As crisp, October winds blow in, they bring sweater-weather, PSL cravings, and the unmistakable urge to turn your home into a cozy haven for all things FALL!
But with the urge to buy new decorations, comes the consequence of wasteful consumption. Did you know that “Americans throw away 25% more trash during the Thanksgiving to New Year's holiday period than any other time of year?” Your plastic pumpkins and light-up witches will eventually end up haunting your nearest landfill.
I had a chance to interview Stephanie Moram, Green Living Mentor, CEO and Founder of Good Girl Gone Green, who has been decorating her home with stylish yet sustainable decorations for years and is ready to share how to low-waste deck out your home this fall with advice.
What makes pine cones such a great element for fall decor?
They are free, compostable and right from nature. There is no need to drop large amounts of money to decorate for Fall and create unnecessary waste. You can turn to nature for some inspiration.
A few ideas for pine cone decorating. Collect pinecones and leaves and put your pinecones in the oven before using them at 200 degrees for 20 minutes. This is to just kill any small bugs. Grab a big bowl and fill it with pine cones. Add some cinnamon sticks and leaves, and arrange all 3 of the items in the bowl to look pretty.
For people who like scent and candles, what are some DIY fall options?
Don’t rush to buy candles. Make your own and add your own fall scents like clove, cinnamon, orange, nutmeg, cassia etc. Here are a few great combinations for the fall. Add as many drops as you think you will need.
Chai: cassia, clove and ginger
Pumpkin pie: orange, cinnamon, clove and nutmeg
Cinnamon roll: orange, cinnamon Bark, clove and vanilla
Evening by the fire: douglas fir + frankincense + sandalwood, lavender and orange
Beeswax Candle Recipe
1 pound beeswax (try to get organic in bulk!)
1/2 cup coconut oil
glass jars (the amount depends on how big you want your candles to be!)
glass container (heat resistant glass, as it will be used to melt the beeswax and coconut oil)
large pot
clothes pegs
essential oils (optional, my favorite is peppermint)
Instructions
Create a double boiler.
Fill your pot with water and place it on the stove.
Add the beeswax and coconut oil to the glass container.
Place the glass container into the pot of water and bring to a boil.
Turn the heat down to medium and occasionally stir until all the beeswax and coconut oil are melted. Be sure the water doesn’t splash into the beeswax container.
Add in your drops of essential oils of choice. (optional)
While the beeswax and coconut oil mixture is melting, secure a wick at the bottom of the glass jar with a bit of glue.
Once the mixture melts, fill the jars with the melted beeswax and coconut oil.
Use a clothes peg to keep the wick straight. Pass the wick through the small hold in the middle of the clothes peg.
Once the wax has completely hardened, it is ready to light.
Pumpkins, squashes, and gourds are common fall decor items - how can people decorate them sustainably and make them last longer?
Leave them nude. Leaving your squash, and pumpkins and gourds naked is so pretty. You can arrange them on a nice platter. I put mine on a square black tray and added some leaves. They make such a great centerpiece!
A more natural way to preserve your pumpkins, squash and gourds is to spray them with rubbing alcohol. If you think you will eat them, I suggest not spraying them with alcohol and using them as decorations until you eat them. If you decide to eat the pumpkins, remember to roast those seeds. They are so delicious.
What are some other items people often have around their homes that make fun of fall DIY projects?
Take one or 2 small cylinder drinking glasses and fill them with popcorn kernels for nice decor. I used red popcorn kernels and it added just the right amount of color. Cinnamon sticks are great to add as a decoration. Slice up oranges and apples into circles, place them on a cookie sheet and bake at 20 degrees until they are dry.
Stephanie Moram is a Green Living Mentor and the CEO and Founder of Good Girl Gone Green, where she teaches busy women how to live greener and more sustainable lives without feeling overwhelmed.
Wanting to reduce the number of unnecessary and potentially harmful products she was bringing into her family's home, Stephanie began DIY-ing her own cleaning and personal care products. Now with over 10 years of experience, she has helped over 20,000 women to not only live more sustainably but also live with less, shop ethically, and reduce the overall amount of toxins they are exposed to.
With a combined social following of over 45,000, Stephanie has spoken at events like The Most Powerful Women in Network Marketing, Slay Online Sales Summit, Expo Yoga & Wellness Summit, and Be True Brand You. For her expertise she has been featured on CBS Rhode Island, ABC Talk of Alabama, CTV Calgary, Edmonton 630 CHED, Huffington Post Canada, Vegetarian Times, Wall Street Journal, Green Child Magazine, Direct Sales Diva Magazine, and BlogHer.
You can follow Stephanie on Instagram @goodgirlgonegreen_
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