The most compact part of a tiny house, square footage to function, is the bathroom. So much utility is squeezed out of this small area, itโs vital to make every unit of space as efficient as possible. This guide will help maximize your bathroom design for your tiny house, as well as offer some money-saving
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Top 10 Reasons I Love My Dehydrator!
We met about three years ago, on my birthday. I’d checked out his profile, and knew he was interesting… but I never dreamed how well we’d hit it off! I’ll never have a dehydrator-free kitchen again, if I can help it — here’s why!
How To Tell If A Watermelon Is Ripe
To say my daughter is a melon fan is a gross understatement. This child could live on melon alone, and left to her own devices, she probably would. Her favorite melon being the watermelon, we made it our joint mission years ago to learn how to choose the best one. Even at 8 years old,
How To Make Queso Fresco
There are so many reasons to skip the supermarket and stick to your kitchen these days. If you want to avoid the crazy crowds, save money, and make healthier choices, then youโll love this easy recipe for homemade queso fresco! Any chance we get to make homemade, wholesome recipes, feels like a win in our
Natural Ant Killer
As impressive as ants are, what with being able to lift 50 times their body weight and building their fancy colonies, they can become a bit of a nuisance in our gardens and homes. Itโs sometimes difficult to remember that ants are vital to the ecosystem and do have a positive role to play as
How to Find & Store Cheap Leftover Pumpkins After Halloween
I have been waiting for this day all fall. Specifically, Iโve been counting down the days until November 1. You see, now that the money-grabbing fall holiday has passed, the money-grabbing winter holiday is steamrolling its plastic, glittery way into place. Thereโs no room for the two to share. Thus, anything fall-themed absolutely needs to
Outdoor Stone Ovens: What Are They, How Do They Work, And Photos
We’ve recently put out quite a few articles on ways that you can build an oven to cook food with the most ancient of methods: fire. So far, we’ve got articles on Outdoor Brick Ovens, (largely indoor) Masonry Ovens, and Outdoor Earthen Ovens. But of all the materials that you can build with, nothing speaks
Outdoor Planters
Choosing the right planters will infuse your personality and taste into your outdoor living space. Just treat it like you would the rest of your home! Choose outdoor furniture and accessories with the same care you’d take for indoor spaces. Select pillows and colors and lighting that you love and that reflect your personality. Look for
Easy Upcycling: How To Update A Mirror And Frame With A Can Of Spray Paint
Got a perfectly good mirror and frame… that’s really ugly? Don’t trash it: get a can of spray paint, and turn it into modern decor.
Stop Spraying Your Dandelions: 3 Simple Methods For Making Dandelion Tea
I find it a weird mix of sad and amusing that our current culture spends so much time killing dandelions. These nonnative lettuce relatives were brought to the United States from Europe for their very useful purposes as food and medicine. In a great stroke of what now seems irony, the grass was torn out
How to Protect Plants From Frost: 12 Clever Methods That Work
As winter wanes and patches of bare ground open up in the fields, my green thumb gets crazy-itchy. I am eager to get back in the garden and get my eyes full of living, growing things again. With the seasonโs change, however, comes the age-old game of chicken that gardeners play with the weather —
How To Eat A Persimmon: 4 Easy Steps To Enjoy This Unique Fruit
When I first moved to California, the house we rented had a mature Fuyu persimmon tree in the front yard. I had never tasted them before and didn’t know what to make of them or even how to eat a persimmon. It wasn’t long before the tree’s boughs began to bend with the weight of
How To Store Potatoes Properly For Year-Round Use
Potatoes have been a staple food for centuries all over the globe. They seem to be extremely versatile and a survivor of ages. When you think of potatoes, I bet there are several different ways to cook them that come to mind. Boiled, broiled, baked, roasted, fried, or mashed โ and thatโs just the different ways
Pallet Furniture
wood Pallet Inspiration
Moss Art
Bringing out the beauty of this 350-million-year-old plant. Mud Maiden Lost Gardens of Heligan, Cornall, England www.heligan.com Mud Maiden Lost Gardens of Heligan, Cornall, England. www.heligan.com The Giant’s Head Lost Gardens of Heligan. By Susan & Pete Hill. www.heligan.com Mud Maiden (a newer sister to above) By Susan & Pete Hill – Private Collection. www.flixya.com
Preparing Your Homestead For Winter
Freezing rain, sleet, high winds, heavy snow, ice, and extreme cold can present serious hazards, so it’s imperative that your homestead is ready. Whether or not you think it’s too early, it’s always a good idea to begin prepping your homestead for the winter. Preparation For Power Outages Cold temperatures and winter storms can be
Chicken Runs
Despite the misleading title and the plot of aย 2000 movie, a chicken run is intended to let chickens out as well as keep them in. A run is an outdoor enclosure that chickens or other animals can get into on their own. Usually, it’s attached to their coop. It allows them to get exercise and
What I Did When My Compost Got Smelly
โUgh! Whatโs that smell?โ I still remember the exclamations that came from our next door neighbor, back in the day when we lived nestled way too close together in not-so-blissful suburbia. Over time the exclamations continued, โI canโt sit out here. It positively reeks.โ After that came the pointing and glaring. The Source Of The
Chicken Tractor Plans
When it comes to housing your flock of chickens, there are many options, but one of the most flexible is the chicken tractor. A chicken tractor is a portable coop that has many of the benefits of a stationary coop as well as a number of added benefits. Building the best structure for you and
Storage Benches
Storage benches may be one of the most versatile pieces of furniture we can own. For anyone needing to maximize space, theyโre the answer to solving storage and seating problems. They can also serve as a beautiful piece of home dรฉcor. The options for storage benches are endless. Weโre using them in our living rooms,
Best Push Mower
Thereโs something oddly nostalgic about the good olโ push reel mower. The smell of freshly cut grass, walking it on the sidewalk as a kid, going door to door, looking for a few extra bucks to top off the allowance. It was, and still is, a symbol of spring and summer. However, just below the
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
The Many Varieties Of Mint
The little, red squirrel was determined, Iโll say that much. He, I assume it was a he because he couldnโt take a hint and go away, kept jumping on the patio door window and trying to climb inside. He wanted to join me while I watched the evening news. I donโt know why; there was
19 DIY Workbench Plans
Regardless of the projects you’re tackling, chances are you could do them more efficiently with a workbench. Building your own workbench doesn’t necessarily require complex woodworkingโbut before you jump in to build your own, consider a few things, like your primary use for it and how much space you have for it. Be realistic about
20 Outdoor Showers for Your Lake or Poolside Home
If you live near a river or lake, you know how frustrating it is when sand gets tracked into your house. It makes a mess, it’s dirty, and once it’s made its way into your home, there’s no turning back. It’s there for what feels like forever, and let’s not forget about all the dirty
10 Considerations For Your Backyard Duck Coop
When it comes to barnyard livestock, ducks are probably the easiest-going of the bunch. When there is a slight drizzle, the goats complain and run into the barn. When the north wind blows ice crystals across the fields, your chickens are floofed-up and hiding in the coop. Meanwhile, the ducks are blithely waddling across slush
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
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
15 Useful And Natural Ant Repellent Ideas For Your Home
Last summer, our home was flooded with ants. We had never had a problem before but suddenly, ants everywhere. Insects repulse me, and even though Iโm well aware that ants are mostly harmless, I wanted them out. We purchased borax-based traps and littered them around our home in hopes of rapidly solving the problem. The
Farmhouse Bedroom Inspiration For Your Rustic Home
If youโre thinking of redecorating your bedroom, consider a farmhouse-inspired look for an ultra-cozy feel. Revamp your boring sleeping nook into something rustic and romantic. If youโre not ready for a complete remodel, pick and choose a few of these decor items to try out this interior design trend. What are the main components of
25 Stylish DIY Kitchen Islands to Upgrade Your Space
Creating your own furniture is a great way to make a piece that’s unique and special, and a DIY kitchen island is a fantastic place to start. If you are someone who enjoys DIY projects, building a kitchen island for your home can enhance more than just the appearance of your cooking space. Check out
Best Greenhouse Kit
Are you looking for the best greenhouse kit? Finding the right equipment makes it easier to raise your garden plants while different features can make a particular greenhouse kit better or more useful for your property. Hereโs what you should know before buying the best greenhouse kit, as well as some brief reviews of the
25 DIY Nightstand Ideas to Upgrade Your Bedroom
When it comes to bedroom dรฉcor, it seems the only choices are to buy a nightstand or accept the one that comes with a larger bedroom set. But what about DIY-ing your own unique piece? After all, nothing spruces up the dรฉcor of a space like a nightstand of your own design. So before you
Useful Knots for the Homestead
Once upon a time, there were things that needed to be held in place, tied down, hoisted up, and cinched shut. The humble rope — and the knots it could tie — was the answer to all of these problems and more. Ropes stretched throughout our ancestors’ histories, securing the rigging on a ship, crisscrossing
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
Foraging for Pokeweed
Elvis sang about it. Gardeners loathe it. Old-timers grew up on it. Suburban moms are afraid of it and pull it out with gloves … and foragers? They’re inconsistent about it. It’s a miracle cure, a deadly poison, a nutritious food, a pest, a gift. Itโs pokeweed! Watch the Video: This hotly contested, rich-historied, delicious
Recycled Glass Bottles
Much of the glass we throw out is not recycled because different glass has different melting points and recyclers only melt the most common containers. Artists use old and new glass to create unique pieces of home decor. Glass Bottle Windows Hanging window composed of serving plates, wine bottle bottoms, stemware bottoms and faceted stained glass
How To Get Rid Of Morning Glory
Morning glory (Ipomoea lacunosa) is a flowering vine that is native to the eastern and southeastern United States. On the East Coast and in the South, itโs a well-loved and beautiful part of well-tended gardens. But on the West Coast, itโs an invasive, pesky weed. When I moved into my new house, the yard was
Raising Muscovy Ducks And Why You Probably Want Them
With their clawed feet, bizarre-looking caruncles, mohawk-like crest, and lack of quack, Muscovy ducks donโt quite fit the โbillโ (if you pardon the pun) for what you might consider a โnormal” duck. But on our homestead, these are the only ducks we want to keep because they have won our hearts with both their utility
Earth-Sheltered Home: An Eco-Friendly, Passive Housing Alternative
Folks on the street may call them “hobbit houses” in reference to J.R.R. Tolkien’s work, but earth-sheltered homes have been around for far longer than 1937 when the novel was published. Though the practice of using a protective layer of earth to embrace your home exploded in popularity in the 1970s, it’s truly been around
Watch and Share: Genetic Scientist’s TED Talk Indicts GMO Agriculture
Dr. Thierry Vrain spent most of his working life advocating for biotechnology companies, as a soil biologist and genetic engineering enthusiast. In his recent TED talk Vrain systematically unravels the biotech spin, from the perspective of a scientist who can no longer ignore a growing body of evidence that GMOs cause problems. No matter how desperately chemical companies seek to paint critics as anti-science, reality rears its evidence-based head: considering everything we’ve learned since 1996, genetically engineered food crops deserve our best and most enthusiastic skepticism.
Butterfly Eggs
Julia Heliconia Butterfly Egg in a tendrillย of a Passion flower creeper. The Julia Heliconia is an orange butterfly found along the periphery of the Gulf of Mexico. Image by Martin Oeggerli.ย www.micronaut.ch Large white butterfly egg (Pieris brassicae). The yellow eggs of the large white butterfly are laid in clusters on the undersides of leaves in
Geocaching Teaches Kids Problem-Solving Skills
Geocaching is a growing outdoor hobby where the coordinates of certain locations or hidden “treasure” caches are made available. To find treasure, seekers are armed with handheld GPS devices, a pen and trinkets.
sustainablog’s Pedal-a-Watt Powered Blogathon coming in March
UPDATE: The folks at Convergence Tech, Inc. have given us a very generous deal on a Pedal-a-Watt pedal power generator for the blogathon, so we’ve changed the name of the event slightly… we’re grateful for their help! A few of you may remember the last time I stayed up for 24 hours to blog for
Ilana Shafir
Still teaching and creating beauty at age 87. “My work keeps me open-minded and engaged. It offers a sense of constant renewal and endless inspiration.”* Birds In The Garden, (2010) 60 x 80 cm. Bird House,ย (2007). Pieces of handmade ceramic, pebbles, found objects and gold smalti are chosen, moved, added and rejected until she is
Quinoa and Barley Give Healthy Eating a Good Reputation
In late August, I discovered that barley is a tasty and much healthier alternative for brown rice. After that menu-changing discovery, I wondered how quinoa compared. I cooked with it and did a little research. Here’s what I found.
9 Expert Builders Share Their Measuring Tape Tricks
A dog is man’s best friend, a tape measure is a builder’s. So, many have taught their tape measures to do tricks. How To Tape Measure A Long Distance When You’re Working Alone “The Break Test” How To Extend Your Tape Measure When Your Hands Are Full Tape Measure As Calculator: How To Measure Double
Texas Solar
Going solar? Good call. Itโs the right choice for your pocketbook and for the climate. If everyone in Texas used solar power, it would take 517 billion pounds of carbon out of the atmosphere every yearโaccording to the EPAโs greenhouse gas calculator, thatโs the equivalent of planting a forest that would cover all of the
About The Insteading Marketplace
We built the Insteading Marketplace to curate products from across the web that our readers will love. We manually select every product on the site from vendors on Amazon, Etsy, and other top tier online retailers. We specifically look for products that meet the following criteria: High quality non-disposable products:ย We advocate for paying more for
Food as Medicine: Treating Chronic Disease through Diet
What if instead of popping a pill for these types of chronic disease, we used food as medicine?