I asked Katie to guest blog for me because I love her great suggestions for living more sustainably with minimalist living. She’s the pro in my eyes! I hope you enjoy her sustainable switches to help you declutter your home.

Kelly

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If you’ve been interested in living more sustainably, I’m sure you’ve seen many reusable and sustainable products being marketed. While many of these are great products, it can sometimes be frustrating when you are on a budget and already have plenty of clutter. But don’t give up on living more sustainably! Here are some easy switches you can make simply by shopping your home, allowing you to declutter the non-sustainable options and costing you nothing!

Never underestimate shopping your home! It’s likely you have more than you think. I have a few tote bags that have accumulated over the years that I now use as my reusable shopping bags, beach bags, library book bags, etc. Somehow, the plastic bags do still accumulate and I reuse them as garbage bags rather than buying garbage bags new!

There are so many examples of single use items especially when it comes to the average kitchen or bathroom. I’ve decluttered my fruit basket and now I use a serving bowl I had and love but only use once or twice a year. Most cooking tools can be decluttered and replaced with a simple knife, spoon, or bowl. Consider how often you use your items and what else you could use for a similar purpose!

I’ve recently made the switch from paper towels to cloth rags. It was difficult at first as I was used to wiping up messes and throwing them out. It takes some getting used to adding the extra step of rinsing and placing in a bucket or laundry bin to be washed but is more sustainable AND will save you money!

I’ve also stopped buying cleaners except for a plant based sanitizer. I’ve found that baking soda makes a great toilet scrub, and vinegar diluted with water a lovely cleaning spray! These are items you likely have on hand and are extremely affordable!

Another item I’ve switched is plastic sandwich bags. There are so many reusable options available to purchase, however, I’ve found that I can use a tea towel and simply wrap a sandwich before placing in my lunch bag to eat within a few hours! The tea towel can then double as a reusable napkin or paper towel!

Finally, many of us have wardrobes that are quite full and yet we continue to shop for the perfect outfits. Put some thought into what you enjoy wearing and your personal style. For instance, for a long time I kept shopping for the perfect knee length skirt and yet I never wore the skirts I was buying because they were never quite right. I had the realization that I could achieve the look I desired by layering a tshirt over a sundress I already had and loved the fit of. I was able to simply shop my closet and declutter all the skirts I felt guilty about never wearing! Next time you see an ad enticing you to shop a new look, think about what you may have (or your husband may have!) that could help you replicate this look without needing to buy all new pieces! It’s likely you’ll prefer the look using the pieces you already own and love the fit of than you would have taking a chance on all new items.

I hope these ideas inspire you on your journey towards a more sustainable home!
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I’m Katie, a work from home mama to 3 under 4 with a passion for simplifying, fair trade, and sustainability! I’m an extrovert who loves to be busy and living minimally has given me the freedom to spend my time doing fun things with my children and not spending my life organizing our things! I love ethical fashion, baking (former pastry chef here!) a good coffee, and all things hygge!

You can find Katie at:

Instagram: @minimalmindfulmama or her website

Hi, I’m Kelly! I’m a mother of four children - three boys, one toddler girl - and our family lives on the beautiful east coast of Canada. I’m a past elementary teacher, turned stay at home, work at home mom eight years ago after I had my second child. I’ve found that the busier I’ve become and as my children age, that it’s become even more important to figure out what is most important to me and us as a family. Living a simpler lifestyle has helped us in so many ways in our home life - from better routines to faster tidying up times. It has been through my children that I have been inspired to learn how to effectively manage my time and to simplify in all areas of my home and life. I enjoy helping busy moms simplify home life by teaching flexible planning methods and skills. Enjoyed this blog and think it would be helpful to others? I'd love if you shared it. Thank you!