August 4, 2010
DONE! Figure Out System For Getting Rid of Paper Products
This all started with trying to “reduce” my paper towel usage – documented as a problem here . Then when I realized that I had to actually get rid of the paper towels in my house to eliminate using them, that’s when I was able to kick the habit. I have successfully been paper towel free for months – and I love it!
 
Then I got to thinking that I’m saving so much money by not buying paper towels, could I eliminate paper napkins in the kitchen? Through many blog recommendations, I found the super popular Etsy shop Love For Earth. She sells cloth napkins made from super soft birdseye cotton – I bought my first pack of the lunch napkins (24) and was so in love. After realizing that we needed more for laundering purposes I ordered 12 more. We all love using cloth napkins – they feel so nice on your face and hands. This is how I keep these napkins on our kitchen table – folded and ready for use just like paper ones.
Â
Â
I also added a container of baby washcloths (on clearance for $1.48 for 6 ) at my favorite big box store) to my kids’ cutlery drawer for washing hands and faces after meals instead of using baby wipes. I keep the used napkins and washcloths in a plastic bag in the kitchen, but my next project is to sew cute mesh bags to store them in until I have a load to wash.
I know by using rags for paper towels, cloth napkins instead of paper and washcloths instead of wipes or paper towels, not only am I “saving a tree”, but I am saving at least $20 month in paper products. I am really happy to have figured out a system for getting rid of paper products in the kitchen and to check another item off my DONE! list.
Van Says
I LOVE this, spending money on paper products always bugs me. I hate having them around and hate buying them. (I only spend about $5 a month on them, but still. I’ll have to try this out, but first…I have to make easily assessable storage for them in my tiny apartment!
Missy Says
I didn’t get anything checked off my done list yesterday, I need to get busy!
Angie Says
I love it! I’ve been thinking about going paper towel free for awhile now! I love how you have all the towels/washcloths all around the place for convenience!
The Fergy Bunch Says
I love your lists his is how I need to clean.
Vanessa Says
I’ve already made the switch to cloth napkins, but am working on the paper towels. Maybe getting rid of them is the answer! Thanks for the tip!
Mindy Says
That’s great! I’ve been crocheting a ton of washcloths to always have on hand so we can get rid of paper towels, too. We’re using them less and less (though I admit, I still like using paper towels for a mess on the floor, but I’ll break that habit eventually!).
Lisa Says
Awesome ideas! LOVE the little basket with cloths in it. Might give this a try myself!
Angela Cooling Says
I now follow you and by the way “AWESOME” blog… I will have to attempt a few of your projects!!!
Check out my blog… I am new to the blog world.
http://stinkeymonkey.blogspot.com/
Amber Says
Isn’t love for earth great, her produce bags are the best, in fact they maybe a part of a giveaway if you join a certian challange on my site (wink wink)
Jiannyia Says
Fantastic find! I just showed this to my DH and he’s on board for the big swap in our house! Thanks so much for helping to convince him!
Meg Says
This is a great idea! I may have to give it a go. I think getting rid of paper towels first was a huge step! It’d be my crutch. 🙂
Leslie @ goodbye, house! HELLO, HOME! Says
Smart idea for eliminating the paper towels!
I already use cloth napkins and cloth baby diapers for cleaning cloths–but hadn’t thought about paper towel substitutes.
Thanks also for the etsy link.
Love me some etsy!
Hugs,
~me
Leslie @ goodbye, house! HELLO, HOME! Says
Smart idea for eliminating the paper towels!
I already use cloth napkins and cloth baby diapers for cleaning cloths–but hadn’t thought about paper towel substitutes.
Thanks also for the etsy link.
Love me some etsy!
Hugs,
~me
robinesse Says
I like the idea for kids washcloths! Too cute. I have been making my own kitchen towels for a couple of years. Anytime we have a white t-shirt that gets to the point of being unable to appear in public (paint stains, holes, etc.) I take it to my serger and make it into a kitchen cloth. I just serge around the edges of a square and there you go! I use the back of the shirt (no stains there) and usually have plenty of fabric for several towels. The rest of the shirt goes in the rag pile in the garage that my husband uses. They launder up great and we have reduced our paper usage tremendously.
TrudyNZ Says
Have I mentioned lately YOU ROCK!!! I love this idea!! Such an easy system and saves money too.
CNM Says
Thanks for the great tips…our paper towel usage has really started bugging me lately and I’ve been pondering alternatives!
Chestnut Sparrow Says
I grew up without using paper towels thanks to a frugal mom. Once I got married I didn’t even think about paper towels. I just use rags or other towels. I do have paper towels in our house but only use them for throw away needs. Like for laying bacon on after frying. A few rolls of paper towels lasts us a year. If anybody has an alternative method please let me know.
I have been meaning to sew some cloth napkins though. I will have to check out that site you listed. I am a sucker for soft birdseye cotton.
Do you have trouble getting the stains out? I don’t want to use bleach unless absolutely necessary.
suezie Says
This such a neat idea! Thanks for sharing
Scrappy Gifts Says
Love these ideas! I’ve been thinking I need to quit our paper towel usage too.
Leanne Says
You always have such great ideas. I’m going to check out her site for those napkins. Thanks for joining the party again. I love all your inspiring ideas. You’re entered for the giveaway too.
Ellie Says
What great tips! I use washcloths for kitchen clean up and for the kids, but hadn’t thought seriously about replacing my paper napkins. What a good idea!
Anonymous Says
I have been paper free for many years. I buy old vintage napkins at estate sales and flea markets. They do not all match but that is part of the charm. When the napkins grow a little worn I relegate them to dish cloths-then to cleaning and floor duty.Most of the time you can purchase them already starched and ironed and your guests will be most impressed. Love my cotton napkins:)
Marianne Says
I just can’t get over the drawer with kids utensils and washclothes. Putting it on my list right now to do.
I too am slowly going from papertowels to using washcloths or other types of cloths. When my kids washcloths gets too stained, they get transfered to my cleaning bucket where I use them for all household cleaning. I can’t even remember when I last used papertowels while cleaning. I just have to figure out a way to contain all the dirty ones so they don’t start to smell.
Thank you for the inspiration.
Mahek Says
hi
I love your idea, Here in India use of paper towels is to the minimum we normally use cloth rags…
I have one question to ask you You are using so much of white for your napkins don’t they get easily stained .And how do you wash them here in India we do not have good enough detergents which remove curry stains (indian curries are rich in chilli and turmeric powders which stain easily) secondly our weather is not good enough to keep things white there is lots of pollution and dust in the atmosphere
Amy Bowman Says
This made me smile–big.
Just yesterday I had the thought ” I am giving up on the idea of giving up on paper towels”
But after reading this post, I AM SO INSPIRED!! I LOVE how they look in that big jar…I could do that!
Thank you, thank you for all you do and for sharing it with us at “AP Tuesdays”
Clean Mama Says
Mahek-
I use Nature Bright (Shaklee) but it’s not available in India – I’d probably go with an assortment of colored fun napkins if I couldn’t whiten my whites well.
Amy –
You can totally do it – it took me a bit, but I still can’t believe that with my clean freak tendencies that I was able to do it!
michelle@somedaycrafts Says
Congrads! This link was the most viewed link last week at the Whatever Goes Wednesday party at somedaycrafts.blogspot.com. I will be featuring it this week. Grab my “featured” button.
Sarah Says
If you have a dollar tree near you, they usually have a set of 6 mesh bags for $1. They are pretty large too. (Also perfect for produce bags when grocery shopping, which is what I originally bought them for)
Clean Mama Says
Great tip, Sarah! Thanks 🙂
Jenn Seratt Says
Saw this on Anti-Procrastination Tuesday and had to hop right over! This reminds me of the new Kleenex commercials that show paper hand towels for the bathroom. Thanks for showing everyone that cloth towels can be better for you and the environment!
Dianne Says
I love this post. You are an inpiration
Our Lives Says
I am about to take action on the paper towels usage issue but I won’t be able to rid of the paper towels. I use many cloth towels for chores but because of the kind of cooking I do, I need to use the paper towels to wipe off lots of grease from my cookware. I do, however, tear the paper towel in half for each use so I don’t waste the whole piece and still get the dirty work done. I will blog about it once I got all of my towels in place. Thanks for the reminder and I heart the clean look of your blog banner. Very refreshing and inspiring 🙂
Mama Rockwell Says
I love your post. I’m in the process of switching our house to a paperless kitchen. I have rags for cleaning and wash clothes for the kids. I just need to get some napkins and then we’re ready for the switch. I have two rolls of paper towels left and refuse to buy anymore! How do you dry your wet napkins/rags in between washing?
Clean Mama Says
Mama Rockwell-
I have a little hook inside my kitchen cabinet under the sink and hook the wet rags there until they are dry. No smelly rags:)
Danielle (elleinadspir) Says
I love this post and am ordering these napkins right now! Thank you. I also love the jar on your counter…I need to kick paper towels but haven’t yet. I might try a jar of these napkins in it’s place.
Amy Bowman Says
You won most clicked on link at “AP Tuesday” You are featured again!!! LOL. You pretty much rock..
Tricia @ This Happy Home Says
I love my “unpaper” towels. Mine have snaps on them so I can snap together and roll up on a paper towel tube and then I put it on my paper towel holder. Love it! I like the jar you use, too.
I really need to find something for our cloth napkins. They are in a drawer right now but I’d love to have them “on display” in a basket like you have set up.
We cloth diaper, so I have a gazillion cloth wipes/washcloths. I like to put mine inside a wipes warmer with water and a bit of soap–always ready when I need them!
Pearl Says
OK… how do you store soiled rags, napkins, etc. Is there a special container or are they tossed into the family laundry basket.
Clean Mama Says
Hi Pearl-
I have a bag hanging from a shelf in the pantry for napkins.
I dry cloth “paper” towels on a little hook on the inside of the kitchen sink cupboard – when they are dry, they go in a laundry basket for kitchen towels and rags – no smellies.
I wash the napkins separately from rags and kitchen towels 🙂
Clean Mama
Jenny Says
I have a question. I think this is an awesome idea, but what about the water and electricity to clean and dry them?
I guess what I’m thinking is landfill space more important then reserving water? I’ll have to look that up!
Clean Mama Says
Great question Jenny-
I wash one load of kitchen towels and one load of napkins/kid wash cloths every week. That’s it – I’d be washing one load of towels every week anyway, so I’m just adding an additional load. Not too bad 🙂
Jenny Says
Thanks for the response. That makes sense!
Bridget Says
You are so brave! I am a germ-o-phobe so using paper towels is second nature to me. I may start slow with cloth napkins and then if it works well venture into the non paper towel world.
Where did you get your awesome jar on your counter?