Anyone else discover far more efficient ways to live life since this pause?

[LuvOrlando]

Anyone else discover far more efficient ways to live life since this pause?

I discovered that I don't need paper towels, like at all. Early on I invested in a few batches of cheap washcloths because they are washable and this is not only sanitary and renewable, because I can wash them, but I am helping the environment and landfills. Also the plastic bags I was using to collect the used washcloths made me nervous because they are plastic so I switched to pillowcases. Now I have nothing single use in the process, I simply move around my house every evening putting out stacks of washcloths in the bathroom and kitchen and wash the whole thing with laundry every other day.

 

[Forevermarypoppins]

I have Paper Towels but I use kitchens towels more. I have over 20 towels and I go thru about 5 towels a day. I'm always wiping down a table or a counter, all day everyday.

 

[pryncess527]

Same here! I pretty much only use paper towels to soak up grease from french fries or bacon. My kitchen towels do all the cleaning

 

[piccolopat]

I use paper towels for things like soaking up grease before washing a pan but I use Handiwipes for most other cleaning. We've also mindful of the number of sheets of TP we use and have been able to cut back by a sheet or 2 and conserve in this era where TP is still not usually in our stores here in NY.

 

[pklein09]

Yep...I only use paper towels to soak up grease or clean windows. I also started using cloth napkins. I had a bunch that came with table cloths and a few others that had made their way to me (i.e. linens purchased at auction). I started this back in September, and I haven't touch a paper napkin since then.

I also have found it interesting only shopping once a week in terms of what I thought I needed and what I actually used. Those zucchini....yeah....didn't use them!

 

[hsmamato2]

I like that a lot of people are realizing that paper towels are not a necessity.... I've been like this for years..... I do buy some, and use them for select purposes (dog messes) but I hide them from the fam otherwise. It's all reusable (and washed often) hand towels,face cloths,and napkins around here! Saves money, good for the environment,and no shopping needed. I could go 100% paper towel free, but I like the ease for some specific things I'm also streamlining my kitchen and cooking process more since quarantine started,since I prefer not to go shopping- we're at zero food waste right now,and I can't believe it took me this long to implement.

 

[DisneyMandC]

I like that a lot of people are realizing that paper towels are not a necessity.... I've been like this for years..... I do buy some, and use them for select purposes (dog messes) but I hide them from the fam otherwise. It's all reusable (and washed often) hand towels,face cloths,and napkins around here! Saves money, good for the environment,and no shopping needed. I could go 100% paper towel free, but I like the ease for some specific things I'm also streamlining my kitchen and cooking process more since quarantine started,since I prefer not to go shopping- we're at zero food waste right now,and I can't believe it took me this long to implement.

Same here on all of the above. Honestly the only food waste I can think of that we've had over the six weeks was one soup that we each ate a serving of and didn't really care for, so we threw the remainder out. It was a french onion soup though, so really no meat wasted and just vegetables.

I will say that I've learned that I can live without Starbucks, but I don't like to! lol! I picked up one of the glass bottle Starbucks mocha packs at Costco yesterday. They make me happy to have to drink and are cheaper than an actual trip to Starbucks. I don't like just regular coffee, so these are nice to have.

 

[scard192]

I save old ratty facecloths and use those for cleaning, always have. old dish towels and hand towels get used for cleaning too.

 

[pryncess527]

I could go 100% paper towel free, but I like the ease for some

If I didnt fry french fries at home or make bacon, i think i could too. I just havent found any good alternatives for grease! (Looking for suggestions if anyone has found a solution that doesnt just eliminate greasy food from my diet ) But it takes me forever to go through a roll.

 

[Kae]

I use about an 8 pack of paper towels a year. I have always been a Towel, rag type. We started using cloth napkins when I made ribs years ago & kinda stuck with it most the time.

 

[loves to dive]

I have always used less paper towels, I save old dish rags and dust and clean with them, have cloth napkins, etc. Hubby on the other hand, will grab a paper towel just to dry his hands no matter how many times I remind him here is a dish towel hanging right there. He pays more attention to it in the RV but not at home. I do use paper towels to clean up after the dog. I don't eat fried food and hubby had stopped after his dad had 3 massive heart attacks but about 2 weeks ago the big fryer came up from the basement. I knew I should have thrown that thing out when I had the chance. As far as food waste, we don't have much of that but it's mostly me eating left overs until they are gone. I grew up poor and having to stretch things so I'm used to it, hubby not so much. We made a lemon cake last week that called for lemon juice and zest. We had about a cup of juice left over that he wanted to throw out. I kept it, don't know what I'll use it for by george I'm not throwing it out. If I weren't out of avocados I use it for that, but alas I'm out and we shouldn't have to make a grocery run for at least a week, maybe two.

 

[MsOnceUponATime]

I have always used less paper towels, I save old dish rags and dust and clean with them, have cloth napkins, etc. Hubby on the other hand, will grab a paper towel just to dry his hands no matter how many times I remind him here is a dish towel hanging right there. He pays more attention to it in the RV but not at home. I do use paper towels to clean up after the dog. I don't eat fried food and hubby had stopped after his dad had 3 massive heart attacks but about 2 weeks ago the big fryer came up from the basement. I knew I should have thrown that thing out when I had the chance. As far as food waste, we don't have much of that but it's mostly me eating left overs until they are gone. I grew up poor and having to stretch things so I'm used to it, hubby not so much. We made a lemon cake last week that called for lemon juice and zest. We had about a cup of juice left over that he wanted to throw out. I kept it, don't know what I'll use it for by george I'm not throwing it out. If I weren't out of avocados I use it for that, but alas I'm out and we shouldn't have to make a grocery run for at least a week, maybe two.

I suggest that you make lemon shortbread cookies with a lemon glaze with the leftover lemon juice (and zest if you have any). You can thank me later!

 

[flowergirl45]

Just a suggestion for my fellow bacon lovers. First I lay down some newspapers, and then a single layer of paper towels on the top of that, so the bacon doesn’t actually touch the newspaper. Drains the bacon grease just fine, but only uses a small amount of paper towels.

 

[flowergirl45]

I substitute newspapers for paper towels when cleaning mirrors and windows. The newsprint does come off on my hands, but it leaves the glass sparkly clean. And the newsprint does wash off hands easily.

 

[pryncess527]

Just a suggestion for my fellow bacon lovers. First I lay down some newspapers, and then a single layer of paper towels on the top of that, so the bacon doesn’t actually touch the newspaper. Drains the bacon grease just fine, but only uses a small amount of paper towels.

That might be worth buying the ocassional newspaper!

 

[luv2sewtjr]

Use the lemon juice to make chicken piccata!

We’ve always used very few paper towels and had little food waste. I compost scraps but with teens, I don’t pitch much. I’ve always been a scratch cook but I did stretch my grocery from weekly to every two weeks. That has been very challenging and I think I’m going to adjust it to every 10 days. We have to mask and they limit customers in the store, so it’s not a relaxing experience.

The biggest thing for me is only spending $20 on gas over the past month and a half. That’s my usual weekly amount. Two canceled trips (one spring and one summer) have helped my bottom line but I’m going to divert some of those dollars to improve my home. Upgrade a couple little things in my kitchen (I like to use good tools) and buy my boys new beds.

 

[tiggerluver12]

If I didnt fry french fries at home or make bacon, i think i could too. I just havent found any good alternatives for grease! (Looking for suggestions if anyone has found a solution that doesnt just eliminate greasy food from my diet ) But it takes me forever to go through a roll.

Line your sheet pan with nonstick foil before baking your bacon in the oven. When done, let the pan sit until the grease has hardened, then throw away the foil.

 

[AnnaS]

Just a suggestion for my fellow bacon lovers. First I lay down some newspapers, and then a single layer of paper towels on the top of that, so the bacon doesn’t actually touch the newspaper. Drains the bacon grease just fine, but only uses a small amount of paper towels.

Not a bad idea. I can use the supermarket flyers I get in front of the house instead of newspaper.

We don't do much frying - but this is great for the very few times we fry bacon or chicken cutlets. Thanks.

Not big on paper towels here.

 

[scard192]

Old cloth diapers make great dust clothes. I know many people use disposals but some have cloth for spit up/burp clothes

 

[bearzabout]

We have found that some gadgets we rarely use during in the past are really appreciated now.
Bread machine - bakes wonderful bread for about 5 cents per loaf (using coconut oil is the key to great bread) (bought 50 lbs of bread flour and yeast from Gordon Foods)
Soda Stream - husband loves his soda water
Air fryer - restaurant quality food super fast
Vitamix - mix frozen berries from Costco with yogurt, spinach, banana and apple is a real treat (makes great java chip frappachinos also)
Waterpik style water flosser - keeps our gums super clean so we don’t have to worry about going to the dentist
Fireplace - getting rid of downed wood from our forest and saving on heating bills
Ice cream maker - our dole whip mix just arrived from Amazon
Bidet - the Luxe Neo bidet we bought for about $60 from Amazon saves us a bundle on TP
Garden supplies - have over a thousand little vegetable plants that are an inch tall so far. This new hobby will replace traveling as a hobby for us this summer.

Our new motto is “Embrace the change!”