Use What You Have!

Use what you have. 

Its a fairly simply bit of advice. 

However, it seems to be a hard way to live.

I have found especially since trying to change my habits to be more environmentally friendly, it has been really hard to continue using what I have already and not trying to go out and buy some new eco-friendly version of what I already have. However, since one of the tenets of being eco-friendly is reducing my consumption of goods, it makes the most sense to use what I have already until it can no longer be used before buying a new eco-friendly version. Of course, there are a few exceptions to the rule here. If something is so bad for the environment that using it is causing more harm, then the best way forward is to find some way of disposing of that item/product in a responsible and eco-friendly way and then buying the new version. This category is small, but contains things like harmful cleaning chemicals and cars. Thankfully, I have already taken care of the first in that category, but the second will have to wait until I can afford to do so. 

One of the biggest areas of the home that seem hard to use what you have first is the kitchen. I don't always know what I am thinking when I grocery shop, but we have lots of items in our kitchen that have been stored up for a while without being used. This is one area I am going to have to work better at in the next couple of weeks. It would be good to use up what we have before buying a whole lot of other food. 

In reading this post, you may have thought of a few areas of your own house where you haven't been using what you have. Perhaps its clothing, or beauty products. Or tools in the garage, or whatever is living in the garage. Using what we already own reduces our need for buying more items, saves money, and puts to use the products already hanging out in the world. 

Simple advice for today: use what you have.