22 Ways To Make Your Home A Little Greener And Cleaner In 2021

*Myself, my husband, two kids, and one very good dog. 🐶

As my plastic food storage containers started to crack, I realized it was time to make a change. Rather than continue to buy more plastic, I made the switch to glass. It's been great! Unlike plastic containers, you can microwave these and even put them in the oven to heat your food. Plus, glass won't take on the color and smells of your leftovers. Goodbye, tomato sauce–stained plastic. We don't miss you.

Get this set from Target for $8.99.

Every day I used too many paper towels, and every day I knew I needed to find a more sustainable solution. I tried out a few different options, but these Swedish towels were by far the winners. They are incredibly absorbent and very easy to clean. You can even put them on the top rack of the dishwasher. I like this large size, but you can get smaller sizes as well. The company says each dishcloth can replace up to 15 rolls of paper towel, so I'm going to say this is one of those times where going green also means you can save green, too.

Get this cute five-pack on Amazon for $16.99.

I did A LOT more cooking in the past year than ever before, so I started to pay more attention to my kitchen utensils. My old plastic cooking utensils were about a decade old and looking a little...tired. I opted to go with silicone, because it's considered to be food-safe (make sure it's food grade!) and nonreactive in high temperatures. The switch to silicone took a little bit of adjustment at first, but now I'll never go back.

You can snag a 17-piece set on Amazon for $27.99.

With all the extra cooking and stress-baking (this is a very real thing for me, fueled by binge-watching GBBO), silicone mats have not only made cleanup a breeze but are also better for the environment than foil or parchment paper. I use a Silpat for almost everything that goes in the oven, whether it's roasting vegetables or making cookies.

Grab a French-made Silpat mat for $18.49 on Amazon. If you want a more affordable option, you can snag a Kitzini two-pack on Amazon for $15.95.

I'd seen Dropps around for a bit, but it wasn't until I made going greener and cleaner my mission that I decided it was time to try them. They're made with solid ingredients, the packaging is compostible, and, most importantly, they work really well. Plus, if you subscribe, you save 30% on each order.

Get a pack of 120 for $28 with a subscription, $40 without one.

Here's a random one: I was baking cupcakes and I realized that I needed new liners. I found these If You Care baking cups, which are chlorine-free and come from responsibly forested trees. Not only do these work well, but they also look nice. If You Care has a whole line of excellent products that are designed to reduce waste. Many of their products can be composted and the packaging is recyclable. It's a great option!

Find the large baking cups at Whole Foods for $2.29.

I'm working toward moving away from all synthetic fragrances, but the smell of clean laundry is the ONLY redeeming thing about actually doing laundry. I was nervous I wouldn't be able to find a greener and cleaner alternative that my nose and I actually liked. Then I found this citrus geranium–scented laundry detergent from Whole Foods. It's hypoallergenic and dye-free, and the fragrance is light and quite lovely.

Pricing varies by store but will run around $14.99. Find it at your nearest Whole Foods here.

Painting my nails reminds me of the before times, when my day-to-day look wasn't just about athleisure for maximum quarantine comfort. I recently changed polish brands to Ella + Mila, which is made without 17 ingredients frequently found in other nail polishes and beauty treatments. It goes on smoothly, dries nicely, and keeps my nails chip-free for a week. Also, I found a look-alike to the color I used on my nails. It feels just like the good old days!

Find Ella + Mila polish in "Time for a Bond Fire" and 24 other shades at Target for $10.49.

I am low-key obsessed with Biossance. Not only do these products make my skin look and feel great, but they’re also made with ethically and sustainably sourced ingredients, the packaging is fully recyclable, they partner with an organization to make their shipping carbon neutral, and — this isn’t nearly as important but hear me out — they look really pretty on my bathroom sink. 😂 I fully endorse all of the products I've tried but take it from this pandemic-era parent: The eye cream is the real MVP.

Get a Biossance's Overachievers travel-sized starter set — which includes night serum, vitamin C rose oil, eye cream, and more — for $58.

Going aluminum-free is pretty popular these days, but there’s a lot more to it than that. One thing to look for on the label? Fragrance. In the US, companies aren't required to disclose what's in their proprietary blends, so "fragrance" can mean, well, anything. My rule is to look for things that list every single ingredient. I really like Schmidt’s, and they get bonus points from me for being super accessible and having an option that comes in glass jars instead of plastic.

Find the rose and vanilla scent (other options available) on Amazon for $8.25.

Okay, this one surprised me, but it makes sense. I was just getting ready to add new hair ties to my cart when I realized that there might be a better option out there. And there was! Organic, biodegradable hair ties. The packaging is fully recyclable. The ingredients are ethically sourced. File this one under the little things but now that I know about them, I’ll never go back.

Get a pack of 27 for $14.95 on Amazon.

I've been using the same eye shadow brand for years but when it was time to replace my latest palette, I did a quick search before reaching for the old standby. I decided to give the W3LL PEOPLE shadow a try and, readers, it's a winner.

Get the W3LL PEOPLE Nudist Eyeshadow Palette in violet-based hues for $19.99 at Target.

Fortified with SPF 50 mineral sunscreen, this CC cream goes on smoothly and provides just the right amount of coverage. Seriously, it's like a filter for your skin. It also comes in 15 different shades, so you can find the perfect one for you.

Find it at Sephora for $39.

My kids are a big motivator for this undertaking, so I paid extra attention to the products we were using for them. My littlest was just getting ready to transition to sippy cups so after doing some research, I opted for these medical-grade stainless steel sippy cups from Thinkbaby. They cost only a little more than regular plastic sippy cups and I like that you can convert them to straw cups when it's time. Overall, these are great, but be warned: You may be wishing for some steel-toe boots when your little angel catapults them down onto your feet.

Get a Thinkbaby stainless steel sippy cup from Amazon for $13.98.

Made in the USA from recycled milk jugs, this incredibly durable (trust me on that one) set is also free of BPA, phthalates, PVCs, and melamine. The sets come in so many bright and fun colors, too! You can find some of the Re-Play products on the shelves in Target. But if you buy it online, it comes without all the unnecessary retail packaging to reduce consumer waste.

Get this Re-Play dinnerware set from Amazon for $14.99.

Have you ever had one of those moments when the sunlight catches just right and you can see all the nasty particles floating around in your air? Yeah. Not great. The BÉABA Nursery Air Purifier keeps the air clean (it has a HEPA filter!) but is also super quiet. This is perfect for the kiddos' rooms...but we like it so much that we got one for our room, too.

Get the BÉABA Nursery Air Purifier on Amazon for $219.90.