Go zero waste with these budget-friendly sustainable alternatives!

One of the main critiques against minimalism and the zero waste movement is that people often end up spending more money to buy those new and expensive “green” items often publicised by influencers and bloggers.

Also, although some products have eco-friendly alternatives which are worth investing in, buying the more expensive ‘green labelled’ item does not always mean choosing the best option for the environment and our health. A lot of products advertised as ‘zero-waste’ and ‘green’ can be as harmful as their traditional counterparts. Sometimes they are even worse in terms of the impact on the environment and your health. And a lot of companies are just sticking a green label on products that still contain chemicals and toxic substances, so dangerous to yourself and the environment.

But what if you could easily DIY zero waste products, and swap things we normally buy for ourselves and our house with them, to save money and the environment? There are so many possibilities out there to recycle almost anything. And I’m not talking about merely dividing your rubbish into different categories and waiting for somebody to pick up your trash. You can prolong the lifespan of many objects if you get creative and upcycle / repurpose discarded materials into practical ones, instead of throwing them away.

Let’s have a look at how you can create eco (and wallet!) friendly alternatives to things we all need and use at home.

Turn trash into treasure with DIY zero-waste tips

Eco- friendly storage solutions. Keep your empty sauce jars, and reuse them to store food. Juice and milk cartons can be repurposed as organisers for storage too. Are you growing your own food? You can also use them as seed starters.

Bulk buying with DIY storage. Not only you can bring your own bags next time you go shopping, to avoid single use plastic bags. Or use a reusable cup next time you get a take away coffee. You can also DIY homemade, reusable containers to minimize packaging waste. Pillow covers, for instance, are great to store bread.
Sustainable DIY home projects. Next time you tackle a home project, use reclaimed materials like wood from old pallets, glass jars, or even discarded metal. You will save a lot of money, and repurposed materials can also add a touch of originality to the final result.
DIY composting. Set up a home compost system to recycle kitchen scraps into nutrient-rich soil for gardening. You can simply create a compost pile in your yard or build/use a container or bin. Bins can be homemade (e.g., using wood pallets or wire mesh) or purchased. If you have packing bags in the house you can reuse them as rubbish bags.

Wallet-friendly DIY zero waste products for sustainable living

DIY cleaning solutions. A simple mix of water and vinegar can go a long way in cleaning most surfaces and objects in your house. Don’t throw away old clothes, but reuse them as rags to clean the house. Just keep separate clothes for different rooms and cleaning purposes. You can make cleaning wipes out of old sheets and fabric, instead of buying disposable paper towels. Old socks are great for dusting.
Homemade and natural personal care. You can create items such as reusable cotton rounds and tissue from recycled old towels or t-shirt, or even pillow cases! Other zero waste swaps that will save you money include using natural products like coconut oil for your skin and as a make up remover. I have been using coconut oil for my body for some time now, and it is the only product I need to make my skin soft, nourished and smelling amazing. Just read the label carefully if you want to try and use it on your body. It needs to be 100% organic, unrefined, cold pressed, virgin coconut oil. If you decide to color your hair, you can use Henna. There is a lot of bad press out there about this natural dye. But since I have started using 100% pure Henna powder, my hair have become stronger and healthier. You can read this post to decide if Henna might work for you.

Love your library. Do you love reading? Take advantage of all your library has to offer for free. You will save money and less trees will be cut down to print new books. If you end up buying them, newspapers, magazines and old maps can become beautiful wrapping paper for your presents.

DIY your way to a cheaper, greener lifestyle

These are some ideas to inspire you to think out of the box when it comes to be more sustainable in your daily life.

And if you are not the crafty type and don’t want to diy your zero waste products, you can always head to the nearest thrift store. Buying second hand is always more sustainable than buying new, both for the environment and your wallet!

Greenwashing is definitely a problem, and many companies are overpricing some items riding the new zero waste wave. But it is also true that anybody can train their mind to apply a “long-term value” to everything we own, and apply the same method when going shopping.

By asking yourself which ones of the things you own really and practically supports your lifestyle, you will start realising how many things don’t. And you will be less willing to buy useless crap next time you go shopping.

Be true to yourself, and you will be very unlikely to fall into marketing traps. And running away from consumerism will be a staple in your pursuit of a simpler and fuller life.