Reducing Plastic in our Home: a series
- Marie Schneider
- Mar 26
- 4 min read
One of the big pushes in our household this year is to reduce plastic and plastic waste in our home.
Why? Because we (meaning the royal 'we,' which really means me, the person in charge of home operations) care about leaving our planet a better place for our children and reducing the toxicity of modern day life.
It is a huge undertaking, so instead of doing it all at once and being overwhelmed, we are slowly choosing plastic-free or reduced-plastic and non-toxic, Earth-conscious options when a product we use runs out.
Here is what we have done so far!
Laundry Space
This has been the easiest switch for us - from Tide Pods and Liquid detergent to Blueland Laundry Tablets. They smell great and clean fantastic and I no longer get itchy from clothing. The starter kit comes with a tin for storage and the replacement containers are recyclable. Also comes in unscented.
In addition to the laundry tablets, we have also been using dryer balls for YEARS. I replaced my set this year, as the old ones were starting to fall apart (no doubt due to my dogs thinking they are toys anytime one "runs away"). These help speed-up drying and you can add essential oils to give it the dryer sheet smell - without the harsh chemicals.
Self-Care: Bathroom
The bathroom is the top place we encounter waste in our home. So, that has been a big focus.
First, we tackled our toothpaste and toothbrushes - switching to toothpaste tablets and bamboo toothbrushes.
The tablets may not be as easy for young children. You pop a tablet in your mouth and chew it without swallowing to a fine grit, then wet your toothbrush and brush like normal. This was an insanely easy switch, even if it took a minute for our brains to catch up. The tablets come in a reusable tin and you can order replenishments in recyclable pouches.
The other potentially toxic product in your bathroom? Toilet paper. Hidden chemical processes are used to produce this necessary product, and we found an alternative that is consciously-made and better for use.
Remember - everything that touches your skin is absorbed into your system. Toxins do not need to be ingested to affect you.
We started with Amazon Aware toilet paper and were pleasantly surprised with the quality. We will be researching other brand options as we progress in this process.
Now, for those of you about to go all Lorax on my ass, keep in mind that bamboo grows rapidly and is an easily replenished crop that can grow in diverse conditions - much like hemp. Here is a great article about the benefits of bamboo over traditional paper and other products produced using wood.
The next item I tackled created a lot of hesitation. I have very long, color-treated hair (I know, I know - hair dye is so toxic, but give a girl a minute while I gracefully grow out my gray), so hair care is important to me. I only wash my hair every 5-6 days, which took about a year to train it gradually to not get super greasy between washes.
Shampoo and conditioner bars come in paper packaging and give you about 100 washings, depending on your hair length and how much of a product-lover you are. I would say I am getting 60ish washes due to the length, thickness, and the fact that I slather on conditioner in my ends like it is going out of style.
The results though are fantastic. My hair is softer and I feel like this actually cleans better than traditional liquid-based shampoos. I am a huge fan of the Kitsch Brand for many informed choices in our household. These come in a variety of options depending on hair type. I also use the purple toner shampoo and conditioner bars every few washes to thwart brassiness from my highlights.
I also use their heatless curlers!
Waste Not...
The final product we switched to is compostable trash bags.
My 15-year-old loves to cram as much into the trash bin without ever taking it out. We originally tried some bamboo- and yucca-based trash bags that just did not cut it. They ripped too easily and we had too many messes to pick up. The pro was that they were highly compostable.
However, the idea with this transition it to maintain conveinance within my hectic schedule, which improving the quality of our home and helping to build better habits for the Earth - NOT to create more hassle.
So, we found this alternative trash bag which does not compost as quickly, but is still made of friendly materials and it is THICC(er). So far we love them and even use them for dog waste pick-up and disposal successfully. We will continue to try out brands and bring you the best of the best as we go through this process, but for now, we recommend giving these a try.
We know this can feel like a lot, and these products may not be the cheapest option out there, but you can always start with just one product. The gradual savings and improvements of switching to one product a month can have a huge impact.
Next up: getting that toxic carpet out of our house (talk about a killer to the pocketbook, but SO worth it).
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