Ladies,
In an era when things are made cheaply without quality and longevity in mind, but a more accessible price tag, it takes a mental shift to be willing to pay more for something that will last longer. But the fact is, it doesn’t take paying high for everything and never buying anything cheap again. I still enjoy certain cheap things as they can have surprising quality to them. In fact, this has been the case with the cotton fabric with which I have been sewing my new wardrobe. I can say that the best way to create a quality home is not by rejecting all cheap things, but by knowing what makes the biggest impact on your health and quality of life by making that switch to a better product in a specific category.
Bed Sheets
Avoid: Polyester and polyester blends. This fabric is plastic and while it does have its place in a wardrobe like for rain jackets, or athletic wear, it should not encase you while you sleep. These sheets pill quickly, and their lifespan is short because of that. Beyond this, polyester will not breathe and make you sweaty while you sleep. It also is notorious for collecting odor easily from your body oils, be it bedsheets or clothing.
Avoid: Sheets that say “wrinkle resistant” or “stain resistant”. This is fabric that has been treated with chemicals, quite toxic ones at that, to be able to claim this.
Buy: Cotton or linen. These natural fibers not only resist odors naturally by body oils clinging less to the surface of the fabric, but they clean well without all of the chemicals coating them.
Buy: The best sheets are not just cotton or linen but organic cotton or linen. Just by purchasing 100% cotton or linen sheets, you will be buying better quality. Buying organic cotton or linen sheets is just the extra mile to ensure that your bed sheets were never treated with harmful chemicals.
Read this article here for a brief and helpful guide to natural, non-toxic bedding.
Kitchen Utensils
Avoid: Nylon has a lower melting point than silicone, so these cheap utensils have a short lifespan and a questionable ability to degrade into your food. The same for anything plastic.
Buy: 18/10 stainless steel utensils, 100% silicone utensils, or hard wood utensils such as: acacia, walnut, olive, maple, cherry, or beech wood.
Bonus: The most chef worthy utensils will have longer handles than most. Restaurant quality utensils will often offer this longer handle, giving the cook better ability to stir, flip, and stay safe from the heat source.
I would avoid the big box stores for kitchen utensils and order online from restaurant suppliers.
Candles
Avoid: scented candles are full of toxic ingredients that you and your pets are subjected to inhaling. These chemicals can cause throat and lung irritation, headaches, and allergic reactions. I buy scented candles if I like the look of them for display purposes. I do burn scented candles in the bathroom to scent the air in there, especially when there are guests over! This is actually a comfort to people, when they know any odor will be masked. I avoid burning scented candles everywhere else and instead burn my non-scented beeswax candles for ambiance.
Buy: 100% beeswax candles are natural and not only non-toxic when burned but have some reputed health benefits to breathing in the compounds that release. Beeswax apparently lasts longer time than other waxes too. I burn my beeswax candles without reservation knowing that they are the safer option.
Cleaning Tools
Avoid: Heavy blocky vacuums that are difficult to move around.
Buy: Stick vacuum. This is a lightweight and easy to pivot around furniture legs kind of vacuum. A stick vacuum will glide and turn easily making the job so much faster and easier on you. Don’t walk, run, and get this vacuum to make cleaning better!
Clothing
Avoid: Polyester fabrics for daily wear and for pajamas. This fabric does not breathe and body odor clings to it and smells worse as bacteria multiplies on it easily.
Buy: 100% cotton, linen, silk, or wool. These materials are the most natural, the most breathable, and the most insulating or cooling fabrics! While your wardrobe does not have to be soley these fabrics, by making a larger amount of your clothing these fabrics, you will reap the benefits of better quality. I have been switching to sewing with natural fabrics for the most part. The difference is absolutely incredible in every aspect. I can re-wear items because they do not stink easily, unlike polyester which stinks in the underarm after one wear! This means fewer washings, which means my clothing remains newer looking for longer. The feeling of the natural cotton on my skin is more comfortable. It is both crisp and soft feeling and it is breathable. The breathability is noticeable in better natural fibers. It was a lost quality that is being re-discovered with the popularity of linen soaring in recent times. I have been sewing my dresses out of “quilting” cotton, otherwise known as just “cotton”, before it was marketed as such. This has been an affordable and delightful option full of colors and prints.
These are my top 5 items that I switched to buying better quality, and not all of them were even the more expensive option! Vacuums are around the same price, whether it is heavy or lightweight. My cotton fabric is cheaper than ready-made clothing. The bed sheets, candles, and kitchen utensils were the only items that actually cost more to get better quality.
Please share your top 5 items that you buy in better quality and why so that we can all consider how to buy better!
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