Organizing Sustainably
Its time to get organized and minimize your carbon footprint as much as possible! Our priority for every project is to use as many sustainable products as possible. We cater every. single. job. we do to the clients’ wants and needs and using as many eco-friendly products as possible, not to mention reusing containers our clients already own. We do feature plastic-forward products BUT we make an effort to incorporate containers sourced from bamboo, wood, glass, and stainless steel into our systems as much as we can. Each product used is based on the needs, lifestyle, and product budget for our clients. This feature and guide include our favs for sustainable and plastic-free organization needs we like to use in our client’s homes. It’s time to give your home a little TLC with these sustainable organizing products!
Kitchen
A kitchen is probably the easiest space to leave plastic out of. The most commonly used products here are drawer dividers, drawer organizers, and baskets, all of which have better, more sustainable materials than plastic! These are the best eco-friendly products to use in your kitchen:
Our pick for drawers: bamboo and acacia drawer organizers. Why we love them: their dimensions make it so that you can mix and match the different sizes.
Our pick for deep drawers: bamboo dividers. Why we love them: these create easy compartmentalization between utensils and add barriers for larger items to stay put.
Our pick for cabinets: metal cabinet shelves. Why we love them: these create extra space where there isn't any in cabinets and make stacking plates of different sizes a thing of the past.
Our picks for countertop swaps: salt & pepper bowls and oil & vinegar bottles. Why we love them: replacing little things like the disposable salt and pepper shakers from the grocery store is a cost-effective and stylish way to eliminate waste and plastic use in the kitchen! We love switching out oil & vinegar from their plastic bottles to reusable handmade ceramic dispensers because you can buy in larger quantities, which means less often, therefore wasting less plastic over time.
Pantry
Much like a kitchen, a pantry is one of the simplest spaces to keep plastic free. Though there are many plastic products that can be utilized in your pantry, most of them also exist in more sustainable materials.
Our pick for baskets: palm leaf woven baskets and hyacinth woven baskets. Why we love them: these add easy containment in exposed areas of the pantry and are great for containing snacks, drinks, and backstock items down low.
Our pick for condiments, oils, and nut butters: bamboo lazy susans. Why we love them:
Our pick for decanting: glass jars & glass canisters with wood lids and glass spice jars are our go-to’s. Why we love them: If you’ve been with us for a while, you know how we feel about decanting (you can learn how to decant your pantry goods here!) Using glass jars to decant your pantry goods saves space in your pantry and makes it easy to see when you need to repurchase foods.
Our pick for bins: stackable bamboo storage bins. These are a great product to swap out plastic bins in your pantry for. Use them for snacks, bars, baking goods—these honestly work with most pantry goods!
Office
An office has so many different facets and storage spaces, many of which are visible. For this reason, we lean towards using bamboo, fiberboard, and metal containers.
Our pick for drawers: ash wood drawer organizers. Why we love them: these are specially designed to fit desk drawers (so you don't have to force the kitchen ones into the space!)
Our pick for file storage: recycled fiberboard filing boxes. Why we love them: These are great for keeping files organized because you can designate certain boxes for certain types of files, making it easy to keep track of everything. They’re also stylish and made from recycled materials!
Our pick for shelf storage: storage boxes and storage cubes. Why we love them: for less frequented office items, these are both great sustainable options because they keep items concealed and protected so you can tuck them away.
Our pick for countertop storage: linen stackable letter trays and magnetic office supply holders. Why we love them: these provide a system for your desktop essentials and make it easy to keep them in place, all without any plastic!
Bathroom
The bathroom may seem like a more difficult place to ditch the plastic in. Here’s the good news: from experience, it’s totally possible! We’ve had a number of clients request we refrain from bringing plastic into this space, and we’ve found some of the best alternatives over the years.
Our pick for meds & everyday toiletries: stainless steel lazy susans. Why we love them: like any time we use a lazy susan, we love using these because they make it SO easy to access items you frequent, which is why they’re our favorite for everyday items in the bathroom.
Our pick for products on display: stainless steel risers. Why we love them: these add a touch of style into the bathroom simply by showcasing the products you already have!
Our pick for backstock products: mesh bins. In place of plastic bins, use these to contain your less frequented bathroom items. They’re also great for stacking under the sink to maximize the space!
Our pick for countertop storage: lacquer vanity trays. Why we love them: these are made from medium-density fiberboard but have a lacquered finish, so they’re great for displaying your decorative products on the counter.