In the world of Save. Spend. Splurge.: Can being tidy mean you live longer?

1. NEATNIK

Found this article by Real Simple that was interesting, with the premise of how tidier people tend to live longer as they are also conscientious about everything including health. It made me think because I don’t think I am the tidiest person in the world, but I am very organized. Sometimes my desk gets out of control with papers, so I spend the time to go through them, clean it out, and reset it (once or twice a year). Otherwise, I am not someone who needs to always have their pencils lined up in a neat order, and sharpened, and my slightly haphazard messy desk is manageable most of the time… and yet, I do not miss any doctor’s appointments, etc.

2. JOI

No, not a misspelling! A friend sent me this brand – JOI – that is a nut mylk BASE that you can put into a blender with some water, and make nut mylk without having to go through all the cooking and boiling and so on. It comes in Almond, Almond + Cashews, and a few other ones where they mix Oat with Almond and Cashews to create a kind of coffee creamer (I bought this one to try).

I have been making my own nut mylks at home for two main reasons (A) I am cutting out cow’s milk for now (we used to buy it in glass) to see if it is what is causing my skin problems, and (B) I won’t buy pre-packaged/pre-made nut mylks because of all the things they add in there, but also, that they come in plastic (bottles, cartons, tetrapaks, are all lined in plastic), which is the #1 cause of microplastics absorbed into the human body.

As a result, I have tried making oat milk at home (too slimy), coconut milk (delicious but a terrible match with matcha green tea), almond milk (too watery), and now soybean milk (so far, the only winner to make it for matcha green tea pairings). If this JOI thing works out, I will be happy to skip the whole step of making it. AND it comes in glass jars with no sugar, salt or other additives.

3. SPICED UP

These new recipes for Mexican dishes that are plant-based, like Cauliflower Al Pastor (it is with pineapple), is making it to my “Must try” list. We are definitely eating way more plant-based than we have in the past, due to my partner’s complete switch to being vegan for 99% of the time for health reasons (as in they cause health issues), with allowances for dairy, meat, or seafood exceptionally. He has started making more items and branching out into different cuisines as a result.

4. SHOE BENCH

This is a perfectly practical solution for the front door so that people can sit and put on their shoes or boots without hopping around crazily. I like all the shelving for quick access to the shoes, and it is so small it fits into most entryways.

5. RECYCLED

This growing problem of disposable face masks being trashed, and mounting by the thousands per day, is really getting out of control. Mohawk college decided to recycle them in the coolest way possible so they get a second life.

6. VELVET

I have absolutely found the curtains I think I want for my office and bedroom. They are velvet, so they will block out ALL LIGHT, and they look thick, soft and luxurious. A perfect accent without being ugly.

7. INTERGENERATIONAL

“I am 45 years old, I moved back home with my parents and have no plans to leave“. I know in North America we prize independence. Actually, in all Western countries we do, but if this works out where you do not want to kill each other and can live in peace, why not? If you are able to help each other out, especially as parents get older and cannot do things like shovel snow easily, I think it is a fantastic idea. You save on a lot more than just money, you also get to spend more time with each other (a regret many of us have).

8. SILKY

This silk dress at Banana Republic, in this particular style, is very soft and velvety, feeling thick, not thin and cheap (they have silk there that is not that great, so be forewarned). Size up one size, and wear it loose underneath .. anything! T-shirts, sweaters, just by itself… the possibilities are endless.