Author: Renee

I am the mother to four wonderful children and wife to an amazing husband. I love to be out doors as much as I can. We are raising chickens to try to cut down on some grocery costs and also have 2 wonderful dogs (Jackie and Hunter).

Outhouse is Done

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Or well almost. We’ve got it mostly done. Aarron has worked really hard on it. And is rightfully so proud of it. He got caps from a solar farm that was going in. These are basically just square pieces of wood made out of two by fours.

They are probably about a foot tall each and they’re 4 x 8 as far as the inside area. Which, when you stack them together and nail it all together makes for a really good little room.

At the moment it is just a bucket with a toilet seat on it. Which works really great other than having to empty the bucket, so he plans on putting an actual toilet in that will use the bucket flush system into the septic tank.

He’s going to put in a pedestal that the toilet will sit on. It’ll have a couple stairs going up to it and they’ll be of a coffee can or a bucket or some thing sitting next to it with water for flushing.

I want to decorate the inside a little bit to make it a little more lol I guess.I’m thinking kind of a Celtic Type decorations and things in the outhouse just to make it look nicer.

There is a black tank behind it, which is the septic tank. The waist goes into it, as well as like a Rid X or some sort of treatment that helps to keep from having to empty it constantly.

The next project is a bathhouse. I’d love to hear your thoughts on this. Do you have an out house? Do you want an out house? Is this something that you would be willing to consider leave me a comment below and let me know.

Have a great day!

Renee

Problems Do Come Up

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It seems that no matter how hard you try or how well you plan, problems do come up from time to time. However, it seems that we keep running into one problem after another. It really does suck, but I guess when things finally work out, hopefully they will be that much better.

We have yet to make the goat pen so they cannot get out. The wind out here is no joke and the fence lines keep getting knocked down. So at the moment Aarron is using the neighbors fence to hold ours and he blocked the goats in so they are not able to get out right now, but they are so rough on things so who knows how long this will really last.

Then the neighbors got a survey done on their property, but their surveyor removed all the markers from our property, which he was not surveying. A survey is costing around $2500 right now and we cannot afford this so we had to find another way to figure out our property lines.

Regrid was perfect for this. It will give the property lines and you can map out your property with it. It will not stand up in a court of law but it will show you where your property lines are. It appears the previous owners of the neighbors property changed all the fence lines and they are no longer correct. However, we were able to find our property corners with Regrid. It is a paid app, but it has a 7 day free trial which is what we used to be able to do this. After the trial, I just canceled the subscription and didn’t have to pay for it. However, it would be a great app to pay for because it’s only $7.99 a month on the Iphone.

So even though problems do come up, there is usually a way to solve them on the cheap. When homesteading, (at least for us) this is an important aspect because we don’t have a lot of money right now. So the cheaper that we can do something the better it is right now.

Are there problems that you are having a hard time solving? Let’s chat about it and maybe come up with a solution that will work for you. Leave a comment below to get the conversation going.

Have a great day!

Renee

New Branding

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I have some exciting news to share! There will be some rebranding going on. I have been doing this blog for almost 10 years and it started out as just mine. As a way to show others that you can slow down in this life and get more out of it at the same time. However, it has come to a point now that it is more about our homestead/ranch and we feel the name and branding needs to change along with that. So over the next weeks, you will see changes to the website and our social media sites to match the new branding that will happen very soon.

Our ranch

We are going to be changing from Home and Loving It to ARF ranch. At first Aarron was a little off put about asking about this, because these are his initials. However, I told him my name also starts with R so instead of his middle name, the R will be me, making the long version of the new name Aarron and Renee Franklin Ranch, or ARF Ranch for short.

Sunset

I hope everyone is as excited about this as I am! I am so looking forward to this new face for our new start. I look forward to sharing the process with you as we start to change things around here. I will continue to update on our home as we make the changes and I hope that I won’t have to have the website down at all during this transition, but we shall see what happens.

Have a great day!

Renee

Make Your Own Garlic Powder or Salt

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Did you know that it is super easy to make your own garlic powder or salt? It really is. It takes about a day to do, but that is only because it takes a while to dehydrate your garlic cloves. There is only about 20 minutes or so of active time. The rest of the time your garlic will be in the dehydrator or in the oven.

The first thing you will need to do is to cut your garlic down into slices. This will allow your oven or dehydrator to work at drying them more effectively. I was told you could do it by just smashing your garlic, but when I tried it that way it took about 2 days for it to dry out completely so for me it makes more sense to slice the cloves down so they don’t take as long in the dehydrator.

Garlic in the dehydrator

Once you have your garlic in slices place them on your dehydrator trays, or on a cookie sheet if you are going to use your oven. I set my dehydrator at 200 degrees for 12 hours and that was pretty good. They were all dry. To check the dryness of the garlic you just try to bend them. If they bend, they need to go in for longer. If they are dry, they will snap.

Dried Garlic

When it’s dry, you put it in your food processor or blender. I use a nutra bullet to grind mine into powder. You will blend it until it’s all a powder. You don’t want any chunks in it.

Garlic Powder

It should look about like the picture above when it’s done. Then you just put in your shaker. I saved one the last time I bought and used store bought but since I have been making my own, I haven’t used store bought since.

Garlic Powder

If you need garlic salt, you add a bit of salt to the powder and mix it in. It’s so very easy to make that store bought is no longer an option for me. I love the way this smells and the way it tastes does not compare to what you buy at the store. I just can’t wait until I can get my garlic growing so that I don’t have to buy that at the store either.

Have a great day!

Renee

Goat Pen

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First thing I want to say is that I love my husband. He works so very hard for us to have what we need. I love that I can tell him what I need and he can usually make it for me. This is true with the goat pen as well. He finished the goat pen this week and I am in love with it as I would imagine are the goats. They now have about an acre to roam on with trees and weeds and so many other things for them browse as the wish to.

He made the pen from mostly pallets. There are poles in the ground to help keep it sturdy so the goats can’t just knock it down. He used some metal straps to tie the corners together and keep them strong. The gate is a wrought iron pool door that he had here already.

Of course goats will test the strength of any fence and they did this one as well. They couldn’t knock it down, but a funny thing did happen the night we put them in for the first time. I have one goat, Astra, that is always very vocal. Well she was throwing a fit about the new home. After a little while she calmed down and went to bed down (or so I thought).

I go out in the morning to see the goats and how they did in their new home and I only see 4 of the 6. I can’t find Astra and Diamond. Now mind you Diamond and Astra do not get along in the pen. So we go searching the 10 acres looking for these two goats. After about an hour we are heading back to the house when Aarron sees them in the neighbors yard! They are together and they are getting along just beautifully.

They follow me all the way back to the pen with absolutely no issues. However, the moment they are back in the pen, Astra tries to head butt Diamond and they are back to normal. So if you have or ever get goats, just remember they will test your building skills every day. We ended up finding a couple pallets that were missing boards. So Aarron remedied that quite quickly and so far they haven’t been out again yet.

Of course because this is a new pen we still expect a few jail breaks but we will see. They seem to be enjoying the new pen though with all the new area to explore.

Have a great day!

Renee

So much to do

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Right now there is so much to do that it feels as though nothing is actually getting done. Things are getting done though, and I do know this, it just feels like.. well, overwhelming.

For starters we got the house moved to where it will stay. We have the power sort of worked out. We have the water sort of worked out. However there is the well that still needs fixing.

We still are working on the goat pens.

They will be on the other side of that fence once it’s done rather than half way across the property. I’m looking forward to this happening because then feeding and watering will be easier again.

Aarron just got a whole bunch of pallets which will be used for the goat pens. So hopefully they will be done soon. I would love to have the goats closer to the house so I can hear them if anything happens.

Well that’s what’s going here right now. A lot of work and not much rest. I’d love to hear some positive things going on for y’all. Leave me a comment below and tell me how things are going for you.

Have a great day!

Renee

5 Reason Why you Should Homestead Chickens (And How to Get Started)

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There’s something special about homestead chickens. They provide tasty eggs, adorable chicks, and hours of entertainment. And they can be a great addition to any homestead, big or small. Here are 5 reasons why you should consider adding some chickens to your farm.

Chickens provide tasty eggs

Baby Chicks

We all know that chickens are adorable, but did you know that they can also provide hours of entertainment? Yes, it’s true! Chickens are not only great for producing eggs and meat, but they can also be fun to watch and raise. If you’re thinking about getting into homesteading, then chickens should definitely be on your radar. Here’s everything you need to know about homesteading with chickens!

Chickens can be a great addition to any homestead, big or small

Chickens are a great addition to any homestead, big or small. They provide fresh eggs, meat, and fertilizer, and they can be a fun addition to the family. Chickens are relatively easy to care for, and they don’t take up much space. However, there are a few things you should know before getting started with chickens.

If you’re thinking about adding some chickens to your farm, here are 5 reasons why you should do it:

1. Chickens are a great source of fresh eggs.
2. They can help reduce pests and weeds around the farm.
3. Chickens make great companions and can provide hours of entertainment!
4. raising chickens can be a fun and rewarding experience for the whole family.
5. Fresh eggs from your own backyard chickens taste delicious!

Now I just need to get a coop set up that the hawks can’t get into here. There are so many of them around every day. I’m almost afraid to start with chickens again.

Have a great day!

Renee

Reading Kingdom

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This is a sponsored post. I was gifted the Reading Kingdom program to write this review. All opinions are my own. To see my full disclosure click here.

This is a cute program that will help you child with his or her reading and spelling. I love everal thing about this program so far, I have only been using it with my grand son for a couple days. The first is the use of graphics to help in teaching.

 

The net thing is that it tells the adult to only hold the hand of the child and let him or her do the work. this program responds to the child and learns with the child. So if something is too easy, the next task will be harder or the other way around. If the parent help the child, the program won’t be able to learn the child’s reading level which will not allow him or her to learn what he or she needs to learn.

This program is geared toward the child and not the adult. So even the instructions to the adult are done in a cute manner to hold the child’s attention. Since we all know that kids can have a very short attention span, I  am hopeful that this will help with that.

The first lessons are fairly simple so the program can begin to learn where your child i at. I Think this program will help in many ways. I know that it’s geared toward reading, but I think the child’s spelling will grow with this program as well because the first lesson is finding the word and clicking the letters for the word.

I think this program would be a wonderful help for those children who may be struggling with reading or those who just need a little extra practice.

You can go check it out at : https://www.ReadingKingdom.com

Have a great day!

Renee

Knuckle Duster Ring

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This is a sponsored post. To see my full disclosure click here.

This knuckle duster ring is very pretty. It’s made with highly polished H59 Brass. It comes with a lanyard of sorts that makes it easy to hang it where you will use it. What is it you ask? It’s a bottle opener.

Knuckle Duster

 

I guess it could be used as a brass knuckle ( I know that’s what I thought at first), but I believe you can get in a lot of trouble by doing that so just use it as the bottle opener that it’s intended to be. It will easily open most beverage bottles with just a tug.

Knuckle Duster

 

It has a bit of heft to it as well. I would say it weighs a couple of pounds pretty easily. If you would like to purchase this bottle opener just click the link: https://www.edcweapon.com/collections/one-finger-brass-knuckles/products/knuckle-duster-ring

Knuckle Duster

 

You can your very own brass knuckle duster bottle opener. Do you already have this? What are your thoughts on the product and how well it works? I would love to hear your thoughts. Leave a comment below and let me know what you think about this item. The first thing my daughter said about this is it’s so shiny! I had to laugh.

Have a great day!

Renee

7 Small Homestead Ideas to Kickstart Your Sustainable Living Journey

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Image Source: Unsplash‍

 

 

Sustainable living is becoming increasingly important, and homesteading is one of the best ways to reduce our carbon footprint and embrace a more sustainable lifestyle. But what is homesteading exactly? And what are some small homestead ideas you can use to start your own sustainable living journey? In this blog, we discuss what homesteading is, the benefits of homesteading, and seven small homestead ideas to help you get started.

 

What is Homesteading?

Homesteading is the practice of living off of the land in a self-sufficient way. It involves growing your own food, raising livestock, and using renewable energy sources to reduce your dependence on fossil fuels. Homesteading is an ancient practice that has been adopted by modern-day environmentalists who want to reduce their carbon footprint and live a more sustainable lifestyle.

Homesteading is a great way to reduce your environmental impact by cutting down on resource consumption and waste production. It also allows you to take control of your food production and reduce the amount of processed and packaged foods you consume. Homesteading can also be a great way to connect with nature and learn about sustainable living practices.

 

Benefits of Homesteading

Homesteading is a great way to reduce your environmental impact by cutting down on resource consumption and waste production. It also allows you to take control of your food production and reduce the amount of processed and packaged foods you consume. Homesteading can also be a great way to connect with nature and learn about sustainable living practices.

Homesteading can also help you save money. By growing your own food and raising your own livestock, you can significantly reduce your grocery bills. Additionally, by utilizing renewable energy sources such as solar and wind power, you can reduce your utility bills. Finally, by recycling, reusing, and repurposing materials, you can save money on construction and repair costs.

Homesteading also provides a sense of community. By joining homesteading groups and networks, you can connect with like-minded individuals and learn from each other’s experiences. Additionally, homesteading can be a great way to spend quality time with your family and friends.

 

Getting Started with Homesteading

Before you begin your homesteading journey, it’s important to understand the basics of sustainable living. Start by researching sustainable living practices and learning about the different ways you can reduce your environmental impact. Additionally, you should read up on the different types of homesteading, such as urban homesteading and rural homesteading, to determine which type of homesteading is right for you.

Once you’ve done your research and decided on a homesteading type, it’s time to start planning. Make a list of all the projects you want to work on and create a timeline to help you stay on track. Additionally, research local laws and regulations to ensure you’re following all the necessary rules and regulations.

Finally, it’s time to start building your homestead. Start with small projects and work your way up to larger ones. This will help you get used to the homesteading lifestyle and gain experience before taking on more complex projects.

 

Gardening and Raising Livestock

Honeysuckle

One of the best ways to start homesteading is by gardening and raising livestock. Growing your own food is a great way to reduce your environmental impact and save money on groceries. Additionally, it’s a great way to get in touch with nature and learn about sustainable growing practices.

When gardening, start small and focus on growing foods that are easy to grow. This will help you get used to the gardening process and gain experience before taking on more complex projects. Additionally, make sure to research the local laws and regulations to ensure you’re following all the necessary rules and regulations.

Raising livestock is also a great way to reduce your environmental impact and save money on groceries. Start by researching the local laws and regulations to ensure you’re following all the necessary rules and regulations. Additionally, research the different types of livestock and choose the one that best fits your homestead.

 

Building Small Structures

Wind Break

Building small structures such as greenhouses and chicken coops is another great way to start your homesteading journey. Greenhouses are great for extending the growing season and protecting your plants from harsh weather conditions. Additionally, chicken coops are great for raising chickens and collecting fresh eggs.

When building small structures, make sure to do your research and understand the local laws and regulations. Additionally, create a plan and timeline to ensure you’re staying on track. Finally, make sure to use sustainable materials and follow sustainable building practices to reduce your environmental impact.

 

Sustainable Energy Sources

Using renewable energy sources such as solar and wind power is an important part of homesteading. Solar and wind power are great for reducing your reliance on fossil fuels and cutting down on your utility bills. Additionally, they are great for reducing your environmental impact and helping you lead a more sustainable lifestyle.

When installing a renewable energy system, make sure to research the local laws and regulations to ensure you’re following all the necessary rules and regulations. Additionally, create a plan and timeline to ensure you’re staying on track. Finally, make sure to use sustainable materials and follow sustainable building practices to reduce your environmental impact.

 

Waste and Recycling Management

Waste and recycling management is an important part of homesteading. By reducing the amount of waste you produce and recycling or repurposing materials, you can reduce your environmental impact and lead a more sustainable lifestyle. Additionally, waste and recycling management can help you save money by reducing the amount of resources you consume and the amount of money you spend on new materials.

When managing waste and recycling, make sure to research the local laws and regulations to ensure you’re following all the necessary rules and regulations. Additionally, create a plan and timeline to ensure you’re staying on track. Finally, make sure to use sustainable materials and follow sustainable building practices to reduce your environmental impact.

 

Resourceful Shopping and Bartering

Resourceful shopping and bartering are great ways to reduce your environmental impact and lead a more sustainable lifestyle. Resourceful shopping involves buying second-hand items and using reusable shopping bags, which can help reduce the amount of waste and resources you consume. Additionally, bartering is a great way to save money and find items you need without spending money.

When shopping and bartering, make sure to research the local laws and regulations to ensure you’re following all the necessary rules and regulations. Additionally, create a plan and timeline to ensure you’re staying on track. Finally, make sure to use sustainable materials and follow sustainable building practices to reduce your environmental impact.

 

Homesteading Communities

Homesteading communities are a great way to connect with like-minded individuals and learn about sustainable living practices. Additionally, homesteading communities are great for finding resources, exchanging skills, and connecting with local businesses.

When joining a homesteading community, make sure to research the local laws and regulations to ensure you’re following all the necessary rules and regulations. Additionally, create a plan and timeline to ensure you’re staying on track. Finally, make sure to use sustainable materials and follow sustainable building practices to reduce your environmental impact.

 

Conclusion

Homesteading is a great way to reduce your environmental impact and lead a more sustainable lifestyle. It involves gardening, raising livestock, building small structures, utilizing renewable energy sources, managing waste and recycling, and engaging in resourceful shopping and bartering. Additionally, homesteading can help you save money and connect with like-minded individuals.

 

Have a great day!

Renee

Avigator Coffee Maker

Avigator Portable Coffee Maker

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This post contains affiliate links. This means if you make a purchase, I will recieve a small commission at no cost to you. To see my full disclosure click here.

So I had been looking for a way to make coffee without electric since we don’t have it yet. This is the solution that I was able to find: The Avigator Coffee Maker plugs into the cigarette lighter in your car. I have been using a percolator coffee pot on the camp stove, but the wind here gets so bad at times that stove won’t stay lit.

Avigator Coffee Maker

This makes one cup of coffee at a time and the instructions claim you can have coffee in about 3 minutes. That is a lie! It actually takes at least 10 minutes. But I get my coffee so that is a plus. It does work well and the only thing I don’t like about it is that it does a take a little bit to get your cup of coffee in the morning.

Avigator Coffee Maker

However, that said, it is a hot cup of coffee. It has a permanent filter in it when it comes that you just rinse or wash between uses. It holds a little more than the cup that comes with it so I recommend using the cup to fill the water  to make sure you don’t over fill the cup. I imagine that would make a mess and in your car no less.

Avigator Coffee Maker

The cup is a decent size too. It holds a little more than a regular coffee cup. So all in all I am happy with this coffee maker. The only down side I find to it is the time it takes to make the coffee but everything else is as described.

If you would like to see or order this coffee maker you can do so on Amazon here: https://amzn.to/3ok9I51

I would recommend this maker for camping trips or the like. It works well and puts up with my abuse so it has to be good.

Have a great day!

Renee

First things first

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I hope all is well with everyone. We are slowly getting things going here. Things could be better, but they could be a whole lot worse too. We still have no electric and no running water. We are hauling water in right now for us and the goats. We finally got the goats separated. So that’s a plus.

The girls are so much more happy now that they aren’t with the boys. The yearlings, both does, kept getting into the other side with the boys so here’s to hoping there’s no early pregnancies. We shall find out soon enough though.

Aarron got the girls pen finished today so we were able to move all the girls to another pen.

It’s bigger than the one they were in so there is more room for them since Desi is trying to knock Astra around. I’m hoping this will help with that. So far it seems to be helping but I guess the next few days will tell for sure.

So all is mostly well here and will better once Aarron’s truck is up and running again. That should be very soon because we got the engine for it and he is working on switching it out.

Have a great day!

Renee

New Adventure

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So we have been here for about 2 weeks or so and I have to say that I am really in love with our new property. I have so many ideas on what I would like to. We both need to find work which sucks but what you gonna do about it. Fact of life I guess.

I am hopeful that once we get things going again we should be able to be here full time but for now that is not the case.

The goats are in a small pen right now which I don’t like but it’s what we have at the moment. We have plans for their new open but we need to unload trailers first.

To unload the trailers we need to get the shed up. To get the shed up we need to move a few of the trailers around. To move the trailers we need Aarron’s truck running again. So that is where we are at right now. Trying to get Aarron’s truck back running.

We have the engine and he is working on getting it in now. It’s almost there I think but it just seems like everything is slow going right now.

Once that is done I will be able to begin unpacking things from the trailer and putting them either in the house or in the shed. Once we are more settled we can actually start working on getting things done. I am looking forward to that.

Have a great day!

Renee

Atamin Floor Lamp

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Floor lamp

Eco-Friendly and Chic: Why Natural Materials are the Latest Trend in Floor Lamps

Natural materials are having a moment in the world of home decor. More and more people are looking for eco-friendly and chic ways to update their homes, and floor lamps made from natural materials are a perfect way to do that. Let’s take a look at why natural materials are the latest trend in floor lamps.

One of the latest trends in home décor is the use of natural materials to create unique pieces, particularly floor lamps. MDF wood and bamboo are two popular materials that are often incorporated because they add character to spaces. These natural materials bring warmth to any room, visually and physically. Utilizing MDF wood and bamboo also helps reduce our impact on the environment, something that is becoming increasingly important as we strive for sustainability. Their charming appeal makes them versatile options for modern decorating styles while still retaining a timeless quality. Using natural materials in home décor is a creative way to craft a more inviting and cozy atmosphere at home.

The trend of wearing sustainable fashion is quickly gaining popularity for a variety of reasons. The eco-friendly credentials are one of the main draws to those looking to reduce their environmental footprint; with materials such as upcycled textiles and bio-based synthetics being used in fashion, shoppers can feel good knowing that less virgin resources are being utilized. Additionally, this sustainable approach to fashion also offers numerous stylish options, proving to consumers that an ethical wardrobe can also be an aesthetically pleasing one. With more ethical options being increasingly accessible at all price points, it makes sense why people are pairing chic and sustainability.

Atamin is the perfect brand for any homeowner looking to buy a floor lamp made from natural materials. Atamin offers a wide selection of products that are hand-crafted from premium quality MDF woods, making them incredibly durable and long-lasting. Atamin lamps have beautiful designs, often incorporating unique shapes and intricate carvings which can add to the overall aesthetic of a room. Additionally, Atamin floor lamps are available in an array of colors to match any home décor. Not only will Atamin’s quality products make your home look amazing but you won’t have to worry about replacing your lamp anytime soon!

When it comes to styling a room around a natural material floor lamp, you’ll want to focus on creating dimensions and textures that will bring that lamp to the spotlight. Utilizing other natural materials, like textured rugs and lush plant life, will help to draw attention to the lamp while also adding vibrancy and life throughout the space. If you’re feeling bold, use daring colors in your furniture selection that contrast with the hue of the lamp while staying true to its warm tones. Whether it’s light aqua or deep berry shades, these hues can offer statements as powerful as any piece of art in your home. With a little creativity, you can turn your living room into an oasis built around your floor lamp statement piece.

With the focus on sustainability and the environment becoming more and more prevalent, it’s no surprise that incorporating eco-friendly materials into your home decor is trending. Instead of opting for cheaper synthetic alternatives, why not embrace this trend by adding natural, upcycled materials to living spaces? This can easily be done either by using reclaimed wood or stone from old buildings, hunting around second-hand furniture stores for intriguing trinkets and antiques, or finding elegant ways to use biodegradable items like straw mats or hemp sheets. Not only are these choices better for our planet, they make interiors appear fresh, interesting and beautiful. So if you’re looking to update your home in a sustainable way this season, make sure to consider eco-friendly materials!

Natural material floor lamps are an ideal way to bring sustainability to a space without compromising on style. There’s something so refreshing about walking into a home that incorporates the beauty of nature – it reminds us of all the natural beauty in our world and brings warmth and comfort. Moving away from traditional materials and promoting the use of such products is a great way to grow awareness of environmentalism while staying fashionable all at the same time, so don’t be afraid to make the switch! Whether you’re looking for an update or a complete room transformation, natural material floor lamps can provide a solid starting point with endless possibilities that both match your taste and support your commitment to eco-friendly living.