When buying into this minimalist lifestyle, you start to think about everything, literally E-V-E-R-Y-T-H-I-N-G, differently. You sorta can't help it. You're not just thinking about how you can reduce the number of items you own or the amount of things you really need...you start to think about how you use things as well.
Let's take a little walk, and on this walk, I'm going to count the items I use. What's the first thing you do when you wake up in the morning? For me, it's use the bathroom and shower. 1. 2. 3. 4. Then I get dressed and make coffee. 5. 6. After coffee, I usually fix something to eat. 7. 8. 9. 10. Ok, let's stop there. In just the first 30 minutes of my morning, I've already used a lot of things and there are at least 10 that I can recycle or purchase better. What?!
I started recycling about a year ago and oddly enough - it's rewarding. If you don't recycle, you're probably thinking I'm talking crazy....but ask Jason. You start to see the little symbols everywhere and it's like this weird adult scavenger hunt - this might be stretching it, but you should totally try it!
Now back to those numbers...try to stay with me,
1. Toilet paper roll - those can be recycled, but did you know that there is a brand of toilet paper that actually went sans roll! Check it out here.
2. Soap - you've seen the big containers of soap for refilling those cute little bottles, right?! Yeah, maybe not, because they put them on the bottom shelf and away from your consumer eye. Look next time - not only can you reuse the cute little bottle, but you can recycle the refill container when it's empty - score!
3. Shampoo/Body wash - also containers that can be recycled.
4. Wash cloth/towel - if you purchase quality towels and wash cloths, they will stand the test of time longer and will cut down on the purchasing of the shower poufs (some are made from recycled materials). The quality of the towels also comes into play with laundry and the consuming of those products. A shower towel that is only used once a day can be used up to 3 times before needing washed - this cuts down on the amount and frequency of laundry you'll be doing with those thread-bare towels from the 70's.
5. Quality clothing - if you're purchasing clothing that is of high quality, you're going to get longer wear out of them, thus cutting down on your need to purchase more clothing.
6. Coffee - I have one of those handy-dandy, pod-accepting coffee makers, and instead of purchasing coffee in the little individualized plastic pods, I purchase a canister of coffee and use a refillable pod. I have seen some of the pod cups that are recyclable, but knowing my intake of coffee I get a better deal when I spend $5 on a canister that can get me at least 30 cups as opposed to the $5 for 12-16 cups I would get purchasing the pods.
7. Breakfast - there are any number of foods or items that I could prep for breakfast that are in recyclable containers or packaging.
8. Plate - if I'm using my nearly indestructible plates (you know the kind...I bet you got a set from your grandparents who also gave a set to your parents. If not, look here - they've come a long way since the colors of 1972.), I'm cutting down on my use of paper plates (which I haven't purchased in over a year).
9. Napkins - I know this is where I'll lose some of you. (Listen, you take what you want from this list. At the end of the day, how you choose to do this lifestyle is totally up to you - just consider it.) Cloth napkins. I also haven't purchased paper napkins or paper towels in over a year. I found my cloth napkins at a resale shop for $0.10 each! You could make the argument that I'm only creating more laundry, but realistically - how much room are 6 cloth napkins and 2 kitchen towels going to take up in the washer?
10. Coffee to go - use a good travel mug for your commuting coffee to cut down on the use of paper cups at home and work. We've all probably been gifted with some promotional ones at different events, but keeping your commuting coffee hot and out of your lap is the best way to arrive at work. Recycle or donate the crappy travel mugs and make a quality purchase - you're commuting coffee and lap will thank you, PLUS it's totally refillable.
How many of you made it all the way through??? My point is this - everything we do involves consumption, but we can make better choices for what we use and how we handle the waste. We have to eat, we need to bathe - we use things every. single. day. If you're looking at labels when making purchases and buying the items you know can be recycled, then you're making the better decision. If you're purchasing quality items like clothing, towels, napkins, plates, etc., then you're cutting down on the amount of waste you create through consumption. This minimalist thing for me isn't just about the front end of consumption, but also at the tail-end when it comes to how I view whether or not the purchase really did cut down on waste and how I can modify my consuming behaviors the next time.
You've made it to the end! Think about this while you enjoy some commuting coffee, in a reusable travel mug, of course. 😉
Let's take a little walk, and on this walk, I'm going to count the items I use. What's the first thing you do when you wake up in the morning? For me, it's use the bathroom and shower. 1. 2. 3. 4. Then I get dressed and make coffee. 5. 6. After coffee, I usually fix something to eat. 7. 8. 9. 10. Ok, let's stop there. In just the first 30 minutes of my morning, I've already used a lot of things and there are at least 10 that I can recycle or purchase better. What?!
I started recycling about a year ago and oddly enough - it's rewarding. If you don't recycle, you're probably thinking I'm talking crazy....but ask Jason. You start to see the little symbols everywhere and it's like this weird adult scavenger hunt - this might be stretching it, but you should totally try it!Now back to those numbers...try to stay with me,
1. Toilet paper roll - those can be recycled, but did you know that there is a brand of toilet paper that actually went sans roll! Check it out here.
2. Soap - you've seen the big containers of soap for refilling those cute little bottles, right?! Yeah, maybe not, because they put them on the bottom shelf and away from your consumer eye. Look next time - not only can you reuse the cute little bottle, but you can recycle the refill container when it's empty - score!
3. Shampoo/Body wash - also containers that can be recycled.
4. Wash cloth/towel - if you purchase quality towels and wash cloths, they will stand the test of time longer and will cut down on the purchasing of the shower poufs (some are made from recycled materials). The quality of the towels also comes into play with laundry and the consuming of those products. A shower towel that is only used once a day can be used up to 3 times before needing washed - this cuts down on the amount and frequency of laundry you'll be doing with those thread-bare towels from the 70's.
5. Quality clothing - if you're purchasing clothing that is of high quality, you're going to get longer wear out of them, thus cutting down on your need to purchase more clothing.
6. Coffee - I have one of those handy-dandy, pod-accepting coffee makers, and instead of purchasing coffee in the little individualized plastic pods, I purchase a canister of coffee and use a refillable pod. I have seen some of the pod cups that are recyclable, but knowing my intake of coffee I get a better deal when I spend $5 on a canister that can get me at least 30 cups as opposed to the $5 for 12-16 cups I would get purchasing the pods.
7. Breakfast - there are any number of foods or items that I could prep for breakfast that are in recyclable containers or packaging.
8. Plate - if I'm using my nearly indestructible plates (you know the kind...I bet you got a set from your grandparents who also gave a set to your parents. If not, look here - they've come a long way since the colors of 1972.), I'm cutting down on my use of paper plates (which I haven't purchased in over a year).
9. Napkins - I know this is where I'll lose some of you. (Listen, you take what you want from this list. At the end of the day, how you choose to do this lifestyle is totally up to you - just consider it.) Cloth napkins. I also haven't purchased paper napkins or paper towels in over a year. I found my cloth napkins at a resale shop for $0.10 each! You could make the argument that I'm only creating more laundry, but realistically - how much room are 6 cloth napkins and 2 kitchen towels going to take up in the washer?
10. Coffee to go - use a good travel mug for your commuting coffee to cut down on the use of paper cups at home and work. We've all probably been gifted with some promotional ones at different events, but keeping your commuting coffee hot and out of your lap is the best way to arrive at work. Recycle or donate the crappy travel mugs and make a quality purchase - you're commuting coffee and lap will thank you, PLUS it's totally refillable.
How many of you made it all the way through??? My point is this - everything we do involves consumption, but we can make better choices for what we use and how we handle the waste. We have to eat, we need to bathe - we use things every. single. day. If you're looking at labels when making purchases and buying the items you know can be recycled, then you're making the better decision. If you're purchasing quality items like clothing, towels, napkins, plates, etc., then you're cutting down on the amount of waste you create through consumption. This minimalist thing for me isn't just about the front end of consumption, but also at the tail-end when it comes to how I view whether or not the purchase really did cut down on waste and how I can modify my consuming behaviors the next time.
You've made it to the end! Think about this while you enjoy some commuting coffee, in a reusable travel mug, of course. 😉
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