Review: Pepperjack Home Kitchen Wetbag & Reusbale Unpaper Towels

I've been using these Pepperjack Home products in the kitchen (and around the house) for about two months now and am happy to not throw away so many paper towels now!

I must confess that I still use a paper napkin to clean my espresso machine parts, but I'm going to switch to the towels for that too as I now see that I have plenty of towels.  Other than this one use, we have completely stopped using paper towels and switched to reusable towels.

Reusable towels are better because they:

• Clean better than paper towels 
• Get the job done with fewer towels
• Don't rip and dirty your hands

Now, on to my review of the actual product, in two parts. First: the kitchen wetbag.  I love the design of the bag: how it hangs off the stove and zips.  I have washed it almost every week with my towels  since I received it and hung it to dry, and it still looks brand new!  See:

This photo shows the inside pulled out so you can see it's condition: perfect!  It also dries quickly--within a couple hours or less.  To dry the bag, I clip the cotton part of the bag to a pant hanger and pull the inside out completely. 

Second part of the review: the reusable unpaper towels.  These come in a really cute cotton fabric on one side and a textured fabric on the other to help fight your messes.  I like both fabrics, but I don't think the company washed them before making them, which caused severe shrinking of the textured fabric and thus curled under edges:

The towels shrunk about an inch or more after my first wash, which I found disappointing.  If you really want cute towels because they're going to be visible in your kitchen, then I would suggest making your own or having someone do it for you.  If you can store the towels in a drawer, then I suggest buying a few packs of towels just for cleaning up messes.  Buy your towels on clearance or from a place like Ross or TJ Maxx.  Either of these options would save you money over buying towels from Pepperjack Home.  However, I do suggest buying their wetbag, which you can purchase separately from the unpaper towels, and some are on sale right now.

Bottom line: Pepperjack Home Kitchen Wetbag, your own unpaper towel choice, and consistent use of them = less waste and a cleaner kitchen.

*Readers: I'm sorry it's been awhile since I posted.  We have been prepping for baby, so I've been occupied.  Expect a hiatus next month also.

Wool Dryer Balls: Explanation & Review

A few months ago I purchased and began using three different types of wool dryer balls.  What are wool dryer balls?  They're large balls of wool used with every load you throw in the dryer.  They replace dryer sheets and help reduce dry time!!  The latter is my favorite part, and they do work.  I can dry two sets of queen size sheets in one cycle if I disperse the balls throughout the sheets when I put them in the dryer.  It's recommended that you use about a dozen wool dryer balls at a time.  Also, if you're allergic to wool, you can still use these because the wool isn't being directly applied to your skin.

First are the Woolzies Dryer Balls.

These are the largest and best priced of the three types I got, and for those reasons, they ended up being the best value.  They appear that they'll hold their shape and quality.  Today they're on sale at babysteals.com for $19.99 per box (6 dryer balls).  They're also handmade from New Zealand wool, helping providing a sustainable living.

Second are Buddha Bunz dryer balls.

A cool feature of this product is that you can choose the color(s) you want and a scent.  The scent subtly transfers to your clothes while they're being dried.  You can also get them unscented.  These are handmade by a WAHM.  These seem like they'll hold up well, but they're not as big as the Woolzies, though they're a little more dense, so they're probably equally effective.  It also may take a month or more for you to receive your order.  I purchased the "Special" which is three balls with a scent of your choice but not color of your choice for $18.

Third, and my least favorite, are Pepper Jack Home dryer balls.

I purchased these on sale: four for $9.99.  I'm really glad I didn't pay more for these because they're not worth it, unfortunately.  They're considerably smaller and less weighty than the other two brands I got, so I don't recommend them.  They're also collecting a lot of lent and don't seem like they'll hold up as long as the others.

Here are three types next to each other, so you can see the size difference more clearly:

Scraps to Skirt

My niece recently turned two, so I made her a little skirt out of strips of cloth scraps.  I always have leftover scraps from projects, so this was a perfect way to use up some of that.  Originally I saw the idea on Pinterest.

For this project, you'll need:
-Scrap fabric
-Scissors
-1/2" or 3/4" piece of elastic that's smaller than the waist you're making it for
-Sewing machine and thread

First, you can sew the elastic in to a circle.  You should overlap it about an inch, stitching an "X" and a box on the overlapping area for extra stability.  Second, you can start tearing your strips of fabric.  I tried to make all of my strips the same width, but they're different lengths depending on the size of the scraps I had.  To tear the fabric, I simply cut a small notch in the fabric, then tore down it from there.  This can actually be a fun thing to do with older kids or a friend (my husband helped me).  You can choose to tear all your fabric at once or tear as you tie it on the elastic.

Third, start tying the strips on the elastic band.  I knotted the strips on by looping them around the elastic so the fabric would lay more flat, and it covers the band more nicely than a standard knot.  Try to keep the elastic from getting turned around while doing this, though it will stretch a bit.

I hope you enjoy this fun little project!  Little effort, but lots of fun for a little girl.

Reusable Shopping Bags 301: Gift Them!

Reusable shopping bags can make great gifts!  Recently I saw that the Disney store is selling adorable ones with characters on them, which would be great for a children's gift.  A bag that doubles as wrapping paper and can be used for a long time afterward!

The shopping bags for groceries are great for wedding gifts.  I got two recently and filled them up with my favorite brands of kitchen essentials: flour, sugar, baking power, baking soda, olive oil, etc.  I included a note with the gift explaining why I think using reusable shopping bags is important and why I chose fair trade items for the shopping bags.  The couple really appreciated it and received a little education on grocery shopping.

This same idea could apply for a baby shower gift too.  What mom doesn't want another bag??  Fill up an already cute bag or add pockets to one.  Check out my friend ferferfly's blog for a tutorial on "cutifying" reusable shopping bags.

If you like what you see, leave a comment, like it, share it, email me.  I'm eager to hear from you!

Reusable Shopping Bags 201: How do I remember them?

Now you've been informed on all types of reusable shopping bags and where to get them.  Hopefully you have some by now, and you're wondering "How do I remember them when I go shopping?!"  Like anything else new, you have to get used to it and make it a habit.  I'm going to share a few tips to help you solve this problem though.

1. Keep them in your car. Designate a place in your car to keep them.  If you have small children who sit in the back seat or no children, then your passenger seat is available and you're most likely to see them there.  When someone needs to sit in the front seat, the bags can easily be moved to the floor in the front or back.
2. "If I keep them in a visible place in my car and use them, how do I get them back in my car?"  Again, put them in a visible place in your house or take them straight back to the car after they're unloaded.  In a pile near the door could be a good place for them:

Or right on the door knob may be the only way you'll remember them:

3.   Make sure everyone who owns a car in your house has some bags for their car.  Getting everyone in the habit of using the bags will help all of you remember to use them.
4.   Get or make one large bag that closes with Velcro or by drawstring to put all of your bags in.  This will give them a designated place in your and help keep them organized.  It will also make them easier to move around if someone needs to sit where the bags are.  I wish I had a photo to show you of this, but I haven't gotten around to making a large bag yet.

One other thing to consider when buying bags is which ones will be for food and which ones will be for non-food items, like clothes or craft stuff.  I designated all the bags I have from grocery stores for food only, and I have a few bags from non-food places for my non-food items.  The wallet size fold up bags like Target sells would probably be the most handy for non-food items.

Happy shopping!  Please share your comments or questions via email or the comment form below.  Like what you see?  Share it on Facebook, Twitter, or whatever social network you use!  Thanks for reading!

Reusable Shopping Bags 101: Which ones and why?

There's a huge variety of reusable shopping bags now since they came out on the market a few years ago.  I have purchased several different kinds, so this post is going to explain the various kinds and include my review of each.

First, I'll discuss the most common type of reusable shopping bag out there.  These are found mostly at grocery stores, but also some large chain stores.

The bags I have from Albertson's feature a loop at the top of the bag and a black piece of heavy duty plastic-like material inside for the bottom.  I do not recommend getting bags for groceries without a heavy duty bottom.  However, I think it's more rare to find grocery bags with the heavy duty bottoms, so you can make your own with cardboard or the thickest lining available at a fabric store.  The loop is really handy for self-checkout because it holds the bag open for you when you place the loop over the plastic bag holder.  I always use these for grocery shopping and never have problems with them.  We've been using these for two+ years now.

The second type of bag is one made from a thicker plastic-like material.  I got some from Costco, Trader Joe's, and Fresh and Easy.

The ones from Costco (at least when I bought them about a year ago) came in a pack of four with two square bags and two long rectangle bags.  They are the largest (of course) reusable shopping bags I've found.  With this type of bag, a heavy duty bottom isn't needed because the material is heavier duty than the standard grocery reusable bag above.  Lots of heavy items may cause sagging though.  I put a game next to the Costco bag because it's the perfect size for carrying board games to a friend's house.  We've also taken hot meals to people's homes in the Costco bags.  They can carry A LOT!  Be creative with their use and you'll find you never need another plastic grocery bag!

The third type of bag is the hot/cold bag.  Lots of grocery stores sell these now, but compare prices before you buy one.  I ended up getting one at Sprouts because Sprouts is the furthest grocery store from my house and I needed it at the moment.

It's about the size of the standard grocery bag, and it does a great job of keeping food at a good temperature.  If you have a family, you can pack a lunch or snacks in it for a day trip or picnic.  Throw a couple of ice packs in even to help keep the food cooler.  This bag has never leaked either.

Fourth is the reusable shopping bag for non-food items.

This is a special baby registry edition of a Target shopping bag, but they do sell similar fold-up wallet bags that are red (and I love red!)  The fold-up wallet bag is a great size to put in your purse, and just be sure to not use it for food items so you can always use it for clothes or other items at your favorite non-food store.  Target even gives you a five or ten cent discount for every bag you bring!  This particular one even has a pocket on the front, so it could double nicely as a book bag.  You could slip your phone and keys in the pocket, books in the big pocket, reusable coffee cup in hand, and head to the coffee shop.

Fifth is the reusable produce shopping bag, which I recently purchased on Amazon.  For $9.46 I got ten Bring It! Valencia produce bags with a bonus small bag that they can all fit in.

On the left are the bags inside their holding bag, and on the right is a produce bag in use.  They're just as light as a plastic bag from the store, so you don't have to worry about it costing you more to use these versus the plastic bag.  They'll also be great for taking to a farmer's market, once I get around to that, maybe this week.  When we went camping recently, we stashed all of our little snacks in them for the week, like bags of pretzels and nuts, bars, etc.  These seem like they'll hold up well.  I ran them through the wash, but not the dryer because they don't need to be dried.

Do you have other favorite reusable shopping bags?  Do you want to know more about any of these?  Leave a comment or send me an email!

Reusable "Paper" Towels

In one of my first posts I mentioned my desire to try to make as many things reusable in my house as I could, including paper towels. This week I purchased two of Trader Joe's Kitchen Cloth and plan to clean my counters with them thoroughly today.  These can be found on the aisle where they have cleaners, usually hanging from the shelf.

In my usual morning perusal of baby deal sites today, I came across Pepperjack Home products on Baby Half Off.  They make tons of different reusable products, including snack bags, dryer sheets, and wool dryer balls.  However, I purchased their kitchen wet bag with twelve reusable cloth towels in attempt to replace my paper towels.  I'm rather excited to give this a try!  The wet bags and towels come in lots of different stylish fabrics, but I chose a simple green fabric with red and yellow dots on it so it didn't look too feminine.  The one pictured below is obviously not the one I bought.

Something I was reading recently (I think it was the Web MD diaper article I linked to last week) in regards to using reusable, washable items instead of throw-away argued that using reusable and washable items was just as bad for the environment because it used electricity and water.  However, water is an ever-renewing source.  Second, everything we throw away will end up in a landfill or something like that.  Land ills are horrible on the environment around them because of the smells and other things released into the air and ground, so it has to be a better trade-off to wash these things rather than throw away more.  I'm going to make a note to do more research on landfills to share with you.  I also promised you a post on reusable shopping bags last week, and I took photos of several of my bags last night, so I will write that post this weekend.  In the mean time, check out some reusable cloth towels for your kitchen!

Traveling with Cloth Diapers

Once again, as an expecting mother all I can tell you about this subject are my preparations.  For running errands, I intend to have a smaller wet bag to go in my mommy clutch by Lilly Bit that will serve as the diaper bag.  Wet/dry bags have pockets for both soiled and unsoiled items.  For longer days out, I will bring a larger wet/dry diaper bag, like the bag or backpack I registered for on Amazon, both by Planet Wise.  I intend to sew in velcro in the backpack so that the wet pocket will velcro closed to help prevent smells and leaks from escaping.  I also purchased a wet/dry bag with clear pockets on the outside by Smitten Baby from babyhalfoff.com because I liked the idea of having pockets that would allow me to see where things are.  However, the pockets only have one piece of velcro in the middle for the closure, so I may sew some more velcro on so that the pocket closes more.

Don't forget to have a nice changing pad, too!  I registered for Kushies Deluxe Flannel Changing Pad because they're extra large, soft on one side, and waterproof on the other.  If you have a crossover, SUV, or van, you might also like the car changing pad by Dipe n' Go.  It attaches to the inside back of your car, holds diapers wipes, and keeps the pad in place since it's being held in down.  I've also found a couple diaper rash ointment options that allow you to not get gunk all over your hands!  Wouldn't that be nice while you're out, especially?  One is the Magic Stick by GroVia, which is all-natural, and the other is California Baby's Non-Burning Diaper Spray. 

Both of our parents live out of town, so in traveling to their houses, I'll bring either the diaper pail liner for soiled diapers or a couple large wet bags, and one of the larger wet/dry bags.  I will certainly have to have all of my diapers clean before leaving, and bring all of them with me.  If we'll be there for more than 2-3 days, then I'll also have to bring stuff for washing the diapers (i.e., detergent).

Cloth Diapering--A healthier choice?

There's much debate among researchers about whether cloth or disposable diapers are a healthier, safer choice.  Web MD concludes that cloth may not actually be so much more safe and healthy for a baby than thought, despite listing the many chemicals in disposables within this article.  The article discusses some of the biggest health concerns I've heard.  The same use of harmful chemicals in tampons long ago is present in disposable diapers, but the article disputes this concern with the fact that tampons were inserted in the body whereas diaper are not.  Since I'm having a boy, I was concerned when I heard about the German study that found scrotum temperatures to be higher in boys who wore disposables, which kills the sperm.  However, Web MD says that another study was done two years later that shows the temperatures were the same.  Additionally, dioxin (or a type of bleach) is present in most disposable diapers to make them white, so Web MD whisks away this worry by saying that parents can choose to buy chlorine-free diapers. The article fails to mention that dioxin is also known to cause cancer and is banned in most other countries, but Michelle Alsoop addresses that in her article about dioxin elimination.

Personally, I don't think Web MD's counter-arguments are very strong.  Despite the fact that diapers aren't inserted in the baby and you can choose chlorine-free diapers, there's a host of other chemicals in disposables.  Plus how can we be sure that the same tampon chemical really isn't harmful?  What if parents don't know dioxin is present in disposables?  Lastly, how could one study show differences in scrotum temperatures and one doesn't?  It seems there are some major discrepancies here.

Unfortunately, there are a host of other things to be concerned about regarding disposables.  In an article from CBC News, it says, "Diapers contain a variety of plastics, adhesives, glues, elastics and lubricants, some of which can cause irritation."  The article also explains that diaper-making companies are self-regulated, meaning they have to check for themselves to make sure they're meeting diaper regulations.  What a joke!!  They also don't have to list all of the ingredients in their diapers, and many companies only list one ingredient while there's a long list of other things in them.  According to the article, some diapers may have chemicals in them that are known to cause irritations, more serious skin problems, and respiratory problems. 

My conclusion is I know what's in a cloth diaper, uh, cloth, which is more safe than taking a gamble with disposables.  It seems there's no incredibly conclusive evidence on the harmful effects of disposables, but there are a lot of big concerns.  I'd rather not risk those concerns.

Cloth Diapering 101

This coming Saturday is the Great Cloth Diaper Change event where parents around the world will attempt to set a new world record for the most cloth diapers changed at one time.  Leading up to this event is a blog hop started by The Eco Chic (see button to the right), which I decided to join today since this blog is partially about cloth diapering.  I will resume my once-a-week blogging next week with a post on reusable shopping bags, as previously promised.  Today I decided to address Monday's topic since I didn't write about it yet.

As I mentioned before, I'm expecting my first baby in a few months, so I can't offer much advice about how to cloth diaper.  However, I can offer up the advice I've gotten from others about what you need.  Here's my growing list:

1. Diapers (obviously): 20-24 seems to be the consensus among CD users I know.  There are all sorts of different kinds, but I plan to use mostly covers with inserts by GroVia, BonniBuns, and Thirsties (because they make a small size to fit newborns).  I also plan to have a few FuzziBunz* pocket diapers to help along the nursery workers at church and my parents with this new challenge of cloth diapering.

*Correction: I'm now planning to get Booty Buns pocket diapers because they truly will fit a newborn.  This company is also a stay at home mom business that's conveniently located near me so I can pick up the diapers from her instead of pay for shipping.  Additionally, she donates one cloth diaper for each sold and provides two inserts and a cloth wipe with each diaper purchased. 

2. Two or more wet bags: I've heard high ratings for PlanetWise wet bags, so that's what I plan to use.  PlanetWise makes tons of different sizes, plus a wet/dry bag that includes two pockets--one for the used diapers and one for unused dipes and other diapering necessities.  I'm planning to use this bag and the backpack they're making that's similar as diaper bags and then having some plain ol' large bags for the downstairs part of the house or traveling.

3. Pail liner: Two pail liners is a good idea because then you always have one available while one is being washed.  I've registered for pail liners by PlanetWise, but I've also heard good things about pail liners by Blueberry.

4. Detergent: I spent tons of time researching detergents, not wanting to spend an exorbitant amount of money on washing (20+ cents/load) but, of course, wanting the best for my CDs.  I settled on the unscented hard water version of cloth diaper detergent from Crunchy Clean.  I split an order with a friend of mine so we qualified for free shipping.  I also plan to try out their pure oxygen cleaner and other cleaning products in the future. I decided to go with Crunchy Clean because of price and my extremely hard water situation, mainly.

5. Drying rack and clothespins: It's best to try air drying cloth diapers as much as possible from what I've heard and read, plus drying them in the sun gets rid of stains and helps sanitize them.

That's all I'm aware of for now!  There are lots of other great accessories that you may want, like a diaper sprayer, but aren't so necessary.  You can check out my Amazon registry and registry at Grow Natural (an Orange County baby boutique) if you're interested in all of the diapering accessories I've registered for or something specific.  Today's topic for the blog hop is saving money with cloth diapers, which I already wrote about last week, so you can check that out in the archives if you missed it.

A break and a link

Last week my husband and I took a vacation to Zion and Bryce National Parks.  It was magnificent!  This obviously didn't leave me time to write a post last week, but I intend to post about reusable shopping bags at the end of this week. 

My first post was on various types of reusable sandwich/snack bags, so for now, check out this tutorial for making your own sandwich/snack bags on Cotton Bottom Mama's blog.  She doesn't use any sort of lining for her bags, but you certainly could, keeping in mind that your food will be rubbing against this lining.  In fact, if you have any ideas for a good lining material, send them my way because I'd love to make these bags but would prefer a lining.

Happy crafting, reusing, and recycling!  Oh, this week is also Real Diaper Week over at the Real Diaper Association website (see my button).  There will be lots of new information going up on their site and giveaways all over!

Cloth Diapering = Less Money

I'm a mom-to-be carrying a baby boy at 22 weeks now, 18 weeks left!  Nearly two years ago my niece was born, and my sister-in-law had decided to cloth diaper.  At first I thought it was a little crazy, but then I saw the diapers and calculated the cost difference, among other things, and I was also convinced I would cloth diaper my babies. As I mentioned, there are plenty of good reasons to cloth diaper, but I'm going to focus on the cost efficiency this time.  Here are five unconventional reasons to cloth diaper and here are six more conventional reasons to cloth diaper.  Some of these reasons I will also cover later.

According to the Real Diaper Association, one child will cost about $1,600 to diaper for the first two years of life.  

Unfortunately, a diaper service for the same amount of time won't be much cheaper, maybe $100-$300 cheaper over the two years.

However, a basic set of cloth diapers (not including laundering necessities and other cloth diapering needs, like wet bags) costs as low as $300.  People sell their used cloth diapers on ebay, too!  Using the Cloth Diaper Calculator on Kelly Wels's website, I figured the cost of my cloth diapers, laundering them, and purchasing the wet bags and such would come out to roughly the same amount as using disposables would for the FIRST YEAR.  After the first year of my child's life though, we'll be saving a considerable amount of money--about $500-$700 per year, per child! Isn't that amazing?!  If I have two children who wear cloth diapers for four total years, I will save $1,500-$2,100!!  If you spend less on your cloth diapering stuff, then you'll save MORE!

If you want to know more about cloth diapering, check out these sites:

• Real Diaper Association
• The Cloth Diaper Whisperer Blog or their shop, Kelly's Closet 
• All About Cloth Diapers 
• The Diaper Jungle
• Kelly Wels

Questions?  Comments?  Thoughts?  Leave a comment or send me an email!

Reusbale "Swiffer" Dusters

Tired of buying those Swiffer Dusters?  Man, they're expensive!  A box of ten refills, which includes a new handle and some dusting spray, runs for $9.49 at Costco.  All you need for this project is some fleece fabric, which you can get on sale or clearance usually.  Probably a half yard would do, which might cost $3.  Thus, you'll SAVE about SEVEN DOLLARS after using your reusable dusters just ten times.

I put Swiffer in quotes because these aren't really by Swiffer now, they're made by you and me!  However, they do fit the Swiffer Duster handle, or you can make them to fit any other similar duster handle.  Also, I can't take credit for this idea; I saw it on Pinterest.  If you don't have access to a sewing machine or refuse to sew, you can purchase reusable Swiffer dusters from Mitsuyo Day's Etsy shop.  I also just noticed that she sells reusable sweeper covers which could be used for your Swiffer Sweeper or similar sweeper.

If you have a sewing machine though, you can make some reusable "Swiffer" dusters, like I did.  These could also be great as part of a housewarming gift or wedding shower present, along with some other household cleaning necessities like dish soap, detergent, glass cleaner, surface cleaner, dusting spray, and bathroom cleaner.

What you'll need:
21" x 9" piece of microfleece fabric for one three-layer duster or 14" x 9" for a two-layer duster
A Swiffer Duster handle
Your usual sewing needs: scissors, thread, measuring tape, marking pen or chalk (I prefer chalk)

From the edge of the fabric, measure in 2.5" and place your duster there.

Measure about 1/2" from the bottom of the fabric to the bottom of the center tab of the duster.  Make a horizontal mark at this spot.

Now, trace around the inner and outer edges of the duster--free hand or with a measuring tape is fine.

If you didn't cut a 9" high piece of fabric already: Move the duster out of the way and measure 2.5" up from the top of your trace marks.  Put a horizontal mark here.

Measure 2.5" from the side of your trace marks.  Put a vertical line here, then mark a dashed line along this spot.

Now, fold your fabric under your trace marks to the point where it meets your side trace marks and repeat (if you're layering your duster with three pieces of fabric).  When I did this the first time, I actually did four layers, which proved to be a little much for my machine.

Cut along the folded edges to make two (or three) pieces of the same size.

If you're making a three-layer duster, set aside one layer.  Leave two layers on top of each other, and pull the top layer down a half inch.

Continuing with the three-layer duster instructions: Turn over the two layers and pin the half inch of fabric you pulled down on to the back of the other layer. You may also want to create a half-inch seam on the third piece of fabric, but you don't have to.

If you're doing a two-layer duster, you may want to create a half-inch seam at the bottom anyways.  It will make the duster look nicer and maybe even last longer.  However, you will have to create SEPARATE seams on EACH piece of cloth, not layered on top of each other.

Sew the bottom seam (for each piece of fabric, if you choose), pulling the fabric as flat as you can while you sew. 

Now you should have two pieces of fabric ready to be sewn together; pin them together.  You may want to make sure your duster handle still matches the marks you made earlier on the fabric before you begin sewing.  Only sew the outer edges first.

Once you've sewn the outer edges, insert the duster completely in to the pocket you've created.  Pull the pocket back so you can see where the end of the center tab rests and mark it.  Now, sew down the middle up to the mark you just created.

Last, make cuts around the edges of the fabric in order to create the little "dusting fingers," and you can choose to round the corners at the top if you want to.  Here's the finished product:

For the most effective dusting, pull the top layers of the "dusting fingers" toward the center so that there are more exposed layers of the duster to reach those crevices and corners.


BEFORE YOU WASH, I suggest running a lint roller over the duster to pick off any large dust bunnies you picked up so those don't end up on your clothes or towels.  Otherwise, just throw in your duster with a regular load of laundry as often as you need to!

The purpose of this blog

The more options that have become available to not waste, the more I have loved it.  We have tons of reusable grocery bags.  I have recently purchased reusable sandwich and snack bags (see previous post) and will never go back to plastic baggies.  I'm committed to cloth diapering my baby, and I've recently thought of other things I want to change so I can waste less, such as:

• Napkins
• Facial tissue (e.g., Kleenex), although I'm not a fan of old-fashioned handkerchiefs
• Paper plates
• Food containers that can be reused and/or repurposed
• Paper towels: I'm really not sure how to replace these yet as they're useful for so many purposes and don't spread germs since they're thrown away.
• and I'm sure we'll come up with other things!

Why do I want to do this?  Well, not only will I waste less, but I'll SPEND LESS.  Yes, isn't that great?!  Think about it: I spend around $15 on a giant pack of paper plates every few months at Costco.  What if I didn't spend that money?  I'll wash a few more dishes, sure, but the soap and water I use to wash those dishes won't amount to $15 in a few months!  Just think if we didn't buy paper towels, paper napkins, and facial tissue, too!

Second, it's good for the planet.  I'm not a super-crazy "go green" person, but as a Christian, I believe that part of the mission God gave to humanity is to take care of the earth.  In Genesis 1:26, "Then God said, 'Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.'"  We were given authority by God over all the earth!  What an amazing opportunity that is for us.  Why do we then take, take, take from the earth without giving back?  Just because we have "dominion" over the earth doesn't mean we should take advantage of it.

Now, understand that since I believe humanity has dominion over the earth (including animals), I'm not an animal rights activist.  God set humanity above animals, so animals shouldn't have equal rights as humans.  However, I believe humans should care for animals, meaning I don't believe it's right to kill animals only for their fur or to make into a sort of trophy.  When it comes down to it, humans are more important than animals, so I'm more of a social justice (e.g., anti-trafficking) advocate.

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Reusable Lunch/Snack Bags

A couple weeks ago we ran out of sandwich bags and Costco was out of them too when I went to buy them.  I have long been aggravated by the idea that I'm throwing away so many plastic bags after just one or two uses, so then I remembered that there are companies that make reusable lunch/snack bags!  I remembered seeing some Planet Wise ones at Grow Natural in Fullerton.  At this point I decided I would do some Amazon research on reusable bags.  I bought three different brands of top-rated bags, and all have very different features.  Here's a photo of them all:

First, on the far left is a set of three Lunch Skins bags.  They feature tough Velcro all the way across the bag and flap.  The fabric is used by professional bakers, though I'm not sure what for, perhaps also for storage.  They're toxin free.  They're supposed to be dishwasher safe, but I ran them through and the Velco is a little crumpled, so I will probably rarely do that.  I will likely just turn them inside-out to wash like the other bags we got.  What makes these even more awesome is they're sewn by a local family business in the US!  I purchased the set of three off Amazon for $25.

Second, the black bags with the green monster flaps are Re-Usies.  They're cloth on the outside, so if that gets wet while washing, they'll take longer to dry than the other two sets I got.  The flap has the Velcro running vertical across it and the bag, so there's less closure to the bag than the Lunch Skins.  The flap can wrap around to the back where there's another piece of vertical Velcro, which is helpful for wrapping up very small snacks.  These are also free of toxins, but aren't dishwasher safe.  The label says you can throw them in the washing machine, but the fabric may fade, it warns.  These bags also come in an abundance of different fabrics!  I got the set off Amazon for $16.

Third, I wanted to try a wrap, well, I want Joseph and Sarah to try a wrap because I rarely take any food to go right now.  Anyways, on the far right is the Food Kozy by Kids Konserve.  As you can see it's circular and has vertical strips of Velcro on it for closing the wrap.  It can double as a place mat, which is pretty cool.  It's also toxin free, and is easy to wash, rinse, and dry.  It seems like this would be best to use with sandwiches and not snacks, though.  I got this set of two (because they're orange) for only $8.01 off Amazon.

Now, I'm also wishing I got zippered snack bags because Joseph likes to take oats, granola, and craisins to put in his yogurt, which wouldn't stay in one of these bags well.  I'm going to look into those for my next Amazon purchase.  I'll update you the verdict of these three reusable options in a few weeks.

Of course, another alternative to this is plasticware, commonly known as Tupperware.  If you have a lot of it already, use it for your lunches and snacks!  We don't have a ton of plasticware, so I decided to get some of these bags.  The bags are also less bulky too.