Small Changes - Big Difference!

No bags, no straws - I have always been a fan of IKEA's sustainability and eco-friendly efforts. Which is why when they approached me for a collaboration as part of their Sustainable Living Project, it was a no-brainer for me to take it on.

Small Steps - Huge Difference

Protecting this planet that we call home is no easy feat, with all the threats and challenges out there. All of us have our part to play. I always believe in making small changes - but ones that will stick for a long time. No point trying to make a huge change that requires so much effort you'll give up on in no time. Those small tweaks you make around the house, will over time make a huge difference even if you can't see the immediate impacts.

Changes Around the House

"How do I make my home more environmentally-friendly?" - this is a question I often ask myself, right from the day we started putting it together. Every appliance that we bought for our home has multiple ticks when it comes to energy-saving or water-saving, and that has not only helped us live more sustainably, but has also effectively kept our utilities bill low. However, there are still little things around the house that can be improved and habits that can be changed.

Like I said, let's start small and explore the simple things we could implement in our everyday lives. You may already know some of these tips, but are you doing it?

1) DON'T WASTE - FREEZE THEM!

One thing that contributes to the food wastes in our home is fruits.

Perishables with short life spans are tough to handle in a small household. As much as I love having a variety of fruits, we can't possibly finish them all fast enough.

What do we do then?

Cut the fruits up, portion them, and freeze them! That way, they will keep well for much longer and you can have different fruits with every meal. Frozen fruits are also awesome to have in our tropical climate - helps to cool you down just like ice-cream but healthier. These frozen fruits are great for smoothies too!

These freezer-safe reusable PRUTA Containers come in a set of 17 of different shapes and sizes, perfect for storing fruits (or food in general) of any kind!

(Psst! It's only $5.90 for the whole set of 17! What are you waiting for?)

2) MICROWAVING - ZERO WASTE STYLE

This next sustainable tip is so simple - yet we have been without one for so long.

I don't know about you but whenever I microwave my food, I hate that it makes splashes all over the insides. What I usually do is to place a paper towel over my food to prevent splashes. I know some people use cling wrap instead. That means, wastes generated every time I microwave something.

The solution?

A simple microwave cover!

We have since been using this PRICKIG Microwave Lid, and it is so simple I don't know why I didn't think of it earlier.

3) SAVE WATER - WASH IN A BOWL

Instead of washing your fruits and veges under a running tap, use a bowl instead. This is a common tip that we may have heard of many times, but how many of us actually practice washing our fruits and veges in a bowl?

Running may be good for you but not for the tap. You'd be surprised how much water you can save by washing in a bowl. Another thing to note - plan ahead all the fruits and veges you'd be using for the meal (or day) and wash them all in just one bowl of water.

This big BLANDA BLANK Stainless Steel Bowl from IKEA has been particularly useful in fitting everything I need, with extra space to put both my hands in too. What I particularly like about this bowl though is its narrow bottom, allowing for all the dirt to sink into a little pile at the bottom.

4) REUSE THE WATER

DON'T THROW THE WATER OUT!

That same bowl of water you used to wash the fruits and veges, can be used to water the plants too!

Pick a watering can that has a big enough opening so it's easier to transfer the water from the bowl - like this SOCKER Watering Can.

If you don't have plants at home, you could use the water to flush the toilet instead. (You DO flush your toilet right???)

Or perhaps you could try planting your own herbs and veges.

5) PLANT YOUR OWN

In our household of just two, we can hardly ever use up a whole packet of herbs before it goes bad. So we decided to grow our own instead for a constant supply of herbs. We can just grab from our planter as and when we need and the amount that we need.

That also reduces the amount of packaged items we purchase - therefore also reducing our plastic waste.

It helps too that the herbs help to beautify our urban space by bringing a little bit of nature into our home.

I love the look of this ASKHOLMEN Flower Box and Trellis we got from IKEA. Also good to know that the wood used in both products are from sustainable sources - either certified as such or are recycled.

Your turn!

Now that I've shared my tips on making my home and everyday living more sustainable, it's your turn to make a change - and with some help too!

Have you heard?

IKEA is holding a Sustainable Living Project where the chosen households will be assigned an IKEA co-worker each to recommend sustainable solutions for your home AND they would even fund the items needed to make your home more sustainable (up to $2,500!!!)! What are you waiting for? Go sign up now!

Free Tours

IKEA is also holding free Sustainable Home Tours at both their outlets. Join them for more tips to achieve sustainability - learn how you can save the earth and save some money too!

[NOTE: Items featured in this post are sponsored by IKEA. All content and tips are my own.]

Let's do this together!

Tammy