Organise your life

and improve your health…

200 HOURS In 365 days, we have 8760 hours available. If we consider time in a week, what can we squeeze in to those hours?

If we consider that almost two-thirds of our time is taken up by work and the work commute, eating, and sleep (depending on how much sleep you can get), how can we prioritise our tasks with the hours that are left?

A couple of years ago my new year’s resolutions were to increase quality time with my family, eat more organic and seasonal food, to know the source of my food, and to reduce my waste. One time-consuming task stood out for me – shopping (not the retail therapy sort). I worked out that last year I spent close to 200 hours (almost 4 per week) shopping for necessities as well as things like birthday gifts.

I searched online to see whether I could find options that would give me back some time.

I am glad to say that I achieved my NYR while I improved my family's health, increased the number of ethically and sustainable suppliers I used, reduced our meat intake, reduced our chemical load, saved myself money, and reduced waste.

The companies I have sourced have one important thing in common, they are all Australian, with strong missions and values.

I tried and tested and now love:

~ Ceres Fair Food ~ Online, organic, carbon-neutral delivery service. I order a seasonal fruit and vegetable box weekly, as well as milk, bread, and cheese, grains, nuts, pulses, and flours, even cleaning basics of bi-carbonate soda and vinegar. More information on Ceres click here.

~ Meat ~ Organic Direct work on the nose to tail philosophy I usually purchase a 1/2 a lamb or a quarter of a cow at once, as well as some poultry, which will last a couple of months to reduce cost per kg.

~ Beauty Products ~ Nourished Life prides itself on sourcing non-toxic products, a fabulous membership program, are speedy if anything is damaged in transit. I buy personal products and soap nuts to replace laundry detergent and a few items that aren’t covered by bi-carbonate soda and vinegar.

~ Eggs ~ Little Bertha order certified Free-Range Eggs from Kinross farm. With a group of friends/local co-op, I order catering packs which work out to $10.50 per 30 eggs tray.

~ Pantry staples ~ For bulk flours such as buckwheat flour and bulk nuts and baking products ~ I use Honest to Goodness . I save money and packaging waste.

~ Toilet paper and tissues ~ A subscription based service, 50% of their profits go towards helping to build better sanitation in third world countries, they have a great name as well Who gives a crap!

Hand soap and body wash ~ Thankyou, also a socially responsible company.

I either use Ceres, Nourished Life or Biome to source sundry household items.

I have not been able to find a fish delivery that provides line-caught fish for domestic orders – if you know of someone, please send us an email ciao@levata.life

Some things I discovered along the way ~

~ It takes about two months to get used to the ordering process and change your previous habits and ordering cycles.

~ You need freezer storage space for monthly meat orders.

~ Once you have a system of ordering i.e. weekly, monthly quarterly. it takes little time to repurchase, especially those that have reorder buttons.

~ Ordering seasonal produce in a box means planning your meals around the food that arrives.

~ Some companies will reuse their own boxes from the previous order and some won't.

If you have converted your way of living, altered you buying habits or have found wonderful ethical and sustainable suppliers, we would love to hear your story. Please email us at ciao@levata.life

So to my new year’s resolutions for this year– Focus on my happiness and self-purpose, further reduce my family's waste, work towards becoming a plastic-free household, de-clutter and clear my home of unnecessary ‘things’.

What are your new year’s resolutions?

PS: This is not a sponsored article!

Words By

Anita La Forgia

Life learner, multipotentialite, lifestyle elevator and creator

A treechanger who cooks to elevate life. Anita is passionate foodie using local, quality and seasonal ingredients. Living in the Macedon Ranges in Victoria she frequents the local farmers markets each week, with her beloved luggy. Her grandparents instilled the life skills of sustainable living, before sustainable living was a buzz word. She grew up in a restaurant and completing her International degree at César Ritz colleges in Switzerland, the heart land of hospitality, food and service.

Feature image: Upsplash

200 hours back in your year