5 Eco-Friendly Sustainable Home Swaps

Wood kitchen cabinets

*This post was sponsored by Public Goods

While we certainly aren’t perfect when it comes to living a sustainable lifestyle, John and I have come a long, long way from our old bad habits. When I think back on all the plastic bottles, single-use containers, and grocery bags we used to toss without batting an eyelash? Well, let’s just say those aren’t proud moments…But nowadays we’ve managed to cut our consumption down to hardly anything at all, which is something I know he and I are both really proud of.

This topic is one of my personal favorites to talk about, so I teamed up with the folks over at Public Goods (a brand who clearly feels the same way I do about the environment!) to help talk through five of the easiest eco-friendly home swaps you can start making right now. And if you see anything in my list that sparks your interest, you can still use my code “WALLERPGA” to get a discount on your first order. Now, let’s get into those tricks!

Reusable spray bottle with cleaning solution

Mid-century stained wood kitchen cabinets

Natural cleaning concentrates

Reusable Bottles And Cleaner Refills:

Instead of buying new single-use full-size sprays for cleaning things like bathroom mirrors, stone countertops, and windows, use concentrates that can be poured over water in an existing spray bottle. We keep an oversized Mason jar filled with cleaner refills under our kitchen sink so we always have them at-the-ready. If you stay on top of pre-stocking, you can get back to cleaning within minutes of using up the last drops of your spray in the bottle. No need to rush out to the grocery store. And reusing a pre-labeled spray bottle like this will save you from having to toss those big single-use spray bottles in the trash once they’re used up.

Black and white shower tile

Refillable shampoo and conditioner bottles

Glass shower stall home renovation ideas

Minimalist shampoo and conditioner bottles

Refillable Shampoo And Conditioner:

Another refillable bottle process to get into the habit of using is for shower products. We keep simply labeled reusable dispensers of shampoo and conditioner in both showers in our house, and it makes our routine much more sustainable. The matching minimalist packaging looks great when stored up on the shelf in the bathroom, and they can be refilled over and over again thanks to 34-ounce pouches like this that you can buy ahead of time and keep stocked under the bathroom sink.

Mesh produce bag

Reusable grocery bag for fruits and veggies

5 Eco-Friendly Sustainable Home Swaps | dreamgreendiy.com + @publicgoods #ad

Reusable Grocery Store Produce Bags:

Try using a reusable tote bag when shopping for produce so you don’t have to use plastic bags! This wide mesh tote crumples into a tight ball, so it takes up only a fraction of space in my other reusable grocery bags. I haven’t used those awful, thin plastic bags they keep out by the produce in years thanks to this reusable method. And, of course, you can use it for a lot more than just grocery store produce. I’ve also seen people stuff toilet paper into the bag, and hang it from a hook in the bathroom to keep from eating up cabinet storage space.

Granite bathroom vanity countertop

Tree free toilet paper

Vintage bamboo wall shelf

Go “Tree Free” With Toilet Paper:

Speaking of toilet paper, swapping standard rolls out for eco-friendly options is an easy swap that doesn’t take any time at all to get used to. I love this tree-free toilet paper because it’s made from grass-based sustainable bamboo and sugarcane pulp, and it comes packed with 300 sheets, so it lasts a long time. It’s not like those “earth friendly” tissue-paper-thin rolls you’ve used from other brands. This swap doesn’t even technically feel like a swap, it’s that thick and long-lasting. You may not notice a difference in your everyday life, but the environment sure will.

Earth friendly laundry detergent pods

Guilt-free home cleaning and personal care products

Wool dryer balls

Choose Pods Over Detergent Jugs:

One of the things that used to make me feel extra guilty was throwing away giant single-use plastic laundry detergent bottles. They practically took up the entire trash can in our kitchen, but now that plastic has become more and more difficult to recycle, that was the only option I had—until I made the switch to plant-based pods, that is. This biodegradable solution means that you can clean your clothes without having to add to plastic waste. Just toss them in with your laundry (whether you have a HE or standard machine), and you’re done. They’re especially perfect for traveling if you’ve got a summer vacation planned.

Reusable spray bottle with cleaning solution

There are so many other tips and tricks for living more sustainably in your home, so please don’t hesitate to share what has worked for you in the comments. I love a good challenge, so finding new and creative solutions to bad habits we have around our house in terms of cleaning and personal care has been kind of thrilling! If you spotted something in my list that you could stand to stock up on, use my code “WALLERPGA” for a discount on your first Public Goods order. Now, let me know how you’ve managed to live a more eco-friendly life below.

Visit the Public Goods blog for tons of other easy-to-implement sustainability tricks, eco-friendly DIY ideas, recipes, and more!

Mid-century stained wood kitchen cabinets

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Weekend Inspiration: No.98

Entryway Bookshelf Styling

Happy first day of May! I honestly was a little taken aback when I realized it was a new month. They say it takes 66 days to form a habit, and since I’m nearing the 50-day mark of quarantine, I think I must be well on my way to settling into this new routine. I don’t know about you, but there’s something to be said about living a quieter, more solitary life. Of course, I know my experience could be very different from yours since we don’t have kids and don’t have to homeschool or anything like that, but I’ve just learned to really lean into social distancing and embrace the simple pleasures and slower lifestyle that comes with it.

Anyway, I’m rambling. What do you have on your to-do list for this first weekend of the new month? Keep scrolling to read a list of all of the projects we want to kick off in honor of May, including a big design challenge, updates in our master bedroom, and more.

Weekend Inspiration: No.98

1. I’m not treating this as my official announcement, but if you’ve read this far, I’m going to give you the scoop first. I’m planning to participate in this global design event throughout May and June! Any guesses which room I’m planning to tackle this time?

2. Another space I’m looking to makeover is our master bedroom. If you saw on Instagram, I moved the rug we used to have in our bedroom out to our dining room, which has inspired a few swaps in our master that I can’t wait to reveal. Keep an eye out for all those changes (centered around this dresser!) at the end of the month.

3. I’m considering a second painted feature wall in our dining room, and am on the hunt for a good dusty rose or terracotta color to try. If you have a good one to recommend, please let me know in the comments below!

4. Have you ever seen a lovelier shower curtain rod in your life? I may or may not “accidentally” break our current cheapo rod just to have an excuse to upgrade to this gold one.

5. Our collection of tropical plants has grown exponentially over the last few months, so I’m thinking about buying some of these dusting gloves that I can use to tend to their leaves. Adding this task to my spring cleaning list now!

6. Since we’re trying not to spend any money at all right now on home décor and other fun stuff, I’ve been relying on shuffling furniture around in our house to make the rooms feel “new” without actually buying anything new. I’ve asked John to help one too many times, though, and I can sense his patience waning. I’m adding these furniture sliders to my next “essentials” Amazon order so I can do it by myself.

Colorful Loloi Area Rug

DGD Shop

*I earn a small percentage from purchases made using the affiliate links above. Affiliate links are not sponsored. Rest assured that I never recommend products we wouldn’t use or don’t already love ourselves.

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