If you are still working on disposing of a disposable mentality, here’s a question for you.  Do you still reach for a paper towel for every little spill?  Are you using paper towels for your regular cleaning?  Do you do the dishes with a paper towel?  (Egads!)  Then you still need some practice.  Make a serious effort for the next couple of weeks to make the switch to sponges, dish towels and rags, all of which can be washed and reused.

I admit that paper towels have their purpose.  If I have to wipe some raw chicken juice off the counter, I reach for a paper towel every time.  I increase the chances for a healthy home when all that nasty bacteria goes right into the trash can along with the paper towel.  If I use a sponge or dish cloth in this instance, I run the risk of spreading the bacteria all over the kitchen.  And  a trip to the doctor will definitely cost more than a paper towel.

Nonetheless, if you try, I’m sure you can reduce your paper towel use, thus turning this into this!

There is nothing that will decrease the size of your wardrobe like a random stain.  Whether it’s an ink pen that exploded in your pocket or ketchup that dribbled down the front of your shirt, a stain that goes untreated or poorly treated means tossing that item in the trash.  You can find hundreds of stain removal products at the store, but they are costly and tend to be stain specific, which means that you have to have anywhere from 10-20 products on hand to treat the stain of the day.  A less expensive, more varied and practical alternative is the use of everyday household products to remove stains.  Here are a few links to get you started.  If you don’t find the solution you need here, simply google the specifics of your stain dilemma.  Before you decide that it is not worth your time and energy to remove stains from your clothing, consider the amount of money it will cost you to replace the item you are about to toss in the garbage.