Saving in Small Ways
One of the many things I appreciate about small space living is the way it helps us save both time and money. Still, as in any setting, either can slip away all too easily.
As part of our recent lifestyle shift rooted in going deeper with both sustainability and saving money, we’ve hugely reduced our rate of dining out and getting to-go meals.
From brewing our morning our morning coffee here at home (rather than getting it to go in our S’well thermoses) to opting to take a walk on the beach rather than dine by it, we’re slowly saving our pennies and reclaiming lost minutes, which we’ve been using to read more, dance with West in our tiny living room (holiday songs remain his favorites, despite the fact that we’re nearly into Spring), and be even more engaged with the pups.
I’ve also been paying increased attention to our food waste.
We started composting last year, but there was still wasted food that headed straight into the compost.
I’m a failure with multitasking, and the number of times I’ve burned food, ruined pour-over coffee due to distraction, or stepped away foolishly leaving food within a particular beagle’s reach (AHEM, SOPHEE), is ridiculously high.
For me, slowing down means focusing on fewer things at a time, working to enjoy the activities as they flow.
(Having said that, we got a Ratio Six coffee maker so that I wouldn’t get distracted and walk away during the pour-over process. We picked the Six due to its unique design that is equally as beautiful from any angle (helpful in a small, awkward kitchen), its handblown glass carafe, its reusable metal Kone filter, and its smaller tabletop footprint.)
Adam has started making oat milk, green juice, vegetarian dog food*, kale chips, and more from home, and plans to tackle bread baking next.
On a related side note: We learned that there’s an oil, sweetener and herb refill/bulk store in LA called Wild Terra.
It can be tempting in a city like LA to go out for meals, since there’s such high quality food in such diverse formats. But so far it hasn’t felt like a sacrifice.
In fact, it feels like we’re getting back some precious slivers of time that we hadn’t realized we’d been missing.
Postscript: For those who are interested in our Ratio Six coffee maker and our low waste coffee routine (form sourcing the beans to cleaning our cups), hop on over to Ratio’s journal for a Q&A interview and additional images from the Cottage.
*Note: Making dog food at home is something we opted to do after consulting with our vet, and reading several books and websites. The meals have been tailored to our dogs, and are supplemented with extra nutrients in powder form. Consult with professionals before trying at home.
Above: My to-go coffee cup sleeve gifted to us years ago featuring custom art of StanLee. I use this most when taking mason jars on to the canoe or on walks with the pups.
