Celebrate Earth Day everyday. Buy less, it will give you time, and focus, and save you money!
Durable. When you do purchase, make sure it is something that will last. Quality doesn’t always mean a high price, pay attention to sales, read reviews and be patient.
List. Make a wish list of items you think you might want or need. Take time to think about how often you might use or wear something. You may decide you don’t need it.
Borrow. Friends or family have stuff in their closets they aren’t using today. I have a crockpot and stack of plates (no paper) for entertaining that are passed back and forth between friends. Like the little libraries, it feels good to share.
Rent. If you can’t borrow it, rent it. Check out a tool library next time you are in the middle of a project. Carpet cleaners, sanding equipment, party, and camping supplies can all be rented.
Make do. My creative side loves to solve problems and find ways to get things done without buying anything. Especially in the kitchen. Did you know kitchen scissors work great to cut pizza? That same scissors can chop up tomatoes right in the can. Snip that pita bread into little triangles and bake. (better than buying chips).
Reusable. Some of my all-time favorite things. Soak iT Up Swedish dishcloths are great on stainless, for dishes, AND will hold your bowl in place AND work great to gently clean mushrooms or scrub your fruit (I just read water is the best thing to clean pesticides from fruit).
Swap. Your friends or family have things you love, and you have things you don’t want anymore. My sisters and I like to swap clothing for events. Why buy a new dress when someone else has one you can use?
Creativity. Rearrange a room or two. Take a chair or artwork from one room and put it in another. It’s like new! Woodwork looking tired or scratched? Get some furniture polish/scratch remover and refresh. Use one of your well-worn Soak it Up cloths to apply.
Clever. My favorite: Soak iT Up CLARDS. They are eco-greeting cards that transform into reusable cleaning cloths that last for months. They are vegan, all-natural, and compostable. 1 can do the work of 3,000 paper towels.
Smarter. Are you still buying plastic tubs or pods of laundry soap and huge packs of paper towels? That is so 2 years ago. Get your hands on some laundry sheets. I like Sheet Happens no plastic. For paper towel alternatives check out Soak iT Up for they put the FUN in functional.
Second hand. I started drinking tea (LOVE TJ's Ginger Turmeric Tea) and wanted a tea kettle. After looking at several online, I decided to stop at a local thrift shop. I found a high-end enamel tea kettle for $5. It was so fun to use a bit of vinegar to clean and shine up it looked like new.
So in honor of Earth Day, please take a moment to think about purchases or lack thereof! It's a beautiful day—Soak iT Up.