For awhile I got funny looks from guests when my husband asked where the napkins were and I replied "we don't have any" and then when asked about paper towels, "we don't have those either". I sort of played it off as forgetfulness at first but I guess secretly I wanted to find out if we could live without paper towels or napkins. Sometimes I get a little kick out of seeing what things I can live without. I know, I'm a little weird.
Eventually I admitted that I wanted to quit buying those items and reduce the amount of waste we throw away and not spend money on something that would be dirtied up and thrown away. I had a few cloth napkins so I started pulling those out for use with guests and when my husband and kids asked for them. I think my mother-in-law felt sorry for me and brought over a bunch of really pretty cloth napkins for every season that she had made and quit using. Now it's a pleasure to set my table with beautiful fall colored napkins complete with leaves, gourds, and pumpkins. As for paper towels, it's all the same to wipe up messes with a dish towel although I do find myself having to wash them a lot more often. But all in all, I haven't really missed paper towels or napkins.
Now for the more sensitive paper issues...the ones less talked about. Baby diapers, toilet paper, and dare I say it...feminine hygiene items.
I bought a bunch of really nice, organic cloth, adjustable cloth baby diapers when my oldest daughter was born. She was too little for them at first and later I did use them some, except for when they wouldn't fit in her cute little outfits. Then she started daycare and I couldn't use them there, so I kinda got out of the habit. When my youngest came along the busyness of having two and not having as much time off work with her kept me from using them a lot. But, after potty training and still needing something for night time, I pulled out the cloth diapers and started using them again. They're so easy, I don't know why I didn't use them more. I have a water proof bag I throw them in and then when it gets full, I dump the bag inside out in my washing machine and throw the bag in for washing. I sometimes wash them with towels (since we're dirtying up more of those now.) You have to be careful what type of detergent you use because chlorine will break down the diapers, but my awesome natural, concentrated MelaPower detergent works amazingly well with them.
Don't worry, we still use toilet paper and not the Sears catalog. I feel old just saying that. But, I started looking for recycled and chlorine free toilet paper. Scott's Natural was a good option, but for value sake I started using Walgreen's Real Soft brand because you can get 12 rolls for $5 and it's whitened without chlorine although I don't think it's recycled.
Now, for the big one. Feminine hygiene. Two months ago I switched from tampons and pads to a reusable Moon Cup made by GladRags. I wish I had've known about these years ago. It's amazing! No more waste, hastle of running to the store because it's that time of the month, or icky down there feelings. It's even safe for nighttime use. I found it on http://www.amazon.com/ and read lots of reviews before deciding on mine. I had thought about getting reusable, washable pads but you really don't need them. I think my next purchase will be washable pantiliners.
So really, the plunge wasn't so bad and I'm pretty proud of myself for becoming a little less wasteful and a little more self-sufficient.
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