Five Simple Accessories and Tools that Can Help You Lead a More Eco-friendly Lifestyle

Do a quick search of your home and make an inventory list of how many items you have of the following: balls, crayons and clothes? Chances are, if you are a parent or caregiver, you have more of these items than you can count. The following are simple accessories and tools you should purchase and keep at home in order to lead a more eco-friendly lifestyle and avoid future unnecessary purchases.

1) Manual air pump
A manual air pump usually costs about $15. However, it saves you a lot of money because you no longer will be tempted to buy the $2 or $5 plastic ball on sale at the local dollar or supermarket. You will use the manual air pump to pump air back into balls you have at home so that they can be used and enjoyed by children again.

2) Craft storage container
For each child you have at home, purchase an inexpensive craft storage container so that he or she has a place to put crayons, scissors, tape, glue, pencils, erasers, rulers and stickers. This will alleviate the purchase of multiple items in the future. I grew up using the same (yes, I repeat) the same pair of steel scissors for over 20 years so having a simple storage container is great for the environment and your wallet.

3) Sewing kit
No, I am not referring to the sewing kit you can get from a hotel room stay. Purchase a sewing kit with adequate spools of threads in the following popular colors (black, white, beige, blue and grey). Having a sewing kit enables you to adjust clothing size. I've purchased pants (2 years older than my children) and adjust the width and height within ten minutes. You can always "let the seams out" as your children grow. This saves a lot of money and is great for the environment.

4) Glass food storage containers
Buy multiple glass food storage containers so that you can store food leftovers in your refrigerator without using disposable plastic containers or plastic wraps. One simple glass food storage container can lasts a lifetime and can help you avoid using on average 120 disposable plastic containers.

5) Organic cotton cloths
Use organic cotton cloths to clean kitchens, bathrooms, floors, etc. throughout the house. If you do not use harsh chemical cleaning solutions, you will be able to reuse these cotton cloths again and again for cleaning purposes. Just throw them in the washer and dryer and when you remove them from the dryer, don't bother folding them up (who has the time?). Toss them into a clean tote bag under your bathroom sink so you know where to grab them the next time you are in a cleaning mood.