It has been nearly a year and a half since the last update on my minimalism journey, so it’s time for another one. Not much is new on the minimalism front – I’m nowhere near perfect, but at least I know where my problem areas are, and I am always trying to do better. I often think about Florie’s blog post about the Spiral Upwards when I start to feel discouraged about having bought yet another eyeshadow palette, and then I feel a little better. I have also begun to dabble in making other “green” tweaks to my everyday life.
Adjustments I have made lately
- I now use KeepCups or ceramic mugs instead of takeaway coffee cups.
- I have switched completely to compostable dog poop bags.
- I’m working on eating less meat. For now I have started eliminating meat from my breakfasts and lunches, and my goal is to only eat 5 meat meals a week.
- I bring my own water bottle most places.
- I nearly always carry a reusable shopping bag.
- I switched to paper/bamboo cotton buds.
- I have bought reusable bamboo cutlery and a glass straw. I haven’t had the chance to use them yet, but I plan to!
- I’m quitting plastic razors and am getting a safety razor once my current stash of “regular” razor blades runs out.
- I either bring my own lunches to work or buy package-free ones from the cafeteria.
- I have switched out some of our regular cleaning products with ones I make myself.
- I have unfollowed all the Instagram and Youtube accounts that continuously update me on all the new beauty products I should be buying.
- I started the Instagram account @shitibought 6 months ago to keep track of, indeed, all the shit that I bought. It’s been an interesting journey in accountability and/or shopping-induced shame.
- I switched from liquid to bar soap.
- I decided not to get more ear piercings (I have 8) because the healing phase requires endless amounts of cotton buds, cotton pads and tiny plastic containers of sterile saline.
- I have stopped coloring my hair.
- I had to stop using my Diva Cup, but I used one for 6-ish years and will forever be preaching the gospel of the period cup. I had nothing but good experiences with mine.
- I’m working up the courage to bring my own cloth bags for fruit and veggies in the supermarket. The fear of being perceived as a weirdo or get a stern talking to (guys, I’m nearly 33) is real. I’ve got some handbag dustbags that would be perfect for veggie shopping. #MyCarrotsAreGucci
- I got very excited when the chairman of our condominium announced that we were getting a compost bin, but I don’t think that counts as we don’t actually have it yet. Hey, I’m trying to score points here.
I also realized that I have been doing something very green for a long time already without realizing it – I hang dry all my laundry. We haven’t had access to a dryer in nearly a decade and I honestly don’t miss it.
My previous simplicity updates
- A life simplicity update (April 2017)
- A minimalist (sort of) move (January 2017)
- 25 things I did to simplify my life (August 2016)
- I KonMari’ed my apartment (August 2015)
- The 10 month shopping fast: what did I learn? (July 2015)
It’s all about small victories. I love my safety razor (and keep my stash of plastic blades for traveling because you can take those through security) and only use bar soap at the sink and in the shower. I still buy shampoo in plastic bottles because shampoobars/no poo methodes (there are so many ways to do things…) are trial and error and all the reading i did on that really turned me off…
My next step should be to invest in a second bin for the bathroom because my compostable cottonbuds and floss still get thrown away with the plastic trash in the normal garbage.. fail.
Compostable (trash)bags confuse me. We have a compost bin and the waste disposal company explicitly states that we are not allowed to throw those bags into the bin because they to not decompose in the facility. And if they can’t handle them, how are they compostable at all? Maybe the key here is to buy bags that are made out of something different than plastic to do less harm, even if they end up in the normal waste?
I am so happy you mentioned plastic blades for travel, because I didn’t realize that was a thing until very recently. I have read up on no poo here and there, but to me it seems like the people it works best for has a different hair type than me – like it works better for coarse and/or curly hair? I might have got it wrong, but that’s one that I, too, am a bit uncomfortable with.
I was told by the lady in the pet store that we could put our bags in the compost, but as we don’t have a compost bin yet we throw them away in the regular garbage. They will decompose much quicker than regular plastic, and that’s something I guess.
Loved the post! My daughter had her ears pierced recently, and she didn’t have to use absolutely anything on them. They said that if the ears look slightly infected to just spray some disinfectant spray on them,something which we already have.
That sounds like a much easier routine than what I was recommended, but then again I did get cartilage pierced at the same time as my lobes. I don’t think the cartilage piercings would have turned out well if I hadn’t babied them with saline :)
Good for you. Although I can’t imagine you being scared to bring your own bags for fruit and veggies, haha. Come on now!
One thing that bothers me is the packaging of basically… everything! We separate all of our waste and it still shocks me every time how much plastic and paper you buy/use. I wish I could change it but that would mean going to the market once a week and planning every meal ahead instead of just grabbing everything at the supermarket down the street and I’m not at that point, yet.
I have the best irrational fears!
I hear you on the plastic food packaging, there is so much of it. I keep telling myself to identify all the little tweaks that I can do first – I can’t eliminate all plastic, but I can take a few minutes extra when grocery shopping and at least pick the options with less plastic/packaging. Plus I also feel like my “eco tweak comfort zone” grows on a weekly basis, so I’m sure it will get easier with time. In a decade you can come visit me in my self-sufficient, off-the-grid earthship ;)
I do a lot of these things as well. another thing I discovered were reusable cotton pads. There are lots of different kinds, I have the “Wegreeco Bamboo Makeup Remover Pads 12 Pack with Laundry Bag”. When all of the pads are dirty I just pop them in the laundry bag and wash them. They dry very fast as well. That way I never run out of them and I also don’t create as much waste. Win-win!
I bought and tried reusable cotton pads right after publishing this post and I’m a fan! Will definitely go and buy more so I have enough to get me through a normal week.
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