I hear people bemoaning the high cost of "going green." And while organic food does cost more than its chemical-laden counterpart, I'm here to tell you that it's easier to spend more for healthy food when you save money in other ways. We can skip many of the green cleaners, deodorizers, and personal care products, most of which are fairly expensive. Why? Because baking soda is our friend. What's so great about baking soda?

According to a recent article in the Washington Post, Single living is the wave of the present. To put that in perspective, census data shows that in Alexandria, Va (my current city) and Washington, DC (the nearby city I'd like to move to), half of all households are made up of just one person. HALF.

One of the simultaneously scary and exciting things about moving and purging is the opportunity it creates for personal reinvention. What can feel like the ground falling away beneath you can actually be space opening up around you for your transformation to take place. While I dream about reinventing my life I'm reading inspiring stories of women who are doing just that.

Got an overabundant backyard garden or fruit tree? Don't let the extra food go to waste! In addition to sharing the bounty with your neighbors -- or getting really serious about canning and jamming -- here's how you can put your produce to good use:

As I prepare to move from my home but not having yet identified my new one, I am seriously contemplating what I will place into storage and what I will let go of rather than pay to house in anticipation of future use and enjoyment. A number of thoughts and factors are guiding my decision making and leading me to possibly a somewhat radical place.

Still don't grow any of your own food? Even if you don't have a front yard, backyard, or balcony to call your own -- and even if the waiting list for a plot in your city's community garden's a mile long -- you can still grown your own food, thanks to the generosity of your neighbors.

Moving to a new place is always an interesting proposition. I've been thinking about moving into Washington, DC (from my current location in Alexandria, Va) for quite a while. It's been on my mind for at least a year -- right around this time last October when my roommate and I started talking about whether we were going to re-sign our apartment lease for another year.

Art is subjective; it can be quantified as being beautiful, inspirational or for the early painters a form of reporting the events of the day. Kitsch is more like syrup on top of ice cream. It is of the heart, the emotions and a strong dose of guilty pleasures. There are times when it is hard to tell what is art and what is kitsch.

I've always been a fan of free stuff, especially when that "stuff" equals healthy food for my family. Although we aren't struggling to put food on the table, I can still appreciate using food that would otherwise go to waste. It wasn't until recently that I learned there is a phrase for collecting and using other people's fruits and vegetables - it's called urban fruit (or vegetable) gleaning.

Over Labor Day weekend, I attended a wedding in California. While killing time in the hotel room, my husband turned on the fancy flat panel TV. I watched a commercial depicting a man and woman in their airy, sunlit kitchen. The man turned to the woman and said that he could not wait to start saving money by using their new cappuccino machine. On cue, the machine shoots coffee into the man's cup. He then sticks it under the frothing attachment. Uh oh!

Is growing your own vegetables economical? With many families starting new victory gardens this year, the question is timely. Michael Tortorello analyzed the costs/value of his new garden this year and his conclusion: based only on a cost/savings analysis, growing your own is anything but a money-saving hobby. 

Say hello to Leigh Anne, the Portland blogger who imagines herself as a 'lifestyle coach' -- think recipes, think decorating, think fabulous parties, think parenting, think books, think, well, 'life'. That's Your Homebased Mom.