Three years ago I used to blow through paper towels. Zach and I would use them to wipe our nose, clean the counter, dry our hands, etc. Next thing you know, you are replacing roll after roll and it's not only expensive, but it's taking over your trash can! When I realized how convenient and comfortable we felt with paper towels, I realized it was time to say goodbye.
When you decide to get rid of something that has always been such a staple, it can be a little nerve-wracking. Really, changing anything that is habit can be frightening but that feeling doesn't last very long. Once we ran out of that last roll of paper towels, it gave us no choice but to figure something out. So what are some tips for ditching the disposable?
Old T-shirts
If you have one or two old t-shirts that you don't use anymore, go ahead and grab those and a pair of scissors. You can get 2-4 squares out of a t-shirt and use those for cleaning or drying your hands. This is a simple way to upcycle an old t-shirt into something new!
Dish Towels
We started out using what we already had which was dish towels! All the cutesy holiday ones were pulled out of our drawers and used to dry dishes, clean our hands, or wipe up spills. Together, we decided which color would be for cleaning purposes and which would be for napkin purposes so that we didn't cross over and it has worked ever since!
Reusable Paper Towels
If you are wanting to get a little fancier (because who are we kidding aesthetics do matter) then you can always purchase deluxe paper(less) towels! This is another easy peasy way to replace your paper towels. Made from upcycled fabrics, you can put these guys in the washing machine and they are already preshrunk!
Don't be afraid to take the plunge and ditch paper towels! Your bank account will thank you, and so will the environment. It can be hard to make changes, but each reusable choice over a disposable choice makes such a big difference.