In prep for stART at the Station Worcester's largest holiday marketplace for crafters and artisans I am working tirelessly on product for the show. We had a spot last year upstairs in a tiny area and I did fairly well. This year we have a HUGE space and I am trying to figure out what to make that has high-giftability ( is that a word? if you speak craft then yes, yes it is) Long story short, I am making one of different things to see what I love. So far we have bird ornaments, a stuffed creature ( he's at the top of the list), some mini stockings from felt and now some hand painted flour sac towels....
I think I am having my quarter life crisis ( it's a real thing, google it) in crafting- not really in regular life. There comes a point where you have to start making what you love to make and not what will sell, or so I hear. One of things I am most passionate about is striving for a greener life. My husband has stuck by me through it all, composting, the mentality of " if its yellow let is mellow," organic food, and even a papertoweless life. It was my New Year's Resolution last year and it stuck. We abolished paper towels from our existence and we are all the better for it. Sometimes I miss them. I get a little teary when I am in a public restroom and get to dry my hands with papery goodness but then I think of all those poor trees and how I need to save them for my son.
We have an massive amount of towels for drying and cleaning, a whole cubboard devoted to them but NONE of them are pretty. I got to thinking, what if someone made some pretty ones, HOW about ME? So I made a few and I am quite happy with them. I sewed a big loop so they can be hung dry and even made some with sayings from my shirt collect like ' locally grown.'
If you have pondered taking up a papertoweless life I encourage you to give it a try, and soon!
Here are some tips for starting your towely stash:
- Begin by setting a date where you will stop buying paper towels. ( tomorrow, check!)
- Cut up rags ( old shirts work great, or buy a few packs of rags at Ikea they have a 12 pack for 4$!)
- Find a location to stash your new collection close to your kitchen and cleaning supplies
- Place a small basket or bin near your washing machine for your dirty rags, that way they have their own wash together ( makes it easier to fold them all up and place them back in their home)
- Use them for EVERYTHING and ENJOY. If one gets really grimy simply toss it out.
***GIVEAWAY*** ( yay!)
Please answer the following:
What are your thoughts on papertoweless living? Could you do it ? Would you do it ?
OR, Do you already live free of paper towels and disposable napkins, what is your favorite tip?
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One winner with the best comment will be selected to receive a pretty homemade flour sac cloth from ROBAYSTUDIO to start their towely stash!
Good luck....
We have cut waaaay down on our paper towel usage and mainly keep them on hand for doggie accidents :) I bought a stash of the super-absorbent shammies, and I'll just toss them in with our regular towels (unless one gets really manky). They really work better on our countertops and floors, too. Yay!
ReplyDeletePapertoweless living? I would love to give this a try. My husband already calls me captain planet and that's just because I make him put things in the recycle bin that he wants to trash. How could I get him on board? My best tip for using cloth napkins is to wrap your fruit in them to take to work - keeps the fruit from getting bruised and then the napkin is right there for you to use!
ReplyDeleteWe do it! We've designated white facecloths as our rags - cheap in a multi-pack at so many stores and that way there's no confusion with our regular facecloths, plus that way they can be bleached every once in a while (like, once a year, I'm not a fan of bleach) if they become completely grody. Those are our household cleaning cloths and we have a mondo stack of towels, IKEA cloths and dishrags in the kitchen.
ReplyDeletePaper towels are reserved for *very* rare occasions - pretty much only when the dog is ill.
I've been inspired! We've just run out of paper towels and I was going to go shopping for them yesterday. Then I read your post. ;o) I've since cut up old flannel shirts that we had and have a new pile of kitchen towels!
ReplyDelete