Autumnal Reflections

As we move into Autumn, it always feels like a good time to reflect on what this year has brought so far, so I wanted to share my autumnal reflections with you. I also start thinking about Christmas around this time too. I’m a real planner and I like to think ahead to special occasions. I get the feeling that somehow this year will be more poignant than ever and we may all need to plan ahead to make sure that our gifts reach our loved ones in time, if we are unable to see them on the big day.

Less is more

This year more than ever, it feels like we need to hang on to all of the good things that we can, and by that I don’t mean things as such rather than moments. We’ve moved house or should I say we are moving house as it’s a slow move and the business is also moving at the same time too. It’s made me really reflective about what is important  in terms of ‘stuff’ and also in the bigger picture. I miss my family and friends a lot, as we’ve not been out and about too much and haven’t seen many people. I realise that I don’t need as much in terms of physical things, and whilst I have some lovely things that bring me joy, I don’t need as much as I thought I did. The things that I have found really important are things like photographs and treasured pictures that the kids have done and special things they have given me over the years. Aside from those, it’s the people in my life that are the most important and I’ve been treasuring time spent with them when I can, it’s what makes me the happiest. I don’t know if you feel like that too, especially at the moment.

It can also feel a little difficult to focus on eco friendly living when there is so much going on in the world right now, and I must admit I have found it tricky. I have however started some new habits in the new house and I’m feeling confident that I can be more mindful in my purchasing and also in what I do with the things I no longer need. Sometimes we just need some time to reset, switch off for a while and not put too much pressure on ourselves to be perfect. I have been trying to stick to a few things so that I’m not too overwhelmed, so I have been focussing on these areas:

• Shopping better
• Reducing our food waste
• Recycling everything that we can!

Top Tips

When things seem too difficult, I always recommend to keep it simple, this applies to most things and can really help when it feels like there is too much to do. With this in mind I’ve spent time thinking about ways to reduce waste this Halloween. Autumn also brings Halloween and whilst trick or treating might not be going ahead for many of us,  it’s still a time of fun and enjoyment for the kids. It’s also a time where we can focus on minimising waste with some simple easy tips. Special occasions can be a really great time to focus on being more mindful about waste and because it’s only once a year, it’s a manageable target to focus on, especially if the day to day is stressful and hectic.

In our top tips section I’m sharing how you can minimise waste from dressing up costumes and also some of the many things that you can do with a pumpkin! So if you are planning to celebrate Halloween this year, take a look at the top tips and I hope you find them helpful.