If you haven’t heard of the Covid-19, where have you been the last few weeks? The whole world has fallen to it. Yes it’s right to be cautious, to take care. To self isolate if you’ve been advised and stay the feck at home. However, to selfishly bulk buy, and panic to the point of taking things out of other people’s trolleys or hands is another thing. Thankfully supermarkets are clamping down on bulk buying – but it is still happening unnecessarily.
This situation has really opened my eyes to how accustomed people have become to single use items, so much so it’s causing all the panic stock piling because people are terrified of running out. I wonder how much money people have been spending, buying certain items in bulk? It’s times like this that make me appreciate reusable’s way more than ever before. With that in mind, I thought I’d share some of the things that we use with you;
Cloth Wipes & Family Cloth
We made the switch to cloth wipes over a year ago. We started to use cloth wipes for Molly instead of baby wipes, and then we started to use cloth to replace things like kitchen roll and bathroom wipes. Now we have cloth wipes for every room in the house. Making this switch is one of the easiest switches you can make.
People have been going crazy for toilet paper, which just baffles me. `There isn’t a mass shortage, and supermarkets have advised people to stop bulk buying and emptying the shelves because this leaves nothing for the elderly, disabled or more vulnerable. Its selfish and really not needed. However, If there was to be a shortage, there is still no need to bulk buy. Why not use this time to try out cloth? You can easily buy cloth wipes online, Amazon being a good place, especially if you have Prime! However, It is just as easy making your own. You can cut up old towels, or baby muslins and use as wipes. They don’t have to be pretty or fancy – They just need to do the job! You can store them clean, in a basket and then when used they can be put into a wet bag or bucket.
Bars of Soap & Shampoo Bars
This one is pretty self explanatory. Buying bars of soap instead of bottles of shower gels and creams. I personally find that they last a lot longer than the liquid equivalent. You can get some beautifully crafted bars of soap that smell amazing, however the bog standard bars do exactly the same thing. If you find they leave your skin a little dry, find yourself a good cream to apply after your wash. Balmonds have an amazing range of bath oils and full body creams.
Shampoo and conditioning bars. If you have been following me for a while now, you will already know how much I love my shampoo bar. I got it over a year ago from Lush and its STILL in use. I wash my hair 2-3 times a week because it is so thin and gets greasy very quickly yet it is still going. To be honest, I will need a replacement pretty soon, but the fact its lasted me a whole freaking year, makes me very happy! Lush have an incredible range of bars, lotions an potions that I can’t recommend more! Another fab company for plastic free bathroom products is Ethique. They have an abundance of bar products, ranging from shampoo and conditioner, to moisturisers, deodorant, make up and more! The reason I recommend these guys is because they have a specific children’s range! We use this for Molly, but have currently run out. It’s honesty gorgeous and leaves her delicate skin super soft and smooth.
Cloth Nappies
I couldn’t believe it when I heard people were starting to clear the shelves of nappies. Liam said he went to have a look when he popped to the supermarket, and there were no nappies to be seen. They have now limited families on how many packets of nappies they can buy to 2. However, if you have multiple children in different sizes, I have heard you still can’t buy more than 2 packs. With some supermarkets limiting customers to 1 pack!
Why not buy a few reusable nappies and try them out? You don’t even have to go full on cloth. Using 2-3 cloth nappies a day can save you from going through disposables as quick. But to be honest, I feel once you try cloth, all the myths around cloth nappies will vanish and you’ll see how easy it really is! There are so many different brands and systems out there, it can see, overwhelming. I have a post on Cloth Nappies 101 here. However, I feel Littles and Bloomz on Amazon would be the perfect starter pack for a very reasonable price. Plus, they have some super cute prints!!
Sanitary Products
These are something I never thought I’d see people bloody bulk buying ( excuse the pun). The fact people who actually needed them, couldn’t get hold of them baffled me! Why? The average woman has 1 period a month, lasting roughly between 3-7 days. I fully understand that peoples flows may differ from others, but have you ever had to bulk buy before? Why now?
Now, I know I am pregnant, and I haven’t seen mother nature since July 2019, BUT before I fell pregnant, I used the period cup. A wonderful invention that you use over and over and over again each month. I also have a pair of period pants, and recently entered the world of reusable sanitary pads to use after the birth. There are so many plastic free alternatives that you can try, and use over and over without having a mad rush to the shops at midnight!
Please stop the bulk buying
If you are bulk buying, Please stop. There are key workers out there, NHS staff who work crazy ass shifts and by the time they go to the shops, they can’t get anything. That’s not right in any way. My friend Alice Spake has been working with Sanitary product companies, to ensure her local hospital have enough sanitary wear for the female nurses and Dr’s, because they just can’t get any. If you are a brand who would be interested in helping out, give Alice a message on Instagram.
People, Stop being so damn selfish, only take what you actually need! Maybe even have a think about making the switch to reusable’s! Also, stay home. The quicker people listen to this, the quicker Covid-19 will bugger off and we can all resume our normal lives the best we can.
Looking for some more Eco friendly Blog Posts?
Simple Eco-Friendly Swaps We’ve Made to Become a More Sustainable Home – Caitylis
