Sustainability is something I’ve always strived for. And when we bought our house in December, I made it a priority to make as many sustainable decisions as possible (sorry paper towels, I’ll miss you.).

But as a 20-something year old with student loans and a mortgage, the idea of switching out all of my appliances, makeup, perfume, cleaning products, clothing (the list truly never ends) with sustainable alternatives not only sounds expensive, it sounds nearly impossible.

If you’re like me, being sustainable sounds like a LOT of decisions to make, a lot of comparison shopping, and ultimately a lot of pressure.

So, instead of trying to swap everything out at once, I decided to take a step-by-step approach; where when something new needed to be purchased, I’d look at it through a new lens. And I found out that it’s actually a lot easier than I thought it’d be.

Here are 8 swaps I’ve made in the last 9 months to help make my home more sustainable.

Ditch the paper towels

According to the EPA, paper makes up the largest share of municipal waste in the US. And because paper towels aren’t usually recyclable, the use of paper towels is merely for the convenience of not having to wash a rag. When I realized that, it was pretty easy to make the switch over to reusable washrags for everyday use.

Luckily, I’m married to an Italian man who wears a lot of white tank tops. Instead of using paper towels, we turn old t-shirts and worn out sheets into reusable rags that we can wash as we need.

This was one of those swaps that I thought was going to be absolutely impossible to get my husband on board with. But in reality, it’s really simple and saves you a good amount of money and guilt in the long run.

Thrift instead of buying new

Most people would say DIY instead of buying new, but let’s be honest—who has time for that. In today’s world of Facebook Marketplace and Savers and City Thrift, you can find just about anything you might need secondhand and for a fraction of the price.

We are expecting our first child on Christmas Eve and I prompted my family to buy as many of the gifts as possible (and within reason) secondhand to help the planet and their wallet.

The best part about thrift shopping is that you never know what you’re going to find, so it feels like a treasure hunt every single time!

Stop buying fast fashion

This fits into the above swap, but deserves its own line because fast fashion is absolutely terrible for the environment. Not only does textile production contribute more to climate change than flying and shipping combined, it also feeds into a system of overconsumption and underpaying workers.

If you’re not into thrifting your next favorite item of clothing, consider buying locally or from an environmentally conscious fashion company. The more we think about our purchases as long-term investments instead of short-term ones, the more we can make a difference in our consumption and environment.

Buy curtains

I put off buying curtains for one reason: I had no idea how to hang them. But after realizing just how much my windows and sliding glass doors let in heat or cool air, I knew I needed a solution.

Curtains can help insulate your building and save tons of money on energy costs. In fact, some manufacturers say that blackout curtains can save as much as 25% in thermal costs. Plus, they’re a great way to frame as pace and make it feel more homey

Get a bidet

One of my early baby shower gifts was a bidet. This was something I had wanted for awhile but kept putting off because, well, it felt weird and too new of an idea. But once it arrived, I realized just how life changing it is.

Not only will you save money on toilet paper, but they’re also more hygienic and environmentally friendly as well. If you’ve been on the fence about making this purchase, I encourage you just to try. If you hate it, toilet paper will always be there for you.

Switch to natural cleaning products

Many cleaning products are packed with chemicals and toxins. While they’re relatively safe for indoor use, there are some options that provide a more natural approach to cleaning without the harsh additives.

Finding swaps that work for you is a great way to bring more eco-friendly products into your home. Start small, with one or two products, until you find your favorite brand or style. Just remember, being marketed as “natural” doesn’t always mean that they only contain natural ingredients—look for third-party certifications or do some research before you head out to see what really fits into what you’re looking for.

Stop wrapping gifts

As someone who is about to have 5 baby showers, let me tell ya—no one understands why I’m asking them not to wrap their gifts. “But baby bags are so cute!” they say. Which, they’re not wrong about. But in reality, these bags either end up in the trash or in an endless pit in my basement of old bags that I’ll likely never reuse.

Consider putting your gifts in something, like a basket or a scarf (in Japanese, this style is called Furoshiki), that the receiver can utilize. If the gift is for a baby or wedding shower, you’re likely buying them something off their registry anyway so the gift shouldn’t come as much of a surprise.

Eat less meat

The process of raising livestock generates the same amount of greenhouse gas emissions as all vehicles combined. In our house, we’ve tried to instill meatless mondays as part of our weekly eating routine. While it doesn’t always work out, the intention is there. And not only does it save us a bit in groceries, it also helps us be more creative in the kitchen!

I know all of these at once seems like a lot of swaps to make. Don’t get overwhelmed, take it one grocery trip at a time. Maybe your first trip you focus on a veggie-forward meal plan. Next week, you can start to “forget” to buy paper towels. Eventually, you’ll form new and more sustainable habits that will start to feel more natural and just a normal part of your everyday process.

have you made any swaps in your routine in an effort to be more sustainable? We would love to hear about them in the comments!