Fresh Starts at Home: A 4-Week Plan to Reduce Single-Use Plastic

In the new year, many of us spend more time indoors and start noticing our homes in a different light. Familiarity can breed frustration, and suddenly it becomes clear how much “stuff” has found its way in. Plastic packaging in particular has a habit of piling up quietly, without us ever making a conscious choice. At the beginning of each year, we talk about fresh starts. We declutter our wardrobes, reset our routines, and tell ourselves this is the year everything falls into place.

In 2026, let’s take a more realistic approach. Instead of trying to change everything at once, focus on one overlooked room at a time and make one intentional packaging swap each week. You do not need to be perfect to make progress. You just need to start paying attention and take control, one solid step at a time. Let’s start swapping! Follow this four-week plan to declutter and reduce single-use plastics.

Every home’s got one. A drawer filled with mystery cables, takeaway cutlery, old batteries, elastic bands, and an unholy amount of plastic.

Look out for

• Single-use plastic bags and wrappers
• Loose items stored in plastic sleeves
• Unused freebies or promo items

Simple swaps

• Replace plastic sandwich or zip-lock bags with reusable pouches or containers. Grandma was on to something with giving old cookie tins a second chance.
• Use small glass jars or metal trays to organize odds and ends
• Recycle what you can and donate anything usable

✔ Junk Drawer Checklist

☐ Empty the drawer completely

☐ Recycle unnecessary plastic packaging

☐ Replace plastic organizers with reusable alternatives

☐ Only return items you actually use

You will be shocked at how good it feels to close that drawer properly again.

Laundry rooms are often overlooked when it comes to plastic, yet they’re full of bulky, short-lived packaging. You don’t notice it until you do, and then it hits you how much of it is just waiting to be replaced.

Look out for

• Plastic detergent bottles
• Fabric softener packaging
• Single-use stain remover sprays

Simple swaps

• Choose refillable or concentrated detergents
• Try detergent sheets or powders with minimal packaging
• Skip fabric softener in favour of wool dryer balls

✔ Laundry Room Checklist

☐ Use up existing products before replacing

☐ Switch to refillable, low-waste, or dissolvable detergents

☐ Ditch unnecessary plastic accessories

☐ Store products in reusable containers

Insider tip: fewer plastic bottles means less clutter and more shelf space.

The kitchen is an obvious one, but it is also where plastic sneaks about in droves. You might already be doing the basics, but the truth is, plastic packaging multiplies. Every bag of snacks, every takeaway sauce, every “convenient” item adds up in the blink of an eye.

Look out for

• Single-use plastic bags and wrappers
• Plastic produce bags
• Disposable food storage and cling film
• Plastic condiment bottles

Simple swaps

• Buy loose produce or choose paper packaging when possible (egg cartons are a great start)
• Use reusable produce bags and storage containers
• Switch to beeswax wraps or reusable silicone lids
• Choose glass or refillable bottles for condiments

✔ Kitchen Checklist

☐ Clear out expired items and unnecessary packaging

☐ Replace plastic bags with reusable produce bags

☐ Store food in glass or reusable containers

☐ Swap cling film for reusable alternatives

You don’t have to overhaul your entire kitchen. Just replace the worst offenders first. The rest will follow.

From stationery to tech accessories, home offices quietly collect plastic over time. It is the room where small bits of packaging build up without you noticing. Before you know it, you have a drawer full of plastic-wrapped supplies and boxes you did not even mean to keep.

Look out for

• Plastic-wrapped stationery
• Disposable pens and markers
• Excess packaging from tech deliveries

Simple swaps

• Choose refillable pens and mechanical pencils
• Store supplies in wood, metal, or recycled containers
• Reuse packaging for storage or recycling whenever possible

✔ Home Office Checklist

☐ Recycle unnecessary plastic packaging

☐ Replace disposable stationery with refillables

☐ Use long-lasting storage solutions

☐ Buy supplies with minimal or plastic-free packaging

This is a great room to reset habits, especially if you are starting the year with new goals.

Reducing plastic does not have to mean a full lifestyle overhaul. By focusing on one room per week, you:

• Avoid overwhelm
• Build sustainable habits
• Notice the packaging you would normally ignore

And most importantly, you make progress that actually sticks. The goal is not perfection. The goal is awareness, better choices, and supporting packaging designed to be reused, refilled, or recycled.

Share Your Swaps! 

We want to see the changes you are making at home. Whether it is a tidied junk drawer, a plastic-free laundry shelf, or smarter storage in the kitchen, every swap counts.

Share your progress, tips, and small wins on social media using #DitchPlasticPackaging. You might inspire someone else to start their first swap.

Let’s keep the momentum going and prove that real change starts at home, one room at a time.