Creating a Healthy Home from Scratch
How I recreated a low tox home after loosing my home in the Palisades fire
Up until last year, I had spent the better part of 16 years slowly curating a non-toxic home. But when the Palisade’s fire ravaged through Pacific Palisades in Los Angeles, California on January 7, we literally lost everything overnight. After the initial trauma and emergency situation that ensued, eventually I found myself having to replace, literally, everything. And when I say everything, it was everything from the big ticket items like mattresses and furniture, to every day staples like plates, cups, workout clothes, lunchboxes to the small products we never think about that make a home a home: from art supplies for the kids, staplers for the office, food containers, soup laddles, rubber bands, nail clippers : so many things.
A silver lining to this experience is that I’ve been studying and researching environmental toxins for over 16 years. So, while it was a lot to have to replace overnight, I knew this time around:
1. what to look for and what to avoid in term of materials and toxins
2. What is really important and worth the investment and what can wait
3. The big picture: what can we just do without
These are the things I hope to guide you with today. Before I go any further, though, I want to stress that I do not recommend having to replace everything overnight. Taking your time and replacing things as needed makes much more sense and allows you to also take advantage of sales, budget, shop around and - most importantly- save your sanity.
In terms of priority I will usually suggest you start with products you use the most… then work your way to lower priority items (which for the record can cumulatively add up so are still important but on a second level). Priority should be given to:
Anything you’re ingesting (likely water and food) or anything that can expose the food you’re ingesting to toxic chemicals. So here we’re talking about prioritizing pots and pans you use daily over a slow cooker you use once a month. Prioritize water you drink and cook with over toothpaste
Products you use on your body prioritizing products you use daily and that remain on your body. Think: a daily use body moisturizer over a body wash which you use but you wash off really quickly. This is also where you would prioritize underwear because you’re using it all day every single day, directly on your skin, versus a white T-shirt, which you might use all day one day but eventually take it off. Do you spend the day wearing the same leggings? If so prioritize that.
Products you’re in close contact to on a daily basis for multiple hours. This is where a mattress and pillow should take priority over window treatments in a bedroom or even towels, for example (again: all of these should be dealt with eventually but this is if you need to prioritize). If there is a sofa you sit/ lay on for hours (or for kids: an area rug they play on for hours) then you prioritize that over, for example, bar stools.
Anything that can help you reduce your exposure to chemicals in the air and dust that come from products you haven’t been able to switch out: here you have items like an air filter, a HEPA, vacuum cleaner, cleaning products, etc. Also, I include switching out cleaning products as essential and easy to do up front and removing any synthetic fragrances (plug ins, air fresheners etc) you use at home that contribute to chemicals in the indoor air and are quick easy switches
What is a priority for you and your family might change slightly from what is a priority for me and mine (especially in the days, weeks and months after the fire), however generally these categories are pretty accurate in all homes.
OUR (new) LOW TOX HOME: the process of replacing everything
After the fire, we moved around for the first couple of months and ended up living in seven different places in 4 months. We were in 3 different hotels and then eventually in three separate homes before we finally found a long-term rental, which is where we are now. Because of this, we had a couple of rounds of purchases :
Round 1: immediate needs before we even had a place to live.
Round 2: the most important items for our new home once we found the home
Round 3: is still ongoing, everything else that a home needs to comfortably function but that is not a priority item
Round 1: our immediate needs
Intimates: Underwear, socks, PJs. These are one of the first purchases and things I replaced. These are daily use items, directly on our skin for multiple hours a day so high priority. I chose all GOTS certified Organic.
For the kids I ordered first some organic cotton socks and underwear from Gap ( because they arrived quickly) and then some from Q for Quinn, Hannah Andersson and 12/12
Husband and oldest son: Opok (AIDASPICKS for 20% off) and Pact
Bras and underwear for me/ women : Subset and Q for Quinn and Mate the Label
Makeup and Personal care: After a few days in a hotel, I realized we needed to re-buy makeup. Beyond my situation, daily use makeup should actually be a high priority (and easy to switch) item because you use it on your skin for the better part of the day. Luckily I have a Goop store and a Detox Market nearby, where I was able to source a lot of great brands for Makeup and personal care for myself and for the kids. I bought their shampoo and body washes on Amazon from my own 3 Little Plums shop that is full of products I use and love.
Clothing : we all needed clothing and we were actually really blown away by the community response of local companies and friends and families donating clothing to everyone in the family. While some clothing was Organic not everything was and that’s OK. This became one item that when I eventually had time and started buying my own clothes again, I just focused on sustainable materials moving forward, but in those first few weeks I happily wore whatever was donated.
Basic cleaning products: our family actually contracted a gnarly norovirus that first week (while hopping from hotel to hotel) and a lovely community member that lived near the hotel where we were staying was sweet enough to bring me over a spray bottle with Force of Nature (uses electrolysis to convert salt, water and vinegar into a non toxic hospital grade disinfectant and cleaner - basically a non toxic bleach alternative). Once we rented an Airbnb, I went ahead and ordered some Branch Basics (discount: AIDASPICKS) to have on hand. Cleaning products actually linger in the air and on surfaces for hours, even days after you have cleaned. Because of the constant exposure into the air you are breathing, I also consider this a high priority item (also pretty easy to switch out!)
ROUND 2
Once we moved out of the hotels and into what would be three homes we rented for short term, I was able to buy some more items. There was always a balance between not wanting to buy too much because we would have to keep on moving everything every time we had to move homes, (we were lugging around a whole lot of suitcases and crates which was hard) but we did buy products for we considered high priority at that moment.
Water filter: water filtration is one of the most important things to replace and always a priority. I have always recommended this be the first thing you invest in: it is that important. Get the best one you can afford ( ideally a multistage carbon filter - under sink- or a reverse osmosis) For us, I ended up getting the Countertop Reverse Osmosis once we moved into a temporary Airbnb, because I knew I would be able to move around with it and if we end up renting a home that did not have a water filter in place we could use it as a family.
Pots and pans: I did what I recommend all families do when they cannot outright purchase a full set of non toxic cookware (it can be pricey): I started with 1-2 and built my collection from there. I first got a basic stainless steel pots at Ikea! Then invested in a better quality small set from all clad and one cast-iron then eventually, when we moved into the yearly rental, got a full stainless steel set from Caraway and another cast iron from Field Company.
Pillows: Although we were not ready to buy a mattress just yet at this point, I did buy our non-toxic pillows, choosing non-toxic natural latex (these were the same pillows I had prior to the fire so was an easy replacement.). Again this is a high priority item because our heads are laying directly on them for hours at night.
Air filters: at the time, air filters were really important because the fires were still burning in the Los Angeles area, and the air quality was pretty bad. I went ahead and replaced all of my air filters. At this point, we didn’t have a place to live yet and we’re just staying at different Airbnb’s and homes so I bought 3 units. (Links at the end of the post)
Toys: At this point, we realized that our kids, especially the 3 year old, needed toys. While this might not seem like a high priority item, kids learn and develop through toys AND they do place toys in their mouths- so while an overhaul of a playroom is not something you need to do overnight, incorporating key toys made of better materials like wood is key to start ASAP. We did not go crazy buying random plastic toys - kids really don’t need SO MANY toys. Instead we shopped mindfully and start investing in high-quality toys for my daughter. A friend sent us a beautiful solid wood toy kitchen set so we got fruits and food for the play kitchen made out of wool. I replaced her TOKI mat which we had when she was little, so that she would have something to lay on the floor and play on, I ordered some wooden puzzles and a few other items from Bella Luna Toys, one of our favorite toy shops, focusing on open ended toys.
School lunch containers and water bottles: school was off for about a week and then it was back to routine, which was of course a blessing for the kids. I did replace all of their stainless steel bento lunchboxes and water bottles with the same ones we had loved and used prior. (Links at the end of the post)
espresso machine: this is very personal and my husband’s choice- it is a high priority item for him (full disclosure it is not particularly a non toxic coffee machine because there are none available (there are plastic free drip coffee machines)
ROUND 3
Once we finally secured a rental for a year, I was able to start buying all the furniture we needed to furnish it. Again, I did not buy everything at once; there were several rounds of purchases; for example I waiting about 8 months before purchasing the nightstands for the master bedroom because I did not feel they were a high priority item ( I could be without nightstands for a few months) and I wanted to wait for a good sale! (Links at the end of the post)
Bedroom
mattresses for everyone
bedding: bed sheets, duvets, mattress protectors
bedframes for the kids (solid wood)
Nightstands for the kids (solid wood)
hangers: we went with wood and some plastic ones which I still prefer over velvet ones that give off all kinds of micro plastics
A comfy chair that becomes a bed for my oldest son’s room. This might not seem super essential, but for sleepovers it was a needed item which I was glad to source and nontoxic option for (PFAS, microplastic and flame retardant free)
Living Room: priority was placed on items we use daily (seating) and high quality HEPA filter vacuum (because this can single handedly reduce exposure to tons of chemicals that migrate to dust)
Seating: sofa and chairs
Vacuum
Kitchen: I already had 3-4 basic stainless steel and cast iron pans which means I could cook for the family. Eventually I got a full set. In terms of kitchen utensils I started with the basics and then weeks went by and when I felt I really needed something I would get it - but only if I really felt it was essential…. Suddenly I am all about minimalism- you do not need to get every gadget under the sun.
Ikea tempered glass, glass cups, stainless steel cutlery, glass pitchers, food glass containers
solid wood cutting boards, wood and stainless steel kitchen utensils
toaster
ROUND 4
By this round we were stable and I felt I could incorporate more items - perhaps not priority items but items that make a home a home! (Links at the end of the post)
Area rugs for the living room and the family and the bedrooms
Other furniture for the kids rooms (shelves) and eventually a sofa and nightstands for my own room
Dining table and chairs
Baking essentials: from a cast iron loaf pan to cookie cutters, mixing bowls, cookie sheets... this is an area that I’m still replacing items in. For example I still haven’t purchased a mixer nor electric knife.
misc- our kitchens can function with minimal items, but there are so many gadgets that make life quite easier in the kitchen. I’ve still chosen a minimalist approach and really only buy things when I realize I really need it or miss it. This will always be personalized but, for example, I have yet to buy a lemon squeezer because I can squeeze lemons with a fork in my hands.... but I did recently buy a laddle for soup after making soup twice and realizing it is something you actually need!!
Plate set and serving wear: I used the IKEA plates for a couple of months and then eventually invested in a larger, prettier set
When the rainy season arrived, I purchased rain boots for myself and my daughter, umbrellas, and raincoats, and similarly when summer arrived, I purchased swimwear and some beach towels for the whole family, and of course when winter arrived, we purchased winter wear and ski wear for the family. These are items that can expose you to many toxic chemicals (PFAS, vinyl, phthalates)so they are important to replace and switch - however you don’t have to do this all at once.
Mixer for smoothies ( still havent gotten the ss insert)
sports: weight set and non toxic yoga mats
SHOP MY LOW TOX HOME CHOICES (links to all the things… and disount codes for some)
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