15 "Attainable" Ways to Reduce Waste and Save Money Now!

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Reduce Waste in Your Home

I am writing this post as much for myself as I am for others. My goal is to one day have a zero-waste home, but I am just as guilty as anyone else. I would be ashamed if I saw my family’s trash statistics. But, admitting you have a problem is always the first step. Learn ways to reduce waste in your home with these 15 ideas.

“An average family of four produces 6,351 lbs of waste every year!”

According to the EPA, Americans throw away an average of 4.4 lbs of trash per person, per day! In some states, that number is over 14 lbs per person each day! An average family of four produces 6,351 lbs of waste every year. This doesn’t even include waste from businesses, industry, and agriculture.

Have we lost sight of the impact we are having? We just need to put everything in that shiny waste bin. Then, take it out to the road, and it magically disappears.

More ideas for a frugal and sustainable lifestyle . . .

1. Reduce

There’s a reason it’s the first word in the “Reduce, Reuse, Recycle” campaign. Reducing household waste is crucial in sustainable living. However, it is also one of the most difficult practices to live by. The culture in our country is driven by consumerism and escaping that is nearly impossible. We love gift-giving, decorating, pampering ourselves, and showing off. Reducing the amount of products and energy we consume can make a huge impact. It will only happen if we commit.

Some ideas of ways you can reduce your consumption . . . (and save money in the process!)

Turn off water and lights when not in use
Invest in energy-efficient appliances
Install LED light bulbs
Switch from fuel to geothermal heating and cooling
Go Solar
Stop buying things you don’t need!

2. Go Antiquing

I know I just told you to stop buying things you don’t need. But the interior designer in me can’t resist decorating my home. My guess is, a lot of people have this weakness as well. Embrace the farmhouse decorating movement and shop at antique stores.

Buying vintage items means that there isn’t a manufacturer instantly producing another. There is also no packaging to throw away when you get your items home.

3. Compost and/or Burn

Before you just dump something in the trash, consider if you can dispose of it yourself. Many kitchen scraps can be composted. This includes inedible veggie and fruit trimmings, tea bags, coffee grounds, eggshells, and hundreds more items. Burning is an option for many paper products you would otherwise throw away. Burnables include junk mail, cardboard boxes, yard waste, and product packaging. (If you want to go hardcore, use those ashes to make lye for soap!)

4. Stop Throwing Away Food!

If it can’t go into the compost, find another way to use spent or overripe food. Even better, if you’re not going to eat it, don’t buy it in the first place. Save yourself the grocery money. One way to help yourself is to organize your fridge. This way, you don’t buy more of something you already have. Food isn’t spoiling because it was shoved to the back of the shelf weeks ago. Meal planning is also a great way to minimize overages and reduce stress at mealtimes.

Learn how to preserve fruits and veggies to make them last longer. Baking banana bread or zucchini bread is a great way to clear out food reaching its final hour. Store those baked goods in the freezer for later. Flash freeze or blanch many fruits and veggies. Then vacuum seal them to last quite a long time in the freezer. Freeze veggie scraps for future use in homemade broth! Canning is another option if you have a large enough quantity. Use stale bread to make breadcrumbs for future recipes.

If you still can’t figure out what to do with those scraps, look for local farmers. They can use them as supplements for their livestock. Pigs can eat just about anything, including food past its best-by date for humans. They would welcome your contributions.

5. Mend or Repair

Don’t throw away stained and worn-out clothes. Do your best to make them last. There are a lot of stain hacks out there. Did you know that salt can remove red wine stains? Grease disappears when you sprinkle on baking soda and follow with dish soap. Learn cleaning hacks to extend the life of your products.

Learn to sew on a button, fix a hem, and patch a hole in garments or other linens. Not only are these useful skills, but you can save yourself money by keeping what you already have.

6. Upcycle worn-out clothes and linens

Some items just cannot be saved. Fabric becomes threadbare. Clothing becomes stretched or warped and just doesn’t fit right. Some items are simply outside your skills to mend. Put these in the scrap pile to make yarn, blankets, or crafts down the road. There are so many great ideas and DIY craft project tutorials available.

7. Change your shopping habits

Shop at farmer’s markets, where you won’t find all those plastic containers. Buy in bulk to cut down on the amount of packaging you’re buying. Some stores allow you to fill reusable containers instead of buying pre-packaged plastics.

8. Bring your own bags and containers shopping

This is all about planning. It can be tough to remember to bring your reusable shopping bags to the grocery store. This is especially true when you have an unplanned trip. Try keeping them in the car. Before you leave the house, fill up your reusable coffee tumbler and water bottle. This way, you avoid buying a disposable one while you’re out for the day. Bring your own take-out containers to restaurants and say no to a disposable straw.

9. Cut down on disposables and opt out of plastic

“Americans use 2,500,000 plastic bottles every HOUR! Only a small fraction of those are recycled.”

Replace disposable items you throw out with reusable versions. There are refillable k-cups that take regular coffee grounds. If you like to use a Fifty Bar Disposable Vape, opt for a refillable version instead. Use dishcloths instead of paper towels and dishes instead of paper plates. Choose options that are recyclable or compostable, like a bamboo toothbrush instead of a plastic one.

There are reusable alternatives to almost every disposable item you use at home. These include plastic wrap, Ziploc bags, paper towels, paper plates, garbage bags, water bottles, refillable soap containers, sweeper/mop heads, feminine hygiene products and even toilet paper!

Set small goals like, “Today, I will not use a single paper towel.” Once you have made it a week of accomplishing that goal, add another. Make a shopping plan that will help you reach these goals by slowly replacing your disposables with reusable alternatives.

10. Reuse

The internet is a great resource for DIY projects that use salvaged or repurposed material. You can save packaging paper to use as wrapping paper and handmade bows. Use cardboard boxes to organize your basement, garage, closets, or drawers. Save grocery store plastic produce containers for use as planting pots and seed trays.

You can also see if anyone else in your community could use your items. Save egg cartons for a local chicken farmer. Advertise free cardboard boxes for someone who is moving. Donate used toys, office supplies, and craft supplies to your local school.

11. Sell and buy used items online or garage sales

There are hundreds of sites and apps bringing buyers and sellers of used items together. Platforms like Facebook marketplace, Craigslist, and LetGo. These platforms allow users to sell everything from outgrown baby gear to broken furnaces. It feels great to see these items being used by someone who can benefit from the cost savings. Some people will even list items for free, just so they get reused and don’t go in the trash.

My raised bed gardens are made out of cement blocks from someone tearing down an old barn. The owners wanted them gone and we got the materials for free in exchange for our haul-away labor!

12. Grow or produce it yourself

Grow a garden. Bake bread and pastries. Make your own blends of loose-leaf tea. Create beauty and cleaning supplies. Cook at home instead of eating out. Pack your lunch for work! There are so many options.

By growing your own food or making your own products, you reduce packaging waste. Plus, you can reuse containers you already have at home. You also cut down on trips to the store. A bonus to doing this is that you have quality control over what ingredients you use.

Don’t know where to start? Take a look at this Veggie Garden Supply List!

13. Recycle

Recycling is preferred compared to throwing something in the trash. But only after considering options for reuse. Some items, like aluminum cans, can be recycled an unlimited number of times. Many plastics, however, can only be recycled once. The things you recycle will eventually end up in a landfill at some point down in their life cycle. That’s why it’s the last word in “Reduce, Reuse, Recycle”.

Make it easy on yourself and get organized. Create recycling areas around your house to avoid throwing recyclables in the trash out of convenience. Educate yourself and your household on what items your local recycling center accepts. Understand how these items must be sorted and organize your system accordingly.

Many waste management companies offer roadside pickup for recycling and even have incentive programs to encourage their customers. If you don’t want to pay an extra fee for pick up, you can take it to the center yourself. Do what fits your lifestyle, budget, and time limitations.

14. Make Energy Efficient Upgrades

Anytime you do a home improvement project, consider energy-efficient and sustainable options. Not only will you save money on energy costs, but you will also add equity to your home. Double bonus!

When our propane furnace broke last year, we could have just replaced it for a few thousand dollars. But, many of the other mechanical fixtures in our house were on their last legs. We chose an option that was more expensive initially but would save money long term–Geothermal. A Geothermal heating and cooling system utilizes the consistent temperature of the Earth. It heats your home and cools it without needing fuel.

We calculated that in 8 years, the initial cost of the system would have paid for itself in fuel savings. At that point, we would be heating and cooling our house for free!

15. If you must buy New, buy Green and buy Quality

There are times when we have no choice but to buy something brand new. Always think about the entire life cycle of the product you’re buying. Does it have recycled content? Was it sustainably harvested? Is it made from renewable resources? Is it non-toxic?

Buy high-quality items that are made to last. Otherwise, it will be thrown away at some point down the road. Heirloom quality products made from sturdy materials can be kept forever or sold/traded when you no longer need them.