So in January a full 11 months ago I decided to go on my own less plastic journey.

I swapped simple stuff first, Remembering to take my own bags and not buying a 5p one. Bought myself a keep cup so I didn’t have to buy a coffee, as it is I’ve not used it in a shop for coffee we had such a lovely summer coffee really wasn’t needed that much! When it was it stored my milk in. I used my reusable water bottle and can proudly say I’ve only bought one bottle of water this year. That was needed at the hospital. As for plastic fizzy drinks bottles I know I’ve bought 2, and had 2 bought for me. I now choose cans over bottles and if there’s only bottles I’ll wait.

I’ve swapped from bleach to my own toilet bombs, from lush bath bombs to my own. Swapped shampoo and conditioner bottles to bars and make my own soap. Swapped from washing powder to soap nuts and vinegar and essential oil for cleaning. My csp instead of a pack of always a month, I have reusable kitchen roll and bought sponges for the kitchen and bathroom.

All my Christmas gifts this year have been wrapped with brown paper and coloured paper tape, with some cotton and a bell for design. Each gift that has been purchased I’ve tried to swap plastic for something else. There’s stuff that’s shrink wrapped and that I can’t help. I went for wooden toys for Z over plastic. The only cards I’ve bought are from the local school, but I had lots from the sales last year.

some of my swaps

Shampoo 2.99 x 6 =17.94 x 2 for conditioner = £35.88. ( swapped to bars)

Soap £2.50 x 12 = £30 ( make my own)

bleach £1 a week £52 ( make my own toilet bombs)

Cleaning spray £1.50 x 6 = £9 ( vinegar and essential oil )

floor cleaner £2 = £24 ( vinegar essential oil boiling water)

Clothes £1 = £10 ( sponges)

Mop bucket £5 = £10 it snaps at least once a year or I kick it! ( metal bucket )

Mop £5 x 3 15 ( wooden mop with cotton head)

Food bags – £1 (100) = £4 ( beeswax wraps)

Razors £3.50 = £35 ( safety razor )

5p bqgs 2 per week (104) x 5p = £5.20 ( take my own)

washing powder £10 x 3 = £30 ( soap nuts)

260 .08

Of course I had to purchase stuff in order to be able to make my own.

– £10 melt and pour

– £5 dye

– £15 oils.

– £10 soap nuts

29p x 5 = 1.45 vinegar.

14.32 citric acid

14.32 bicarbonate of soda

£7 wax

Razor £10.00 £1 blades

2.99 material

Mop and metal bucket £14

Shampoo & conditioner £14

119.09

So if my maths are correct, i would have spent roughly £260 this year on plastic! Yes I’ve spent around 120 on stuff to make my soap etc, but I still have half the box left, still loads of essential oils and soap dye that will see me well into 2019, meaning I’ve saved roughly £140’s or so on stuff I didn’t need to! I didn’t include in this my fabric conditioner ( I’m sure that would have saved me loads of money! Along with always but as I stopped using those in August 2017 I didn’t think it was a swap this year)

This year I’ve felt better than I’ve done in any year. I’ve felt healthier and don’t seem to have caught the colds everyone else has had.

I’m a long way off zero waste, but I’m proud of how far I’ve come this year. Next year hopefully I can change a few other things as of yet I’m not quite sure!

Now I’m hoping that everyone will like their (what I hope) useful gifts!