by Texas Homesteader ~ 

To eliminate trash from coming into our home I’ve learned how easy it is to make some items myself. From spice mixes to yogurt to homemade soaps, it’s surprisingly easy & reduces the amount of packaging trash entering our home.

(have I mentioned lately how much I hate plastic??!!)

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Awareness Of Landfill-Bound Trash

Several years ago when we lived in the big city, I became keenly aware of the amount of trash my household generated.

Sure, we put out maybe half the amount of trash as our suburban neighbors. But as I headed down the ally on my way to work one morning I noticed with sadness the mammoth trash cans lugged to the edge of the ally by every household.

Most houses even needed two trash cans. And even those were filled to capacity, spilling over to the cement below.

I thought to myself – this is just one street and only one of the
TWICE PER WEEK collection!
Wow, that’s a lot of trash.

They say a change begins with just one step, and that realization one morning on my way to work so long ago was my catalyst.

So I got to wondering…

Eliminating Excessive Product Packaging

Suddenly I began to notice excess packaging, purposely done by clever marketing executives to make their product look bigger or more impressive to the consumer than they actually were.

I noticed the numerous items sold individually shrink-wrapped in plastic for the convenience of the store clerks.

And even tiny single-item purchases like a loaf of bread or box of crackers were placed in a disposable plastic shopping bag all by itself to be carried out by the shopper.

If it was a relatively larger item it was even often thoughtlessly double bagged by rushed grocery store workers.

Even items that actually had HANDLES made into the product itself were individually double bagged!

Eliminating Single-Use Plastic Shopping Bags

So I first decided to eliminate single-use disposable plastic shopping bags. Now this was way before the feel-good days of responsibly placing your purchases into a designer reusable bag.

I had several heavy cloth bags I’d received for free at business conventions. So I resolved to use them to reduce or even eliminate plastic grocery shopping bags from entering the waste stream from our home.

For me it’s not hard to remember my cloth bags when I go shopping. I simply store them in my car. So even on an unscheduled stop, no plastic bags are needed when we shop.

And for smaller shopping trips I have my favorite *handmade basket.

Isn’t she a beauty?

I love to use this basket for smaller shopping trips because I can place my items directly into my hand-held basket as I stroll around the store. The top is wide open so shop owners aren’t concerned about potential dishonesty.

I simply bring the basket filled with my items to be purchased to the check-out register and unload them onto the counter.

As my items are scanned, the clerk simply replaces them into my basket.

It’s so much easier for them than wrestling with fabric bags. The basket stands on its own and has a wide open top.

Plus I’ve gotten so many compliments from cashiers about how handy for shopping, and how beautiful it is too…

Easy Steps To Reduce Landfill-Bound Trash

But how else can I reduce landfill trash that comes from my household? There are only two of us living in our home now.

Our household trash output typically requires us to empty our household waste basket (which is the size of a miniature bathroom wastebasket) about once every two weeks.

But I know there’s still more I can do – it’s a challenge I make to myself.

So I already use fabric bags or my handheld basket for 100% of my purchases. Plus I reject overly-packaged products and avoid paper products in my kitchen.

I buy quality, and I reuse, recycle & turn food scraps into compost… 

What else can I do?

Easy Household Items To Make Yourself

So I began to look even at the small amount of packaging contained by the products that had already passed my keen packaging-police eye.

And I thought about that product itself, “I wonder if I can make that myself?”.

To my delight the answer was almost always YES!

Making Food Items Myself That I Used To Buy

I’m now more likely to whip up cream soups instead of opening a soup can for a recipe.

And I even whip up my own creamy salad dressing in about 1 minute. I can’t believe how easy it all is.

And I prefer to use fresh jalapenos instead of buying them in cans. Heck I almost always plant them in the garden so I don’t even have to buy them.

It’s easy to make homemade seasoning mix that I use to make my own fresh salsa in less than 3 minutes.

And my salsa uses fresh garden tomatoes and vegetables in a blender instead of buying salsa in jars.

Not only do these actions bring me much satisfaction, but the products are typically healthier, less processed, significantly cheaper and almost trash free!

I’ve learned to make cheese and yogurt, homemade pasta noodles and all kinds of seasonings,

Heck I even learned to make homemade soap and personal care products.

I’ve found that I derive an immense amount of pleasure and pride from providing these items for my family.

And I’m amazed at how simple some of this stuff actually is! 

Homemade Is Not As Hard As They’d Have Us Believe

Have the marketing folks really convinced us that buying is the only way?

I had certainly swallowed their story.

Making some of the things your family uses regularly is usually very quick and very easy to do. 

Challenge To Make It Yourself

I challenge you to give it a try. Start small and try to make something you typically buy. 

It can be as easy as a taco seasoning mix or cake frosting, or more complex like making your own cold-process soap.

Just start small, gain confidence and then try more. Don’t worry, you’ll find it’s easy and so fulfilling!

You may be very surprised at how easy it really is! Your wallet and the environment will both thank you…

~TxH~

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Other Great Posts About Reducing Plastic

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…and Many More 

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