3 Products We Quit Buying
My New Year's resolution for 2020 was to start eliminating one time purchases for the household. I dreamed of living a more sustainable lifestyle. Then COVID happened and my new resolution was to survive each day. Anything extra was just too much.
Fast forward 2 years later we are now starting that resolution. This time more to reduce our spending. To quit purchasing items we once thought we couldn't live without makes me feel like a rebel. We have reduced our accumulation of waste and we don't spend as much at the store. Our start is a small one and I hope to continue continue to eliminate single use items over the next year.
Here are a few items we have quit buying this past year.
1. Paper towels- We used paper towels for everything. Spill? Grab some paper towels. Need to dry your hands? Here's a wad of paper towels! Every time I heard that rip off the select a size little dollar signs would pop into my mind. We bought a bag of t-shirt rags from Lowe's. They can be found in the painting section. We also purchased a lot of microfiber towels for cleaning. My husband hung a low hook in the kitchen for tea towels so the kids can reach for hand drying. There is a little more laundry to be done but I hardly notice because laundry is never finished at my house.
2. Dryer Sheets-We purchased reusable dryer balls to reduce static. Ours are plastic and help soften clothes, reduce wrinkles and static. I would like to purchase a few sets of wool dryer balls. Essential oils can be added to the wool balls making a nice scent for your clean laundry. One con is they can be difficult to keep track of. I carry them out with a load of clothes and suddenly the dryer ball is a dog toy.
3. Tampons and Maxi-Pads-This is something I never thought was possible. Thanks to period panties these are items of my past (almost) I was very hesitant at first to try this alternative. They seemed like an expensive and risky experiment. Then the Period Company came to the market offering a variety of styles at an affordable price . I tried them and never want to go back to my old ways. The underwear comes in all kinds of styles, it is super absorbent, non-toxic, and surprisingly comfortable. On heavy days I might change them once but the other days one pair works. Cleanup is easy, just rinse out (in the shower) and throw in the washing machine. I still use tampons on the rare occasion I am in a swimsuit. These underwear are so comfortable and not as bulky as one would think. I'm excited there are other options than the traditional and that my girls will have comfortable choices.
As the cost of living rises, it makes me feel good to have a few things I no longer buy. After a few months of adjusting it was easy to go without.
We are also moving to make more of our cleaning supplies. I have also been shopping for myself at second hand stores balanced with Shein purchases.
