Our bathrooms have a funny way of collecting bottles.
Shampoo. Conditioner. Body wash. Face wash. Hand soap. Shaving cream. Something that promises to make your hair shinier. Something else that apparently makes your skin happier.
Before you know it, the shower looks like a small retail display.
And while I'm not suggesting you throw everything in your bathroom into the trash, there are some pretty easy ways to simplify things—and cut down on the amount of plastic sitting around at the same time.
Start With What You Actually Use
The easiest place to start is probably the most obvious:
Look at what you have.
How many bottles are sitting in your shower right now?
How many are actually being used?
If you have three half-used bottles of basically the same thing, finishing those before buying another one is an easy win.
You don't have to completely overhaul your bathroom. Just stop adding to the pile.
Give Bar Soap a Chance
One of the simplest ways to reduce plastic packaging in the bathroom is to replace a bottled product with a bar where it makes sense.
Bar soap doesn't need a plastic bottle.
It doesn't need a pump.
It doesn't need a complicated package with seventeen words on the label telling you how "refreshing" it is.
It's just a bar of soap.
And when you're finished with it, there's no empty plastic bottle left behind.
Keep Your Soap Dry
If you're going to switch to bar soap, there's one thing worth getting right:
Let it dry.
A draining soap dish or soap saver keeps your bar from sitting in water and helps it last longer.
This also keeps the bathroom counter looking cleaner. A bar sitting in a puddle of soap isn't exactly an upgrade to your bathroom organization plan.
A little drainage goes a long way.
Simplify the Counter
Bathroom counters seem to attract clutter.
If something doesn't get used every day, consider putting it away.
A small basket, drawer, or cabinet can make a surprisingly big difference.
Keep the things you actually use regularly within reach and move everything else out of the way.
You don't need an Instagram-perfect bathroom.
You just need one where you can find your toothbrush.
Reuse What You Already Have
Reducing plastic doesn't mean replacing everything you own with expensive "eco-friendly" versions.
In fact, buying a bunch of new stuff to replace perfectly usable stuff isn't necessarily helpful.
Use what you already have.
Reuse containers when they're appropriate.
Finish the products you've already purchased.
Then, when something needs replacing, look for an option that creates less waste.
That's a much more practical approach.
Look at the Little Things
There are plenty of small changes that can add up over time.
Depending on what you use, you might consider:
Bar soap instead of bottled body wash
A refillable container instead of buying another disposable bottle
A reusable razor instead of disposable cartridges
Reusable washcloths instead of disposable wipes
A simple soap dish instead of a plastic bottle with a pump
You don't have to do all of these.
Pick the ones that actually make sense for you.
Less Plastic Doesn't Have to Mean More Complicated
I think that's the biggest thing.
Sometimes "sustainable" gets presented as a lifestyle that requires buying a whole new set of products.
I'm not particularly interested in that.
I'd rather make small changes that actually stick.
Use what you have. Buy less. Choose products that don't need unnecessary packaging when practical. Take care of the things you own so they last.
That's a pretty good place to start.
And sometimes that means something as simple as replacing one plastic bottle with a bar of soap.
A Simpler Bathroom
You don't need a completely plastic-free bathroom to make a difference.
Start with one thing.
Maybe that's your hand soap. Maybe it's your body soap. Maybe it's simply getting rid of the collection of half-empty bottles you've been moving around for the last six months.
Small changes count.
At Mojave North Star Co., our handmade bar soaps are one simple way to cut a plastic bottle out of your bathroom routine.
Less clutter. Less packaging. Just a good bar of soap.
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