HOW TO REWILD EACH ROOM IN YOUR HOME

It is essential to rewild multiple aspects of our way of life in order to create a world that is truly more Naturally Considerate®. The journey begins as a personal one, then spreads through the environment in which you live and to the people around you.

Our homes should be a sacred enviornment of nuturing and warmth, a compassionate place to connect and unwind. The reality of the modern world is one that often often disrupts the balance of harmony within our homes, but we have control over rewilding our living spaces. There will always be digital distractions and tasks that we label as obligtions, but creating a thoughtfully cared for home space rejuvenates us and makes the work we do outside even more impactful.

We’ve discovered different rewilding techniques work well for different areas of the home. To help inspire you, take a look at what you can do for the main spaces in your home, like your kitchen, garden, and bedroom:

Garden

Many of us grow beautiful plants at our homes, in the spaces that allow for it. But don’t restrict yourself to only flowers and herbs. Begin to build up a true vegetable garden, so that you can start to shorten the path of your food to only a few meters: garden to kitchen. It will create the closest possible link to the true bounty of the earth and all that it can provide if properly cared for. Tip: Try lettuce, at first. It’s easy to grow and sprouts quickly.

Another easy way to rewild your garden is by creating one that is an oasis for bees and other pollinators. Humans owe the growth of over 95% of our crops to the pollinators such as honey bees and butterflies, and we can personally do our part with easy to plant and care for flowers in our home gardens. These include calendula, wild lilac, daisies and marigolds- as opposed to double flower tops such as double impatients. And of course, only use natural pesticides and fertilizers. In return, the bees will pollinate your flowers, providing a bountiful harvest of fruits, seeds and vegetables within your home garden and surrounding environment.

Kitchen

To keep your kitchen as close to the spirit of rewilding as possible, you must consider the impacts the sourcing of your foods has on the earth — our shared habitat. To that end, we recommend purchasing, as much as you can, organic and whole foods that are humane and sustainably produced. Try purchasing the kinds of food that don’t come in a box or toxic plastic packaging. If you consume meat or fish, try purchasing humanely raised choices that have not been subjected to factory farming. Better yet, try switching just two meals a week that you would normally have meat, for something else that is plant, vegetable or fruit based. Be conscious of how your body feels afterward; you’ll feel lighter and have more energy, vitality and strength.

Not only is this a healthy way to eat, but it allows you to feel confident in your impact on our habitats, as well as learn to cook simple, delicious foods without pretense. Having an understanding of where our food comes from allows us to escape mindless eating and become more conscious and connected to what we are fueling ourselves with. As a bonus, much of your food might come from your own garden!

Bedroom

Humans grew as a species in wild, natural spaces. We’re made to sleep in dark places, sleep deeply in fresh air, and without artificial stimulation. Try to avoid keeping television screens and other technology in your bedroom; they’ll distract you from getting the rest your body and mind need, because the blue light these devices create replicate the natural light from the sun. Keeping your bedroom a quiet, simple place will create the conditions for deep rest.

Also consider using an oil diffuser to add essential oils to your sleeping space. The therapeutic healing effects of essential oils has been revered for centuries, but a recent article by the Huffington Post points to how essential oils can aid in relaxation and sleep health, and add a healing effect to your body and mind. For a calming environment, try chamomile
lavender, patchouli and bergamot. To create a more uplifting space, try neroli (wild orange), grapefruit, peppermint or lemon. Not only will your bedroom smell and feel fresher, you will have created an enviornment that enhances psychological and physical well-being.

Living Room

If you walk into a typical American home in 2017, you’ll likely find the living space oriented around the television. TV provides many benefits; after all — most of us love to curl up and grind through a good Netflix binge. Yet TV also atomizes our relationships with each other, which require mindful attentiveness, maintenance and effort. The key is moderation. Humans are a social species and creating healthy spaces in the home to interact, nurture and engage deeply with your family are essential to rewilding your way of life.

Try putting the television in a corner of the room that requires moving a little bit of furniture around to have more than one person watching at a time. You can try arranging the chairs and couches around each other — or a window — in such a way that conversation with friends and family becomes the primary use of the room. You’ll find yourself becoming mentally healthier and less reliant on the distraction that television provides. Simply exhange one hour a week you or your family spends watching television with a more group inclusive or self stimulating activity. You will quickly begin to notice how easy it is to live without these distractions and how well your relationships flourish as a result.

Bathroom

It’s easy to go for the latest antibacterial soap, shampoo, or body wash that has been marketed to keep yourself clean and germ free. Those harsh, artificial chemicals, though, will wreck havoc on your skin and body. These products will strip your skin of natural oils that help keep your skin and hair healthy, vibrant and nourished. Our skin is the largest organ in our bodies and using these type of products are toxic to your internal and external wellbeing. While labels can become confusing, it is possible to find a healthy cleansing option by remaining informed on potentially toxic ingredients and consciously avoiding products that contain them. We take away the confusion by offering a full line of skincare and wellness products that are truly Naturally Considerate®.

We encourage you to not use chemical products. Go for natural, non-antibacterial soaps that won’t train bad bacteria from becoming resistant to your immune system. Use soaps and cleansers with non-toxic, paraben free, organic ingredients to wash yourself — or try making your own! Mixing 2 tablespoons of liquid castille soap to 12oz of distilled water, ½ tsp of almond or olive oil and a dash of your favorite essential oil scent is a quick, affordable and chemical free handsoap alternative.

Beginning the rewilding of your home is the first step to creating a more Naturally Considerate® way of life, for yourself and the world around you.

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