5 Ways To Reduce Your Household Waste

Keep your house clean, sustainable, and budget-friendly with these 5 simple ways to reduce waste in all areas you can imagine.

Each house is a unique world, and within it, many items and products acquired accidentally contribute to the contamination of the environment. We want to teach you how to lessen waste at home, and this will also help you save more money each month.

Keep on reading to find out the top 5 simple ways to reduce your household waste without having to spend loads of money or time.

1. Buy Only What You Need

To begin this article about how to reduce your waste at home, we recommend you buy only what you need. This can be applied to decorations, utensils, clothing, as well as food.

Before going to the supermarket, try to plan meals for the week ahead, and make a list of what you need to buy for the week. Try to choose stores that allow you to buy loose, pick your food yourself and store it in a container you bring (fruits, vegetables, dried fruits, etc). Additionally, any items such as meat, pasta, and rice can often be bought loose now, and doesn’t come in plastic packaging that will also contribute to reducing waste in your household, and therefore in the environment. The most important items are fresh produce which has best before dates or will spoil if you don't use it before the next shop.

According to foodwise.com.au, the most common foods to be thrown out are: Bread, milk, cheese, bananas, and chicken! Are you guilty of buying too much bread? If so, consider buying half loaves where possible, and also store it in the fridge or freezer to extend the life. 

By purchasing only what you need (in eco-friendly containers, bags, and more) you’ll avoid wasting food and accumulating plastic wrappers. 

2. Replace Plastic Items With Sustainable Products

In your home, there are probably a lot of everyday items made out of plastic that are not reusable and end up being a considerable portion of your household waste. If you’re searching for how to lessen waste at home, take a look around and identify which gadgets or products (non-edible) you can replace with eco-friendly dupes.

Plastic bottles, straws, bags, jars, and basically anything you have in front of you that can be changed by a long-lasting and slowly-degradable alternative. For plastic bottles, invest in durable metal ones that are also very resistant; plastic straws can be replaced with metal or paper ones (which are later discarded but don’t contaminate); for bags, we encourage you to switch to fabric tote bags, and finally, if you have plastic jars or containers, consider purchasing ones made from glass.

3. Shop For Eco-Friendly Fabrics & Clothing

Your household waste also includes the amount of clothing you purchase and the ones you throw away. According to The Guardian, “Australians buy 14.8kg of clothing, or 56 new items, every year, a new report has found, making Australia one of the highest consumers of textiles per capita in the world”. Needless to say, most of the items purchased end up in landfills. 

In each point of this article, we are introducing simple ways to reduce waste at home, with our focus on shopping smarter, not harder. Shopping for quality clothing is essential, but be careful in what you buy. Fast fashion has become a huge threat to the environment due to the increased fabric waste; and since trends change all the time, you might find yourself not wanting the clothes you purchased a month ago.

The eco-friendly mindset to reduce waste and recycle at home involves not getting carried away by what’s “hot” at the moment, but instead, thinking about the future and if you’d still wear that item you want now. Second-hand stores, upcycling stores, and brands that manufacture their items with quality and natural products are what we recommend you look for.

Fast fashion is often made very poorly, using harsh chemicals, and poorly sewn which are not designed to last, not to mention how bad the working conditions can be for the people making the garments. Opt for organic cotton, and hemp clothing which is certified by a non for profit, to hold the manufacturers accountable to good working conditions. High quality clothes are durable and made to last years. 

4. Switch To Natural Beauty,  Hair & Skin Care Products

We want to include all ways to reduce waste at home in every category we can think of, including your everyday skin and body products. Here, we not only advise you to purchase containers that are not made from plastic that store the product you need, but also motivate you to carefully read the labels and choose non-harmful ingredients for the environment.

Your shampoo and conditioner bottles are the most common and unnoticeable type of household waste you might have in your house. Every month, or sometimes in less time depending on each family, you throw away at least two plastic bottles that end up in the ocean; and not to begin with the remaining product that’s left that is harmful to the planet if it's not disposed of correctly and ends up in the ocean. 

For this, we advise you to switch to eco-friendly shampoo and conditioner bars that are stored in tins, excellent for the environment, and that contain very few, nourishing and natural ingredients. Take a look at our catalogue and choose the best one for you. Apart from this, we also offer many high quality, plastic free accessories.  

5. Compost In Your Backyard

In just a small space in your backyard, you can get rid of food waste and contribute to helping the environment. Fruits, vegetables, egg shells, coffee grounds, and even grass clippings can all be composted. 

Simply determine the size of your compost and start in bare earth. This will allow worms and insects to break down the food quicker. Add your materials (food leftovers) and a bit of green manure (such as grass clippings) to speed up the process. Water your compost when needed and make sure it is always moist but not soaked. Keep it covered with anything you have to allow the compost to retain heat and you’re done!

You can use the composted earth as a fertiliser to grow your own vegetables in no time, as well as keep your plants always looking their best.

Reducing Household Waste With Hair Cooki

Hair Cooki is an eco-friendly brand that offers quality hair care products. We care for educating customers about the many benefits they can enjoy by switching to a sustainable lifestyle for themselves and the environment.

We enjoy making content like this, which helps people reduce their household waste and looks after their pockets too. If you want to explore more natural products and options for your daily routine, check out our website and our blogs for more ideas and information.