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8 Simple, Beautiful Zero Waste Starter Kits for the Absolute Beginner

published on March 3, 2019 by Angela Hamilton

I’d definitely consider myself a low-waste advocate—I’ve long boycotted many things single use—but even going mostly zero waste is a whole new level of commitment I can’t say I’ve yet mastered. That’s the thing, you may read an article, hear a story, or see a film that inspires you to jump on the zero waste train, but I think most of us really just do what we can, learn a little more, then do a little more, and so on. Not to mention, what you can feasibly do is largely determined by your location, finances, family you support, and lifestyle in general. Living a low waste lifestyle in Seattle is so much easier for me than it was when I lived in Los Angeles, and LA already has a lot more systems in place and support when it comes to green living than other parts of the US. It’s all relative. But no matter where you or or what your ambitions may be, these zero waste kits should help you ease into a sustainable lifestyle at your own pace.

8 zero waste kits for beginners

Making or purchasing a zero waste starter kit is an important (if symbolic more than anything) first step, but it is only one step. It’s a journey, not a destination, you know? And these simple zero waste starter kits are designed to set you on your way with ease:

Ecozied’s zero waste gift set is an affordable, thorough and practical package for anyone starting on a sustainable living journey. It includes eco dish cloths, wax food wrap, dish sponge, brushes, and toothbrushes and floss!

Package Free has great deals on their kits right now. Shown above are their Laundry Kit (excited to try their stain stick!) and Cleaning Kit. Find more Package Free zero waste kits here.

Tare Market’s Zero waste market kit contains a mesh bag, produce bags, beeswax wraps, straw and utensils, and comes package-free.

Coming from La Pepa Boutique in the UK, this starter kit has different sized bags, an organic cotton bath puff (cute, huh?), organic hemp cotton face pads, and crochet face scrubbies.

This bundle from self proclaimed plastic haters MeMotherEarth hits all the essentials: produce bags, toothbrush, dish sponge, hand brush and more.

16 piece sustainable kitchen starter set by TheJewelryBx21

I love that brands are starting to combine wellness and self care packages with zero waste products! JnLNaturals offers a self care kit with handmade and personal care goodies like aluminum free deodorant, a face mask, konjac sponge and more. Such a good sustainable gift idea!

Lastly, shout out to Eco Collective and Public Goods + Services here in Seattle. And if you’re looking for a bulk refill store in Seattle, The Naked Grocer is in Capitol Hill. These shops don’t have pre-packed kits for sale, but you can check off many of your zero waste necessities within them. Obviously, these are all just ideas and options for going the online route, but if you can get what you need at a local shop, even better!

Who here has a good go-to zero waste or plastic-free shop? Find more eco friendly finds here!

PS This is a 2023 update of a post originally published back in 2019! If you came here from Pinterest you might have seen some different photos. I’ve removed products that are no longer being offered and replaced them with fresh new ones you can find now. Feel free to reach out if you have any questions about this update!

The Most Important Lesson I Learned from Marie Kondo

published on March 2, 2019 by Angela Hamilton

It’s gratitude. You can all click out now. You’re welcome.

(Did I just kill this post?)

I did watch a few episodes of Marie Kondo’s Tidying Up on Netflix. It was cute. The families were sweet. I did tear up a bit, when watching during PMS. I also realized, god forbid, that it could use like 5% of the drama that Hoarders had. Maybe a few flashbacks, you know? What I’m saying is that I didn’t learn a ton from it, though I do think her methods are effective for keeping things organized, if you stick to them. Which is her MO. My heather gray sweatshirt collection thanks you, Mrs. K.

(Photo by Charity Hestead Kubena)

But the most important lesson I learned came from one of the very first lessons in the very first episode, and thankfully again and again afterward. It was to thank your belongings. This is not new, if you followed Marie Kondo before, you’ll know that she’s always promoted this idea of gratitude.

Upon tidying up some weeks afterward, I literally thanked a rock. It was a pretty white rock I’d gathered from who knows where, but that I added to my crystal collection, even though (as it knew) it was just a lowly rock. I said, “Thank you, rock.” But then. What to do? Unlike her clients, I wasn’t about to toss everything I own into some big white trash bag, and it wasn’t because I had that big of an attachment to any of it. It was because I didn’t want to waste. (And a rock is kind of a weird thing to throw away. I’ve also had this issue with pennies in the past. Like, I don’t need you, penny. You are a silly form of US currency. I would need 99 more of you to get anywhere.) My aversion to sending things to the landfill is as strong Ron’s love of baseball cards in episode 2. Also my affinity for rocks.

Like so many green living bloggers, it was a constant eye-roll moment for me, seeing people get rid of stuff in less-than-mindful ways. (We don’t really know what happens to it all, we can only shudder at the thought.) I think it was a little shocking for a lot of us, honestly, because it revealed the tension between movements like zero waste and minimalism.

Generally speaking, minimalism concerns itself more with the idea of peace of mind via detachment, which can sometimes (yet not always) come with a decreased carbon footprint. Meanwhile, zero waste is pretty pointedly about environmental impact, but doesn’t necessarily focus on the emotional benefits of less. Neither of them really address a person’s innate desire for creative expression—neither the visions of stark white walls nor neatly lined mason jars spark joy in an artist’s heart.

But both movements, and yes, even the KonMari method, evoke some degree of care, whether mindfulness toward earth, toward your mental state, or toward your belongings and how they surround you. And so no matter which speaks to you most, it seems most important to remember: say thanks.

Thank you, clothes, for I loved you once (inside a fluorescent department store dressing room).
Thank you, modest apartment, for you allow me a nice, warm space to snuggle pets.
Thank you, trash, for at one point you were treasure.
Thank you, clearance-Target ottoman, because you’re the ultimate scratching post for my cat.
Thank you, empty candle jars that I haven’t found time to clear, yet can’t bring to throw away.
Thank you, desk dad built, that I hope he doesn’t find out I don’t sit at.
Thank you, rock, because the memory of a second grade geologist wannabe gives me joy.

No matter if you trash it or keep it, recycle or upsycle, donate or sell. No matter if you’re for her or against, prefer to fold or to hang. We have to agree: She’s right. We should all be grateful for our stuff. For the lives we have and the privileges we enjoy. Thanks, Marie Kondo, for the reality check. I needed it.

Oh, and as for the rock: anyone know the right way to donate such a thing? Or should I release it at my local park? I couldn’t find a space for it inside, but I figured, I’d just put it on the patio and let it enjoy another spring.

What to do with a Closet Full of (Non-Ethical) Stuff

published on March 2, 2019 by Leslie Musser
updated on November 1, 2021

So you’ve begun learning how to build an ethical closet. You read some articles, watched a documentary, and found out how those ‘fast fashion’ brands are making things so, well, fast. Your wardrobe suddenly looks like a war zone. There’s a touch of regret mixed with sprinklings of guilt. You never would’ve bought that shirt if you knew how it was made. You didn’t even need that dress—you only wore it once.

(Photo by Charity Hestead Kubena)

Well, you’re not alone. In fact, you’re pretty much on par with every person who has recently learned the story behind their clothing. So let’s pull out that strange old adage and say, “Don’t throw the baby out with the bathwater.” It’s not time for a drastic purge or exotic cleansing ritual.

If you want to move toward an ‘ethical closet’ and buy exclusively from ethical, sustainable sources, start from exactly where you are. Instead of a costly wardrobe overhaul, work within the reality of your budget—recognize that you likely already own much of what you need. Let’s look at it this way:

You’re educated for the future without being judged for the past.

In practical terms, there are a few key steps you can take in moving from closet shame to fashion contentment.

step one: RELAX

Take a breather. Appreciate your possessions. Even if your dream closet suddenly doesn’t look so dreamy anymore, it’s all a gradual process. You have the pleasure and privilege of seeing things through a new lens. The fact that you’re even thinking of making a change for the future is a big deal.

step two: TAKE AN INVENTORY

Pull a Marie Kondo and get everything out in the open. Put all (yes, all) of your clothes on the bed. This helps you to get a real grasp on everything you own, instead of taking it one drawer at a time. Finally, sort everything into three piles: keep, donate/sell, and discard.

step three: MAKE A GAME PLAN

Now that you’ve narrowed down your belongings it’s time to strategize for future purchases. Think of what’s in your drawers and what’s missing. Do you need more work clothes, t-shirts, or jeans? Are you short on accessories or shoes?

Make up your list of wish and need items. And here comes the fun part: shopping as research. Browse your favorite ethical stores and note which pieces fit your list. Sort them however you want—by necessity level or price.

And at the end of this, make a deal with yourself. Figure out how and when you’ll invest in new pieces. Will you start a little piggy bank on the side? Will you only buy if you’ve sold something from your closet first? These small steps will make you appreciate and treasure each item that enters your wardrobe.

Are you working toward a conscious closet? How do you plan to start?

It’s Time We Prioritized Experience as a Form of Self Care

published on March 1, 2019 by Angela Hamilton
updated on March 4, 2019

When I moved to Seattle last year, I knew I needed to commit to forming new creative connections. Having a solid personal community in the PNW was the #1 reason we left California—I mean, it wasn’t the beaches—but I knew I needed to put myself out there and find “my people” if I was actually going to build my empire (AKA copywriting biz), here in the land of trees and fresh air and water. A friend invited me to join her at a Social Creative workshop, so I signed up to create a macrame plant hanger surrounded by strangers at a venue downtown.

(Photo by Laura Marchbanks)

It was my first new social experience in Seattle and almost a year later, I still keep up with a few acquaintances from that workshop, the only plant I can seem to keep alive and flourishing is weaving its way down that macrame in my apartment window, and I’m still in touch with Amy, the founder of Social Creative, who you see in the following photos by Jess Flagel:

Last fall, I also started exploring a form of therapy called acceptance + commitment therapy, which is rooted in mindfulness. Self care took on a whole new meaning. Yeah, I’d been taking baths in my less-than-glamorous tub and had memorized the script to UCLA’s guided meditations, but this idea of embracing experience as a form of self care was a little different. For a socially anxious introvert, it was a push. It meant committing to an experience that I know might cause some discomfort in the beginning: not only investing money in an experience rather than a product, but simply showing up to an event where I knew maybe one or two individuals, and trusting that I’d value the outcome so much more.

Thinking back, I’ve actually put myself out there in this way many times in the past. And even when they didn’t turn out as amazing as my time with Social Creative did, I still took something from it, I still committed to doing something for myself just because I wanted to.

A few months back, I got the chance to chat with Amy about this very thing, about how some of the best forms of self care look a bit different than what Instagram might have you believe. It might just be committing to a meetup for the sake of good conversation. It might just be a couple hours crafting with new friends in a beautiful space, which is what Social Creative is all about.

We discussed how experience can be a form of self care, and here’s Amy’s take:

Self care is huge.

It’s one of the most nourishing, loving, responsible things we can do for ourselves. And it doesn’t have to come in a lotion, or a scrub, or any product purchase for that matter. It’s the gift of time. Time to be replenished, time to reflect, time to be excited, pampered and engaged, to be silly, to express yourself, and feel carefree.

Whether it is work, home, kids, the fast pace of life, or the constant face-down swirl of technology, we all deserve to take a pause in the form of self care experience. This means time set apart to experience joy, relationships, relaxation, creative freedom, and something for just you. This could a bath drawn with your favorite soak enhancements (by candlelight and with wine, of course) or hours blocked out on the calendar to explore and experience, at your leisure, all the things that spark joy.

It may also be an experience that provides a creative outlet, and fills your tank with warm conversation, delicious tastes, and thoughtful gestures. That is what Social Creative aims to do. We are an experience-based creative workshop that cultivates relationships, offers a space for life-giving, carefree fun, and provides some self care by way of food, drink, atmosphere and creativity. I wholeheartedly believe in the power of moments, creating memories, and dazzling all the senses. This is what experiences are about—and fond memories never expire. Exhale, experience, enjoy.

Photos from Jess Flagel Photography above are a peek at Social Creative’s upcoming jewelry design workshop with Ruth Ryan Jewelry on Sunday, March 24th at the Marian Built Loft in Seattle, WA. Locals, click here to save your seat.

Other upcoming spring experiences:
Cooking Elevated | April 18 with Not Without Salt
Floral Design & Watercolor | May 11 with Teressa Johnson Studio and The Mint Gardener
Social Engagement: Spirits | May 26 with Mischief Distillery

Social Creative is an elevated creative workshop experience: party meets workshop. Each workshop is created to be more of an experience. It is an event with cocktails, wine, good food, and ladies coming together in a hip Seattle venue with elevated touches everywhere. We partner with top Seattle creatives, artisans and local businesses to curate a one of a kind experience. Find us @socialcreativeworkshops www.wearesocialcreative.com.