This post contains affiliate product links. Clicking on these links may result in my being paid a small commission based on product sales. Regardless of commission, all opinions expressed in this post are my own. For more information, please review our site policies.
Updated April 18, 2024.
Our family's official journey toward a more sustainable lifestyle started back in 2019. That was the year I chose to center my goals around the theme of
less is more. Of those goals, the two biggest were to
reduce food waste and
reduce household waste.
I began exploring ways to adjust my
menu planning process and how I went about grocery shopping. I made smarter choices when it came to stocking our pantry and our freezer. I researched composting options... and I committed to using
every scrap of food to the fullest extent possible.
Once I developed a workable system to reduce our food waste, I shifted gears. Developing a system to reduce our household waste took a little longer... and doing so inspired me to center my goals for 2020 around the theme of
living green.
I've made changes here and there that have made a huge impact on our trash output. And the rest of the family has been super supportive of my efforts to reduce our footprint. The kids, especially, have taken a huge interest in finding ways to make better choices for the planet.
Thanks to our collective work as a family,
we've managed to reduce our household waste by half!
I know I've talked about some of the sustainable products we use in my
Tidbits posts. But I thought it would be helpful to feature them all in one post... just in case you were looking for recommendations for green, eco-friendly swaps.
Keep reading to see which products are our favorites for sustainable living!
Composting Products
Cleaning and Household Products
When I first published this post in 2021, I was all about our toilet paper subscription. Having a 6-month supply of toilet paper show up at the house without me needing to remember to order it was fantastic.
But bamboo toilet paper has come a long way in three years, and now I add this bamboo toilet paper to our Target order whenever we need it.
I discovered this laundry powder thanks to my MightyNest membership. In fact, I discovered most of the products in this blog post via MightyNest! We started out with an initial canister of the powder and just order the refill bags when we're running low. The refill bags are compostable and recyclable, so no more heavy plastic bottles of detergent in our house!
We use these charcoal air purifying bags in several areas around the house, including the powder room and in our son's diaper pail. I love that these are fragrance- and chemical-free... and once they've reached the end of their lifespan after two years, I can put the charcoal in the garden.
I use these for our
all-purpose cleaner as well as our DIY disinfectant and DIY glass/stainless steel cleaner. We have very few cleaning products in the house now that are in plastic bottles.
Truth be told, our family doesn't really use these to wash dishes. We use them as a paper towel replacement for wiping down hard surfaces. Because of that, our paper towel practically non-existent. The bulk pack we have in the basement -- I think it has 12 rolls in it -- will likely last us through the rest of this year.
If we need to wipe up spills or have a situation that requires something more absorbent, then we turn to our stash of Swedish dish cloths like
these.
Kitchen Products
I love my bamboo travel utensil set. I keep it in my work bag and use these instead of taking plastic utensils from the dining hall.
I work for a school and, due to COVID restrictions, we're using disposable plates, utensils, etc. Bringing my own utensils makes me feel better about that situation.
When I'm out, I generally refuse a plastic straw whenever possible. But smoothies like
this one are very popular in our house and we need straws. I actually have a four-pack of these stainless steel reusable straws, which is perfect because each of us has an assigned color when it comes to the silicone straw tip.
Do you use sustainable products in your home? What are your favorites? Tell me in the comments below!
-----
