Cleaning Out Your Kitchen: Clean, Safe Kitchenware

It's been so fun to be able to share these past few weeks about Jase and I's process of renovating and filling our home. While this process has been much longer than expected, it really began, not when we decided to renovate our home, but when I made the switch to Clean Living. When I think of how much we've changed over time, from products we use in our home, to practices and more, we really have been on this journey for a while! If I've learned anything it's that Clean Living isn't just a one time switch, it's really a lifestyle you adopt and constantly adapt to.As we've renovated our home, we've been so fortunate to use materials that are toxic-free and to fill it with clean, modern products and brands that we've come to love. This has inspired the current series we're in on the blog that we're calling Making a Home. For the past few weeks, I've been able to share with you just a few of these products and brands, and in the next couple weeks, I'll continue to share with you more about specific areas of our home, as well as a few before and afters of our renovation!I also love that I've been able to share with you so many things that I'm constantly getting questions about whether here on the blog or over social media – from clean mattresses that I love, to everyday clean products that I use in my own home. One of the other topics that I am always getting questions about is our kitchen! And of course, the kitchen is such an important topic in all our homes. It's where we prepare our meals, share time with family, and partake in practices and routines that bring us so much joy. I'm excited to share with you this week a  few clean products and brands that I love to use every day in my own kitchen, and really have become a staple in our own home.I love these pots and pans from Food52. They are absolutely the best when it comes to using nonstick, cookware that doesn't contain any added chemicals or toxins that cook into the food we eat or the air we breathe. They're actually made from sand with diamond-infused ceramic coating, and they promise to never peel or tear like other traditional nonstick pans – which is such a win-win!No kitchen is truly set without a cast-iron skillet, and I love this one! It's right on Amazon and super affordable when compared to other brands and competitors. I use mine for a variety of different recipes and dishes in my home and it's simply the best.I just love this kitchenware set that is made from natural wood. The spoons and spatulas not only work perfectly when cooking or serving up different dishes, but they're cute enough to leave on your kitchen counter or to use when hosting. They're handmade, along with a variety of other cute items from this brand that you can use in and throughout your kitchen!Rikumo is a brand that I've come to love for their kitchenware especially with a few items from them that I use in my kitchen on a regular basis! Again, I love a good cast iron, and while their cast iron pan is a just little more expensive than the skillet I listed above, it's definitely worth the investment. Other items from them that are on-hand in my kitchen is their copper graiter as well as their stainless steel kitchen tool set – All of which work just as great as they look!This is something I use absolutely every day in my kitchen, my Vitamix blender! It can seem like a bit of an investment for a blender, but when it's something you use every day, it's worth having an item that's durable and gets the job done! Seriously the best and available amazon – Need I say more?Lastly – I love having these towels on hand, especially because it cuts down on our paper waste. They're a great neutral color that works well in my kitchen, but they also have a few other color varieties to choose from!I hope you're enjoying following along with our Making A Home process and learning more about all the clean, safe steps we've taken along the way! If you're interested in learning more or making the switch to Clean Living, take a look The Clean Sweep, my 90-day program where I walk through practices, products, and food that create a clean lifestyle. And for more on specific clean products I'm loving right now, follow along at The Clean Stuff Instagram. x

Everyday Clean Products for the Home

These past few weeks I've been sharing about Jase and I's processes of renovating our home on the blog in a collection of talks we're calling Making A Home – While we're still very much in the process, things are slowly but surely coming together and I'm excited to share more with you here in the upcoming weeks! Throughout this time, we've really discovered that creating a home isn't just about the paint you put on the walls and the furniture you fill it with, but even the everyday items you use that make it feel like home. I know we all have our go-to cleaning products, whether they're ones we've grown up using in our childhood homes or those we've come to love on our own – Here are a few of the everyday items that are always stocked in my home!1. Force of NatureI know I talk about this brand a lot – And it's because I am absolutely in love! It's always been a priority to me to keep things extra clean, and with the rise of recent attention towards disinfecting and cleansing, it was important for me to find an all-purpose cleaner that really does its job without being full of chemicals and harmful to the body. Force of Nature is a nontoxic disinfecting solution that cuts through just about anything while also working on virtually any surface – Which I do, trust me! It is an equivalent to the power of bleach and kills viruses, but the only ingredients are salt, water, and vinegar.Plus an extra bonus, it keeps chemicals out of our water system, cuts down plastic waste, and is shipped using materials that are 100% recyclable – So what's not to love? This has easily become one of my household staples that I will always have on hand.2. Branch BasicsAnother nontoxic cleaning brand that I have stocked in my home is Branch Basics. From all-purpose cleaner to laundry detergent and bathroom cleaner – I love it all! Their multipurpose cleaning solution is plant and mineral-based, free of harmful preservatives and their reusable bottles make it extra sustainable. It also can be used on just about any surface, but their options make it super easy to target cleaning specific areas of your home without having to compromise on using toxic cleaning products instead. And like Force of Nature, it's very affordable! Proving that you don't have to compromise on safe cleaning to stay within budget, which is always a win.3. Revive Essential OilsThere's a lot of essential oil brands out there today, but Revive Essential Oils has actually become the only one I use! Made without any fillers, synthetic fragrances or odor enhancers (which can actually be found in a lot of essential oils today), Revive is also locally sourced and directly sold without the middle man – So it's oftentimes cheaper and more affordable than other brands, and the quality is an A+.It's also 100% pure therapeutic grade, free from any additives, adulterants, synthetics, or dilutions. I love being able to use them without having to worry if I'm compromising myself in doing so – Which is why they're my all-time favorite!4. EquilibriaI mentioned this brand last week in my post on The Clean Sweep for Clean Sleep – but I wanted to jot it down again here because it has quickly become a staple item in my home! Implementing hemp oil into my regular routine has been such a game-changer, not just for my sleep but for my mental and physical well-being. Like I mentioned above, there's a lot of brands out there today that make promises about what they can offer, then you end up finding out you're actually harming yourself rather than helping! The journey of clean-living can be so discouraging in this way, so when you find a brand that actually works, and is as clean and sustainable as it promises to be, it's so exciting! Equilibria has been one of those products for me, and I cannot recommend it more!5. SupernaturalAnother cleaning brand that I love! This one is scented with essential oils, so for anyone who prefers a healthy scent, this is perfect. With a variety of different solutions like counters and granite, glass, bath and tiles, wood and floors, and stainless steel – I love that supernatural makes it easy to know that the product I'm using in specific areas of my home is catered just for that area. Like the other brands, it's 100% all-natural, plant-based and made from minerals, and sustainable.All of these brands are actually the only products I use in my home! I hope these help you in the journey to clean-living, especially in times where we've all spent a bit more time at home than usual. I talk more about my own journey to clean-living and give specific advice, practices, and products from my years of research in my 90-day program, The Clean Sweep, but I'm constantly updating my knowledge and looking for ways to make clean-living easy to understand and accessible to everyone.As always, following along with my journey right here on the blog or on my Instagram, @LaurenScruggs or @TheCleanStuff for a peek into the everyday clean beauty, health, and wellness products I currently have my hands on!

The Clean Sweep for Clean Sleep

Over the last few weeks on the blog, I've been covering the process of Jase and I renovating our house in a series we launched here on LSK called Making A Home. Even though it's taken longer than expected, it's been such a special process to put care and intention into every area that fills our house. The first two weeks of Making A Home, I was able to share about a few of my favorite rooms, and there's more to come with before and after pictures that I can't wait to show you!But another reason this process has been so special is that we've unexpectedly discovered so many small businesses and brands that we've really come to really love. With this in mind, I wanted to share with you a few of my favorites that I'm always getting questions about either here or on my Instagram.Sleep is one of the key pieces of a strong immune system. It helps our body regenerate and renew itself + rest is the key to positive days and productive mindsets! I believe your bed should be one of the safest places. You are on your mattress for one of the most important times of the day and for so many hours of the day. I get so many questions about clean and healthy mattresses, and when Jase and I were looking for new pieces to fill our home – this was a priority at the top of the list.Toxic mattresses are not always talked about, but our sleep and where we sleep is so important. I share more details about the process and a step by step towards switching over to clean living in my program The Clean Sweep, but I wanted to share with you my favorite picks so you have a foundation to choose from!1. Boll and BranchWe absolutely love this mattress and it's the one we have chosen for our own bedroom! It's foam-free and made by hand with ethically-sourced, natural materials which is always win, win!2. ParachuteI have always loved parachute for their bedding pieces. Then I discovered this mattress that is eco-friendly, made from pure wool and 100% organic cotton – and I was also in love! So comfortable and made with extra back support in mind which is always helpful when finding the best fit for your body and your sleep.3. Under the CanopyAnother brand I love that is made with organic, sustainable materials like recycled steel coil and organic cotton and Joma wool. It's so comfortable and provides great support, while also being eco and clean friendly which I love!4. Avocado Green Mattress A bit more affordable – this mattress is also made with organic, natural materials like organic, certified wool and cotton and is free from polyester, polyurethane foams, and toxic fire retardants (things you wouldn't even know you were sleeping on!) They also have a Vegan Mattress option that is made without wool.Lastly, while talking about the Clean Sweep for Clean Sleep – I cannot go without sharing about one of my all-time favorite sleeping aids that has changed the game for my sleep! I cannot stress how important sleep is and this has been an absolute life-saver in helping my body relax and shutting my mind down before I fall asleep. There are many brands for CBD out there, but I have to say that Equilibria CBD has quickly become my favorite! I take one to two drops before bed (though they customize your dosage depending on your own body) and this has become a new staple in my nightly routine. I love recommending this to friends and family who have expressed that they're tired or have trouble sleeping – it's such a help.I hope you've enjoyed following along on our Making A Home process – And I hope this helps those of you who are on the journey to clean living. For more updates on our home, stay tuned right here on the blog, and for updates each week on clean products I'm loving, follow along on Instagram at The Clean Stuff. xo

Native Union: Simple Technology for the Home

guest room

I'm excited to continue week three on the blog with you of Making A Home. For those of you who have been following along, you know what a special process it has been for Jase and me to renovate our home and take extra care in filling it with clean, safe, and simple items that we love. Though it has been a longer journey than expected, many of you have been asking, and I'm excited to finally share! Over the next few weeks I'll be sharing all things home, before and afters, and brands we've come to love along the way.Jase and I were shopping one day in Malibu, and we walked in the coolest store. I came across the most high-quality wireless chargers, and the rest is history. Nothing takes the coziness out of a room more than technology cords, and I always have the hardest time finding USB chargers, cases, and wireless chargers that actually look nice in a home.It was like a whole new world opened up when I discovered Native Union. It is our go-to brand for all technology needs, and the quality is an A++. My most favorite thing we use are the drop wireless chargers we put in our room and the guest rooms. It is such a nice feeling when you don't have to find a place to charge your phone. First world problem by far, but I am so thankful for these inventions that add a classic twist to something we use every day.Here are the pieces we love:

• This leather case for air pods is so pretty and such a functional gift.

• This is the best laptop charger.

• We have these on the nightstands of all of our rooms.

• A perfect sleeve for a laptop and an iPad.

• This case is so good.

I hope you’re enjoying following along with our home process – And, more to come over the next few weeks on my Instagram and right here on the blog. Xo 

Thinking Bigger: Serving Others and Supporting Small Businesses

Although this time is full of struggle, re-adjusting, loss, learning to homeschool, and bits of frustration or maybe even fear, there are positive ways we can support each other! This time has reinstalled a sense of camaraderie and community. Do y'all agree? Many are serving more than they ever have. It’s a beautiful silver lining to this pandemic. When loneliness sets in, I encourage you to check in on someone else or send a thoughtful note or gift to a loved one; I guarantee it will bring you joy and will only bring comfort to others!

Here on the blog, we've implemented a new series of talks on Thinking Bigger. Last week we touched on How Simplicity Changes Everything, and this week I wanted to talk about serving others and supporting small businesses – A topic that has really been on my heart and surprisingly, has also helped me process during this time.

My family lives in Dallas; we are so close, and it was really tough to cancel the trips we had planned to see each other, not knowing when the safe next time will be. One way that has helped me feel so connected is by sending them presents that remind me of them or fun little things for my sweet nieces! And all the while, I order the items from small businesses. You bring a company joy while sending joy to someone you love, and it doesn’t have to be big!Another long-winded, yet rewarding project we have been diving into is all things home and finishing the furnishing process! With the intension of supporting small businesses, I feel like I have entered an entirely new world of discovering some incredible companies! It makes the purchase that was on the to-do feel much more purposeful.

Fun Ideas

• Create your neighbor a bouquet of flowers from the backyard.
• Write a note to someone you are grateful for.
• Call your grandma.
• Give to a charity that provides meals to others during this time.
• Cook a meal or cookies and deliver it to someone it would help.

Gift Ideas

• Send a bottle of wine from here (it's organic and biodynamic and delicious!)
• A toy for your friend's puppy from here, here, or here.
• Send something cute from here.
• This Box of Sunshine that gives 100% of proceeds to Baby2Baby.
• The cutest organic clothes for kids.
• For new mamas.
• Healthy products from here.

For the Home

• I just got this little vase, mini lamp, and marble counter pedestal (inspo from Ashley Kane).
• These pretty water glasses.
• European linen pool towels for such an affordable price!
• A healthy way to keep the bugs away outside!
• Rugs from here or here!
• Something pretty from here.

To follow along with items I'm getting my hands on, or to see how I'm constantly learning and processing throughout this time, stay up to date on my Instagram. x

How can you serve and support others during this time? Jot down a few ideas and try to implement one this week!

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