5 Tips on How NOT to Forget Your Reusable Products
Tell me if this sounds like you… You took the first step and invested in some eco-friendly products that are reusable rather than disposable. Hooray! But now... if only you could remember to actually BRING the items with you! Oh man, this is probably the hardest step in the process. It’s tough breakin’ old habits that you’ve been conditioned to do since you were a kid.
Let me first remind you, we are all human. Transitioning into a more sustainable lifestyle is far from easy and doesn’t happen overnight. You’re going to forget. It’s inevitable. But, how can we start building habits to more easily integrate this into our lifestyle so it isn’t a second thought? I’ll tell ya what has been helping me, personally. Here we go!
How to Remember to Actually Bring Your Eco-Friendly Products
1. Keep reusable bags in your car OR get one that easily folds up in your bag. Easy, done! You can do this. Now, what if you forget the bags in the car? WELL, as soon as you realize it, I say walk back and get it. It’s not convenient, but it will teach you the inconvenience of having to go back and get it which might help. Also, once you get back to your house and unload the groceries, hang the bag on your front door, so you remember to take it back out to the car with you when you leave next.
2. Pre-pack a little to-go pouch with your eco-essentials. If I’m going to be out and about for the day, I grab my pre-packed reusable goodies. This includes my bamboo cutlery, stainless steel straw, cloth napkin, and beeswax wrap for grab n’ go leftovers. I pack it all into a reusable Stasher bag which can also be used for food storage. The key here is to always have this pre-packed and ready to go, so you can just grab it and put it in your bag. When I come home, I wash it, repack it, and leave it in my tote bag so it’s there when I need it next. [Related: Easy Swaps for a Sustainable Kitchen]
3. Keep your water bottle in your bag and hang your bag on the front door. Water bottles are one of the easiest things to forget and they are even more annoying to clean. But, what if I told you there’s a bottle out there that is the world’s first self-cleaning water bottle? Say whaaat? Thanks to technology, LARQ water bottles neutralize up to 99.9999% of harmful, odor-causing bacteria. It uses UV-C light that purifies your water in 60 seconds with the press of a button, and self cleans itself every two hours. Now you’ve got no excuse - keep that self-cleaning bottle stashed in your bag, hang it on the door, and you’ll be set to not forget!
4. If you work in an office keep a reusable mug and water bottle at work and wash it there (or let it self-clean itself like LARQ). This way, you’ll never have to worry about forgetting it at home. You’ve got yourself two sets, and now there’s no more hauling it back and forth.
5. But, what if you forgot your reusable coffee mug and you really need that cuppa joe? Consider dining in if you have the time. If you’re on a tight timeline and you’re just dyyyying for some coffee, take the cup sans the plastic lid and aim to do better next time. But, just FYI, most plastic lids contain BPA which is a very harmful chemical that even in small amounts can disrupt your hormones. So, imagine how that adds up over time. The insides of the cups are typically lined with plastic too. It is what it is… but hopefully, this knowledge will empower you to remember your reusable mug for the planet but also for your dear hormones! [Related: 3 Simple Ways to Go Green Today and Every Day]
Lastly, don’t forget to check out LARQ, the world’s first self-cleaning water bottle! It’s so worth the investment, especially if you’re a frequent traveler like me. When I’m on the go, I always struggle with refilling my bottle from water source I don’t trust nor like the taste. LARQ has made traveling and refilling my bottle so much easier. I don’t have to worry about washing it, and I can really enjoy my trip while staying hydrated!
