7 Easy and Healthy Changes for the Home
There’s a million and one changes we can steadily make around our home for our health and environment but let’s face it, some of us just either don’t have the energy to make all of these changes or some of us just simply don’t know. Either way, no one is perfect and we all just do the best we can daily.
Making sustainable and healthy changes around your home doesn’t have to come at a big price or with lots of fuss. Some changes are easier said than done, something I currently battle. We used to recycle at our home but the recycling place doesn’t serve as it used to so now I am often left wishing I could bring all of my boxes somewhere. And I’ve yet to order my eco friendly saran warp, but the intentions are there. You see, not every change or habit can fit each family and that’s totally okay! When the time is right for you, the change falls into place! #sometimesimjustlazy
But below are some easy changes that I hope you will consider for your family. It’s such good changes for your health and your home - so much so that you may even thank me later as several of these can save you money!
Switch to Wool Dryer Balls - This is as easy as it comes you guys! Just yesterday I took a fresh towel from the dryer and had the springtime scent of Lemongrass on there and it came straight from my essential oils and wool dryer balls. Fabric softener is full of toxic chemicals, but what is even worse is dryer sheets. These sheets are highly toxic and dangerous, especially to small children. Toss those in the trash and invest in a good set of wool dryer balls from Amazon and some essential oils from here. Add a few drops on the balls and toss them into the dryer! It’s best if you do so for the last half of the drying cycle and my favorite oils for this are Lemongrass, Purification, Geranium and Joy!
Switch to a Diva Cup or Organic Tampons - Oh yea, we are going there today! Sorry friends but this is really important. Menstrual cups are becoming quite popular, even among people are simply looking for something to make their cycles less awful. Many people will often stop using traditional cotton tampons and will notice a decrease in flow, headaches and cramps by using healthier alternatives. While I can’t speak personally on the cup, I know many who can. However I grab our tampons and pads from Target or Honest Co. where I am able to purchase organic cotton brands. While it may seem silly to invest in that, think of your health! Cotton that is laced with fragrance, pesticides, chemicals and so much more is just plain awful for your health and reproductive organs. I invest in my lady parts y’all! ;) Give this amazing article a read for understanding why the switch is crucial to your health.
Ditch the Candles - I can preach this one all day long girlfriend and I will. Not just because I use and love Young Living essential oils, but because candles are just that bad! Now handmade candles made from soy or beeswax and fragranced with essential oils are awesome! Invest in those because not only are they good for your health, but generally you’re supporting a local and handmade crafter by purchasing her candles. Store bough candles contain high levels of chemicals and carcinogens - so much so that burning one candle for an hour is the equivalent of smoking one cigarette. Crazy, I know! Ditch the candles, plug ins, and wax warmers and invest in homemade candles and essential oils. P.S. You know your home environment is super toxic when even the left overs you send to people in tupperware smell like plug ins! Yikes!
Ditch the straws - Sometimes this doesn’t apply to many people, but if you’re a smoothie loving or straw sipping kinda of gal, you’ll love this affordable change. Continually buying plastic straws is such a waste of our money and resources. Luckily there are numerous brands of steel straws available on Amazon that are super affordable and without all of the chemicals from plastic.
Ditch the Tupperware - Raise your hand if Tupperware is one of those things that drives you bananas?!? You either don’t have enough lids or you simply can’t match all the pieces. Well, I think that may be a lifelong problem with whatever you use (LOL) but at least you can switch to something better for your health and more practical! We love using glass storage containers from Pyrex and Anchor. Plastic containers leach chemicals into food, especially if you place warm food in there. But what really drives me crazy is that plastic containers quickly get scratched up and sometimes stained from red sauces. This is why I love glass containers - they still look brand new!
Switch to Cloth Napkins and Rags - This is still a work in progress for me. At one point I did a wonderful job of decreasing our paper towels around here but three kids later and old habits just fall back into place. We do however have a stash of flannel and cotton cloth napkins on hand to help our little ones wipe their hands and mouth. This keeps them for always having to reach for paper! I actually just ordered these!
Switch to Thieves Cleaner and make life easier - Can you imagine eliminating all of the bottles under your sink and having just one that did it all? AND on top of that, this one cleaner was safe and natural yet it still killed all of the germs?!?! Yes please! Thieves cleaner is just that! It’s all we use along with some baking soda and vinegar to clean our home. One bottle can last 9 months to a year because it is so concentarted and it smells like CHRISTMAS! You can cut back your costs, chemical exposure AND have more room under the kitchen sink with this one little bottle! *One Thieves cleaner makes approximately 30 spray bottles.
Making healthier changes doesn’t have to be all at once and doesn’t have to dive straight into your favorite things like makeup and hair care. There are some things that are so simple and practical for us to change and some of these things can save us money in the long run! And of course, can save our health and make our homes a little more eco friendly.
What are some items you have tried to ditch from your home?
