Home. The destination I’m learning to love more and more with each passing day. And I’ve slowly learned that there are so many ways to save more at home – things I never thought of before.
With slower living comes more intentional thinking…
If 2020 taught us anything, it’s that intentional and slower living is good for the soul. It’s often also good for the household wallet, your relationships, and your mental health. It’s the little things we do each day that make up most of our life, but little adjustments can make a world of difference (emphasis on world intended).
Here are some of the things we’ve been doing to save more (time, energy, and water) and were things we never thought about before:
#1: Dishwasher over hand washing
This actually isn’t new for me haha I’ve been preaching to anyone who’s been willing to listen that washing dishes using the dishwasher is SO MUCH BETTER than hand washing. It’s not just because I’m about time efficiency, it statistically saves more water and more money. Dave and I love to host when we can and I can’t tell you how many times guests (out of the kindness of their own hearts) attempt to clear and hand wash our dishes for us. To which I reply by dramatically running to the sink and pulling the plates from their hands. I swear I’m actually a good hostess haha
Here’s the tea friends. EVEN RUNNING YOUR DISHWASHER HALF FULL wastes less water, time, money, and energy compared to hand-washing those same dishes. That’s right… EVEN HALF FULL. This means less stinky dishes, not having to stuff the dishwasher, and a lot more time for the important things in life (for me personally, that means more time binge-watching The Crown with Dave haha)
Of course, we still want clean dishes. And you’d be surprised what a difference the right dishwasher detergent makes. We’ve all been there – we’ve chosen the bottom shelf dishwasher detergent, only to unload the dishwasher and notice that nothing is clean and having to resort to hand-washing those dishes again. As I mentioned, I like to think of myself as an unofficial dishwasher connoisseur and advocate, and I’ve tried my fair share of dishwasher detergent. Cascade® Platinum is by far the best I’ve tried. I’ve personally been purchasing it since we bought our dishwasher. I never need to pre-rinse my dishes (although I do recommend scraping food to maintain the longevity of your dishwasher) and it dissolves even the toughest stuck on food. I’ve learned that Cascade® is the #1 recommended dishwasher detergent brand in North America… but honestly, I use (and buy) it because it just works. A big thank you to the dishwasher gods for blessing me with a formal partnership with Cascade® – dreams do come true haha. And yes, despite a partnership, I do still personally purchase Cascade®.
So there you have it friends. Feel free to educate your friends, your family, your neighbour, and your cat. Take a half load off and remember #DISHWASHER4LYFE haha
If you’re interested in learning more about saving time, energy and water with Cascade Platinum click here! And don’t forget to purchase Cascade Platinum at Walmart!
Link to shop Cascade Platinum here.
#2: Silicone baking mats
In our household, Dave is the chef and I’m the baker. And lately, with all of this time spent at home, I have been baking up a storm. So much so that it honestly pained me to see all of the parchment paper I was using then tossing. Silicone baking mats have been a saviour in this department. They’re non-stick, they’re certainly more aesthetic, and most of the ones on the market are also dishwasher safe (and super affordable, ranging from $5-15). So in the long run, you’re not only creating less waste for our beautiful Mother Earth, but you’re also saving coins in your own wallet. Thank me later!
#3: The container life
By now, we should all know that single-use plastic is seriously harming our planet. We’ve been starting to bring our containers to the store rather than using the supplied plastic bags. It not only saves the planet from more plastic, but it also saves SO MUCH time from having to transfer all of the goods into the container at home. It’s also more aesthetic, and let’s be honest, a pretty, well-organized home is a happy home.
#4: Separate the laundry
Do yourself a favour if you can and invest in separate laundry hampers. We have 2 – one for whites and one for non-whites. Honestly it makes “laundry day” so much quicker, more efficient, and saves you all of the time from sorting laundry (or ending up with whites that aren’t quite white any more). Hampers with wheels are also a blessing.
Happy saving friends!
Do you do any of these saving tips already? Which ones would you adopt? Are you still hand-washing your dishes?
*** This post was made in generous partnership with Cascade®, however all thoughts, opinions, and recommendations are solely my own.
