Easy #everydayeffect at every meal!

This post about how everyday actions can have lasting effect is sponsored by SheSpeaks and PG.

Nearly two years ago, in an effort to reduce our waste and our budget, I decided our family would stop using paper napkins and use all cloth napkins instead. This month, I was challenged by SheSpeaks.com and Proctor & Gamble to take on a family challenge to “Conserve-it-All.”

So I decided to take a closer look at how we were doing in our cloth napkin challenge!

Why did I choose to take on paper napkins? They aren’t the biggest household expense (probably less than $40/year). Yet, we went through a lot, grabbing one for every little spill or counter wipe, and using several at each meal.

So I let our paper napkins run out and committed to using cloth napkins. I figured if I could do cloth diapers, then napkins would be easy!

Surprisingly, we had a lot of cloth napkins tucked away already! I didn’t even have to buy cloth napkins to make this switch in our household. I think most people “reserve” their cloth napkins for fancy occasions. But why not “conserve” and simply use them all the time, I thought!

(funny story, we just discovered we may have been using thin place mats (see the blue/white below) as napkins! hahaha! They work so well, we’ve just continued to use these “oversized” napkins anyway!).

How did it go? 

I originally committed our family to using cloth napkins for one year. That was over eighteen months ago. We’ve barely noticed any hardship in not using paper product, and we haven’t looked back! Here’s what I’ve learned along the way:

Cloth napkins (like cloth diapers!) are F-U-N! Everyone enjoys grabbing different colored napkins at mealtimes. Our three-year-old even practices his colors by going through the various hues and selecting his particular favorite of the day!

Cloth napkins can be used more than once before washing (for family use! Don’t worry, if you visit us you will get a CLEAN napkin!). If we don’t have a particularly messy meal, we don’t even use the napkin, so it doesn’t get thrown out like we used to do with paper napkins before!

Cloth napkins are not all created equal – try absorbent cotton or linen, not a poly-blend for best clean-up results! (Psst: Linen is a more sustainable and less intensively processed fabric product). 

Cloth napkins for home use are in fact less expensive and less wasteful, especially if you line dry them and if you use a cold water wash!

Cloth napkins allow you to have an everyday effect – at every meal! Positive results three times a day!

I know. Using cloth napkins probably seems like an insignificant change. Not a huge act of sacrifice or savings. Yet surprisingly, these kinds of “everday effects” make a difference in conserving waste (and saving money!).

Since using cloth napkins has gone so well, I’m moving on to getting rid of paper towels and disposable kitchen sponges! So one ordinary action begets another, it seems!

What everyday actions have you challenged your household with to make a difference in our world (or maybe just brighten your corner!). 

This is a sponsored post for SheSpeaks/Proctor & Gamble. I was compensated for my time writing this post.