Items We’ve Successfully Switched…
Silicone Water Bottle/Baby Bottle Labels
Ever since I worked in childcare I decided that I’d be buying the silicone water bottle labels for any kids we’d have in the future. So, as soon as Mackenzie came along, that’s what I did. When she went to childcare for her first few years I never had to worry about sticker labels that came off or permanent markers that rubbed off. The best part is that they grow with her. She’s four and we still use them on her water bottles.
Inkpad Address Labels
This is a more recent addition for me. It’s nice though cause I don’t have to keep track of sticker address labels. I just grab the inkpad label, push it onto the envelope, and boom, it’s ready to go.
Stasher Bags
These were my first major ditch and switch. It was a complete impulse buy at Target one day. Next thing I know, I keep buying more and adding them to my Christmas lists. They are easy to clean, easy to open, easy to reuse, and durable. You can use them to pack snacks in. You can use them in the fridge, freezer, and microwave. And I don’t buy snack or sand which sized Ziplocs anymore! (We do still buy gallon sized Ziplocs, because remember, it’s not an all or nothing thing. Ditch and switch what you can and what you want to. What works for one family may not work for you.)
Dryer Balls
We don’t buy dryer sheets anymore and haven’s since 2019. I don’t even miss them.
Reusable Notepads-Rocket Notebooks
When we started teaching from home fulltime at the start of COVID I used my Rocketbook Fusion every day! It saved me so much paper and so much hassle. I could write on the notebook, take pictures of it to automatically upload to my Drive, and then wipe it all clean once it was full. It also works with a variety of colored pens, so for those of you who love to color code your life you would still be able to!
Reusable Straws
Easy to switch. Lots of colors to choose from.
Switches We Made and Failed…
Marley’s Monsters Unpaper Towels
I thought I could do this one. We tried. The towels are super cute and super durable. I just don’t use them for everything I thought I would. I hoped before buying them that I’d easily be able to never buy paper towels again. I know people that have made that switch and succeeded, but alas, I am not one of them. It just didn’t happen. I do still use mine. I still pack them for lunch on the run, snacks on the go, and they are perfect for Mackenzie cause they are more durable than a regular paper towel.
Silicone Muffin Liners
These are in the failed section, because to be completely honest, I don’t use them as much as I thought I would. Instead I’ve turned into a “spray the pan” kind of person and let it be. No insert at all.
If you are a mama who prefers an insert so you don’t have to clean the pan then these would be a super awesome switch. Add these cute liners to your kitchen and say goodbye to the paper ones! They are easy to clean and can be used with or without the muffin pan. Plus, you can choose colors to match your kitchen.
One idea I haven’t tried yet but hope to switch out someday…
Thinx Period Underwear
These have intrigued me since I first learned about them a few years ago. Still not sure when I’ll jump on that boat, but maybe someday.
Reasons why any switch adds ease to your life…
Once I started swapping things out I kept wondering what else I’d been missing. What else could I switch out to be more environmentally friendly? All of the switches above potentially shorten your week to week shopping list, save the environment by creating less trash, and save money in the long run.
