Things in my Eco-Friendly Home that Just make Sense!

Want to make some eco-friendly item swaps in your home? In todays post I share some of my current favorite eco-friendly home items and some items on my “want to invest” list!

I want to start this post with a disclaimer… Justin and I by no means live in a complete sustainable / eco-friendly home. I am just a girl trying each day to make small changes within my environment to leave a little less of a footprint on our planet. Remember – change takes time! I learned this the hard way by thinking I had to toss everything I owned and start over… nope! Slowly swapping items out over time is the best way to go about it… and less overwhelming too!

Currently:

Swedish Dish Rags

These have been a staple in our kitchen! Swedish dish rags can be used for 6-8 months, dish washer friendly and can be used with cleaning chemicals or water! Just think – 4 of these bad boys can replace paper towels for 2 years! I love using mine to clean up spills around the kitchen, wash the tables/windows – you name it!

Compost

A new adventure for Justin and I… we started with a small pile in our yard where we would throw compostable food and yard scraps. We have now added a Compost Bin to our kitchen and we love it! The goal would be to invest in an outdoor bin when we eventually build a garden, but for now our pile in the backyard (hidden by trees) will do!

Dryer Balls

Dryer balls not only replace the need for dryer sheets, but also reduce the amount of time spent drying your items. They can last between 2-3 years, which is about a thought loads of laundry. They are unscented but lots of people add a few drops of their favorite essential oil. Justin and I have a few dryer balls, but are currently using up our last box of dryer sheets before committing fully to them.

Re-usable Bags

For me reusable bags goes beyond the ones I use for grocery shopping… I’m talking no more plastic food bags and produce bags too! I have to say this has been one of the more difficult transitions for both Justin and I. I think it comes down to whats easier for the both of us. Using a plastic lunch bag is way easier than our reusable ones that need to be cleaned. Also remembering to put our reusable shopping/produce bags in the car or having an extra set around for those spontaneous grocery stops. It really comes down to creating new habits and forcing your hand a bit. Once Justin and I ran out our of plastic lunch bags I stopped buying them… kind of forcing our hand at using the reusable ones we have.

Mason Jars & Glass Food Storage

I have become a mason jar collector. They are an easy way to store food and drinks. Don’t have a reusable water bottle? Use a mason jar. Don’t have a way to bring your left overs to work? Use a mason jar. Seriously – so many possibilities! You can also save other glass jars to reuse from yogurt to jam jars. Justin and I have also started to switch over our plastic Tupperware to glass. Why switch from plastic to glass? Well for one thing – no more left over pasta sauce stains on your Tupperware. But glass is longer lasting than plastic and can be recycled back into more glass unlike plastic.

Dish Washing Block

Another way Justin and I are trying to reduce our use of plastic is by not buying items that are in plastic. I recently found a Vegan Dish Washing Block and this has eliminated our need to dish soap in a plastic bottle. This item can last up to 6 months depending on how it is used! It also can be used with either a sponge or dish scrubber.

Things I want to invest in:

Reusable Paper Towels

I’ve seen these all over the place and would love a set! I do not think they are a necessary item as I think they could be replaced by a Swedish Dish Rag or a regular dish towel.

Rain Barrel

This item is definitely an investment, but if you are looking to water your garden or plants in/around your house a rain barrel is a great investment. It catches rain from your gutters, then you can use it around your house for various needs. Our current county has a deal on these, which Justin and I put our names on the 2021 list for a discounted barrel!

There you have it a list of our current items and want to invest items! I am exited to learn more about home sustainability and see what else we can change around our house! Now, tell me in the comments – what are your current eco-friendly home finds!

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