Things I No Longer Buy to Live a Non-Toxic Life

Things I No Longer Buy to Live a Non-Toxic Life – Thirty-Something Angie

Getting Started with Young Living Essential Oils

Things I No Longer Buy to Live a Non-Toxic Life

Health and Wellness

Over the last 5 years, I have really been making an effort to live a more non-toxic life. It started as a concern over the environment, and what we we disposing from our homes. As my oldest developed skin problems, though, we started questioning everything we put on our bodies.

As with most things in life, this is always an ongoing process.

We didn’t wake up one morning and decide we were going to live a toxin-free life. Instead, we started questioning and

replacing products

, one by one. After 5 years, we’ve built up quite a list of items we either do without, or have found greener alternatives for.

When I first realized how many products we needed to eliminate, I was pretty overwhelmed. It was going to require a total overhaul! All I could see were dollar signs, and it stressed me out.  Still, my convictions were pretty strong (they usually are when kids get involved), so I dove in and started making changes.

Over time, my goals have changed, and my list has grown.  It’s still growing today as I learn new things and find safer alternatives!

This is a list of things that I no longer buy in the store.  I’ll write our alternative solution next to it so that you have a place to start if you want to eliminate it as well.

As you go down this list, you’ll probably notice that I recommend a

of Young Living products. These are the products we’ve fallen in love with in our home, and after years of researching products, they’re the ones I’m happiest with. We have a wholesale membership with the company to help us get these products cheaper, and they come delivered right to our doorstep in our

monthly wellness box

. It’s basically the Amazon Prime of wellness. #lifehack

So, let’s get started!

This post contains affiliate links. To learn more, read my full disclosure

: I grew up using napkins at every single meal. When I moved into my own house, it was only natural that I continued buying and using them at meal times. I hated all of the waste we were creating, though, and so one day I decided to stop buying them. Since we still need something for our hands and face while we eat, we instead use baby washcloths. They’re about the same size, softer, and extemely affordable!

: Another thing I grew up using for everything. We used paper towels for everything. We even used them to dry our hands and dishes.  If you’ve never stopped to think about it, that’s a

of paper waste! I’ll admit we still keep a roll on hand for pet messes, but in general, we use dish towels or wash rags for all of our cleaning and drying needs now.

popcorn, and always have. It’s my go-to snack and I always make sure to have it on hand. Those microwave bags are terrible for you, though, so we stopped buying them. Instead, we have a $20 air popper (

) and buy organic popcorn kernels from the store. You can save

much money this way, plus, you can customize your toppings! My newest addiction is coconut oil spray, salt, and nutritional yeast.

: I used to season all of my food using some sort of pre-packaged seasoning blend. Ranch seasoning, onion soup mix, taco seasoning, cajun seasoning, etc. Over the years, I’ve stopped buying them and learned to make them myself. My go-to these days is a simple sea salt, pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, and a dash of cayenne!

Gravy Mixes, Cream Based Soups, and Broths

: My mom used these a lot, and so that’s how I learned to cook. As my daughter’s food allergies came to light, I had to start learning to make my own.  It’s really much easier than I ever realized.

All-Purpose Cleaner

: When I go somewhere and have to clean with any of my old go-to’s, I get a headache, my throat burns, and my asthma flairs up. I never realized what those cleaners were doing to my body until I got rid of them! My all-purpose cleaner now is Thieves Household Cleaner from Young Living. It’s plant-based, infused with essential oils, comes out to about $2/bottle, and smells amazing. Plus, it’s truly effective! You can read more about why I love Thieves cleaner

: I just use a combination of Thieves Household Cleaner and baking soda. It gets my tub sparkling clean and I don’t even have to open a window or use a fan to keep from passing out.  Bonus: I can enlist the help of my kids, and who

want a little extra help scrubbing the bathroom??

: Again, all I use is Thieves Household Cleaner. I combine it with some baking soda and hydrogen peroxide and let it sit for about 10 minutes.

: I have a Shark Steam Mop, so really, I don’t need any sort of solution.

: Mamas, here me.  If you don’t swap out any other product in your home, toss those dryer sheets.  They’re full of so many harmful chemicals, and honestly, they’re

easy and cheap to replace!  You can grab a 6 pack of

organic wool dryer balls

on Amazon for a really great price that will do the trick just fine.  If you miss the smell, you can also add a few drops of your favorite essential ois directly to the balls and it’ll transfer! I love using lemongrass, purification, or citrus fresh on mine.

: I just don’t buy any. It’s loaded with fragrance and not worth it. If you have a hard time making the switch, you can try adding a splash of white distilled vinegar to your wash.

: My favorite cleaning hack ever.  Kids are gross and messy, and sometimes I don’t catch their stained clothes before they set. No worries, though.  I just take my bottle of pre-mixed Thieves cleaner and spray it directly on the stains. Let it sit for awhile and then toss it in the normal wash.  For extra set-in stains, you can mix a little baking soda and Thieves cleaner together to make a paste.

: Again, Thieves cleaner always does the trick on any stain!

: I’m really sensitive to smells.  Think “pregnancy nose” but all the time. So, having a house that

clean is just as important to me as having a home that

clean.  Instead, I keep a diffuser in every room and keep oils diffusing regularly to purify the air.

the Young Living shampoos! They’re incredibly concentrated, so I can usually get about 3 bottles of shampoo out of one. The lavender mint shampoo is my favorite, but my husband loves the vanilla copaiba.

: I do an apple cider vinegar rinse on my hair after washing it.  My hair has never been healthier!

: Young Living has a shower gel base that I love! I can add my own essential oils and make a customized body wash.

: We love the Thieves Dentradome toothpaste! It’s flouride free and has a fresh, minty flavor. My teeth have never felt so clean.

Kids Soap & Shampoo:

Instead of buying all of the toxic, fragrance filled kids products at the store, we opt for the Young Living Kidscents line. They have shampoo, body wash, and toothpaste that my kids love!

foaming handsoap recipe

is all we use now!

: I’ve started oil cleansing and my face has never looked better!

Toner and Moisturizer

: I love the products in Young Living’s ART skincare line. I get their toner and moisturizer daily!

: This was one of my more recent areas to overhaul. The idea of switching to all natural makeup overwhelmed me! There are so many toxic ingredients in convetional makeup, though, so I knew I had to. Young Living made that easy as well when they came out with their Savvy Minerals makeup line. It’s the cleanest makeup I’ve found and it goes on beautifully!