio. Colorful blooms add instant curb appeal and are an easy, inexpensive way to jazz up your homeโs exterior. There are so many different flower box ideas to consider, and they’re easy to customize
Accepting the Mess of Woodstove Season
Thereโs nothing cozier than curling up beside a crackling fire, the orange glow warming both body and spirit. We must have some sort of innate programming wired in our minds that draws us to fire, and it stands to reason why we brought fire into our homes as soon as we could figure out a
California Passes Neighborhood Food Act
California gov. Jerry Brown signed the Neighborhood Food Act into law last week, asserting the rights of individuals to grown produce on their land.
How Energy Efficient is Induction Cooking?
Induction cooking is a promising new technology that could make food preparation much more energy-efficient (as well as time-saving).
Seven More Homes and Buildings Made from the Darndest Things
You might see “Seven More” above, and think “Where were the first ones?” That’s OK… we’re doing something a little unusual in the blogging world: creating a sequel to a post on another blog. Not quite a year ago, Brian Clark Howard at The Daily Green did a post on unusual green buildings that included
How To Get Rid Of Squirrels: Natural and Effective Options
Most people love squirrels, delighting in their antics as they scamper through the trees and across the landscape. However, many folks quickly change their view when an infestation of squirrels exceeds their level of tolerance. One moment we want squirrels, and the next we want to know how to get rid of squirrels. Our patience
How To Get Rid Of Mildew Smell To Freshen Your Space
Mildew is a type of fungus that produces a distinct, foul odor. The growth is often confused with mold which has a different texture and is usually darker. Mildew has been linked to health issues like respiratory problems, skin irritation, and chronic fatigue. Often, the terms mold and mildew are used interchangeably. Mildew growth occurs
Alternative Building Methods
When most people in the Western world think of building a new home, almost all of them imagine the same sort of construction process: Stud framing (as this most ubiquitous method is known) uses materials such as dimensional lumber (usually two- by-four and two-by-six) to form the skeleton of the house. The exterior of these
12 Stunning Driveway Ideas To Transform Your Home’s Exterior
After months of planning, house hunting, and endless emails to your very patient realtor, you’ve finally found the house of your dreams — but the driveway is showing every crack and oil spill from the previous owners, and maybe even the owners before them. Your home’s exterior is the first thing your family, friends, (and
13 Creative DIY Screen Door Ideas and Important Details to Consider
Installing a screen door allows a delightful cross breeze through the whole house without the worry of insects invading your living space. Screen doors keep bugs, birds, bats, and airborne debris from entering the home while allowing for light, air, and outdoor views. However, screen doors only perform that function if the screen is undamaged,