Useful extras

August 16, 2010

Switch to refillable containers

By Kashi Read more around the house, daily challenge, eco-friendly, and good habits
Challenge Yourself for: 24 Hours

How many of your food, personal care, and household products do you store in reusable, refillable containers? Many of us go the extra mile to reuse shopping bags and invest in natural products, but buying stuff in bulk requires a little more pre–planning. Today, challenge yourself to make over your storage system. Here are some tips for safely and efficiently storing items from rice and pasta to soap and shampoo.

• Take inventory: Go through each room with a notepad and list every item that is available in bulk. Write down what sort of container it requires and how it can “travel” (e.g., foldable bags can be reused to transport dry foodstuffs to canisters at home). Take note of any changes you need to make to your storage system, for instance, larger containers or additional shelving. Record anything you need to buy. Divide the list into sections by type of product or room of the house in which it is stored.

• Shop big: Go to your favorite bulk store. Write down products you wish to buy on your next trip and where you would store them. Note whether you currently have a canister for it or not.

• Shop for canisters: Think refillable, attractive, safe and efficient.

• Build storage: Spend some time optimizing your system. Investing in canisters that hold long dry pasta or body wash might mean storing those items in a different space.

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Challenge: Look for Specials on New–to–you Bulk Foods

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  1. 48_avatar 75

  2. User_48
    rvanzile3 commented on this. about 1 year ago

    have kept bags in van when shopping grab them; have made my girls bring them to mall when they are shopping to use— although that is hard.use reusable cups for small amts of yogurt for lunch and scoop out from large containers of yogurt from store. use plastic sandwhich containers instead of plastic most of time.

  3. User_48
    rvanzile3 commented on this. over 1 year ago

    The plastic bags that bread comes in is heavy duty —will not easily rip or tear—and great for reusing to put produce in at the food store; or as pooper scooper bags for dogs.