In our home, we try to limit the trash we sit by the curb as much as possible. Between recycling, reusing, composting, and feeding scraps to animals, we're able to cut our waste tremendously. We then started taking a close look at what non-edible consumables we are buying (things like toilet paper, paper towels, kleenex, and napkins) and seeing what we could replace with reusable products. One day, as I was washing my face and applying toner on one of those little round cotton pads, I realized that they were one of our last non-edible consumable hold-outs. You may use cotton balls instead, but you know the kind of thing I'm talking about. They may be sitting on your bathroom countertop in a cute little holder like this.

To end my use of the disposable cotton pads, I fashioned these little reusable pads that I can just toss into the wash.

They are about 1.5 x 3" which gives me plenty to hold onto when I'm using them and makes them substantial enough that I can find them when they come out of the dryer. Each one is made of two different fabrics. I used mostly flannel scraps that I had on hand and old baby washcloths that I had already moved to my rag basket. I sewed the two layers together as if they were going to be little pillows, leaving enough area open to turn it right-side-out. Once turned, I sewed around the outside edge to make them lay flat. I've been using them for a couple months now, and they've held up great!

I'd love to hear from you:
What non-edible consumable are you still buying and would like an idea about how to replace it with something reusable? Or what non-edible consumable have you quit buying? What did you replace it with?