Using Less Paper

I made a decision a few years ago to attempt to use fewer paper products in our home. I figured it was the next step along the frugality path. I didn't do so well in the paper area. This is what we use and why we can't do without it.

1. The all-important TP. It's a must. Period.

2. Feminine hygiene. I've researched a device called The Keeper and looked at making cloth pads, but while store-bought feminine hygiene products are available to me I'll keep purchasing them. I figure if the end-of-the-world-as-we-know-it happens and money is worthless and store shelves are empty, I'll use cloth pads. But I'm really hoping my moon-tides will be behind me by then.

3. Facial tissue. This is one area where I'm happy with my progress. We don't buy it. I have a couple of hankies (one my grandma made) I keep in my night-stand because I have this night-time runny nose thing. Hubby rarely blows his nose (usually only when he has a cold) and will grab TP if needed.

These are straight off the clothesline. I think they're pretty. Just so you know how far off the mark I've gotten, I was so excited about these hankies, that I had decided to make some with crocheted lace for my DILs for their young children's noses. When I told Sister, she looked at me in shock then turned her head away and shuddered. Actually shuddered! Hankies gross her out. Of her top 10 shudder-causing memories is Dad's enthusiastic schnoz-tootin' into his blue or red hanky. AND THEN FOLDING IT UP AND PUTTING IT INTO HIS POCKET! Hmmm. It could be that I'm the only one who's excited about this.

4. Paper towels. I have rags in the kitchen and use them where I can - for spills and such. We use paper towels pretty much just for covering plates in the microwave. Oh, and for cleaning cast iron when we're in the hills, but I could use rags for that. I get the Viva Choose-a-Size so we technically only use 1/2 a paper towel at a time.

I can't get over that last microwave hump. I don't want to have to clean the pops and sizzles out of the mic every time I heat something up, but I haven't come up with anything else to take the place of paper towels. I need to look for some kind of cover that's not plastic and is microwave safe and lightweight and fits over a plate or bowl (and is cheap!). Still workin' on it.

5. Paper napkins, plates, plastic cups, utensils. We use cloth napkins. We have a box of paper plates, napkins and plastic cups, utensils that are left over from Cub- and Boy Scouts. Yeah. We've had them a while - maybe ten years or more. Sometimes we break them out when we're having a big BBQ or picnic or something, but we only use them once or twice a year. Other than that, I'm OK with washing real plates and cloth napkins.

So there you have it. We're doing better in the paper category, but I fear this is as far as we're gonna go.  Unless, of course, TSHTF. If it happens, we'll hammer out the paper thing then.