We’re Ryan and Lacie, and we decided to start this blog to share our own personal journey of detoxifying our home while also providing you with information, inspiration, and resources. We started our journey in 2016, and we are still in the process of detoxifying our home. For Lacie, it started with deciding to try out shampoo bars when you started to hear about the sulfate and paraben ingredients in shampoos and the risks they can pose. Ryan’s work in the environmental and sustainability sector also started me thinking more about the chemicals our home was filled with. From this, I (Lacie) started to research more about environmentally-friendly and toxic-free alternatives. Recently, we have both received health diagnoses that make it imperative that we limit the amount of toxins we are exposed to to support our well-being. This has caused us to dive deeper into non-toxic, environmentally-friendly products and lifestyle. Toxins can exasperate medical conditions, such as asthma, allergies, and autoimmune disorders. By eliminating toxins in your home environment, it can greatly benefit your health and those around you.
Therefore, as we begin to run low on an item, we’ll start researching and finding alternative products that we can try from personal care items to cleaning supplies to household items. I keep a running list of products that I see elsewhere or generic ideas, so that I have a “Swap List” to refer to later or to have as a running wish list. (We’ll discuss the idea of a “Swap List” in an upcoming post along with how to start one) It has been a trial and error process with some products not working for us at all. Shampoo bars and natural deodorants have been the biggest trial and error. For most of these items, it had nothing to do with the product but more to do with the product not working for our hair type or our body type. A deodorant that did not work for me (Lacie) would work for Ryan and vice versa. Because of this trial and error process, it can be expensive identifying alternative options. We hope to help mitigate some of the expense of having to try multiple types of products by providing you information about what worked for us and what didn’t work and why.
Because of the expensive nature of some alternative products, we’ve made choices that are good enough for our current situation with the goal of being able to identify a less expensive better alternative in the future. As natural non-toxic products are gaining popularity, some of the costs are decreasing. As we explore detoxifying our home, we will provide alternative options at different price points to support different lifestyles. Non-toxic living should be affordable and accessible to all, and we want to help you to reach your goals of a healthy home environment.
Each of our stories and journeys towards detoxifying our homes is unique. We want to share our journey with you to support you on your own journey and to let you know that sometimes good enough is what is right for your own lifestyle. We hope to provide you with inspiration and guidance that helps you to start your own journey or to continue propelling your personal journey forward. One thing we’ve learned on our own journey is that you never stop learning about new toxins or new alternative methods that may better support your lifestyle. If you tried something once and it didn’t work, don’t be afraid to try something else. This journey is filled with trial and error at times, but it can also be filled with rewards.