Easy Tips to Reduce Waste at Home

November 24, 2020 | Easy Tips to Reduce Waste at Home

If you’re getting ready to move into one of our new homes in Moseley VA, one of the reasons you probably fell in love with the home is the great kitchen. We know that the kitchen is practically the heart of the home and we make an effort to create fantastic kitchens that are both stylish and functional. To keep your brand new kitchen looking its best, here are some tips to help you make the most of your space, reduce waste and do your bit for the environment.

Buying in bulk and freezing items or storing in well-sealed containers is a great way to shop smart. Plus, grains, flour, sugar, and other items not only look nicer in dedicated storage containers, they often last longer, and you can also usually see at a glance when you need to restock. When possible, take your own containers to places that allow bulk purchases or at least look for packaging that you can recycle.

While some stores no longer offer bulk buying of non-perishable items like grains, legumes, etc., due to health concerns and contamination in the current environment, there are websites like Azure Standard that offer bulk items that they pack in reusable/recyclable paper.

As for packaging items for the freezer, rather than turning to plastic and aluminum wraps, look for reusable silicone containers and bags.There are a variety of shapes and styles that help you save space in the freezer, while keeping your food properly stored, and they’re easy to clean. There are similar items for storing food in the fridge for short periods, helping you eliminate the need for wraps that aren’t always easy or possible to recycle.

When it comes to purchasing groceries, use your reusable bags whenever possible, even if it means you have to pack your own groceries. It’s worth the effort and you can sort and arrange items in bags in ways that work best for you. Don’t forget the farmers markets, if they’re open. Not only are you helping farmers during a tough time, but you also generally deal with less wasteful packaging, especially when you take your own bags and shopping baskets. Plus, you’re outdoors!

If you do need to shop in a grocery store for produce, see if you can take your own bolga baskets, natural woven baskets, which you can line with a paper towel. Then do self-checkout and choose “skip bagging” at the kiosk and then replace the items in your basket or own reusable bags. Then you have less to try to clean and recycle when you get home.

Another great produce option is to sign up for a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) farm, which is a great way to buy local, seasonal food directly from farms. As a general rule, they tend to use minimal packaging and most is usually recyclable.

The key is to have environmentally friendly storage options for various foods, ensuring you can store them easily without creating additional waste. Whenever possible, also look carefully at what you’re buying and look for items that have the least amount of waste packaging and choose packaging that can be recycled. Finally, consider creating your own compost heap from organic waste. Your garden will appreciate it.

It pays to do some research on what can be recycled and where in your local community and the requirements, such as cleaning and drying items thoroughly so they don’t ruin a whole batch of potential recycling materials. Also look for places where you can recycle more difficult items ranging from toothpaste containers to home electronics. Buy what you need or can store efficiently and try to avoid excess packaging whenever possible.

It takes effort to reduce your household waste, but the effort pays off when you’re only putting out trash every other week and don’t have recycling bins in your kitchen overflowing constantly. As you start the process of moving into one of the new homes in Moseley VA, which offer plenty of storage options, invest in new reusable storage options so that you start fresh in your home, reducing the amount of waste from day one. After all, a fresh new home deserves a fresh new approach to keeping things clean and organized.