For most of us, being in quarantine has mixed our life up in a number of ways. I’m in college, so being home in March wasn’t part of my plan.

The past 3+ weeks have been a challenge for all of us in a variety of ways. I tried to communicate how I was feeling in my open letter to people at home, but I’m not sure I’ll ever be able to fully express what so many of us are going through right now.

Even though I’m not at school, I’m still searching for ways to make my life simpler and the world cleaner, and this looks very different in quarantine.

It’s important to remember that the systems in place are making it extremely challenge to lower our personal carbon footprint. When this is over, it’s time to do extra work towards changing those systems. For now, we can work on creating personal habits that we can continue for months and years to come.

It’s much easier to reduce your personal footprint when you’re equipped with the right tools from the outside. This is a stressful time, so do not beat yourself up if you find yourself not doing as well as you might hope.

Here 15 are ways you can create a more sustainable, low impact life while in quarantine!

Use less water

Conserving water is always important, but it’s especially important now since people are washing their hands more often. You can combat this by running your dishwasher when it’s full, taking timed showers, and using the excess water for plants.

Reduce your food waste

Storing food properly and creating meals from what you have at home is a great way to get the full value of your money and ensure more people can access healthy foods at the store.

Buy eggs in cartons

The foam used to package some eggs is easy for animals to eat and not recyclable, among other disadvantages. Choosing eggs that come in the paper cartons are a better option if that’s available. After, you can repurpose the container!

Make your own plant milks

Or any kind of nut milk you want. One bag of oats can be turned into milk, oatmeal, granola, and more. This cuts down on the total packaging of your grocery haul.

Try new plant-based recipes

If you have some extra time at home now is the perfect opportunity to experiment with more vegetarian and vegan foods! Make one day meatless and grow from there! Check out this Pinterest board for inspiration!

Make tea with spices

You don’t need a teabag to make a delicious warm drink. I’ve been loving lemon ginger tea and turmeric hot chocolate!

Do a spending freeze

Have you been looking for ways to save money? Start now! Online shopping may be tempting, but be conscious of how your ordering will affect workers. Shop local businesses instead for your essentials.

Exercise outside

If you have even a little bit of space, try exercising outside. It’s a great way to reconnect with nature and build confidence.

Make your own orange juice

Make orange juice from fresh oranges to cut down on plastic and use the peels to make candied orange peels or a natural cleaner!

Try natural cleaners

Speaking of natural cleaners, now’s a great time to switch. Be sure to let in some fresh air after disinfecting your home.

Turn off your lights/heat

Just like conserving water, you can save money and energy by turning off lights you’re not using.

Make some bread

Bread baking has been popular in quarantine, and it’s actually a great way to save plastic!

Buy bar soap

Next time you need to stock up on soap, opt for vegan bar soap. Bonus points if you can find one with no packaging.

Set up a recycling system

Set up a system the helps you recycle properly! Use old containers or boxes to separate paper, plastic, and returnables.

Start gardening

Now is a great time to learn to grow some food, especially if you’re worried about other people touching produce or not being able to use it before it goes bad. Plus, you’ll have a base for a delicious plant-based meal.

Start a Compost Bin

If you don’t want to maintain one outside, grab a container and freeze your vegetable scraps.

Make your own Vegetable Stock

After you freeze enough vegetable scraps, you can make your own cooking stock! Minimalist Baker has a great recipe in this post.

Switch to natural deodorant

Many people are skeptical of natural deodorants because your armpits tend to smell during the first week or so. This is because your skin needs to clean itself of all of the chemicals in traditional deodorants. Use this time away from people to let your body make it past that detox period. I use this lime deodorant and love it! Becca from Organically Becca also has great recommendations.

I’ll be adding to this list as I think of more. Let me know what I missed in the comments. Which of these will you be doing?

Best always,

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