Discover My New Addiction: Blisshaus

I don’t know whether to thank or curse my friend Sam who I ran into Saturday PM with some friends. We got to chatting about this blog and I innocently asked what topics I should cover in future posts...based on interest in the closet makeovers I did last month, Sam suggested a post on pantry makeovers. Great idea! I very much need to tackle that project in my house, so why not??

Well, now I’m in it. I spent some time googling for inspiration last PM & hit the mother lode, discovering entrepreneur Wiebke Liu’s amazing company Blisshaus via Gwyneth Paltrow’s site Goop.

Blisshaus has a deceptively simple message:  find ways to make it easy to replace plastic in your kitchen whenever possible.

Photo of Wiebke Liu courtesy of San Francisco Chroniclea

Moving away from plastic has obvious benefits for health and also the environment, I get it — but how do you do this practically? Plastic is everywhere! My food containers, measuring cups, even my colanders, funnel…

My sister-in-law Jackie could handle this kind of shift (she’s probably already 90% there!). But how could I, Lee Prince, Queen of Whole Foods Prepared Foods Counter & general kitchen spaz actually do this?? Once I dug a little deeper, I found the ever-earnest Wiebke (pronounced Veeb-ka, she hails from Germany)’s cheerful video tutorials showing me the way…..

Why in fact, she suggests that I take a tote bag to Whole Foods (or wherever I shop), give the person behind the counter my Blisshaus glass container with its weight written on it and have them scoop in the prepared food for me (the server will deduct the weight of the glass from your contents).

In one step, I’m eliminating plastic on my food and the need for that very plastic to be recycled.

In addition, she encourages me to use the bulk bins at the store. I’ve always found those bins….um, sketchy? I thought they were designed exclusively for the hemp-wearing, vegan-shoe crowd.

But with the cute Blisshaus market bags, apparently I can fill them up as needed and again, eliminate the need for 10+ plastic bags (or boxes) I gather every time I go to the grocery. MAYBE something I’d try….

Secondly, she and her glossy makeovers on the site convince me I need to rearrange my kitchen & pantry for greater ease and flow. I need to de-box and de-can wherever possible and line up these simple jars with adorable labels….(I feel my week slipping away but hey, it might be a good endeavor??)

Testimonials on her site suggest that once I am done with this whole project, a calm and happiness will take over the space and quite possibly my family. OK - Where do I sign up??!

Before

After

I’ll be the guinea pig here & get the Market Kit and see if this really can work & report back to you all.  If you are still toying with the idea, check out this ingenious idea to take back your Junk Drawer.

I’ll admit, I’m 99% motivated by the aesthetics vs. health/planet, but I feel that virtue should not be denied from me. THIS IS A LOT OF WORK & I’m looking for big satisfaction in the end!!  I’m such a sucker for home makeover projects.

Do you think this is completely crazy or worth it?  I’m curious if my West Coast friends think this is more normal than my East Coast friends….chime in!

You can order the DIY starter kits on Blisshaus.com and Goop.com — or use your own glass containers and tote bags.

More info about Blisshaus is on Goop here.

(Photos and videos courtesy of Goop, Blisshaus and Houzz.)