I talk a lot about holistic living and health here on the blog, and that applies to a lot of things including diet, exercise, mental health, and environmental factors. But because I’m a homemaker it also applies to the health of your home and what you bring into it. I’ve compiled a small list of things that you should STOP buying to bring into your home and put into your body.
If we want to be conscious about the decision we make for our health and home, there are probably plenty of things we could serve to cut out. But if you’re looking for just a few ways to cut the clutter and help out your grocery budget and immune system in the meantime, look no further. Let’s get started.
Ever since we moved into our house, we have not used one paper towel. It took my husband some getting used to, but now it is second nature to us both. In lieu of them, we use dish towels to dry our hands or cloth rags to wipe up messes. I don’t have to fiddle with linty windows because of my Norwex WindowCloth, and we have completely eliminated paper towels as a source of waste.
Sure, tea towels build up quickly even when you are reusing them for a day or two, but I keep a small basket for the dirty ones and just add it to my load of towels throughout the week. They are a super cheap acquisition at thrift stores or antique stores for a cute vintage flour sack towel, and there is something so pleasant about switching about the towels in the kitchen for fresh, beautiful ones when everything is tidied. Talk about a homemaker moment!
So go ahead and use up the ones you have and then commit to never buying paper towels again! You’re helping the environment, spending less money, and you’re able to give your kitchen a complete refresh every time you put out a clean set.
I’ve talked about this in my post 10 ways to remove toxins from your environment and it’s worth repeating. THROW AWAY your fragrance-filled, paraben an phthalate-laden body products!!!
I am a dedicated Aleavia user because of the microbiome support. Traditional body washes are SO toxic, and all that stuff is getting absorbed through your largest organ, the skin. I want to nourish my skin and give the good bacteria the best chance to thrive. Aleavia brings it back to basics with 8 basic ingredients, no soaps or detergents, no artificial fragrances, and prebiotic goodness that actually feeds your skin’s good flora!
If you don’t want to dish out for new body wash, then just toss yours and wash with water! I only use body wash on the days I feel really grimy or have actual dirt caked on me, and all the rest I just rub down with water because that is actually all your skin needs! Those little bugs I’ve mentioned thrive best when you don’t strip your natural oils and leave them be to take care of and tend to your skin. So go ahead and just use your hands or a cloth in the shower tonight and let water and nature do its thing.
Sorry, not sorry dairy industry- you’re practices have been garbage for a long time. We’ve all seen the short documentaries on the horrors of the dairy industry, and if that doesn’t make you want to drink almond milk then I don’t know what will. Even more, we have been told for so long that dairy isn’t really good for you and it’s one of the first things eliminated for food sensitivities- I cut out dairy for almost a year because the internet made me think it wasn’t good for my thyroid.
NEWS FLASH- dairy can be part of a healing diet if you are not actually allergic and good animal husbandry is not the same as commercial dairy industry. I won’t get to detailed about animal husbandry, but it is light years different from what you see on the docu-horrors. And what kind of dairy can be healing for your body? Raw milk.
Don’t call the police, it won’t kill you. What it will do is help you because raw milk contains the very probiotics and enzymes that your body needs to break down the proteins in it that are killed off through pasteurization. Raw milk, yogurt, cheese, butter, etc are all GOOD for you and consumable through local farmers if you don’t have an allergy. Almost all who have dairy intolerances can safely consume it because of the very nature of its composition we change when we pasteurize and homogenize it.
Want to find raw milk near you or read more about it? Head to www.realmilk.com or ask your local farmer or grocer. More than likely they can connect you with someone near you.
If you live in a house that has running water, you should not, I repeat NOT, be buying plastic bottled water at the store. I know so many people that this is all they’ve ever done so it’s a hard practice to wrap your head around, but there is no reason to be forking over money for water that you already have access to and pay for (hello water bill!).
And no, I am also not suggesting drinking straight from the tap- there are horribly nasty floaties in there. What I AM suggesting is to get a water filter. They can be an investment, especially depending on what kind you get, but they are so worth it.
- No longer will you spend hundreds of dollars every year on bottled water (just check the numbers folks)
- No longer are you sending plastic bottles to the landfills and oceans to degrade into microplastics years down the road and kill sweet fishies (being serious in a joking way)
- No longer are you exposing yourself to the already dissolved microplastics in the bottles that are made with endocrine-disrupting chemicals that damage the hormonal and reproductive systems of millions
- No longer are you supporting numerous companies that have been evidentially proven to bottle their “spring water” at the tap
The list could continue but I think that’s enough reasons to ditch the plastic bottles. We invested in a Berkey water filter at the beginning of 2020 and we LOVE IT. The charcoal filters filter out hundreds of water contaminants but leave behind the minerals for a better tasting water (IYKYK) and the fluoride filters filter, well, fluoride. Because we don’t like that stuff.
There are plenty of filters you could get, but if you want to serve your family with the best options for health, check out Berkey Water Filters. They are award-winning, top of the market, best in class. When you get yours you will realize why!
When we have guests over for dinner or a party and the table is set or there is a stack of plates next to the food line, every time without fail, someone will comment on “how fancy” it is or ask for ‘just a paper plate.’ Because now we can’t actually use real dishes without being fancy.
My reason for only having real dishes, glasses, and utensils (seriously there are no paper plates, plastic utensils, or red solo cups) is two-fold.
- Disposable is so unnecessary. It is equally as convenient to stick it in the dishwasher as it is to toss it in the trash. Bleached paper plates are horrible for you along with the plastic cups and utensils (refer to the bottled water argument) and they are equally as bad for the environment- don’t get me started on styrofoam. Any area we can reduce waste at The Shupp House, we take it. So should you.
- Homemaking is about creating an aroma, a flavor of care and love and time-taken in the air of the home. Sure you can feel that in a home-cooked meal eaten on paper plates, but how elevating is it to sit down to supper at a table laden with beautiful dishes, cloth napkins, and lit candles? It really doesn’t take any more time, it just takes thought.
In an effort not to offend the reader, know that I realize the convenience of modern day pleasures. But part of the reason most of us call ourselves homemakers is because of traditional values we’re seeking to reestablish, and maybe the tools we use for dining can contribute to that thing we so long for. Alas, I digress.
There are MANY things on the grocery store shelves that aren’t worth buying, but maybe a few I’ve mentioned you are still holding on to. If you feel called out, don’t worry- I’ve been there! I used to buy and use every one of these items in times past, but eventually I realized their lack of worth in my home and I chose to replace them with items that bring value to my health, my family, and my home.
If you want to start replacing some of the things I’ve mentioned, start with one and go from there. Too much sudden change is good for no one. Hopefully you can take my thoughts, chew on the cud a little while, and join me in making the best choices for health and home. Don’t forget to share with me what you’ve kicked out of your house in the post comments!