How to Get Started Creating a Plastic-Free Home

Plastic has been on my mind for quite some time now. I guess it became more apparent for me when China banned plastic waste imports from around the world, and since then, the knowledge that this material is quite literally indestructible has been weighing me down.

We are all well versed on how bad plastic is for our planet. Every year we produce over 300 MILLION TONS of plastic, 50% of which is single use – we use it for a few brief moments before throwing it away, yet it is stuck on our planet for hundreds of years. The dangers of plastic are plentiful. Besides the fact that the toxic debris leeches into our ecosystems, harming our wildlife and environments, they also pose a massive problem to our health. Chemicals in plastics are found in the blood and tissue of nearly all of us. They are absorbed by our bodies and are known to cause severe health effects, such as impaired immunity, birth defects, endocrine problems, cancer and other such horrific conditions.

Look, I get it. Since plastic came onto the scene our lives have been much more convenient. But is the cost to our planet and to our health really worth it? Is this ease and convenience a good enough reason to jeopardise the sustainability of our planet? I think not. 

If you clicked on this article, thank you. I gather that you are most likely interested in leading a more sustainable lifestyle and making a positive change for our planet and for your health. So without further ado, let’s get to the crux of this post. Removing plastic from your home can be a daunting task. It’s in every single room, and it’s highly functional. But turning your house into a plastic-free home is also incredibly rewarding, and a lot of fun! Here’s how to get started.

Figure out your biggest problems
The first step is to admit that you have a problem, and to figure out where you use the most plastic. Choose one day to use as an example and write down every single plastic item you touch during that 24 hour period. Whether it’s a shampoo bottle in the morning, the plastic grocery bags or the lunch containers – put it on the list. It’s scary, the numbers mount quickly, but it’s incredibly important to be aware of how much you are consuming so that you can then address it.

Choose your method
Are you a gradual, baby-steps kind of change maker? Or perhaps you’re an all or nothing warrior. Whichever one you are, that’s cool; you just have a decision to make. Once you decide, take out a piece of paper and write down the process you are going to implement. One of my favourite ways of doing this is to allocate an entire day to removing plastic from your whole house, ready to start fresh the next morning. My other favourite approach is more suited to gradual change makers, and involves committing to removing plastics from one room each week. Get specific, write out a schedule and STICK TO IT. Our biggest ‘problem rooms’ tend to be the kitchen and bathrooms, so that’s a good place to start. Having a process-oriented approach to removing plastic from the house has proven extremely effective and is a great way to make lasting changes.

Set your rules
A fantastic way to introduce plastic-free living to your home is to set some rules. Grab another piece of paper, write them out and stick them somewhere highly visible, like on your fridge or bedroom mirror. Decide which plastic items are a non-negotiable no no, and add them to the list. For me, there is a blanket ban on takeaway coffee cups, plastic bags, plastic water bottles and takeaway food containers. I completely understand that it’s not feasible to blanket ban all plastics. And besides, no one will ever win the perfect zero waster award. What’s much more important is that we all do our bit, and that we all cut down to save our planet. Once you’ve figured out your problem areas, decided your method and set your rules, it’s time to get busy!

Invest in some key swaps
There are a few key items that are going to make this process a whole lot easier for you. What I’m talking about are sustainable swaps – items that you can use to replace your most commonly consumed plastics.  Make sure you invest in some quality canvas bags, fresh produce bags, a reusable coffee cup, glass food containers, a reusable water bottle and a menstrual cup! These gems are going to be lifesavers along your journey. And by the way, it doesn’t have to be an expensive investment. Although it’s commonly thought that going zero-waste is an expensive process, it really doesn’t have to be that way. If you’re looking to go zero-waste on a budget, check out this article on free zero-waste swaps. If that’s not a major concern for you, jump onto Flora & Fauna or take a visit to your local bulk foods store to stock up. 

Creating a plastic-free home is a rewarding journey. Although it can initially seem daunting, there really are sustainable swaps for just about everything! Of course, it requires a little more forethought and effort, but when you think about the impact it has on our world, it’s easy to conclude that it is more than worth it. Besides, there is virtually nothing we cannot swap. Need to ditch the plastic razor? All good, there are epic sustainable alternatives. Sick of packing your fresh produce into plastic bags before weighing them out? No dramas, produce bags are the way to go. Hate that your deodorant comes in a plastic tube? Easy peasy, switch to DIY. As always, please do reach out if you need a hand. Best of luck, and happy swapping!

Dara x