The shelves of our kitchen are 100% filled with items that meet at least one of these criteria: thrifted/second-hand, handmade locally, or purchased from a local small business. We installed an under-the-counter water filtration system and purchased a faucet that dispenses both tap water and the filtered water, avoiding the need for bottled water. We kept our existing cabinets and repainted them to update the space.

With Black Friday coming up, pushing back on over-consumption is high on my radar. I have to actively remind myself to ask questions like, “do I actually need that?” It’s not really a “good deal” if you’re buying something you don’t need, no matter how discounted it is.

There are countless sources on the topic of zero waste, low waste, eco-conscious living, low-impact homes, slow decorating, etc. This is a topic I am passionate about and strive to improve on every year. In this blog post, I’m sharing what works well in our house and I have been able to sustain for a while. I am not including any expensive eco-conscious building upgrades, such as alternative power sources and energy-efficient appliance swaps. Rather, the ideas in this post are everyday practices.

Rome wasn’t built in a day!

I’ve implemented these practices over probably a decade. If you’re also interested in a journey toward a more eco-conscious home, I encourage you to pick one or two practices at a time. Let them become part of your everyday life before you add more to your plate. Otherwise, this could easily become overwhelming and won’t stick long-term.

We only have one planet, and I aim to treat it respectfully.

Do I do it perfectly? No. Are my small changes and practices going to greatly impact the planet? Honestly, probably not. However, I desire to live according to my values, even if the impact is largely unseen. I also hope that many people making small changes in their daily lives may create a larger culture shift. My changes may be contributing to something that is bigger than I realize. I’m balancing what’s realistic with the demands of life and what’s reasonably accessible to me as I work toward more sustainable practices.

We live in a point in time where we’re hyper-connected with the world and easily can become hyper-consumers. If you spend enough time on social media, you’ll see the rapid cycling of trends. It’s easy to get swept up in feeling like you have to keep up and replace things often. I’m pushing back as best as I can, and reminding myself that sometimes more isn’t more.

Easy Swaps As a Start:

Below is a list of some things I have swapped for more sustainable options. To me, this list feels like the lowest barrier of all. Not too expensive, doesn’t require as much thought, and can be implemented fairly quickly with minimal disruption. Per usual, I don’t collect any kind of commission on anything. Some of these items are from Amazon or big-box stores, which I would be less likely to buy from today. Now, I’d try to shop at a local place or thrift items where possible. I included links to things anyway, so you can see an example. Feel free to get what works best for you!

Cleaning rags instead of paper towels: This is one of the things I’ve been doing for the longest. I ordered some cleaning rags in bulk, and once I ran out of paper towels, I stopped buying them. The key is to buy enough rags that you’ll never run out in between loads of laundry. I bought lots of these rags several years ago and haven’t looked back! You can also make your cleaning rags if you have old t-shirts, towels, or other fabric items ready to be repurposed.
Cloth napkins instead of disposable: Similar to above, once we ran out of paper napkins and paper towels, I stopped buying them. Our cloth napkins don’t all match and that’s okay by me. We have a big stack of various ones, and I just keep washing and reusing them!
Reusable shopping bags: I bought these shopping bags in 2019, and they frequently receive compliments from grocery store employees. I love that they fold up smaller and can be stored away neatly. Grocery store employees love that they sit straight up rather than ones that fall over or collapse when empty. The biggest challenge is remembering to take them into the store.
Reusable produce bags: At the same time I ordered reusable shopping bags, I also ordered some reusable produce bags. The bags I purchased are no longer sold, so I can’t link them. But here’s something similar to what I have. I like that mine are washable and that they have a drawstring to keep produce from falling out. They need to be see-through enough for grocery staff to determine what’s in them.
Reusable Ziploc bags: These bags have worked out really well for us.
Toothpaste Tablets: Ivy and I really like these toothpaste tablets, and we buy them package-free at our local refill shop. I bring a jar and load it up! Andy doesn’t love them, so we still buy toothpaste in a tube for him, but us gals are happy with this swap. It’s the first minty toothpaste Ivy likes.
Reusable filters for coffee and tea: For coffee, we use a drip maker that has a reusable filter, a pour-over carafe with a reusable filter, or a French press which doesn’t require a filter. Before this, we’d get unbleached filters that could be composted. For tea, we have started to buy more loose-leaf and use a reusable tea filter.
Laundry soap: I get Dropps Lavender Eucalyptus laundry pods auto-delivered to me on a schedule. They come in plastic-free packaging. I used to make my laundry detergent but it didn’t feel like something I could maintain long-term. I’ve also heard good things about a local company called Organic Chix, which I may try out sometime! They offer a refill service which is great for cutting back on packaging.
Toilet paper/bidet: We get our toilet paper auto-delivered on a schedule from Who Gives a Crap. I really love this company for so many reasons. 1. The TP is plastic-free. Each roll is wrapped in a fun colorful paper and comes in a cardboard box. 2. They’re funny. Follow them on IG for some potty humor. 3. They donate 50% of profits to clean water and sanitation non-profits around the globe.
Library Books: I have fallen in love with our local library. Rather than purchasing new books, which I tend to only read once, I reserve books through my local library and return them when I’m done. I do like having books on my shelves, so I buy vintage/secondhand books at estate sales and thrift stores. But for everyday reading, I tend to opt for the library. If I love a book and want to read it repeatedly, I can always buy it.
Pots and Pans: Did you know nonstick pans are expected to only last ~5 years and then must be replaced? I didn’t realize that, but it’s held true in our house. There are health benefits to not using nonstick as well. I recently switched all my pots and pans from nonstick to this brand. I also use a cast iron skillet regularly.
Menstrual cup: I listed this one last because it actually can be a little bit of work in the beginning. Most uterus-having-humans tend to encounter a bit of a learning curve when they make this switch. But, I think it’s well worth the effort if you can make it work for you. It saves so much money in the long run, produces so much less waste, and an added benefit is you usually don’t have to change it as often as you would other feminine hygiene products.

There are definitely some “green” products I don’t think are worth buying. Why buy reusable straws if you don’t use straws already? I’ve also used some products that I just generally think are not good swaps. For example, I bought a product called LastSwab (a reusable swap for cotton swabs) that broke within less than a year. I maybe used it 4x and it didn’t work well. You may have heard of the term “greenwashing” which is when brands use labels such as “green” or “eco-friendly,” but have no basis to back those claims up. I try to prioritize the items I use daily so I don’t get swayed to buy something that I didn’t need in the first place.

While a bathroom renovation was actually necessary in our case, we opted to keep as much as we could - our existing tub and toilet, and some of the existing tile. We opted for a vintage cabinet as our “new” vanity, and decorated with items made by local artisans. Our laundry basket is from an estate sale, the bathroom rug is vintage, and our soaps are largely refilled locally.

General Mindset Shifts

Changing gears now from actual products that can be purchased to mindset shifts that I’ve made over many years.

Before I buy new items, I try to consider a few things: Can I make what I already have work by repairing or revamping it? Can I get this item second-hand? Can I buy this from a local artisan or shop? If I’ll rarely use this item, can I borrow it instead of buying it?
Avoid trends. This will naturally create less waste in both decorating and your clothing.
Rather than focusing solely on the “look” you want for your house, can you instead envision the life you want to unfold within your home? The latter will likely result in a longer-term focus than short-term aesthetics.
Purchase quality items, avoid fast furniture, fast fashion, etc. According to the EPA, Americans throw away 12,000,000 tons of furniture each year. That’s wild! Buy the highest quality you can afford and keep it for a long time. I understand budgets are a factor, but I’m pushing back on that being a reason to buy cheaply made items. You can buy high quality second-hand furniture for inexpensive, rather than buying brand new cheaply made pieces.
Decorate slowly over time, rather than rushing yourself to fill space. I see so many clients who move into a brand new home and rush out to fill the space quickly so it doesn’t feel empty. Inevitably though, so many of them end up ready to make changes to their furniture within a couple of years. Home takes time, it’s okay to go slow.

Take it Up a Notch

These practices have come in the later stages of my eco-conscious shifts. They aren’t as easy as swapping one product for another. I’ll start my list with the items that I find easiest, down to those I find most challenging to implement in everyday life.

Visit a Refill Shop in your Area: As you start running out of everyday things (cleaners, soaps, lotions, etc.), consider hitting up a refill shop if you have one in your area. Stock up on package-free products by bringing your containers. Typically, items are charged by weight. I had a favorite shop that closed in Austin, but was SO excited to find out we have one here in San Antonio now called Revolution Refillery. I also linked Organic Chix above, which sells refillable cleaning and household items.
Grow Your Own Food: The reason I put this high on the list is because you don’t need a ton of space or experience to grow some items at home. Growing a small patch of basil is growing your own food. You can start as small as you’d like. There are indoor countertop growers like this one, which I have, that make herb growing a breeze. The grow lights are set to a schedule, there’s no soil to create a mess, and it reminds you when to add water and plant food (included).
Eat Less Meat: For us, this was very easy, but for others, I know this one seems impossible. It was a slow progression over many years. Notice I don’t say “don’t eat meat,” but rather “eat less meat.” Now, we are almost entirely vegetarian at home. We still eat meat when we are with friends or family, but a typical meal at home is vegetarian. I’d say the progression started maybe 10 years ago when I experimented with more and more meatless meals. After I built up a list of recipes I liked, it made that transition much easier. And to be honest, I wasn’t feeling like I was missing anything at all. I grew up eating the typical American meal with a portion of meat, starch, and a side of canned vegetables. If we want a steak, we eat it. I just find that we don’t really think that much about it at all and it’s been pretty easy. I think the key for me is it was a slow progression. If I were to overhaul my diet all in one day, that would be overwhelming.
Buy in Bulk: Similar to the refill shop above, but more difficult. In this case, I’m referring more to grocery store items like rice, beans, nuts, flour, spices, etc. The reason it’s harder is because so few grocery stores are set up to allow you to buy in bulk with your own container. I had good luck at places like Sprouts in the past, but after COVID-19, they don’t seem to know how to handle it anymore. I used to bring my glass containers to weigh and fill them with the items I needed, but it’s not as easy when I’ve tried lately. The last time I went to Sprouts to do this, we needed 4 employees involved. They were set up to do it, but no one knew how. More often now, what I do is fill up the grocery store’s provided plastic bags with the bulk item I need, and then I reuse that same bag for the same product the next time I go in. For example, I’ll buy almonds in the bulk section at HEB using their provided plastic bags. When the bag is empty, I take that same bag back and use it again for the same almonds. I just weigh the almonds and print a new label when I go back.
Water Filtration System: If you’re a bottled water drinker, I highly recommend getting a water filtration system that filters out the maximum number of contaminants. I have an undermount water filtration system and I love it. This is the one I have, but there are tons on the market for any budget.
Meal Plan: Going into the week with a meal plan creates so much less food waste. Keep it simple to start. One thing I do when I feel stumped is follow the same weekly theme, something like this: Monday - soup or salad, Tuesday - tacos, Wednesday - Asian, Thursday - Buddha bowls, etc. I make a different variation of that item but it at least gives me a blueprint.
Compost: I put this further down the list, but in reality, it CAN be really easy. It seems daunting, maybe because there are so many options to choose from. But I promise, it’s not hard! Many cities now offer composting bins that are picked up regularly alongside regular trash. Or, if you have the space, you can compost at home. I have also seen garden centers with the option to drop off compostable materials. I’ve found it easy to do with a two-chamber rotating compost bin at home. While one chamber is breaking down, the other is available for new veggie scraps, coffee grounds, leaves, and other compostables. It is a good cost-cutting measure because you use fewer trash bags, and you can use the broken-down compost in your new veggie garden ;) PS Did you know you can compost pet hair?!
Skip the Dryer: This is actually one of the easiest things to do (seemingly), but for some reason it’s hard for me. I think because we don’t have a ton of space around our washer and dryer, and I already think laundry is the worst chore. I want to be done with it as soon as possible. I’m going to challenge myself over the next year to make this a focus for me.
Make your Own: If there’s an item you use regularly that contributes to lots of waste, consider making it yourself if that’s an option. For example, we would run through one bottle of creamer and one bottle of almond milk each week. I recently bought an Almond Cow to make my own, and now our creamer and milk are zero waste! It’s also filled with less junk and allows us to cut back on sugar. It takes a decent amount of effort to make your own items, so I pick and choose what makes the most sense for our family. I can’t realistically make my own milk, laundry soap, yogurt, all-purpose cleaner, bread, etc. And, I don’t want to. But sometimes it’s worth the extra effort!

Taking on the Challenge?

Interested in taking on the challenge toward lower waste living? Let me know what you’ll prioritize first, in the comments below!

This year, my focus has been on clothing. I’ve challenged myself to purchase only second-hand clothing. It’s been tempting to buy new things, but so far I have been pretty successful! Nearly everything I’ve purchased is from ThredUp, and when I have bought new items, I shopped locally with small businesses. And now that I’ve publicly said I need to focus on using my dryer less, I guess laundry is my next thing to tackle! Off I go to find a drying rack.

Living Slower, Consuming Less