Re-Imagine Your Space

Some of the most effective home beautification comes not from adding more in, but rather from taking away. Open the blinds, open the windows. Look around. What do you see? If there are areas that feel overwhelming to you (like that heaping pile of clothes and miscellany) or make you feel stressed just looking at it (I’m looking at you, cluttered bookshelf with reads I have yet to get to just staring me down…), tackle those first. What is it that you’d like to see instead? Is it a matter of simple organization, or could you stand to get rid of clutter? Be honest with yourself. If you’re a pack-rat, how is having stuff around you serving your life?

Simplify Your Stuff

This is where we get honest. All of us have too much stuff. Like, way too much stuff, and our blessings are suffocating us. Have you ever looked around your office, papers piled up and tchotchkes everywhere, and felt so overwhelmed you didn’t even know where to start? Or have you opened your expansive closet only to moan, “I have nothing to wear!” Bull. You’re simply drowning in abundance and it can be crippling. Instead, prioritize, pare down, and get clear on what you need. Want some guidance on getting started and letting go?

John Robbin’s book The New Good Life: Living Better in An Age of Less is a revelation, and shows that less is in fact, the new abundance. ZenHabits has a lovely guide for people who gotta have their stuff or love clutter. For a thought-provoking social experiment, check out Be More with Less, a blog about shedding material and emotional stuff that no longer serves you. Related Project 333 invites people to embark on a mini-mission of living with only 33 clothing items for three months. Yes, you read that correctly. Kind of compelling, isn’t it? Imagine what you could do, be, and accomplish with less crap.

And if you need to buy things (hey, we all do), why not check out your local thrift store, hold a clothing swap, or shop at companies and stores that are in-line with your values. We love Compassion Couture for their commitment to eco- and animal-friendly accessories, beauty, and apparel, and have teamed up with them for a Giveaway. Just join the free Vegucated Schoolhouse from now until May 31st, and you’re automatically entered to win a $50 gift certification to Compassion Couture. Win!

Put the Excess to Good Use

• Clothes: Donate Stuff, Salvation Army, Goodwill, and local drop boxes and organizations. The options here are truly endless, so no excuses.
• Furs: Put something cruel to work being kind. Find organizations via the Wildlife Rehabilitation Directory that will use old furs to comfort sick and injured wildlife.
• Formal Dresses: Donate My Dress, Cinderella’s Closet, Becca’s Closet. Let your old bridesmaid dress or wedding gown fulfill a girl’s dream of going to prom.
• Cold Weather Apparel: One Warm Coat, Emergency Clothes Closet. Explore local options, because there are A LOT.
• Business Attire: For women, Dress for Success. For men, Career Gear. Your suits will give homeless, reentering, or low-income individuals chance to ace a job interview.
• Eyeglasses, Reading Glasses, & Sunglasses: One Sight by Lenscrafters, New Eyes for the Needy, Unite for Sight.
• Running Shoes: Share Your Soles, Recycled Runners. Give homeless runners and people in developing countries a chance to enjoy your shoes.
• Backpacks: Backpacks for Kids, Give a Kid A Backpack, School on Wheels.
• Luggage: Donate Luggage connects you to charities that will use your donation for kids in foster care, families suffering from domestic violence, and other worthy causes.

• Bedding + Towels: Your local animal shelter will take these in a heartbeat, because pups and cats need soft, people-smelling blankies to feel comfy. This is an awesome guide on reusing and donating these items.
• Furniture: Salvation Army, Charity Shops, Group Homes. Explore locally, as different organizations have pick-up and drop-off options.
• Kitchen Items: Some homeless shelters, non-profit culinary programs, and group homes will accept certain donations of kitchen ware.
• Power Tools: Community woodworker programs, job-training programs, and certain after-school programs will accept donations of tools.
• Books: Holy moly, there are so many marvelous options for donating books. Explore them here.

• Used Appliances, Cabinetry, and Carpentry Materials: There are many manufacturers and organizations that will take your donations, including Habitat for Humanity and the American Council for the Blind. Refer to this guide for more details.
• Used Computers + Phones: You can e-cycle your used computer, or you can donate to the Make-A-Wish Foundation or organizations that assist victims of domestic violence. Check out the universe of options here.
• DVDs, Video Games, CDs: I used to work at a group home for children in the foster care system. Let me tell you, those kids badly wanted a gaming console like the kids they went to school with. They also delighted at movie night and listening to CDs. Look at local options for donating age-appropriate electronics to kiddos in need.

• Canned Goods + Non-Perishable Food: Your local food bank will always take items that are in good condition, within expiration, and non-perishable.

• Bikes: Bikes for the World.
• Sports Equipment: Sports Gift, Peace Passers, One World Running.
• Musical Instruments: Mr Holland’s Opus Foundation, which connects kids with instruments, and Operation Happy Note which donates instruments to soldiers serving overseas.

Couldn’t find an organization for your desired donation? Check out this super extensive listing and get giving!

Repurpose with Gusto

Even some of the smallest, seemingly dingiest spaces are full of possibility. My favorite living space was a tiny apartment in a fifth-floor walk up that had a kitchen the size of a fingernail (yes, it was very small). Why did I love it so? I made it mine. I was on a tight budget, but I’d find cute things (like that folding chair on the side of the road), paint it up, and repurpose it as a plant stand. Everywhere I looked, the place had my touch, my favorite colors, and was functional enough because I kept clutter to a minimum.

If there are items that you just can’t part with, but they’ve outgrown their function for you, is there a way you can repurpose it or give it new life? Can those ripped concert t-shirts be made into a soft, nostalgic throw? Can that old wine rack be painted and redirected to hold your magazines or throw blankets? Can that cracked bowl be turned in to a planter with a few quick fixes? That rusty old end table? Give it new life by painting it a vibrant share of marigold. The internet is loaded with remarkable repurposing guides and resources, like My Repurposed Life, Apartment Therapy, Centsational Girl, and Ikea Hackers.

Clean with Natural Compassion

• Vegan Mainstream - Make Your Own Vegan Cleaning Products
• The Daily Green - Natural Cleaning Recipes for Spring Cleaning
• Healthy Blender Recipes - Natural Cleaning Products Recipes
• YumUniverse - Cleaning Resources

Have a great eco- and animal-friendly spring cleaning tip that you’d like to share?
Join the conversation in the Vegucated Schoolhouse today!

It’s springtime and we’re all looking for ways to freshen our wardrobes and give our style an ethical makeover. That’s why Vegucated is teaming up with the lovelies at Compassion Couture to launch the Spring Fling Giveaway! And best of all, entry is simple!

Between now and May 31st, simply join the free Vegucated Schoolhouse Community and you’re automatically entered to win a $50 gift card to Compassion Couture. Entry takes two minutes!

We love Compassion Couture for showcasing gorgeous, eco-friendly and vegan accessories, apparel, and beauty brands like Cornelia Guest, Matt and Nat, and The Fanciful Fox.

And because Compassion Couture rocks that much, they’re offering all Vegucated readers a 15% discount on all full-price merchandise.

Just use the coupon code VEGUCATED at checkout (good through Friday, May 17th). And join the Giveaway here.

Did you use the coupon code to get some gorgeous new goodies? Snap a pic and show us on Instagram or Twitter by using the hashtag #vegucatedspringfling. We’d love to see how you flaunt your ethical style!

Get Clear: “I Don’t Even Know What I Want”

If you’ve ever found yourself drawn to the relationship section of a bookstore, coffee in-hand, immersed in the Patti Stanger book about how to make yourself desirable to a potential mate or that guide on becoming a more efficient dater (no personal experience on this one or anything…), you probably already know that the first key to finding your right match is getting clear on what you absolutely DON’T want and completely DO need.I’m not talking the superficial, “I need him to be 6’3″ stuff; I’m talking the substantive qualities that by experience you have found that you NEED in a partner to complement and inspire you, and the cruddy, undesirable qualities you don’t want making your life all toxic. I can’t define these for you, but there are some exercises that can help you move toward clarity:

1. Don’t seek every quality in one individual - Because that’s nearly impossible (unless you clone yourself, and if you can do that, please let me know). Determine what qualities you need in a partner and which ones you can get your fill of elsewhere.

2. Lightly analyze your last five relationships - I say ‘lightly’ because we don’t want you laid up with the vegan ice cream and sad songs for a week. Collect yourself and think, what were the top five finest qualities of each partner that best complemented you and what were the five undesirable qualities? Do you see a pattern among the best and worst? (Hint: You’ll likely see a pattern)

3. Be realistic - This does not mean ‘give up all of your standards,’ it simply means be forgiving with your requirements of others. No one is a philanthropic, self-made, MENSA-member, ethical vegan supermodel mogul with buns of steel. So, don’t require that detailed of a rubric and you’ll enjoy a bigger pool.

4. Imagine how your ‘ideal relationship’ would feel - Not how the person looks or what s/he does, but how you would feel. What do you do together? Do you feel valued? How are you treated? How do you behave toward the other person? You learn a lot of lessons from this exercise.

5. Become the kind of person you wish to attract - This is kind of a no-brainer. Looking for someone in to do-gooding? Start volunteering. Hoping for a partner who shares a love of animals? Get thee to an animal shelter.

Determine Your Boundaries + Where Veganism Ranks

For some folks, veganism is a dietary preference, and they don’t mind if their partner is a meat-loving BBQ pit-master, or they don’t expect others to follow suit. For others, veganism is a principled code, a way of life, a religion of sorts that affects food, fashion, entertainment, and other decisions. I say this affectionately, because it’s the latter for me. Once you’ve determined where you are along this spectrum, determine your boundaries. Again, no one can determine these parameters for you, but getting crystal clear on what you can and cannot tolerate is the first step in being honest about what kind of relationship you want and knowing how to find it. Don’t feel shy about this exercise. Many people require that their ideal partner share their faith, political leanings, and other commonalities, and veganism is no less important or valid. Here are some questions to get you started:

• Could I date someone who eats meat? What about dairy or eggs?

• Could I date a vegetarian?

• Could I live in a home where animal products were kept (in the kitchen, closet, furniture, etc)?

• Would I feel valued in a relationship where my partner didn’t share my beliefs on animal equality and rights?

• Is veganism a part of me that I would need my partner to understand and emulate completely, or am I comfortable enough having that be a personal thing unique to me?

Vegucated’s 2012 Year In Review

Recruit a Friend…or Two…or Ten to Take the Challenge with You (and Get a Sweet DVD/House Party Screening Discount)

Vegucator Melanie Suess’ friends had a lot to talk about after her home screening in Collinsville, Illinois, where some were inspired to go vegan. 

If you’ve seen our film, you know that having another person in your area to take the vegan challenge with you makes going vegan easier and more fun. Do you have a veg-curious friend or co-worker? Buy them a copy of the DVD at 13% off in celebration of 2013 and inspire them to join you. Use discount code allhailkale at checkout in our e-store until midnight EST on Jan. 7th.

Do you have a whole group of friends or coworkers who you think might be into the movie? Host a screening in your living room. Use discount code squashit before midnight EST on Jan. 7th to get 13% off of the community screening kit for up to 24 viewers. For just $30.45 plus shipping you get two copies of the DVD, some snack recipes, discussion guide, custom designed digital fliers, and a Facebook invite. Cook up something yummy to nosh on while watching the film in your living room or conference room at the office. Or turn it into a vegan potluck to launch your 30-day Vegucated Challenge. My guess is you’ll have a few people inspired to join you on the Challenge once they’ve seen the film and tasted some vegan goodness.

You can even create your own local Challenge group in our community so you can all stay in touch with your friends and receive each others emails to check in on how you’re all doing.Whether it’s in our community, on our Facebook page, or on Twitter, we love chatting with people who have made changes in their lives.

Here’s to many more lives changed and saved in 2013!

Right!  We have you covered with our Vegucated Holiday Gift Guide.  So, hop in my reindeer-free, bio-diesel-fueled sleigh and let’s spread some holiday cheer.

The Vegucated Holiday Gift Guide

Have a difficult person to buy for?  Step away from the Applebee’s Gift Card, people! There’s a veg-friendly, creative gift out there for every personality on your list.  Here are just a few:1. The Neat Freak: Some people out there will actually hug – and not hit – you if you give them a vacuum for the holidays.  For those people, give a Mrs. Meyer’s Clean Day Set.   They’re vegan, cruelty-free, and effective with OMG-worthy natural scents like Orange Clove and Iowa Pine.  Sets start at $9.99 for three pieces.

2. The Workaholic: This smart, vegan cross-body features recycled lining and limitless compartments.  The Matt & Nat’s 13′ Messenger Bag for MacBook Pro is sure to please the busiest 9-to-8er. $149.95 at the Apple Store.

3. The Yoga Fashionista:  She goes from the studio to work to socializing.  She has a Sanskrit tattoo.  You see her in inversions more than you do standing upright.  She is the yoga fashionista and she badly needs these look-at-me Teeki Hotpants.  Each pair is made from 25 recycled plastic bottles.  $60.00 a pair.

4. The Gentleman: Whether he’s into the latest fashion or still wears cargo jeans, these supple Defender boots from Novacas x Brave GentleMan collaboration are sure to appeal to his rugged sensibilities.  They’re hand-crafted from sustainable, vegan materials under fair labor conditions, so you can feel good about treating any brave, gentle man in your life.  $300.00 at bravegentleman.com.

5. The Culinary Whiz:  If you have the dough to pick up a Vitamix for your fav foodie, far be it for me to try and sway you.  But, if you’re looking for a more manageable gift, give this affordable and oh-so-useful sustainable bamboo Sink Drainer Cutting Board, which allows you to chop and drain in one fell swoop.  And why not throw in the Compact Herb Chopper as a stocking stuffer?  $25.00 – $32.00 at uncommongoods.com.

6. The Lady of Leisure: Bubble baths, plush robes, and lots of ripped male servants – this gal loves to relax in luxury. Give her this 100% Pure’s Blood Orange Bath Set.  100% stands for totally vegan, cruelty-free, natural, and awesome.  Set includes lotion, body scrub, body wash, and butter for $55.00.

7. The Mentalist: You train your body, your hair, and sometimes your dog.  Why not your brain?  Lumosity features gift memberships to fun and engaging games that actually help you to stay sharp.  Great for that tech-savvy senior or anyone who likes to have fun.  Gift memberships starting at $29.95 at Lumosity.com.

8. The Hipster: Score major points with the trendster in your life by nabbing them a pair of vegan Toms.  The cult-favorite slip-ons now boast a vegan line with no animal materials and kickin’ styles.  One pair gifted means a child in a developing country also gets a pair.  Adult styles start at $54 at Toms.com.

9. The Athlete: Triathlons? Cyclocross? Crossfit? No biggie.  Give the active athlete in your life something to help them recover and wind down.  A copy of the Thrive: The Vegan Nutrition Guide to Optimal Performance in Sports and Life is always a winner, and why not some post-race skincare designed just for athletes?  Skin Care for Athletes is PETA-approved, all-natural, and effective at speeding up recovery.  Book is $14.95 and skincare collections start at $52.00.

10. The Compassionate Foodie: Give your favorite foodie respite from holiday sweets with a Dr-Cow sampler of six delectable tree-nut cheeses.  Throw in some crackers and grapes and invite yourself over for a party. $85 includes shipping.

11. The Reader: If your avid bookworm already has a subscription to VegNews, why not dazzle them with a year-long subscription to chickpea vegan quarterly?  This beautiful, ad-free magazine features recipes and ideas, with an emphasis on handmade and from scratch.  Annual subscription from $75.00 at chickpeamagazine.com.

12. The Urban Gardener: Imagine being able to grow 1 1/2 pounds of gourmet mushrooms in 10 days.  Awesome.  Now, what if you could grow them from recycled coffee grounds all year round?  Give your apartment horticulturalist a Back to the Roots Mushroom Kit for just $19.95.

13. The Glamour Puss: She’s made up, in a good way, and she always rocks a cruelty-free face.  Get her Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics famous lip tar.  Vegan, heavily pigmented, and exactly what one needs for that vampy red lip.  In a rainbow of colors for $16.00 at occmakeup.com.

14. The Plant-Powered Tween: It ain’t easy being a green tween.  Show them they’re not alone with the Adventures of Vivian Sharpe, Vegan Superhero, a sophisticated, engaging, and age-appropriate book about a small-town gal who changes the world for animals.  Kindle Edition from $3.99 at Amazon.com or soft cover for $15.95.

15. The Little One: Everything looks cute on a little one, especially this cuddly “I’m Vegan and I Love You” top from the fabulous Herbivore Clothing Company.  Sizes start as small as 6-12 months for $15.00.

Donation: A Gift Everybody Can Feel Good About

In a society where one of our greatest challenges is the sheer volume of ‘stuff’ crowding our lives, donations are an elegant, thoughtful, and simple way to show people you care, not only about them, but about the world around us.  Here are just a few wonderful organizations doing meaningful work:

1. A Well-Fed World’s (AWFW) Plants-4-Hunger Campaign: Remember when micro-lending and programs like Heifer International were all the rage?  A Well-Fed World combines those international sustainability principles while also maintaining animal- and environmentally-friendly approaches to hunger mediation and self-sufficiency farming.  Instead of gifting someone in a developing country a pig, which is costly to maintain, bred constantly, and eventually slaughtered, AWFW’s Plants-4-Hunger Campaign funds well-established international and domestic vegan feeding programs that create a significant, sustainable impact in someone’s life and community.  You can make gift donations here.

2. Sponsor a Sanctuary or Shelter Animal: Who doesn’t love receiving a picture of an adorable baby goat romping through a field of flowers?  Nobody, that’s who.  Sponsoring animals at your sanctuary of choice provides necessary care and feeding for that loveable creature, and also allows the recipient to connect with your gift.  Check out sponsorship programs via Woodstock Farm Animal Sanctuary, Farm Sanctuary, The Gentle Barn, Performing Animal Welfare Society, or your local animal shelter or sanctuary of choice.

3. Humane Education Advocates Reaching Teachers (HEART):  HEART uses a humane education approach to expose youth to concepts not traditionally covered in public schools.  In the familiarity of their own classrooms, students receive a three-pronged curriculum that focuses on human dignity (think: anti-bullying), environmental awareness (think: energy conservation), and animal compassion (think: how to report animal cruelty), allowing them to create their own value systems.  I’ve seen the transformations first-hand: youth and their teachers emerge empowered, enlightened, and inspired to change the world.  You can make a gift donation here.

Make Something Special

Contrary to what you might think, an expensive present never trumps a thoughtful, homemade gift.  Unless said expensive gift is a yacht.  Anyway, if you’re light on cash, you can still make splendid gifts!  Here are a few ideas that will knock their socks off:

1. Get Cookin’: Everybody’s gotta eat!  Why not whip up a batch of your favorite cookies or a vegan quick bread, wrap in newspaper (um, clean), tie with a repurposed bow, and tah-da! Or make these Sinful Truffles, homemade Meyer Lemon bitters (for the baker in your life), or Citrus Salts (for the fancy foodie).  Or, let the fantastic book, Vegan Food Gifts, be your North Star to economical homemade gifties.

2. Give Green: Plants are a gift that everyone loves.  They provide clean, fresh air and Feng Shui to any space (hello, office cubicle).  And when they come in a self-watering planter made from up-cycled soda bottles and cans, your recipients will color your thumb green and give you a hug.  Here’s a DIY guide.  I highly recommend painting the planters with an opaque paint so the roots don’t rot (and for decorative flair).  Add a little plant, a bow, perhaps a name, and give someone the joy of a green companion in wintry months.

Have a favorite gift idea or tradition you’d like to share?  Spill in the Vegucated Schoolhouse Community Forum!

Ashlee Piper is Writer & Community Manager at GetVegucated.  She is a social worker and AADP-certified Holistic Health Counselor who shepherds people toward a more compassionate, cruelty-free, and joyful lifestyle.  Her no-nonsense tips and insights for a happy veg life can also be found via her mischievous blog, The Little Foxes.