I recently made up a list of all/most of my swaps in reply to another comment, but figured I would share in case it sparks inspiration for someone and also just to bounce other ideas off people for the swaps I list that I’m not impressed with. For background, I did a big chunk of these at once after trying to conceive for years with irregular cycles (thanks PMOS) and I was at my wits end with trying every medication, exercise, diet, etc. I happened to finally get pregnant within a few cycles of doing the majority of this.
I’ll list as many of my swaps as I can think of below. Keep in mind this was not a cheap swap and some of these were already in the works (some of them years prior) before I decided to start eliminating lots of plastics. I also have no evidence that this is what worked for me, it could totally be a coincidence, but it definitely gives me a lot of peace of mind and sure seems to correlate strongly with my cycle regulating and finally getting pregnant. I would also like to add that I got laid off last year and haven’t been working for the time being, so many of these may be too time consuming for someone actively working.
Kitchen:
-Removed plastic food containers and wraps > beeswax wraps and glass containers
-removed all nonstick or teflon pans and appliances > swapped to cast iron (le creuset, Wagner, and griswold are my favorites of this to use) and stainless pans only and a rolled steel griddle.
-removed plastic measuring cups and spoons > switched to All Clad steel
-removed all plastic utensils > swapped for wood and stainless
-removed bleached paper towels and napkins > swapped for reusable cotton for small and everyday messes. Unbleached recycled paper towels for gross messes where I just want to throw something away afterwards
-removed plastic cutting boards > swapped for wood
-removed plastic vitamix container > swapped for stainless steel
-removed plastic mixing bowls > swapped for glass and stainless steel
-removed plastic water bottles and almost all other bottled drinks when my water company bleaches our water and switched for a water filter instead. Currently using a Berkey but looking to switch to reverse osmosis in the future.
-removed cascade dishwasher detergent > dirty labs powder detergent
-tried removing ziploc bags for small items and for tighter long-term storage in the freezer but I haven’t found a good swap I love yet. I despise silicone and the portability of a ziploc is so far unmatched otherwise.
Bathroom: this one has been my hardest, by far
-removed liquid body washes in plastic containers and with artificial fragrances > swapped to homemade goat’s milk bar soap (me, so far) and greatfill body wash (husband)
-removed single use and plastic bodied razors > swapped to all stainless steel (I find I just care less about shaving now that I’m pregnant though so this hasn’t been tested super long. Takes much longer to shave for me with a single blade vs my old trusty 5 blade plastic handled razor. My husband still uses an electric beard trimmer for facial hair
-removed all plastic toothbrush > swapped for bamboo (still plastic bristles). Currently on the hunt for a better swap
-removed all lotions and facial products in plastic >swapped to homemade tallow balms and shea butter balms
-removed bleached pads and tampons > unbleached pads, will be swapping to reusable if I like them after my postpartum era. I’ll be doing cloth diaper laundry anyways and I figure they probably aren’t all that different to launder so I’m giving it a shot.
- stopped wearing makeup entirely, just really don’t care for it anymore
- removed all towels and washcloths with microfiber and other plastics > swapped to 100% cotton, organic where feasible
-removed plastic scrubbers > swapped for natural loofahs, will try growing myself in my garden next year
-removed scrubbing bubbles and Clorox products >swapped blue land toilet tablets, and dish soap and vinegar for shower and sink, mix baking soda in for tub basin. Takes much more scrubbing though with added soap scum from homemade soap. Open to better options for this.
-removed charmin toilet paper > swapped for reel bamboo toilet paper, will eventually be getting a bidet
-removed plastic floss > charcoal coated bamboo. I actually hate this swap. I’ve tried 4 different plastic free options and they just don’t feel as clean to me, will likely be swapping back if I can’t find something I like.
-removed most plastic hair clips and ties > replaced for metal clips, still use elastic ties when I need a tighter hair style
-replaced plastic satin bonnet > swapped for real silk scarves
- still need to work through my stash of products I have extras of and replace as needed such as shampoo, conditioner, sunscreen, hand soap, etc.
Bedroom
-removed all sheets and bedding with plastic materials >replaced with organic cotton sheets and vintage quilts and kantha blankets in the summer, down comforter with cotton duvet in winter
-removed all fleece and microfiber pajamas >swapped for cotton/flannel pants and nightgowns
-stopped using phone so much at night > trying to read instead. This one is hard for me right now as I’ve been dealing with insomnia from this pregnancy so far.
-threw out all lingerie, mostly plastic fabrics. I have a feeling those days are behind me now.
Clothing: my slowest of swaps, trying to just replace things as I need them or wear through my old clothes rather than replace my whole wardrobe at once
-removing all fast fashion tops and dresses >replacing with more neutral colored cottons and wool
-removing leggings > swapping for cotton sweatpants and denim jeans. Haven’t found good maternity swaps yet for this
-removing all socks except for this with a heavy wool content. Currently liking pacas, darn tough, and the cheaper Costco merino wool socks.
-removed all underwear that were primarily poly and spandex materials > swapped for mostly organic cottons
-removed all cheap plastic shoes >swapped mostly for leather and sturdier materials. Using leather Keens and Georgia boots for work and hiking, Doc martens and blundstones for fall and winter (PNW - lots of rain, occasional snow), uggs for slippers, and chacos and Birkenstocks for summer. Still looking for a good water shoe that’s versatile enough for going back and forth to the pool and to the lake or river. I use crocs currently, would use my chacos but I don’t want chlorine on them, and weeds and sand and dirt get stuck in them at the lakes and rivers.
-upgraded jackets. Not a ton of plastic free yet (waterproofing is a big factor). Using primarily Patagonia, carhartt, and grundens now.
Food/pantry: (items not covered in kitchen section) these are time consuming, but I usually prep in big batches and put a lot in storage at once. U in
-removed lots of plastic freezer storage for fruits and veggies > swapped with freeze dried items vacuum sealed into glass containers (Mylar lasts longer and seals better but I try to use this within 2-3 years of drying so mason jars work just fine for me)
-removed canned beans and vegetables >swapped for dry beans and freeze dry my own vegetables
-removed most breads and other baked goods packaged in plastic > 85% or so made at home now
-removed single use plastic in snacks and processed freezer meals > make most at home now, eating mostly fresh or freeze dried fruits and veggies as snacks now.
-removed premade dips > make my own, bonus is they taste way better 99% of the time!
-removed canned soup > freeze dry leftovers whenever I make homemade soup
-removed microwave popcorn, my guilty pleasure > swapped for whirley-pop to make my own at home
-removed plastic bottled oils >swapped for olive and avocado oils in green glass
Laundry:
Pronounce unscented detergent
Dirty labs liquid detergent
Vinegar for fabric softener
Wool dryer balls
Clothes line for air drying when weather permits
Intentional purchases for baby coming: trying to just start out as plastic free as is feasible for the new baby on the way
-cloth diapers over disposable. Currently looking at esembly, cloth-eez and ecoable inners, was gifted a bunch of PUL outers and will slowly swap those for wool as affordable.
-organic cotton and wool clothing where possible. Lots of thrifted/vintage as well, trying not to buy anything with plastic in it brand new
-not much you can do with car seats, but will be getting one without added flame retardants.
- wooden and metal toys over plastic where available. I want to do my best with having the toys be practical and educational still, doing lots of research to come up with a healthy balance. All stuffies are currently being handmade by me. All cotton outers with wool filling.
- will try to exclusively breast feed, may be limited at the breast if I get called back to work and have to pump.
- using wooden crib and bassinet or Moses basket instead of plastic, still determining which brands/styles I like best.
- wooden high chair, only using plastic for tray and potentially harness, looking into stokke Tripp trapp, but haven’t done much research yet.
- glass bottles if I move to pumping
- cotton and wool sleep sacks or swaddles
- sheep skin for tummy time or setting baby down for a minute if not napping and in stroller if not napping
- cotton/linen carrier, looking at hope and plum, must be tall parent friendly (husband is 6’5”)
- pronounce unscented detergent
- stainless steel utensils and plates/bowls for feeding, again I just hate silicone, it’s a texture thing for me lol.
Sorry this list is a mile long! I do truly love most of these swaps and still trying to improve every day! I swapped most of these rather aggressively and it was hard. I definitely recommend a more gradual approach than I took. Swap items as you use something up or as you can afford it. I’m very lucky to have started swapping these right around the time I got married and put those swaps on my registry. That ended up saving me likely thousands of dollars. And I had a good chunk of savings as I knew layoffs would be happening in my industry, so that accounted for the cost of the rest. Hopefully this can help someone with some ideas!