Sometimes it doesn’t feel like you’ve made progress until you take a step back, identify all the ways you’ve changed and your new habits, and give yourself a little credit. That’s just what this is for.
After just a few minutes spent online, it can feel like I haven’t made any progress, but I have made a lot of changes in my home to be more green and eco friendly in the last year.
One of the drivers in more green decisions in my home was from my journey of minimalism and an attempt to continue to simplify things. I had too many things under the sink for cleaning and desired a more simple cleaning routine for my home.
Another motivation was being pregnant with my first baby. As I worked to put together the baby registry, I realized how many options there were, and how many toxins there are in many products.
Over the last year I’ve made the following changes in our home to be more consumer conscious, simple, and ecofriendly:
Cleaning
- Dr. Bronner’s
- Thieves
- Norwex rags
- Using air purifiers
Laundry
- Dryer balls
- Eco-friendly laundry detergent
- Buying all clothes secondhand
Food
- Reusable product and grocery bags
- Split a local cow for beef
- Switched plastic Tupperware for glass
- Opting for products sold in glass rather than plastic
- Canning for the very first time!
- Freezing in glass jars (yes, you totally can do this!)
Kitchen
- Keeping paper towels under the sink
- Using up our single-use plates/utensils and not replacing them
- Purchased cloth napkins (at a yardsale, double win!)
Outside
- Raised garden bed
- Rainwater collection
- Compost bin
- Recycling
Personal
- Using homemade handkerchiefs
- Natural sunscreen
- Bar soap (natural) over body wash
- Mending things as first option (tank top, shoe strap)
- Reusable nursing pads
Bonus
- Buying local flowers from roadside stands
- Upgraded to a smart thermostat
- Borrowing items for short/one-time use (travel high chair, baby pool floaty)
Future Goals
Even with all that progress, I still have some things I’d like to work on in the upcoming year:
- Possibly look into cloth diapering. My little girl is a bit of a challenge when it comes to diapering right now, so I’m not sure I’m ready to try cloth yet… I know, I really should do it…
- Using beeswax candles
- Get better at waste from restaurants and takeout
- Continue to reduce food waste as much as possible (plan and freeze leftovers)
- Browse second-hand stores more often for random household needs (organizers, baskets, etc).
Looking for some inspiration? Check out these posts for ideas:
