So you’ve decided to start living a more environmentally conscious lifestyle but have no idea where to start! If you’re like me and you don’t make much money or don’t have much time on your hands here are a few tips on how I’m making the big change.  It’s also important to remember that this is all a step by step process that takes time (I’m talking months) and you can’t simply change overnight. However, I am hoping that I can change your view overnight about the current lifestyle you may be living.

Let it go!

This first step doesn’t cost you any money, in fact you may even make some money! What helped me when I first began this journey was looking into a minimalist lifestyle. I had to really think about what I did and didn’t need in my life. I grew up with the mindset of loving fast fashion and buying little knick knacks that I never used, and after taking a hard look at my surroundings I realized that all this stuff was adding stress to my life. Before you keep reading keep in mind that this process is about donating and selling, not throwing away, avoid throwing items as best you can.

1. Clothing

I think it’s easiest to start with your clothing. What items do you wear at least once or twice every week? Definitely keep those items. Now what items are just hanging in your closet that you always tell yourself you will eventually wear but never do. Now take a deep breath, be honest with yourself, and realize that you are probably never going to wear them.

Get a big box and start putting in all the items you want to get rid of. Now, there are two ways you can go about letting the items go, you can either sell them or donate them. Honestly I usually just donate my items right away otherwise I tend to hang onto to them too long, or I start pulling them back out of the box. But if you live in a bigger city selling them via multiple different selling apps might get you some money out of your things. Here are a few that I have tried:

-Offerup

-FB Marketplace

-Letgo

-Depop

If there are some items that you are having a hard time letting go of because “I might need this someday” well here is another idea that may help. There are tons of websites out there where you can rent clothing for a short period of time and then send it right back without even having to wash it! One of my favorites that I have used is renttherunway.com. I still love owning dresses, but now I don’t have to own every type of dress under the sun for all different kinds of events. If there is some sort of big event coming up I don’t have to stress about buying the perfect outfit to never wear it again afterwards. Instead I can just rent it!

Since we live in a very capitalistic world where we have been convinced that we always need to newest fashion a lot of people worry about having a smaller clothing selection and that people may notice they wear a lot of the same pieces of clothing over and over again. Well, let me get you in on a huge secret! Honestly, no one ever pays that much attention to what you’re wearing, and if they do that is their own problem. People are too busy with their own lives to care if you wear the same clothing items for five years straight. You can always come up with creative ways to mix and match your clothing. Reducing your closet is going to make you feel so much better and you may grow a bigger connection with the clothing you decide to keep.

2. Knick Knacks

I used to collect little home ornaments/ decorations at garage sales or buy random office supplies at target that I didn’t need. Honestly, I have no idea why I bought these things and sadly they were also super easy to get rid of. Now when I look at the few shelves of decorations that I own they make me happy because each one directly relates to a happy memory.

To begin this process take a look around your home and decided which decorations actually add to the happiness of your home, and which ones add to the clutter.  My own taste is a more simple one with few things hanging on the walls or sitting on the counters. I also want to add more plants to my decor later on this year to make the space feel more earthy and clean.

I think it’s also fun to find little decorations for each change of the season to change your home up a bit throughout the year. You don’t have to completely redecorate your home for each season/holiday, but little changes can make a big difference. Then simply store the decorations you aren’t using in a small storage bin.

After you’ve decided what you do and don’t want remember not to rush right to the trash, instead add these to your donate or sell pile. Another note I forgot to mention earlier is that if you can’t sell you items within a month or two then just bring it to the donation center. Better to let it go as soon as possible than to hold onto it and have it cluttering your space.

Cleaning Habits

This transition has definitely been hard for me and it is still a work in progress. How I first started making this switch was by looking at other zero waste accounts and how people clean their homes with more simple and eco friendly products that they make. I once was the person that used way to much paper towels, a lot of cleaning chemicals (still working on that part), constantly did laundry and used a ton of shower products. Again I am still working on most of this, but here is where I am and where I hope to be.

1. Rags

I am really proud of myself for using way less paper towels. In the past few months I have begun using rags for cleaning the kitchen, living room, bedroom and floors and removing my makeup. After the rag has gotten to dirty for me to just rinse off with soap in the sink I through them in a small container to clean in the washer later on. I have also reduced my waste by making this change! I only clean the bathroom with paper towels now, but I hope that I can be brave enough to use just rags to clean the bathroom soon.

Rags are very easy to get as well. If you have any clothes you don’t want to wear anymore you can turn them into rags, or you can also buy really cheap t-shirts at a second hand store and cut them into rags.

2. Washing Your Clothing Less

This one was also hard for me to begin doing. I always used to throw my clothes into the laundry bin after wearing them just once. Now I have learned to wear my clothes a few more times before washing them. If you only wear an outfit for a few hours but don’t get them dirty at all then hang them back up and save them for another day. This saves water, keeps more microfibers out of our water, and is less wear and tear on your clothing. Also no one is going to notice if you wear the same outfit two days in a row, especially if they don’t look dirty or smell. It also doesn’t hurt to spray some febreeze on your clothing or perfume.

3. Using Your Own Shopping Bags

I’m sure most of you have seen people bringing their own bags to the market, and I can’t even begin to explain how important this is! If you have a hard time remembering to bring bags with you then keep them in an easy to see place or in your vehicle if you drive. I have a bin that I keep them in near the kitchen so I can easily see them, and I keep a few in my car as well. Within the next few months I also plan to buy small produce bags so I can get more items at the store without using the small thin plastic bags they have in the produce section.

You can easily buy bags at almost any store or get them at second hand stores as well. There are plenty of options!

4. Making Your Own Cleaning products

Okay so I am very new to this realm of cleaning, but I am also super excited about it! Most recently I made my own basic everyday cleaner using white vinegar, orange peels and tea tree essential oil. I have to wait another week yet before I am able to use it, but I can’t wait to see how well it works. Most of your homemade cleaning products are actually very easy and cheap to make, they also don’t have strong chemical smells to them and they are better for the environment. I will be posting my recipes slowly as I discover them and I’ll let you know how well they work!

5. Shower Habits

These days when I shower all I use is shampoo, conditioner ( 3 times a week), and a bar of soap. I no longer use acne treatments on my face or “special” body wash. I keep it simple. I like using aloe bar soap, or charcoal soap, both of these soaps keep my skin soft and also help fight acne. This also goes in hand with eating habits and using less makeup that have helped with my acne but I do believe that my bathroom products have played a huge part in my skin looking better.

Reusing and Buying

I want to leave you all with the most important lesson I’ve learned. Buy less and reuse more! When you go to the store only buy what you really need, not what looks cute or what it trending. I tend to avoid shopping more now days, and when I go to work I don’t carry my card or money on me so I won’t buy food I don’t need. It’s really easy to get sucked into what your friends are buying, what a fashion icon has or any ads online advertising some hot new item for your home. Be the better person and don’t buy just to fit in. Instead keep what you already have and help the environment by not adding to waste in our landfills and oceans. Also you will begin to grow an appreciation for what you have because you’re not constantly buying and discarding.

Everything that I have mentioned isn’t easy, but it is necessary. All of these changes are not just for us to have a more simplified lifestyle, but to help the future generations have a planet that is healthy and clean. If we don’t begin changing out simple daily habits then we are going to leave behind polluted waters, dirty soil and bad air. Eventually it will be too late to make a change so why not start today?