I Can't Believe I'm Doing This

So one of the biggest hurdles for me in Zero Waste Week, Ditch the Disposables and now my Bash the Trash is giving up tissues for hankies.

I don’t know why they bother me so much but they do. I mean we use cloth napkins and those can get pretty gross, but then I just wash them.

I think it may be because any kind of bodily fluid grosses me out. I know, I’m a mom with two boys and I can’t handle body goo, the irony is not lost on me. My Gramma has often said she was very worried about me having a baby because of my fastidious ways, but I changed a diaper like a pro.

Or maybe it’s the memories of my dad and his hankie. He would use it and then stuff it into his back pocket, which is exactly what me brother does now.

So maybe it’s not so much the snot, I mean I don’t have a problem using toss away tissues, it’s the using it over and over again before washing it. Just the thought makes me gag a little.

So anyways, Lisa suggested making ones that were only about 4 inches squared, that way it’s enough to get the job done but not so big it could be used again before being washed.

So this weekend when my mom said we needed to add tissues to the grocery list I said “how about we (as in you) make some instead?” (She loves that I keep coming up with all these projects for her!)

So Monday night that’s what we (she) did. She bought 2 yards of unbleached muslin and some thread for about $15 and will be able to make at least 50 hankies.

Now she didn't make them in the 4x4 size but their not too big either.

She just stitched around the edges to keep them from unraveling when they get washed.



This basket was actually given to Dylan by my sister Holly but he let me take it to keep our hankies in.



I really didn't want to put all those snotty hankies in with my regular laundry so I found this basket to keep in the laundry room.



So we are now tissue free as well as paper towel and snack bag free. I'm pretty proud of us and the changes that we're making. And all these changes have been a lot easier then I had originally thought they'd be. Well, all but the hankies maybe! ;)

Which finally brings me to the gifts that I’ve been talking about for anyone who commits to join me in reducing their trash in my Bash the Trash challenge that runs until October 6th. If you leave a comment here or on any Bash the Trash post saying that you’ll be joining in and become a fan on Facebook so you can post pics of your trash or leave feedback on how it’s going for you you’ll get 2 snack bags and 3 hankies.

P.S. My mom's so happy about how they turned out and how easy they were to make she’s thinking about selling them along with the snack bags. If you’re interested let me know!