a few ways jeremiah and i reduce waste in our home...

the most common way we reduce the use of paper towels is by using dish towels and rags. 

i always have a towel hanging for wiping off wet hands and another for wiping off wet dishes.

i also use a small rag for wiping off the countertops and little spills.

i change my towels every few days or right after one gets heavily soiled.

 we don't use paper napkins either.

i have an assorted collection of cloth napkins...

small ones for not too messy meals,

thicker napkins for messier meals,

and large napkins for wrapping up dry food (slice of bread, muffin, etc) for on the go.

another way we replace paper towels is with scrap rags and towels.

back in charlotte, i bought a large trash bag full of rags and towels from a thrift store for $5.

i have been using them since to clean up all sorts of spills and to do my basic cleaning.

i have small rags for the cleaning the bathroom, etc.,

medium size rags for spills,

and large towels for wiping off a wet puppy, cleaning big spills, etc.

i love this method and rarely use paper towels for cleanup.

a simple and very ladylike way to avoid using tissues is to use hankies instead!

i much rather blow my nose on pretty hankie rather than a scratchy tissue.

keep a large supply on hand for prolonged sick days.