Some posts here on ARoseTintedWorld may contain affiliate links. This means that if you click a link and buy a product or register, then I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you. I may also use products from the companies mentioned in these posts. Thank you for supporting my blog!
I have written a lot about Lagom. And why I think that the concept of Lagom is going to be so important for the world. We need to embrace a balanced more frugal way of life if we are going to carry on living on this little blue/green planet for any length of time to come. Would you like to save some money and possibly save the planet at the same time? Here’s my Lagom your life Part 1 – the Kitchen.
Lagom Your Life Part 1 – The Kitchen
Reduce, repair and recycle are the mainstays of a Lagom lifestyle. Some of these frugal ideas you may already be doing. Some may work for you and others you may not like the sound of. I am not telling you that you must do all of these things, but it is certainly worth adding the ones that do work for you into your everyday life. At the very least you will save yourself some money. At the most you could help to save the planet. Sounds good when you put it like that eh? So what are going the be the best ways for you to Lagom your Life part 1?
1. Declutter
Lagom is all about a balance. Not minimalism or clutter but about being just right. There is a lot to be said for having a good clear out in any room, and the kitchen is no exception.
For example, have you ever bought a can of food or a new spice jar at the supermarket just to get home and find that you already had it in tucked at the back of a shelf? Having a good declutter and organising your cupboards so that you can see what you have at a glance will mean that this doesn’t happen again. Maybe reuse an upturned box at the back of your tins cupboard so that tins can be stacked? Ones at the back are then higher and can be seen easily.
Have you a few electrical items tucked in cupboards that you never use? Why not sell them? You will make some money, reduce your clutter and reduce your stress at the same time.
Why not set yourself a timeframe to get things a bit clearer? I decided to do this in my Year to Clear.
And when I got a new kitchen, I made sure to plan a clutter free space.
2. Reduce Food Wastage
The best way to do this is by meal planning. Having a set plan of what you are going to cook and eat every week means that you can have a set shopping list. Stick to this! By not buying anything not on the list you can resist the temptation for buying the ‘special offers’ and other items that will cost you more money in the long run. If you know that you use everything on your shopping list each week then you should eliminate wastage.
(As an aside, I always make sure that I am not hungry when shopping. If you are hungry you are far more likely to stray from your list and impulse buy!)
Another good tip is to bulk cook, this can save energy as the oven/stove is cooking lots of food together at the same time. Then freeze in batches to reheat later, thus saving you time and some money on energy bills. A slow cooker is a great appliance to make family meals in bulk cheaply and easily.
Do ensure that you are storing food correctly. Certain food can spoil if not stored in containers, so investing in some good quality plastic boxes that will wash and wash is a great idea. Or do wash out and reuse plastic takeaway containers for as long as possible.
I am sure you are reusing your shopping bags, but I do have a great idea for making some new ones. Watch this space!
And if you do have food left past it’s sell by date, consider if it can be fermented, or if it can be composted.
See these amazing compostable coffee pods from Coffee and Kin.
And why not consider moving onto a more plant based diet?
3. Reduce Energy Wastage
Just boil the amount of water that you need at the time. You won’t be reheating that extra water time after time, saving energy AND money!
Remember to turn appliances off at the wall when not needed rather than leaving on standby, as this does save some energy. Also remember to switch lights off and use low energy lightbulbs to save money.
If you have to buy another appliance, is it possible to buy second hand? And do check that you are buying the most energy efficient appliances. These may be more expensive, but could save you more money in electricity bills over time.
In the laundry wash on the shortest wash at the lowest temperature. “If its not dirty, wash at 30”. Wash as full a load as your machine will allow (check your manual for the maximum load) Washing half loads every time obviously uses twice as much energy.
And try to air dry as many of your clothes as you can, saving on using the dryer, as this eats power. If you can, use a washing line on hotter days.
4. Borrow instead of buying
Are you like me and rarely make cakes but would love to make one for a special occasion? Why not borrow a friend’s food processor/blender rather than buying one? Thinking of buying a juicer? Why not see if someone you know has one in their cupboard before splashing out? If it isn’t a fad then you will find out if you need to buy one for yourself.
5. Recycle and Reuse
A large part of a Lagom lifestyle is recycling, and I am sure that most of you have and do use your recycling bin to some degree. Could you do more?
How about reusing your jars for gifts for people, or for making preserves?
Do you use washing cloths and kitchen roll? We throw away tonnes of kitchen roll daily, and I used to use buy cloths at the supermarket, until I realised that I could cut up old clothes to make unsponges wash cloths, dusters and kitchen cloths.
I also make reusable sandwich bags. See how here.
An epiphany for me was having a child, all the burp cloths got used for general spills, including in the kitchen. Now I rarely give clothes away (unless I can sell them), but use pinking shears to cut them into cloth sized pieces that you can reuse by washing or throw away. I will never buy dusters or washing up cloths again! Plus I love eco friendly cleaning products.
Or make your old clothes into something new. Like a rag rug.
Well, I hope that Lagom your Life part 1 has given you a few ideas. A frugal life needn’t mean having less. It just means being a bit more balanced. Not having too much or too little. Be more Lagom.
Need some more ideas on how to reduce your household waste? See this post for 23 more great tips.
I would love to hear your thoughts, do comment below or tell me what you think on social media.
Why not pin me for later?
Why not read my Lagom Your Life. Part 2 – The Bedroom
I don’t currently have any frugal posts, but I really enjoyed this post. I often find ways to be frugal myself. I haven’t become as dedicated as this post explains, but I am a work in progress.
It is good to be a work in progress. I know that I too could do more, and that’s also why I say that we shouldn’t be critical if we aren’t doing everything. Thank you for commenting!
Great tips. Love it
I am definitely on a journey to live this lifestyle. The decluttering and waste reduction is already improving our spending but it is also making me happier.
I used to have a lot of plastic and then the BPA info came out and I started switching to glass and metal. Not long after I started switching over my hands stopped working right, I kept dropping things. I was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis. This meant I had to switch to items that wouldn’t shatter when I dropped them – had to get rid of my newer glass items and go back to plastic. Le sigh.
Anyway, I also switched to more earth-friendly products at the same time. All natural dishwashing liquid, used old flannel garments to sew kitchen wipes and napkins to take to work. Also used cotton mesh to make washcloth sized scrubbies for washing dishes, etc. I still have paper towels but I use ones made of bamboo now and only use them for the most disgusting of messes…I go through about a roll a year.
I purchased an Instant-pot as well – has made cooking easier and doesn’t use as much energy.
And, on a side note, I got a bidet that fits on my existing toilet. I use old washcloths for wiping. I won’t go back to toilet paper – it just is not as clean.
So, having a chronic illness means I have to sometimes gimp on the earth-friendly side of things but I’m trying.
It sounds like you are doing so much, which is great to hear. Every little helps!