If you aren’t familiar with zero waste it’s a lifestyle that revolves around producing less trash. You’ve probably heard of these people before; they try to put an entire year’s worth of trash into a single mason jar. This sounds crazy to most people but most zero wasters recognize that they will never be able to produce ZERO waste but they strive to do their best. And the mason jar allows them to find out where they can improve.
So what does this have to do with homesteading? When I think of homesteading I don’t just think about producing food, I think about how to be more self-sufficient in all areas and a lot of the time I find myself asking how do we consume less? Where can I cut out an item that I currently buy at the grocery store? As many of you probably know our homestead is just getting started and we produce none of our own food currently. Over the last few years we have made many changes to the way our house functions that allowed us to cut a number of paper products from our lives. Here’s what we did!
One of the first things we did was take old, worn out or stained towels and use them as rag towels. These towels are used to clean up spills on the floor, animal messes etc. This is a really easy way to reduce your paper towel consumption and it’s free (or really cheap if you decide to buy some cheap towels)! Over time we have acquired quite a few rag towels when our bath towels become unusable. Just throw them in the wash and reuse.
Kitchen Towels are another great way to reduce your use of paper towels. We have five which is plenty for us. Again all you have to do is wash them and you’re good to go. Just these two changes and we haven’t bought paper towels in years. It is a great cost savings but it’s better for the environment. Not only are you saving some trees but also the plastic paper towels come wrapped in.
Other changes you can make in the kitchen include cloth napkins, they are a great way to stop buying paper napkins. Switch out sponges for washcloths. We keep three, one for wiping down the counters and kitchen table, one for washing dishes and one for applying oil to cast iron pans. I boil the one for pans with washing soda, borax and dish soap to clean it and then throw it in the wash with the other washcloths and kitchen towels. I used a chain link square to clean the cast iron instead of a sponge.
(warning: this post contains information pertaining to the female menstrual cycle and toilet paper. If the mention of human bodily functions make you squeamish please stop here)
The bathroom is where it gets kind of crazy. I realize this is very odd sounding for most people but it wasn’t much of a jump for us. I started with reusable pads. I ordered a set of 6 from someone on etsy and have been using them off and on for years. A few months ago I finally committed to them full time and it was actually easier to stick with when we switched to family cloth. I throw both the pads and the reusable toilet paper in the wash together and make sure to select the presoak option, it’s the only way to get them fully clean. Ladies using reusable pads is no different than using a disposable one. They are actually more comfortable because you avoid that plastic some of them have. You could also use a menstrual cup (replacement for tampons). I have not yet tried it but I would like to try one in the future.
I would like to mention that there is no regulation behind feminine products and they are full of dangerous chemicals. Companies are not required to tell you what is in their products because they are considered medical devices. Your skin is your biggest organ and anything absorbed through it goes straight into your bloodstream unlike things you ingest which through the function of digestion removes a majority of dangerous compounds. If you aren’t willing to eat it, you shouldn’t be putting it on your skin. Cloth pads are both cheaper and healthier.
A few months ago I ordered a yard of fabric and created some family cloth. I spent about $5 on fabric (flannel) and used thread I already had. I was able to make enough pieces to only have to wash them about every three days. We keep a basket with the unused cloth and a separate trash can for the used ones. You can also keep a spray bottle nearby and use them like wipes if necessary. Then just wash in the washing machine when they get low. Obviously you could wash them using an off grid system if that’s what you have. When I did the estimate, family cloth paid itself off in 2 months. It has been amazing to not have to pay almost $8 for a pack of toilet paper. I don’t think we will ever go back. Family cloth is cheaper, more environmentally friendly, softer and gets you cleaner than toilet paper. If we’re going to put all cards on the table, it’s worth it just to avoid ripped toilet paper in your…you know what.
You may be thinking that these paper products don’t really cost much and that you feel it isn’t really worth the effort to take care of cloth items when you can just buy paper ones and throw them away. I promise you the cloth versions are so much cheaper. I bought the washcloths as a pack of three for only a few bucks and they have lasted a year and a half and they are still going strong. I paid the SAME price for cloth washcloths as I would have spent on a sponge and they have lasted much longer! The most expensive purchase was the reusable pads and I can guarantee you they have paid for themselves many times over. Plus you can always make them yourself if you’re good with a sewing machine.
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