Levis (shade: party like it’s 1999) (similar)| Sneakers | Net Bag
Happy FRIDAYYYYY!
A BIG HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY to all the Mama’s out there. I hope you get to rest + relax at some point this weekend. I hope you get the day off from wiping butts. Maybe even brunch withOUT the rugrats. Or breakfast in bed? Preferably take-out so your kitchen isn’t f’ed up. A special handmade card from school. Oh and how about one of those macaroni noodle necklaces? Yes, I hope you get one of those too! And maybe a homemade coupon book? Filled with “leave me alone” vouchers. Ha! Whatever you do, have a good one! Cheers!
Weekend plans? You guys, I’m a free woman. Well, kinda. More like my calendar is free AF! Meeting some of my girlfriends for happy hour tonight. A little shopping tomorrow. Followed with a Mother’s Day spa date at Cache Creek Casino. Sunday we’re doing the Capay Garden Tour. Never done it before, but I keep hearing great things. I’m looking forward to a weekend of family + friends + cheers!
Now let’s chat about steps….baby steps. We’ve slowly been making an effort to be less wasteful and reduce our plastic waste. Today I’m sharing some of the simple changes we’ve made in our home. I know that even the small part I play can actually make a difference
Reusable Bags //
BYOB (bring your own bag) I rarely shop inside a grocery store anymore. With online shopping + pick-up/delivery service, there really isn’t a need. Other than my weekly TJ’s trip. But I always, always keep my grocery bags in my car. When I do pick up my grocery order, I pull out my own bags and they load them up for me. Walmart reusable bags are 50 cents each and I’ve got a shit-ton of them. They don’t wash all that well though. Nicer bags are a little more pricey, but they last FOREVER! Here are two other brands I own and LOVE…
Baggu Standard Baggu Nylon Tote | Large Net Tote
Reusable Straws //
This was probably one of the easiest transitions so far. I don’t mind a reusable straw. Paper straws are a hard pass. We use and love these Stainless Steel Straws. They even come with a cleaning brush. I’ve heard peeps say they get too cold and they hate them. I have also read great things about these Polypropylene Straws. Smoothy people swear by these.
Stainless Steel Straws | Polypropylene Straws
Reusable Water Bottles //
Bay and I both use the Hydro Flask + Yeti cups religiously. I fill mine up with ice in the morning and refill it with water at work throughout the day.
Water Filter Pitcher //
This is a tough one…..Stop buying bottled water. And save a shit-ton of money. Just think, you’ll no longer be gathering half empty bottled waters from all over your house, yard, car. I use the Soma 10 Cup Filtered Water Pitcher in our home. They go in and out of stock at Target, but sometimes you’ll get lucky and see one on the shelf. Not only do they filter mercury + copper + zinc + chlorine and odors. They are pretty AF too! You won’t find bottled water in my house.
Soma 10 Cup Filtered Water Pitcher
Reusable coffee cups //
Starbucks 16oz Reusable Cups 5-Pack $9 BYOC (bring your own cup) to Starbucks. Or any coffee shop. Most of them even give you a discount. I use these exact cups every morning and love them. They are dishwasher safe and the lids are legit. I read that on average, Americans drink over 400 million cups of coffee per day. PER DAY! That’s 400 million cups. Since I’m not willing to cut back on my coffee drinking, I’ll cut back on the waste.
Starbucks 16oz Reusable Cups 5-Pack
Kitchen Towels + Cloth Napkins //
You won’t find paper towel or paper napkins in my house. I take that back, I do have a very small amount. But, it’s not left out. When a roll of paper towel is on the counter, you use it. When there isn’t a roll on the counter, you grab the towel to dry your hands. Same goes for paper napkins. I just don’t offer them. I was going through a roll of paper towel about every two days. I now have a rather large selection of kitchen towels + cloth napkins. That’s what we use on a daily. Wash a load of towels + napkins about once a week. You can find bundles of kitchen towels on Amazon for dirt cheap. I prefer the World Market Cloth Napkins (6 for $10) and Targets Flour Sack Towels are my fave. They have cute neutral prints.
Cloth Napkins | Flour Sack Towels
Silicone Baking Mat //
I try to limit my foil + parchment paper to a minimum. I have two silicone baking mats and they get used and abused on the daily. They are dishwasher safe. Make clean-up a breeze. And I honestly believe cookies + baked goods do better on a mat. I own the name brand Silpat and the Amazon knock off. They both work equally great!
Baking Silpat | Silicone Baking Mat
Reusable Zip-Lock Bag + Lunch Bags //
Bay and I both take a lunch bag each day. I purchase a new one for Bay each year, but mine is ancient. I throw them in the washing machine every week and they are good to go. And the same goes for zip-lock bags. Honestly, only I used the reusable zip-lock though. They are expensive, and I still don’t trust that my tween will bring them home. So, I do still use snack bags when needed for school lunches. Otherwise, I’m obsessed with the re-zip bags. Dishwasher safe. Totally leak/spill proof. I put them to the ultimate test on a daily. I get mine at Target. They come in all shapes, color and sizes nowadays. This is another expensive substitution, so I buy a pack here and there. I still have every re-zip bag and they are all in perfect condition. Once you swallow the initial investment, they do last forever so you’re saving money in the long run. Ya feel me?
Re-Zip Bags // Snack Bags | Lunch Bag
Recycle Can //
I keep a cheap plastic kitchen sized garbage can under my sink. Separate from my regular garbage can. This is for anything + everything recyclable. You’d be amazed at how often you take out the recycle compared to the garbage….once your family gets the hang of it. My recycle can gets taken out almost daily. And at the end of the week my recycle is much more full than my regular garbage toter. It makes me crazy happy! Ha!
You can shop each item by clicking on the images below……
And if you’re not into helping save our planet. But, you wanna get the scoop on these Levis, here ya go…..
Levis (shade: party like it’s 1999) (similar)| Sneakers | Net Bag
Have a great weekend! See you back here Monday!
xoxo stacyb
