12 Things I No Longer Buy and Plastic Free July

1. While I have changed a lot of my ways when it comes to my closet, I am also finding ways to do better in all areas of our home.  When it comes to living more sustainably, I’ve found there are several things I don’t need to buy anymore.  Things that just don’t serve a purpose or things I legit don’t use or need, but felt like I did at one point.  It is currently Plastic Free July.  A month that gives us the opportunity to focus on finding ways to eliminate plastic from our lives.  Don’t let the term “plastic free” deter you.  For me, it’s mission impossible to completely eliminate plastic from our home. So much of our food is wrapped in plastic and sadly the plastic free versions of the same food seem to cost a whole lot more.  Tack on inflation and the very high cost of food currently, and I need to opt for those less expensive plastic options. A few things we’ve been able to reduce or eliminate include plastic food wrap, plastic food bags, single use plastic cutlery, plastic Tupperware, and more items I’ve mentioned below.  While we are all making changes for the better everyday, remember that it’s about progress not perfection.
   Whether it’s plastic or other materials, here are some of the items I no longer buy.

Most of our home decor is secondhand through inherited items and thrifting.

1. Disposable Razors:  I made the switch to a safety razor about three-ish years ago.  I don’t know why I was so intimidated about using one.  They are fantastic, work great, and don’t produce any plastic waste.  Mine is from Well Kept.
2. Trendy Makeup Products:  I’m not a big makeup guy, so this isn’t a super hard one for me.  I only buy things when I’m almost out of it, and have my fave products I use.  Since I rarely wear things like eyeshadow, I figure, why have a bunch of full pallets lying around?
3. New Winter Coats:  I have had an incredible amount of luck finding beautiful secondhand jackets and coats.  Poshmark is a great resource for this. However, after an extensive secondhand search, I had been talking about getting a proper rain jacket for the past few years.  I finally took the plunge last September and bought a new one this year from a local shop.
4. Makeup Wipes and Makeup Rounds:  I use a face wash that removes my makeup and cleanses my face. My facial oil also works as an excellent makeup remover.  I also just use a good old facecloth.  Nothing fancy, but it works and is reusable. Yes they get stained, but who cares.  Just wash and reuse.
5. Cook Books:  I have a nice little collection of cookbooks I’ve collected over the years.  I haven’t bought a single one of them.  I have some old, vintage family ones and the rest were all gifts.  I feel I have enough to refer to and for the times I’m looking for something new, I look online.  Pinterest is great for recipes.
6. Paper Napkins (mostly):  I made the switch to cloth napkins quite a few years ago.  Since I do a ton of laundry as it is, adding in a handful of napkins is no biggie.  I do, however, still buy some paper towel .  We mostly use rags for cleaning, but I still find paper towel a handy thing for in the car (with kids) and certain messes.  I do seem to get paper napkins gifted to me at times, so I do still have some kicking around. This past Christmas I found packages of Christmas napkins at the thrift shop, so picked some up for when we had family visiting. Sooo, maybe I do still kind of buy them??  Haha!Our cloth napkin collection has been acquired through gifts, secondhand, and a few new purchases.
   Our glass cupboard is full of mason jars, honey + jam jars, vintage glasses, and old ones we’ve had for 10+ to even 20+ years.  
7. Dryer Sheets:  I made the switch to reusable dryer balls quite a few years ago.  They work great and I haven’t looked back.
8. Body Wash and packaged Bubble Bath:  I don’t find a need for body wash, when soap works so great.  There are so many beautiful, natural options out there too.  I no longer buy bubble bath for the kids.  I now buy bubble bars.  Zero packaging, lots of bubbles!
9. Perfume:  I’m not sure how long perfume lasts for, but I’m pretty sure I have enough perfume, that’s been gifted to me over the years, to last a lifetime.  It’s not something I wear everyday, but do like a little spritz from time to time.  I mainly roll on some essential oils for my dat to day.
10. New Home Decor:  With the exception of the occasional beautiful candle, I no longer buy new, trendy home decor.  With all my plants, vintage items, and treasured heirloom pieces, I don’t feel the urge to buy something for our home simply because it’s on trend.  We buy things as we need them (which is rare), and I do  buy some occasional secondhand finds.  I have always had a love of vintage items.  Even as a kid.  I like that they hold a story.
11. Plastic Food Wrap: We did away with this many years ago.  Instead we use one of the following: bees wax wraps, glass storage containers, repurposed jars, reusable snack containers, or pop a bowl over something we put in the fridge.
12. New kitchen glasses:  It has been a long while since we purchased new glasses for our kitchen.  We have broke a ton over the years and haven’t replaced them with new items.  Instead, we have repurposed jam jars and mason jars and added a few vintage ones to our collection.

We use mostly glass for food storage in our fridge.  A bowl over top of watermelon or a cake is the easiest way to go.

These onyx horse bookends are one of my favourite things I’ve thrifted for our home.

You can find our more about Plastic Free July here.

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