Creating a Healthier Home

About 6 months ago, I came across Doris Rapp's website about keeping toxic chemicals out of our bodies and homes. Her suggestions include filtering water and air, wearing natural fibers, not using aluminum pans, not using plastic for food, replacing carpeting and mattresses, and more. I had already known that I shouldn't use toxic beauty and cleaning products, but I hadn't considered that the simple things I was doing every day-- like putting my kids to bed in their polyester feet pajamas-- could be causing us harm. I felt shocked and afraid, and started doing lots more research about the toxic chemicals in my home environment. I visited websites like PVC: The Poison Plastic, Is It In Us, and Debra Lynn Dadd. I read Home Safe Home and Our Toxic World: A Wake Up Call. The more I read, the more I felt angry with myself and driven to change everything. What a shock to suddenly find that the ways I'd been living might be dangerous! But then I remembered the truth: I am doing the best I can where I am and with what I know, I am open to learning more and moving toward better ways of living, and I am capable of making changes in a way that works for me. I am not perfect, and I don't have to be; in fact, I am OK as I am.

So I decided to make a healthier home by creatively making changes, one change at a time. We don't have much extra money, so the changes would have to be simple and inexpensive. Here is what I have done so far:

• I frequented the local thrift store and found it to be an amazing way to find lots of great things. I found sets of stainless steel, cast iron, and glass pots and pans to replace my non-stick ones; cotton sheets and wool blankets to replace my synthetic ones; a latex mattress set to replace my regular set; wooden toys to replace plastic ones; wooden furniture to replace particleboard; and even a brand new shower filter.
• I gave away our synthetic clothing, and now my kids sleep in non-flame-retardant cotton PJ's and we all wear cotton and wool. My next step down this road is finding organic clothing, but I haven't figured out how to afford it. For now we buy our natural fiber clothing at the thrift store.
• I gave away any synthetic products I could find around my home-- vinyl shower curtains, rugs, curtains-- and replaced them with cotton. I still have some synthetic items like tarps, hoses, an air mattress, rain gear, and winter coats, but I just don't know how I would find natural replacements for those kinds of things. Maybe in time I will buy or find suitable replacements. Or do I need to? I don't know.
• I disposed of all our commercial lotions and shampoos and replaced them with chemical-free ones like those at Prairieland Herbs. I use baking soda for deodorant now, although I've heard you can also use cornstarch and/or coconut oil. And there are whole communities of folks devoted to using alternative shampoos, or none at all.
• I disposed of any toxic cleaners we had, replacing them with baking soda and vinegar, homemade cleaners, and homemade laundry detergent.
• I asked for glass storage containers for Christmas, and gave away my plastic tupperware. Our plastic Nalgene water bottles were replaced with glass juice bottles from the grocery store. I also bought some stainless steel and wooden cooking utensils to replace the plastic ones, and replaced my plastic kid bowls with wooden ones.
• I bought a mattress wrap for my baby's mattress. There are all kinds of natural mattresses, wraps, covers, bedding, etc. on the internet.
• I got some houseplants, because I read that certain kinds can purify the air. I also open the windows often.
• I sealed our carpets with AFM Carpet Seal, since we can't afford to replace them with wood flooring right now.
• I bought a good quality furnace filter from the hardware store.
• I did shell out the money for a better vacuum: it is a refurbished canister vacuum with a HEPA filter.
• I purchase organic, used, recycled food and products as much as I can. I want to buy more fair-trade, locally made, recycled, and natural products in the future rather than finding things at the local box store.
• I am still looking into drinking water filters that are a reasonable price for us. Update: I just purchased a water filter from Multi-Pure.

Wow! I did all this in 6 months! I am breathing a breath of acknowledgement for me, my effort, my love of my family, my creativity, my ambition. I am glad it's mostly done, although the process of writing this has shown me the various areas I still would like to improve, as well as the choices I would like to make in the future. One day maybe we'll build our own green home (right now we live in a vinyl house like those in the great film Blue Vinyl). For now I will do the best I can with my resources and knowledge and be grateful that I can keep making conscious choices about my health, my home, my children, and the products I purchase.