These days I think we’re all looking for practical and easy ways to be more eco-friendly, so today I wanted to share ten of my favorite sustainable home decor items! These are simple, practical and sustainable swaps that you can easily incorporate into your own home. A lot of these were amazing recommendations from my friends and products I’ve been using for the last two+ years. It’s often difficult to grapple with one’s own impact on the environment, but taking the time to think about the products we use everyday only helps us to make better choices as consumers.
one. bamboozle home compost bin
Over the biggest changes I’ve made over the last year has been composting at home. After shopping around for a while, my friend Meg suggested this countertop bin from a brand called Bamboozle Home, and I love it! Not only is it sleek and smart looking, but efficient as well. The bin comes in three colors; graphite, natural and terracotta. I went with natural to coordinate with my kitchen, but love all three options.
The bin is made from biodegradable bamboo fiber, and is dishwasher safe. The lid has holes for ventilation and neatly holds the charcoal filter that helps to prevent odor. These charcoal filters last about 2 months before they need to be replaced, and are also dishwasher safe. I have had my bin for over six months and can attest that the charcoal filter works great!
I ordered my bin directly from the bamboozle home website, but you can also pick one up through places like Food52, Crate and Barrel, or Amazon. I always try to go direct when I can, so be sure to check out their website first. Their customer service is excellent!
two. eco string bag
As a proud collector of reusable bags, Ecobags are definitely my favorite brand. This certified B-Corp brand offers bags of all styles and sizes, and for Christmas this year my friend Lizzy gifted me the perfect string bag with a tote handle. I primarily use my string bags for produce at the grocery store but a bag like this will be perfect for trips to the beach this summer. I highly suggest checking out their full range of products; they have tons of sizes and options, all of which are made from organic cotton in fair wage, fair trade and fair labor factories.
three. earth hero loofah
Another easy and sustainable swap is to replace your traditional plastic sponges and loofahs with a natural loofah. This loofah from the company Earth Hero is made from natural loofah plant, and is compostable when you’re done using it, unlike standard plastic sponges which can break apart and contribute micro plastics into our water.
This loofah is durable enough to use when cleaning around the house and doing the dishes, or it can be used in the bathroom for body and face exfoliation. Once it starts to break down, you can throw it in with your compost and pick up another with no harm to the environment!
four. bar soap
As a woman I go through a lot of shampoo, conditioner and body wash. Each of these items are typically packaged in unnecessary single use plastic bottles, and while I do recycle them I still feel guilty every time I throw them away. So this year I’m trying to move away from the bottles and incorporate more bar soap into my life!
It is important to differentiate between traditional bar soap and natural soaps. Traditional soaps can be filled with harmful fragrances, along with Paraffin, Sodium Lauryl Sulfates (which causes the foaming lather), and Titanium Dioxide. Natural bar soap is derived from plants and contain plant-based oils like olive, palm, coconut and shea butter as the soap base. Not only is this better for our bodies, but prevent harmful chemicals from entering our waterways each time they go down the drain. Plenty of incentive to make the switch!
five. the growing candle
This brand is so darn cute, and it’s an idea that we can practice! The Growing Candle by Hyggelight is packaged with a seed label, which is ready for you to plant as soon as the candle has been burned down. The candle itself is made of 100% soy wax, is additive free, phthalate + paraben free, and uses lead-free wicks.
Once your candle wax is gone, soak your seed paper label in water overnight. Fill the container with soil and cover the label with about 1/8 inch of dirt. Water the seeds 2-3 times a day and your new plant will begin to grow! Each candle also comes with an adorable illustration that depicts how your flowers will look once they are fully grown, which I think is super cute. This is would make a great gift, and I love the idea!
six. usb lighter
This next item is the perfect companion to your new growing candle. I picked one of these lighters up this year for my mom and she absolutely loves it! I watched her go through so many single use lighters and always disliked the idea of lighter fluid ending up in a landfill somewhere. She’s not a match girl, so this USB charged lighter was a great solution. The “flame” is created by ARC technology derived from the tesla coil. These lighters are meant to last forever and charge easily through a USB port, so hopefully this is the only one my mom will ever need.
The USB Lighter Company is based in the USA and all of their items are shipped in minimal cardboard packaging. These lighters also come in tons of fun colors to choose from. I picked up a black one for my mom but I have my eyes on the pink.
seven. walnut & cellulose sponge
If you haven’t heard of The Grove Collaborative yet, you should definitely check them out. We’ve been using this service for about 6 months now, and have been introduced to some great products. One of my favorites has been the Walnut & Cellulose sponge. Similar to the loofah I mentioned earlier, this sponge is a more eco-conscious alternative to traditional sponges. The scrubber side is made of walnut shells (which would otherwise be thrown away), cellulose (from plants), and recycled PET (a form of plastic) to hold it all together.
Another favorite is the Dish Soap Dispenser and Brush set, which is another super handy cleaning tool that looks awesome on the counter. To use it, you just add your soap and a splash of water to the spring loaded ceramic base. Pump the brush up and down to generate foam and then clean your dishes! Grove has tons of great products on their website to be sure to poke around on there for more.
eight. if you care sandwich bags
For those of you who pack a lunch every day, this next item is for you! These sandwich bags from the brand If You Care have been a favorite of mine for a while now. They are a great alternative to plastic ziplock or single use bags and are made in Sweden from unbleached pulp of Scandinavian spruce trees, which are a natural, renewable resource,
One of my favorite features of these bags is that they are are greaseproof, and provide a natural barrier making the bags ideal for nuts, potato chips, cookies, and sandwiches that use butter, mayonnaise or oil. Better still, they are totally chlorine-free, and are not treated with petroleum-based paraffin wax, or any other type of wax. Basically they are as natural as it gets, and are just one option out of the many products they provide. Some popular items include their reusable paper towels and compostable coffee filters.
nine. mason jars
The iconic Mason Jar is an oldie but a goodie, and a popular pantry item in my house! I store everything in mason jars, from nuts and seeds to protein powders and sugars, even my dates and chocolate chips. Switching over to mason jars not only made helped me organize my pantry, but forced me to purchase more of my staples from the bulk foods section to avoid single use packaging. There are so many kinds of glass jars and canning options out there, and I found that this article was extremely helpful in making choices about the types of cans I purchased.
Ikea has some excellent jars with bamboo lids that are available at an affordable price. Of course if you’re looking for a tight seal, these might not be the greatest option. Do your homework, as there are tons of great choices out there that take advantage of glass storage vs plastic.
ten. pela case phone case
Last but not least is my amazing phone case from a brand called Pela Case! I have had this phone case for nearly two years now and can’t say enough good things about it. If you have a smartphone like the iPhone, you know that each new model requires a new, different sized case. That means that each year, hundreds of thousands of plastic cases are being thrown away.
Pela designed a 100% biodegradable phone case made of flax shive, which is an annually renewable byproduct of the flax oilseed harvest in Canada. Typically this byproduct is burned down at the end of each season, but using this “waste” byproduct gives is what gives the cases added strength and natural shock absorption, all while providing local farmers with another source of revenue.
Since I purchased my case two years ago, Pela has also added iPhone cases, Apple Watch bands, Android cases, and the first ever liquid screen protector to their product list. Be sure to check them out the next time you’re in need of a phone case, they are an excellent sustainable swap. You can use my link here for $10 off your first purchase on their website.
Until next time!
xx Kelly