Tip #4: Only buy beautiful cleaning supplies.
i’m a pretty deliberating shopper. i’m not exaggerating when i say that almost every purchase i make is one i labor over: where did this come from? how long it travel? who made it? how long will it last? can i afford it? is it sustainable? it can be a little bit overwhelming.
but in a tiny apartment with limited space, the beauty and utility of even everyday cleaning supplies is important. unable to stash ugly plastic brooms or scrub brushes into a pantry or closet, i’ve become obsessed with slowly finding long-lasting replacements for the plastic-handled accoutrements i’ve been toting around since college. the sticking point being, of course, that throwing all formerly purchased scrubbers to the landfill only for the sake of beauty is, alas, also not a sustainable solution. the process, therefore, has been slow. and this tip is more of a warning to any readers just starting out: that pink plastic broom might seem like a cheap solution now, but chances are it’ll hang around for longer than you want it to.
two of my go-to places to shop for lovely and durable home goods are brook farm general store and the green depot. as it turns out, things that are made to last, are also usually easy on the eyes.*
*if any one has any tip for a beautiful toilet brush: i’m all ears.
16 Comments
you should be writing for a magazine which includes articles pertaining to apartment living! Loving your posts about your "beautiful apartment" which is a direct quote from the Delhi dweller. Keep them coming!
This is really inspiring. I find that I end up buying something cheap and plastic when it comes to cleaning equipment because usually it's easy to get my hands on and I can "hide it away." But you bring up good points about the longer term impact of buying that stuff to begin with. Thanks for this…you've got me thinking about how to make the transition. 🙂
@linda ha! thank you. that certain Delhi dweller is cracking me up with her posts! so glad you encouraged her to write!
as a collector for years, i wish i was more discerning as now we have many things. i love brook general store. they have the most wonderful things and are so nice. they remember us when we visit and i love their dog … she is so mellow.
I just moved into a tiny apartment so I'm loving this, keep the tips a flowin'!
Love this post. Totally agree. I am all ears for a pretty toilet brush too!!
Erin! I kept my eyes out for you at Stone Barns today. I was there for lunch with a friend and a lovely little self-guided tour. That's where you work, right? It's absolutely stunning.
Good advice, my friend. I should take a page out of your book.
How true that first paragraph!
Better late, than never, right? At slightly bigger, but lacking loft space 325, I agree with the pretty cleaning supplies thing. I found an expensive, but much better than the 99 cent Ikea one I'd had at Life Without Plastic.
Didn't quite make that clear, a better looking *toilet brush* that I found at Life Without Plastic. I think it was around 30 for a wooden brush and stand set, 10 for just the brush. I think it's so much prettier, and it hangs over a ceramic dish instead of sitting in a little bowl, so it feels so much more hygienic. Hope that helps!
Another idea for the toliet brush is you can cover the handle with duck tape. There are lots of cool prints available now.
Just browsing the Brook Farm General Store website (love!), and noticed that they do have a lovely wooden toilet brush!
Enjoying your blog immensely.
Just browsing the Brook Farm General Store website (love!), and noticed that they do have a lovely wooden toilet brush!
Enjoying your blog immensely.
Just found this post in a roundup of green cleaning tips from Rebecca Atwood in which she mentions this: http://www.remodelista.com/posts/housekeeping-loo-brush 🙂 Hope you're doing well, Erin!
Beautiful Toilet Brush! (er, the most beautiful one I've found…)
http://www.lifewithoutplastic.com/store/plastic-free-wooden-toilet-brush-and-wooden-stand-stiff-bristles.html
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