Ready, Set, Go!

I’m not much on resolutions. I don’t stick to them. Usually they are too broad when I make them that I don’t keep it up.

But I do love a challenge and this year I thought I’d challenge myself instead of making unrealistic resolutions.

I wanted to do something small but significant.

I wanted to do something that we are interested in. That step is important. You know, why say you’ll take up oil painting if you don’t even like to draw or you hate the smell of paint. Just saying……

So since we are trying to be more self reliant and we are trying to purchase less non necessity items, plus generating less garbage to pack our landfills, I challenge myself to be paper towel free in 2012.

I know that doesn’t sound like much.

We are already using cloth napkins and I use cloth cleaning rags, plus I use homemade cloth pads. But we still keep paper towels around for really dirty cleanups or to catch grease when frying.

I’m thinking that I can cut up old t-shirts and use those plus keep a bucket under the kitchen sink and use Dawn dish liquid to cut the grease and launder on laundry day. I’m hoping that works and I’m certainly going to give it a try. Considering the last package of paper towels I purchased cost $16.87, I’m willing to give it a big try. (Yep, you read that right. I wouldn’t have paid that but I didn’t notice until I looked at the receipt when we got home )

I’ll keep you posted on my progress; succeed or fail I’ll document it here.

I think after a good try at it, say three months. I’ll try adding another challenge or if the first one was a fail I’ll retry it for another quarter or replace it altogether with a new one.

So make a list of challenges for yourself ,they don’t have to be the same as mine, and lets try them together this new year.

Ready, set, GO!!!!!!!

　

Edited to add:

I signed up for the 23 Day Frugal Living Challenge at Frugally Sustainable. I’m number 473. It all begins on January 6, 2012. I don’t know what to expect from it but I’m excited!