Blogathon Link love #3

We are nearing the end of yet another blogathon, and I have to say, this one has almost been easy.  Yes, there are moment when you panic and think I have nothing left to say!! But then you regroup, and write a rambling post about trashy tv, so it's all good.  Now, here's some link love.

--Bea Johnson, of Zero Waste Home fame is quickly becoming a hero of mine.  Not only did I read her book and come away with all sorts of new ideas for reducing my trash output, but now I'm taking a much harsher approach to managing my closet, which is the area I struggle with the most.  Presently, she is undertaking a book tour in France, and doing it with one black skirt.  She is going to be showing up 30 Ways to Wear a Long Skirt, and I'm already inspired to go back to my own closet and get back onto the outfit revamp bandwagon.

--I have never taken out a payday loan, or a short term loan, because I know that they're just a terrible way to extract far too much money from the desperate or the stupid.  Also, it was once pointed out to me that there is ALWAYS a liquor store right next to a payday loan place.  Check it out, you'll see that's true, and as much as I love a beer, I do not want to pay 700% interest on money borrowed to buy that beer.  So, I've always known these places are bad, but Sean at One Smart Dollar has a post saying specifically why they're bad.  It's always nice to have more information, and to know that I was already right even without having specifics.

--Since being in my new apartment and trying to keep things not only organized and uncluttered, but also streamlined, I have to say, that the fewer things you have, the easier it is to have a clean and organized house.  That's a no-brainer, but something I had never really put into practice before.  Sure, I do dishes every day, but I don't have enough dishes that they can pile up and overwhelm me; I don't have a bathroom lined with bottles and potions that I have to buy a separate piece of furniture to store; and I can see into my pantry and see everything in there.  So naturally, I also love the post How Minimalism Lets you Do What you Love from The Everyday Minimalist.

--This is something I have not yet tried, but am really, really curious about: Homemade Alcoholic Cider.  I've always been fascinated by home brewing because I love beer and the science of it all intrigues me, but I've also always balked at amount of equipment you need and the expense.  Apparently, making homemade cider is incredibly easy and dirt cheap.  I will be trying this soon.