Mid January and we have had our first week back to routine after the break. A sure sign to confirm it is when I can’t believe the week has gone so fast, and also I’m blank about what I’ve been doing. Yep. I’m back on auto pilot.
Children are back at school full time. Middle is choosing GCSE subject options. We went one evening to school for a meeting and a chance to talk to teachers about their subjects. Driving through narrow, high hedge, twisty country lanes in the dark and meeting commuters coming the other way, is my least favourite way to drive, but the evening ruled out one subject and confirmed another, so it was worth it.
I’m working on our journey to more eco-friendly living. I’m trying to bring in a small change each week. This week, we ditched the liquid soap. It’s been driving me slightly nutty to throw the pump part of the soap bottle in the bin for the landfill. The nearest refill station is a good 20 minutes drive each way, which kind of defeats the object. I’ve tried refills in a bottle, but the ones available don’t suit everyone in the house. This week, we discussed switching to soap bars. I find introducing a new idea, best discussed, as we sit down together in the evening for our meal. Reservations are ironed out and people are won round.
Upshot is, we have switched. They actually seem to prefer it. Oddly, I feel I wash my hands more thoroughly. Taking more time. Or is it that this is the way I learnt to wash my hands? I don’t know, but I’m glad to be buying no more plastic soap pumps.
In another attempt to get away from waste, I’ve been trying out different after school snacks. They always burst through the door famished. I’ve made fruit cake that used up the last of our jar of mincemeat. Cheese biscuits that used up the remains of the Christmas cheese platter. Also granola that used up the dried fruit, nuts and seeds left at the bottom of packets. I splashed out and made brownie. Oh so sweet, so that may not happen again until I forget it takes 450g (1 pound) of sugar.
To even the scales, I’ve prepared fruit and vegetables for them to snack on too. On balance, it has cut down on plastic and other packaging, and used up left over food, so I’m counting it as a win.
My decluttering continues. I’ve gone through my jumper drawer and thinned out the coats on the children’s pegs. The coats were gathering dust due to children growing out of them, rather than falling to pieces, so they are heading for the charity shop. ( I have washed the coats. Not sending them with dust!)
It seems I’m following a bit of a pattern here (accidental pun). Last week, I outed 40+ books and bought one. This week, I outed 12+ jumpers and I’ve started knitting a new one. Already written about this one yesterday, but seeing as I’ve made progress, I’ll give up small update. I’m making a cardigan with cable panels. Almost finished the left front.
Apart from the increase of morning dog walks for me, as I take over again from my husband when it’s his day to run or he’s up in London, and a visit to family over the weekend, that pretty much wraps up my week.
How was your week? I hope you all have a relaxing and good weekend.
Linking up to Anne for word of the week. Mine’s routine, which seemed to be a popular word last week. I must be a week behind everyone else!
Anyone for cake?
Raisie Bay – Word of the Week
That cardigan looks lovely, I’ve never been able to knit. I like that you are changing your habits bit by bit. I think maybe we could move from liquid soap, we get through so much and there is so much plastic waste. I had a bar of soap in a Christmas gift so I’ll put that out and see how we go.
Thanks for linking up to #wotw
Soap for Christmas sounds like it will be a lovely pamper too. Hope it is tempting to the rest of the family. Time to use it.
Decluttering is an ongoing thing all year then it is thrown off course by Christmas. Charity shops are a great place for sending things to but I totally get being lured in by bargains too. #mmbc
That cardigan pattern looks so pretty. What a good idea to use up the last of the Christmas leftovers in after school snacks. Glad the GCSE meeting was useful. I’m not a fan of driving down narrow twisty country lanes generally – I usually get hubby to do the driving if I know we need to go down any! We switched from liquid soap to soap bars last year and I prefer it too. It’s easier to try and change things bit by bit – I’ve been doing the same. Hope you are having a lovely weekend. #WotW
There are so many lovely soaps to try too.
I bet its like a bottomless pit when you start thinking of reducing plastic, we get through a lot of straws to have replace them with paper, but everything we use contains plastic in some way it really is crazy, the hand soap is a great idea as we get through loads I am going to research a solution or maybe just buy in bigger bottles to save on waste of smaller bottles. And also the cakes are a great idea as every snack has a wrapper. Love the sweater too x
I know what you mean about it feeling like a bottomless pit. So many ways to change. Just one step at a time.
Good luck with your middle child choosing their GCSE’s. It’s such a big thing isn’t it!
Using bars of soap instead of liquid handwash is a great idea. I know if I use a bar of soap I tend to clean them better too.
It sounds like you’ve had a busy week. I am going to start clearing out the bookshelves this week. There are so many that’s I’ve read and never will again and tons that the kids have grown out of.
Wow! It sounds like you have had a productive week. I love the pic of Hero casually walking through the woods without a care in the world. 🙂
Love how you have put a few changes into place. We are having a good declutter when my bags come from the British Heart Foundation. I have a feeling we will be filling most of them!
Thanks for sharing with #MMBC. Hope you’ve had a good weekend. x
That’s such a good idea about the soap bar, I think when it comes to eco-friendly living going back to some of the old ways of doing things is actually the way forward. I’m trying to cut down on food waste this year which is proving difficult in a house of fussy eaters but I persevere. I hope you’ve had a nice weekend x #wotw
The sweater pattern is so pretty. I do love a beautiful cardigan. Interesting story about the switch to bar soap. I have a bar of soap and a bottle of liquid soap in my bathroom. The liquid soap is also my shampoo & is really a olive oil based soap versus a detergent. It is very mild with herbs. Works for me but I don’t have a family to please. I also have the bar because some friends who drop by like the bar. #MMBC
Your baking sounds delicious. Anything with mincemeat in it sounds good to me! Like the idea of returning to soap bars. I also hate throwing all those plastic containers away 🙁 #MMBC
Well done for switching over to soap – its not something I really thought about but you’re right its such a waste of plastic! Well done for using up leftovers too – the fruit cake looks delicious! #MMBC
I have never really thought about those plastic pumps. I think we should consider our soap options too. I still remember choosing my GCSE’s I hope some good choices were made. Love the ideas of the after-school snacks too #WotW
Yes. Those pesty soap pumps are great to use, but not so easy to dispose of.