Going green isn't always easy...but it is worth it especially if you get organized for an eco-friendly life
Some of the challenges when moving to an eco friendly lifestyle are identifying the products to use, remembering to replenish items that may not be easily available at a retail store, figuring out how and where to store everything, and developing new habits for both shopping and usage. Read on to learn how to get organized for an eco friendly life!
Benefits of going green
Going green benefits the environment and the planet but it also makes a huge difference in your life, at least in my opinion. Non-toxic products, less packaging, no to minimal plastics, and concentrated products have so many positive attributes overall that can make your life easier once you retrain yourself and get things organized!
Get organized for an eco friendly life:
- creating space in your home for different products means a new way of looking at your space - and can often free up space with concentrated products that are in less bulky packaging
- setting up new systems for ordering with auto-ship options so you don't run our OR scheduling a regular time to stop in at your local zero waste shop
- determining how much you'll need of each product is key to ordering - which will be based on the frequency of use and how many spaces you keep products in
- concentrated products may need diluting or mixing so having that set up in an efficient manner is key - you may need funnels or new spray bottles or the like
- often green products come in containers that aren't as sturdy or stable so need to be decanted for use - I love glass jars for laundry products and glass spray bottles for cleaning products
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storing bulk shipments may mean creating organized and accessible storage solutions - a shelf in the garage or laundry room can work well
Pro tip: physically gather up your cleaning products, paper products, and other consumables. This can help determine what you may want to replace. You don't need to do everything all at once - starting with one or two products can make the transition easier. We started with laundry pods then the same brand of dishwasher pods (Dropps) which was a super easy transition along with re-usable grocery bags. Then we moved to recycled toilet paper, and then rags for cleaning instead of paper towels. Now we use shampoo & conditioner bars rather than plastic bottles and get refills in our glass jars for dish & hand soaps and body lotion. Small steps make big changes.
Finding the right products...
There's some work involved:
When I shifted a lot of our products to more eco-friendly options, I had to really think about what I was currently using and then figuring out if there were alternatives. Luckily, in today’s world, we have a lot of choices so that actually becomes the harder part – figuring out which of the options are right for your lives and household!
Factors in making the decisions:
- cost is a big one – if it’s significantly more expensive you may need to think twice, however, many green products are concentrated which makes them actually much more cost effective than you may realize up front (I’m still using the conditioner bar I bought 6 months ago!).
- ease in ordering or procuring – if the process is convoluted or time consuming and doesn’t have an (easily cancellable) auto-ship options, I’d think twice about it because if it’s a pain now, it’s unlikely you’ll keep it up
- how green the shipping is means a lot for me personally – the product may be green but if their packaging isn’t – I’m probably not that interested in it
- if the product actually works is a huge factor – luckily green products have come a long way over the years so this isn’t as big of an issue as it used to be
If you are in the Nashville area – I highly recommend checking out my favorite zero waste shop, The Good Fill! They have a few locations with great products and knowledgeable staff. I also make it a point to search out zero waste shops when I travel – it’s always fun to see what they have!
What products should I change to eco-friendly?
- Cleaning products such as glass cleaner, toilet bowl cleaner, and the like
- toilet paper & paper towels
- laundry & dishwasher detergents
- soaps & shampoos
- disposable plates, cups, cutlery
- personal hygiene like toothpaste and facial care
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cat litter
Check out some of my personal favorite products below:
Ready to get organized for an eco friendly life?
It’s a matter of personal preference so if it calls to you, go for it! Check out our favorite products to help you make the decision – and use the info above to see if it makes sense for your and your lifestyle to get organized for an eco friendly life! If you’d like help to make this step easier – drop us a line!
