Moving into your first apartment is hard enough without worrying about the environmental impact of all the things you need to buy. Luckily, there are plenty of easy and budget-friendly sustainable swaps for your most-used items. You’ll adjust to a more eco-friendly life in your new space without missing a beat!
Dish Soap Bar
Could a sustainable swap get simpler than this? Forgo a plastic bottle of dish detergent for a long-lasting dish soap bar (you’ll also need a soap dish). I daresay you’ll barely notice the difference between bottled soap and bar soap!
I’ve been using one bar of dish soap since I moved into my apartment five months ago. It’s easy to use, foams up nicely, and is super effective. I have this one from Grove.
Natural Sponge or Dish Cloth
You’ll need something to use with your dish soap bar, so may I suggest a walnut scrubber sponge, net dishcloth, or Swedish dishcloth? I haven’t used a Swedish dishcloth yet, but I’ve been using the walnut sponge for a month or two now. I prefer it to a normal sponge because, of course, it’s made of natural materials. But, also, it’s top-rack dishwasher safe! So (if I remember) I can throw it in before running the dishwasher and don’t have to worry as much about germs growing on my sponge (eww).
Another great option is a net-type dishcloth. These can be thrown in the wash with your towels, so again, no worries about germs or having to dispose of a sponge as soon as it gets dirty!
Reusable Plastic or Silicone Bags
If you’re doing any type of food prep or meal planning, you’ll probably find yourself reaching for a plastic bag. Good news! There are excellent reusable alternatives that don’t have to break the bank. While I’ve used and liked this bag from Stasher, I’m currently using this set from Amazon. It’s always tricky to balance sustainability with being on a budget, and I decided to go for the set that gave me more for my money. I haven’t been using them super heavily, but so far they’re holding up!
Plastic Bag Drying Rack
Of course, if you’re washing your plastic bags, you’ll need a way to dry them. I’ve been using this rack and find that it works great! If you can, you’ll want to turn the bags inside out for ease of washing, and because they tend to stick to themselves when wet. If that isn’t possible, just try to open the bag as much as you can when you stick it on the rack so it dries quickly.
You can also use it to dry plenty of other things- when I’m training for a marathon or half-marathon, I use it to dry the water bag from my running backpack!
Unpaper Towels
So, I’ll admit- breaking the paper towel habit is hard. Especially if you’re cleaning up something that you’d rather throw away than throw in the washing machine. In my apartment, my roommate and I have both regular paper towels and flannel “unpaper” towels. I try to use the reusable ones as much as possible, and I’ve found that they work just as well as the paper kind.
I use unpaper towels mainly in my kitchen (I’m sort of a messy cook, but who isn’t?) and I also use them as cleaning rags for my bathroom. Since I don’t use them as napkins and I wash them after each use, I don’t distinguish between ‘bathroom’ and ‘kitchen’ towels, although it certainly wouldn’t hurt.
Again, the main downside is that you have to wash them. Nobody said being kind to the environment was easy 😂. I put mine in the washer with my towel/dish towel/napkin loads. If there’s something particularly egregious that I’ve cleaned up (honey, lots of crumbs, etc.) I’ll shake it into the trash or rinse it out in the sink before putting it in the washing machine.
I have a wire basket in my pantry that I use to corral my dirty dish towels, unpaper towels, and cloth napkins for washing.
My unpaper towels are from a refillery that I visited with my mom, but there are lots of options on Etsy and online sustainable retailers if you can’t find them in person!
Cloth Napkins
Like unpaper towels, cloth napkins are a super easy (and luxurious!) swap. I don’t think they require much explanation and they’re probably easier to find in stores than unpaper towels. However, my mom and I both sew, so most of my cloth napkins are ones that she made.
One small thought on the sustainability of cloth unpaper towels and napkins vs. their disposable counterparts. Even though cloth home goods aren’t disposable, they do consume resources in terms of the water necessary to wash them. While I haven’t done extensive research on this, I feel that using water, a mostly renewable resource, is a bit better than consuming paper products that use up raw materials. Everything we do has some impact on the Earth, so it’s a matter of weighing the effects of our choices.
Further, since it’s usually necessary to do a load of laundry to wash bathroom towels and/or sheets, it doesn’t take up much more resources to just toss your kitchen reusables in with them.
Bulk Foods
Bulk foods are a great way to be more budget-friendly while cutting down on packaging waste. Rice, lentils, and beans probably come to mind when you think of bulk foods. These are great, cheap staples, but there are tons of other options. Depending on where you shop, you’ll be able to find soy sauce and olive oil; spices; freshly-ground coffee and peanut butter; and much more!
That being said, going to a bulk food store will probably take you out of your way when grocery shopping. I would recommend planning what you’ll need in advance and buying the staples you’ll need for the next month or two when you visit a store with bulk bins. If you run out of something, start keeping a list and add to it until the next time you go.
I’m planning to do a post in the future about demystifying shopping at bulk food stores, so let me know if you have any specific questions I can address!
Beeswax Food Wrap
I’ve been using beeswax food wrap (and a little aluminum foil) exclusively since I moved into my apartment, and I haven’t missed plastic wrap at all. I have this pack of wraps, and having one of each of the three sizes works great for my needs. I also wash and reuse plastic food/takeout containers when possible, and have some plastic and glass meal prep containers, so I use these for food storage as well.
Reusable Travel Mug
This is perhaps the most basic of all sustainable swaps, but it’s a good one and bears repeating. Yes, making your own coffee at home is a great way to be sustainable and save money, but remember to bring your reusable mug when you visit your favorite coffee shops! Starbucks allows you to use your own mug and get a small discount on your drink, and some small, local coffee shops will do the same!
Glass Spray Bottles and Cleaning Tablets
I have one of these bottles from Grove, and dissolvable glass and multipurpose cleaning tablets from Grove and Birdbath. So far I haven’t noticed a difference between these and the plastic-packaged products I grew up using, so I’d recommend giving them a try!
Laundry Detergent Strips
Oh, yeah; these are worth it. I have this brand from Amazon and one box has already lasted me several months. My clothes are fresh and clean, even my exercise gear (although my mom uses these strips too and adds in some extra detergent when she washes exercise clothes).
What sustainable products should I skip?
So far, the only sustainable product I’ve tried and disliked in my apartment has been compostable trash bags. Unfortunately, my apartment neither recycles nor composts, so all of our kitchen waste ends up in the same trash can. So when food ends up in the compostable bag, it starts to, well, compost…
This probably wouldn’t be an issue if we kept our food waste in a separate trash can, so I can’t knock compostable bags completely. My roommate and I definitely didn’t use them in a way that would beget success. However, this is something to keep in mind if you’re considering using these bags.
What would you add?
I hope this list gives you some great ideas for sustainable swaps to try out in your first apartment! I’d love to hear how they go if you try them out, and please let me know in the comments if you think of any others that should make the list!