As we become more aware of our impact on the environment, it’s essential to make eco-friendly choices in all aspects of our lives. One such area is our homes, where we spend most of our time. Making small changes can go a long way in reducing our carbon footprint and saving the planet while also saving money.
In this blog, I’ll discuss why you should consider sustainable swaps for the home, how they work, and how to choose the right ones for your family. I’ll also provide top sustainable swaps for your kids, kitchen, bathroom, and laundry/utility room with some frequently asked questions.
Reading Time: 11 mins
Sustainable Living Habits
As individuals, we have a responsibility to make sustainable swaps for the home and reduce plastic and food waste. Simple changes in our daily routine such as using bamboo cutlery sets for take-out food or reusable cloth napkins and towels instead of paper towels can have a significant impact on the environment.
Making such sustainable swaps for the home encourages green living habits while also reducing landfill waste and plastic usage. This article discusses why making eco-friendly swaps is crucial, provides tips on choosing the right sustainable alternatives for your family, and offers suggestions on how to implement them into your daily routine.
Why Swap? Save Money and the Planet
Making sustainable swaps for the home has a double benefit: you reduce your carbon footprint and save money in the long run. You can teach your children to love and respect the environment and set them up to be eco-conscience adults of the future. Lastly, eco-swapping inspires positive change in others outside of your family setting an example for wider family and friends.
What Are Swaps and How Do They Work?
Sustainable swaps for the home involve replacing everyday items with more eco-friendly alternatives whether they are in your fridge or bedroom. There are eco-swaps for pretty much anything these days. Sustainable swaps for the home can include:
- Clothing
- Toys
- Books
- Cleaning products
How to Choose the Right Sustainable Swaps For Your Family
Choosing sustainable swaps for the home is an essential step towards living a more eco-friendly family life.
- Begin by researching companies with a commitment to sustainability and ethical practices.
- Next, look for products made from renewable resources or those that can be recycled or composted.
- Finally, select items that are durable and can be reused multiple times to reduce waste.
- By making these simple swaps like using bamboo toothbrushes or beeswax wraps instead of disposable plastic packaging and bottles, you’ll not only reduce your family carbon footprint but also help in conserving landfill space.
How to Implement Swaps into Your Home
Incorporating and considering sustainable swaps for the home can be tricky at first but you shouldn’t panic. Many families think that living sustainably has an endpoint.
The truth is it doesn’t. As a family, we’re still on our sustainability journey and it’ll continue for many years to come.
- Involving your family by setting goals for reducing waste and energy consumption.
- Starting small and gradually incorporating more eco-friendly alternatives, such as bamboo cutlery sets for take-out food or reusable beeswax wraps for leftovers, will have a notable impact on reducing plastic waste and your carbon footprint.
Every small swap counts towards a more sustainable future. For example, consider choosing for plant-based dishwashing detergents or wool dryer balls to reduce energy use in your laundry room.
Another great swap is to use a reusable mug instead of disposable cups when getting coffee on the go.
Additionally, using nylon bags instead of plastic bags for grocery shopping can also make a significant difference in reducing waste.
Top 3 Sustainable Swaps for Kids
When it comes to buying items for your kids you don’t need to skimp on quality for it to be sustainable. If you look through your kid’s items there are loads of eco-friendly swaps you can make.
As I mentioned before, buying sustainable kid’s items with your children in mind helps to teach them about the environment and how to live sustainably from an early age.
You could start by, choosing wooden or organic cotton toys instead of single-use plastic varieties. These swaps will help you create a zero-waste lifestyle at home while prioritizing sustainability and durability.
Reusable Toys
Choosing sustainable swaps for the home is important to reduce landfill waste and decrease your carbon footprint. When it comes to children’s toys, opting for durable and reusable options made from materials like bamboo or recycled plastic can make a significant impact on our environment.
Go green with kinetic energy or solar power-powered toys instead of using disposable batteries. Consider signing up for a subscription-based toy-swapping service like Whirli.com to reduce your consumption of new products.
They are a UK-based company and their toys are made from a range of sustainable options like wood, renewable plastic and polyester.
We currently use Whirli as my daughter was gifted a year’s subscription by our families as a birthday present. The toys are a mixture of wood and plastic. We pay £190 per year for 160 credits which got us a range of wooden and musical toys.
The best thing about Whirli is when she gets bored we can post the items back and choose new toys. We’ve not bought a load of toys that she’ll lose interest in and we’re actively reducing plastic pollution. Whirli currently have a 20% discount on their subscriptions with the code NEW20.
Reusable Art Supplies
If your kids love arts and crafts the waste created from buying the products can really stack up. Reusable art supplies work by providing sustainable alternatives to traditional single-use art materials. Here are a few examples:
1. Refillable Markers: Refillable markers consist of a marker body and ink cartridges. When the ink runs out, instead of throwing away the entire marker, you can simply replace the ink cartridge with a new one. This significantly reduces plastic waste as you only need to purchase ink refills rather than new markers.
2. Refillable Pens and Pencils: Refillable pens and mechanical pencils allow you to replace the ink or lead once it’s depleted, eliminating the need to discard the entire pen or pencil. By purchasing ink or lead refills, you can continue using the same writing instrument for an extended period.
3. Reusable Paint Palettes: Traditional paint palettes are often made of disposable plastic or paper and are thrown away after use. Reusable paint palettes are typically made of materials like glass, ceramic, or durable plastic that can be easily cleaned. After each painting session, you can wash the palette and reuse it for future artworks, reducing waste.
4. Refillable Paints: Some art supply companies offer refillable paints. These paints come in tubes or containers that can be refilled once they are empty. Instead of purchasing new paint tubes, you can buy refill packs, which usually come in larger quantities, reducing packaging waste.
5. Reusable Brushes and Tools: Invest in high-quality brushes and art tools that are designed to be durable and long-lasting. Properly cared for, these tools can be used for a long time, eliminating the need for frequent replacements.
6. Recycled Paper and Sketchbooks: While not directly reusable, opting for art materials made from the recycled paper helps reduce the demand for virgin paper and encourages the recycling loop. Look for sketchbooks and paper pads made from recycled content.
Websites like Etsy.com offer a range of sustainable art supplies from smaller independent sellers.
By choosing reusable art supplies, you can significantly reduce waste generated from art projects. Not only do these supplies help save resources, but they can also be cost-effective in the long run, as you only need to purchase refills instead of entirely new materials. It’s a sustainable swaps for the home choice that promotes creativity while minimizing environmental impact.
Beeswax Wraps for Lunches and Snacks
When it comes to making the kid’s school lunches there are a few product considerations such as:
- Reusable water bottle
- Silicon straws
- Sustainable lunch boxes
One sustainable swaps for the home you should consider in general, is beeswax wraps. Wrapping sandwiches with beeswax wraps rather than plastic alternatives is a great way to reduce the amount of clingfilm and excess plastic packaging that goes into landfill sites.
These wraps made from beeswax, cotton fabric, and jojoba oil are durable and can be reused multiple times. Beeswax wraps are super easy to clean just gently wash them with warm soapy water and leave to dry on your dish rack. and last for a long time.
We like the Beeswax Wraps Set of 8 for £13.99. We bought them because to be honest they were cheap.
Top 3 Kitchen Swaps for a Greener Home
If you want to reduce your household’s carbon footprint, start by making sustainable swaps in the kitchen. There are plenty of items that you can swap from foil to washing up liquid.
I wrote an article called Eco Friendly Products You Can Buy To Reduce Kitchen Plastic . In the article, I listed 10 of the best products you can swap to reduce kitchen plastic. listing the best kitchen swaps called.
Reusable Silicone Food Covers
Looking for sustainable swaps for the home that can help you reduce your carbon footprint? Consider reusable silicone food covers! These eco-friendly alternatives to single-use plastic wrap are easy to wash and reuse, which means they can reduce waste while saving you money in the long run.
Plus, they’re versatile enough to fit a variety of containers of different sizes and shapes. Make this simple swap today and start reducing your family’s plastic waste and environmental impact with zero waste. Don’t forget to sign up for our newsletter to receive updates and exclusive offers via email.
Bamboo Cutlery Set for Take-Out Food
When it comes to reducing our carbon footprint, small sustainable swaps for the home like bamboo cutlery instead of single-use plastics can make a big difference. Not only are they eco-friendly because the bamboo tree grows fast and in abundance, they are also durable.
You can buy neat-looking sets like this one for £6.99 to take with you when you have lunch at work. You can also buy them in larger sets for family day trips or holidays if needed.
Bamboo is a great alternative as it’s highly renewable and doesn’t require any pesticides or fertilizers to grow quickly. By making the switch from single-use plastics to bamboo cutlery, we can reduce plastic waste and promote sustainability in our daily lives.
Plant-Based Dishwashing Detergent
Yes, plant-based dishwashing detergent is a real thing and the products are really good! These eco-friendly products are made with natural ingredients and come in different scents and formulations to suit your needs. these detergents don’t contain any harsh chemicals that could harm you or the environment.
There are a few companies like Bower Collective as they offer refillable options. I have an article called Best Natural Cleaning Products where I list different home cleaners including washing up liquid.
If you’re feeling brave you could try making your own washing-up liquid and other home cleaners which I have in my downloadable home recipe kit. Grab yours now!
3 Easy Bathroom Swaps for an Eco-Friendly Home
When it comes to making sustainable swaps for the home, don’t forget about the bathroom! By choosing eco-friendly options like natural shower gel bars or soaps and bamboo toothbrushes and toothpaste tablets instead of disposables, you can reduce your carbon footprint while still maintaining good hygiene.
It’s easy to think that the bathroom does accumulate a mountain of plastic waste from bottles to toothpicks to dental floss and toothbrushes. The waste can be endless. I did an experiment where I counted the number of plastic bottles I threw out each month and the number was 4. That 48 bottles a year!
Natural Shower Gel Bar/Soap
Switching to natural shower gel bars or soaps as a sustainable swap for your bathroom routine instead of traditional liquid shampoo bottles is a game changer for the environment. Traditional shower products use a lot of plastic.
These eco-friendly soap bar alternatives come in minimal or compostable packaging and often use organic and biodegradable ingredients that have a lower environmental impact than conventional cleaning products. It’s an easy way to move towards a zero-waste lifestyle while still taking care of yourself and your little one’s skin.
Bamboo Toothbrushes and Toothpaste Tablets
As mentioned before bamboo is a super sustainable material and you can make just about any product from it (including loo roll) Making sustainable swaps for the home is crucial in reducing your environmental impact.
Bamboo toothbrushes and toothpaste tablets are excellent options that help reduce single-use plastic packaging for families. By using bamboo toothbrushes instead of plastic ones, you can avoid contributing to landfill waste and pollution in our oceans.
Toothpaste tablets get some taking used too, brands like WAKEN Toothpaste Tablets come in recyclable packaging, eliminating the need for disposable tubes that end up in landfills. At the price of £5.99 for 180 tablets it’s not too bad. You should use the tablet and then brush your teeth afterwards for a more thorough cleaning.
Natural Shower Cleaning Loofs
Switching to natural shower loofahs is an easy swap for a sustainable bathroom routine. These eco-friendly sponges are made from plant fibres and won’t leave behind unnecessary plastic packaging. By using these instead of disposable sponges, you can minimize your use of single-use plastics and reduce your environmental impact.
Best of all, once you’re done with them, these loofahs can simply be composted. Make this simple step towards sustainability by switching to natural shower loofahs today.
Laundry/ Utility Room Swaps for a Sustainable Home
The Laundry/Utility Room is an excellent place to start making sustainable swaps for the home if you’re looking for eco-friendly alternatives that won’t break the bank.
Switching to eco-friendly laundry detergents, fabric softeners, wool dryer balls for reducing energy use, Energy Star certified appliances, and using a clothesline or drying rack will help reduce your carbon footprint and save money on utility bills. Also, consider natural cleaning products such as vinegar and baking soda instead of harsh chemicals.
Wool Dryer Balls for Reducing Energy Use
Making sustainable swaps for your home is a great way to reduce waste and lower your environmental impact. One sustainable swap you can make in your laundry routine is switching from traditional fabric softeners and disposable dryer sheets to wool dryer balls.
These eco-friendly alternatives can cut drying time by up to 25%, reducing energy usage and greenhouse gas emissions. Wool dryer balls are reusable and durable, making them a cost-effective choice for those looking to live a more sustainable lifestyle.
Additionally, they help reduce static cling without the use of chemicals and naturally soften clothes. By making this simple swap in your laundry routine, you’re taking a step towards sustainability.
Plastic-Free Laundry Detergent
Reduce your environmental impact by switching to plastic-free laundry detergent. These eco-friendly options are available in powder, liquid, and bar forms, all made with natural ingredients. Not only do they reduce plastic waste, but they can also save you money in the long run!
Sustainable Swaps for the Home: FAQ
Now that I’ve listed a few easy sustainable swaps that you and your family can try let’s tackle a frequently asked questions.
What to Do with Old Single-Use Items?
Instead of throwing away single-use items like plastic toothbrush, plastic bags, straws, and water bottles, consider using reusable alternatives. Old items can also be repurposed or recycled into new things, such as turning plastic bags into mats or upcycling t-shirts into cleaning rags. This not only reduces waste but also saves money over time.
How to Recycle Packaging Properly?
Proper recycling entails sorting materials into categories such as paper, plastic, and glass. Check with your local recycling program for accepted materials, rinse out containers to avoid contamination, and avoid non-recyclable items. Reduce waste by using reusable products instead of disposable ones.
Final Thoughts: How to Become an Eco-Friendly Family
Making eco-friendly home swaps can not only benefit the environment but also save you money in the long run. By replacing single-use items with reusable, sustainable alternatives, you can reduce your household waste and carbon footprint. It’s important to choose swaps that work for your family’s needs and lifestyle.
Whether it’s in the kitchen, bathroom, laundry room, or with your kids’ toys, there are many options available. Remember to properly recycle old items and dispose of them responsibly.
Want more tips on how to make your home more sustainable? Take our Sustainable Living Quiz Grab your easy-to-follow zero waste family resources.
Other Sustainable Living Articles
Sustainable Living Made Simple: 9 Zero Waste Tips
6 Easy & Sustainable Xmas Decorations Ideas
10 High Quality Eco Friendly Bathroom Cleaning Products
