Living intentionally

Living intentionally? What that have to do with being cheap or green? Well, I am cheap with time. This sounds cliche, but really, all we do have is time. I guard mine fiercely! I don't want to spend any of it frivolously or wastefully.

I read a lot of "mom" blogs and so frequently there are complaints of not having enough time and drowning in a multitude of chores. When I am in my last minutes of my life, I don't want to regret spending time on unending chores and errands...I want to remember time well spent with family and loved ones and moments of my own quiet solitude.

There is a sort of mental trap in which you feel like a hamster on a wheel and you can't get off. It's important to realize that you do have a choice in the matter. The key word here is CHOICE. You really have to look at your life and stop thinking about the day when you'll eventually have less to do. It's not going to "just happen"; you have to CHOOSE to do less.

Think about what you really value...I mean, if you don't do laundry today, are you really going to remember that 10 years down the line? But if you choose to do something lovely with your kids today, you will remember that. So why put so much importance on the unimportant?

A year or two ago, I found a book called "Take Your Time: Finding Balance in a Hurried World"by Eknath Easwaran. This, for me, was a life changing book. The author talks about slowing down, focusing on one thing at a time and doing it with real intention. He also talks about choosing what you do wisely. Here's an excerpt that really made an impression on me:

"...I have written [this book] for those who want to get the most of life by gaining freedom from the forces that hurry and hassle them through each day. The Buddha called this intentional living. It is the opposite of reflex living, which is scarcely living at all.

Over many years, I have found that for most of us the first step toward living intentionally is to slow down...and gain the capacity to make wise choices every day- choices of how we use our time, of where we place our resources and love."

Here's how to be cheap with your time:
Realize you don't have to do it all. Really.

Book Review: Green-up your Clean Up

I got this book, "Green up your Cleanup" by Jill Schoff, out of the library last week. Anytime I see a "green" book, I usually check it out. The best ones, in my opinion, have practical information I can use right away.

This book had some information why the author switched to making her own natural cleaners. It also has room-by-room green cleaning tips. For the most part, the cleaning tips were things I knew already.

What I did like was that the book had recipes for cleaners that were easy AND explained each ingredient and what that ingredient does. Many of the internet resources about making your own cleaners just give the ingredients. Along with the explanation of ingredients, the author provided a good index of resources in the back of the book. Overall, a good book, but it's definitely one I would check out from the library rather than buy (but that's most books for me anyway!)

Will I change my cleaners? I already use and like Bon Ami- it's cheap and green, so I'll probably keep using that. I might change some of my surface sprays, though. Currently I use either Seventh Generation or Method. I really like both, but they are not cheap. My only problem with some of the homemade cleaners use vinegar, which I can't stand the smell of. The author suggests buying and using "essential oils" to mask the vinegar smell. Sounds like a plan, but 1/2 oz can cost anywhere from $5 to $20. Granted, you only use a drop or two, so it would probably still be cheaper than Method spray, but does it really cover up the vinegar scent?

Has anyone out there used essential oils and know whether or not they cover up the nasty vinegar scent?