Babies are wonderful little bundles of joy, but they certainly make us rethink some of our life choices. Most new parents will need to switch up their budget now the latest addition to the family has arrived. Many also report an urge to increase the sustainability of their lifestyles to make the world a better place for their little one. That’s why today we’ve decided to explore some easy ways to cut down waste with a baby in the house:
Dirty Work
Disposable diapers contribute significantly to household rubbish in baby’s first years, so if you’re looking to cut down on waste, why not consider reusable ones? Waladi cloth nappies are better for the environment and better for your little one’s bum. In fact, they may even decrease their chances of experiencing nappy rash.
Having said that, it’s still a good idea to find the best nappy rash cream for bubs and keep some in the house. You never know when you might need it, and since an uncomfortable baby equals uncomfortable parents, it’s best to have some on hand so no-one has to rush to the shops.
Food Waste
While throwing out food isn’t ideal, it’s going to be a fact of life for at least the next few years. You’ve probably accepted that your food wastage is going to go up once your little one moves onto solid meals, but you also need to accept that between distractions and general lack of energy, you’re probably going to be leaving a lot more on your plate as well.Â
A great way to help combat this is to start a compost heap. This will help you deal with wasted food in a far nicer way than just chucking it in the bin, and it is one of the best ways to fertilize your garden, especially if you have a veggie patch.
Dress To ImpressÂ
Baby clothes are adorable. It’s easy to get sucked into buying a million tiny booties, jumpsuits, and jackets. If we’re being realistic, however, hardly any of those clothes will actually get worn more than a few times.Â
Instead of spending your whole paycheck on fast fashion for your little one, consider buying second hand. This is great for your back pocket as well as the environment, and the clothes you’re picking up from the thrift shop are probably pretty close to brand new. Bonus points here if you donate your little one’s clothes when they’re done with them.Â
Bulk Up
Buying in bulk can greatly reduce your household waste. The less packaging your product has, the less waste you create by using that product. The caveat here is that you need to be sure you’ll use the entirety of the product before it expires, otherwise you’re just transferring the waste. In addition to checking use-by dates, scan the label for a “use within x days of opening” line. Avoid buying anything you’re unsure about in a large package.Â
It’s great that you want to reduce your waste, and these tips will certainly make that easier, but you don’t need to feel bad if you’re not quite kicking all your goals right now. Your new little one is the center of your universe, and if that means a few more things end up in the bin over the coming months, it’s nothing to be ashamed of. You’ve got the rest of your life to reduce waste, increase the sustainability of your lifestyle, and build up your bank accounts. Make memories and enjoy bonding with the newest member of your family – everything else will fall into place eventually.
