Monday Motivation: Decluttering, Homesteading, and More

Each Monday, I post a curated list of blogs, podcasts, recipes, books, and activities that will get me motivated for the week ahead.

Click – Because I come from the school of Cher Horowitz and Carrie Bradshaw, the whole idea of living purposefully with less stuff was a bit of a shock to the system. Now that I’m in the midst of some serious decluttering, I find myself turning to Blonde on a Budget for inspiration. Sure, there’s a host of decluttering gurus on the Internet, too, but Cait’s relatable attitude and consistent approach have me convinced that this habit is actually something I can sustain.

Listen – Last week, I confessed that I am a Serial addict through and through. If you listened to the first season of Serial, you’ve probably already heard of Undisclosed. Undisclosed is a podcast created by three lawyers in conjunction with the Adnan Syed Trust. While the podcast may not have the same soothing sounds of Sarah Koenig’s radio voice or the big-time production quality of Serial, it has shed a lot of light on the case – and unearthed quite a few things that Koenig missed. (Note: If you started with Undisclosed but drifted off, listen to episode 10. Now. Just do it.)

Cook – ‘Tis the season…for slow cookers! This recipe for Salsa Verde Chicken combines my love of all things salsa with the time-saving ease of a crockpot. The fact that you probably have most of the ingredients on hand is an added bonus. The leftovers are great on top of a bed of lettuce for lunch the next day, too.

Read – The Urban Homestead: Your Guide to Self-Sufficient Living in the Heart of the City by Kelly Coyne and Erik Knutzen was so engrossing. In addition to having spent recent weeks contemplating a new garden strategy for next (we try to expand and add new plants each year), I had also just finished reading Zero Waste Home. So I was probably perfectly primed to dive into a book that outlines all the ways in which city-dwellers can garden, harvest, can, pickle, and even raise hens. While Mr. P has outright rejected my pleas for a chicken coop in the past, I see some fun bean teepees in our future.  

Do – I’m a big fan of bodyweight exercises, especially if I’m crunched for time, since I have to travel no further than my living room. I love this list because it’s split into sections that target different areas of the body. The core workout is pretty intense. And the model’s expression* after tip 50 makes the entire list worth reading.

(Note: I’m not affiliated with any of these links in any way. Just spreading the goodness.)

So Tell Me…What’s got you motivated this Monday? Are you ready to bust out the slow cooker now that fall is fast approaching? Do you have any go-to workout routines when you’re pressed for time?