Life today is … a lot.
Wasteful, fast-paced, noisy, and built around the idea that convenience should be the default.
With one tap, nearly anything can appear on our doorsteps within a matter of days. Sometimes the same day. Sometimes in multiple boxes on the same day.
We’ve gotten so thoroughly used to speed, that slowing down feels like swimming upstream. Especially around the holidays.
But the problem is that convenience isn’t free, it's just offloaded.
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it costs energy,
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it costs materials,
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it costs labor,
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and it costs a staggering amount of packaging.
And while we don’t necessarily need to use this topic to spiral into eco-doom and gloom, it's worth being mindful and acknowledging the reality: the way we live generates more waste, emissions, and short-lived stuff than our planet can handle.
We don’t discuss that part much, but it’s worth thinking about, especially in a world already obsessed with “easy”.
Our modern holiday season is built on speed:
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one-day shipping
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flash ‘deals’
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last-minute gift hauls
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endless packaging
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and the expectation that everything (decor, food, presents, events) should come effortlessly together.
Just think about events like Black Friday or Prime day.
Millions of orders placed in a window of time so short, that fulfillment centers essentially become endurance arenas.
More trucks on the road.
More returns.
More packaging.
More everything.
And not because we’re villains, (not at all), but because the modern world makes impulse consumption absolutely frictionless.
I like to thank our good friend the Grinch for a great reminder this time of year: “Maybe Christmas doesn't come from a store. Maybe Christmas, perhaps, means a little bit more.”
It is so incredibly easy to get bogged down by the chaos of this season; to think that more is the only way to measure a successful holiday, or lifestyle in general.
But let’s look at the truth: we’re living in a system that pushes convenience, disposability, and speed as the norm.
Changing that system individually won’t happen overnight but we can make choices that reduce our personal waste, lessen our dependence on disposable culture, and shift our habits toward a more sustainable and simplified lifestyle. For the holidays, and all year long.
This is a sustainable living guide for people who, like me, have busy schedules, imperfect routines, and a desire to reduce their impact by simplifying their consumption habits.
And if you’re looking for sustainable gift ideas for yourself or your loved ones, check out 50 ideas for sustainable gifting blog (suitable for any time of the year)!
Here are 21 sustainable swaps, both products and habits, to help you actually make a difference in your day-to-day life.
21 sustainable swaps for daily life (holiday season friendly)
These swaps, both products and habits, may seem small. But there is no doubt that they add up over time. Let this guide assure you that it can be easier to make a difference than you might think!
( r e )duce single-use waste
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Butcherpaper & reusable gift bags
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instead of disposable wrapping paper → Giftwrap is often coated, glittered, or metallic, making it not recyclable. Reuse giftbags, use butcher paper (and DIY a cute pattern), or use fabric instead to wrap gifts. These options look beautiful and last for years.
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Refillable soap & cleaning tablets
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instead of tons of plastic bottles → If your bathroom looks a bit like the cosmetic aisle at CVS, this one’s for you. Not to mention, refillable bottles can look way cuter. Reduce the visual clutter and the actual clutter of plastic with this swap.
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Reusable coffee filter or French Press
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instead of single-use filters → Less waste AND better flavor. It's a win-win.
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Cloth napkins and silicone baking mats
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instead of napkins and parchment paper → Speaking of kitchen stuff, holiday baking & hosting creates mountains of single-use paper. One silicone baking mat replaces hundred of parchment sheets. And a nice set of cloth napkins is a great gift for your hostess with the mostess.
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Bar soap & shampoo bars
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instead of bottled products → Compact, package free, and surprisingly luxurious for your self-care obsessed friend or family member.
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Reusable shopping totes
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instead of single-use bags → Use what you have: old totes & sturdy bags make holiday shopping simpler and less plastic.
( r e )think what you buy
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Cotton or organic fiber clothing
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instead of polyester-heavy materials → Give the gift of comfort and sustainability with better clothing choices. Think cotton, linen, hemp, or wool. They last way longer, are easier to repair and shed fewer microplastics! Check out our blog on how to build a sustainable wardrobe on a budget.
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Recycled plastic hangers
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Instead of 25/$5 virgin plastic hangers → once your virgin plastic hangers break they end up in a landfill because you can’t recycle hangers (no matter how many people put them in the recycle bin). We’ve redesigned the hanger to be durable, functional and keep your closet organized without adding to the plastic pollution problem. They’re also made from 100% recycled ocean and ocean-bound plastic, giving new life to what would have been waste.
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Long-lasting kitchen tools
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instead of cheap, single-purpose gadgets → Sometimes quality over quantity is the most underrated sustainability strategy. Kitchen stuff & home goods in general are one of the top categories for gift-giving each year. Most of these items are never recycled, let alone recyclable, so ensuring they will last a long time is a great way to lower your impact.
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LED holiday lights
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instead of incandescent strings → A classic sustainable swap: LEDs use far less energy, stay cooler, and last season after season. Who knew?
( r e)imagine your habits
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DIY gift tags
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instead of new, plastic shiny ones → Gift tags are cute, but chances are you can use things you already have around the house to make them. Think cardboard, paper, twine…get crafty. It’s more fun that way.
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Compostable or natural decor
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instead of clearing out the aisles at every store you can think of → Citrus slices, greenery, pinecones, cinnamon sticks, beeswax candles… all beautiful, all seasonal, and all compostable when you’re done with them.
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Refillable candle jars
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instead of buying new ones each time → More brands now offer candle refills or wax beads. Keep the cute jar and give it another chance at life!
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Repair what you have
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instead of buying new again and again → Broken ornament hooks, torn tree shirts, worn sweaters… most of the things we toss and head to Target for, can be fixed with a little glue, needle & thread, and love.
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Cook realistic amounts of food
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instead of making enough for an entire village and then dumping it → It's hard to plan for big gatherings, but most of us can admit, we prepare in excess when we maybe don’t need to. Holiday food waste is massive; planning smaller portions or creative leftover plans prevents the post-dinner food dump.
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Slow down shipping
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instead of opting for the as fast as possible option → This is a big one. Consolidate orders, choose slower shipping dates, or pick up in store. Slower logistics = fewer trucks on the road and potentially less packaging. OR shop in person (which is still an option! Who knew!)
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Prioritize the "experience gifts”
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instead of piling on the packages → Tickets, cooking classes, seasonal outings…zero clutter, maximum memory. Most of the time, these are the best gifts afterall.
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Reusable advent calendars
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instead of the throwaway ones with the subpar chocolate → Fill them with small notes, activities, or tiny treats to help you countdown to Christmas. More intentional and of course, more sustainable.
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Borrow or swap holiday decor
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instead of buying new every year → Get together with neighbors, friends, or family and shop for each other’s stuff! One man’s trash is another person’s brand new, super cute, meant-to-be Christmas decoration.
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Shop local holiday markets
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instead of fast, large-scale, retailers → Not about saving money, it's about lower shipping, fewer returns, and supporting makers who tend to produce in smaller, less waste-heavy batches.
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Donate before you decorate
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instead of letting the stuff pile on top of itself → A pre-holiday declutter creates space for what’s coming in, and offers your unused items to people who could certainly use them during the season.
Why these swaps & sustainable living habits actually matter
There’s no single answer to “how to be sustainable”.
There’s no ultimate product or perfect checklist void of any impact whatsoever. But the combination of mindful habits and practical sustainable swaps builds a lifestyle that aligns your actions with your environmental values.
And the great thing about these swaps is that hopefully, they can make your season feel even more festive, not less.
Why?
Because slowing down and choosing things intentionally breaks the autopilot cycle of December consumerism.
It brings you closer to the parts of this season that matter: the rituals, the traditions, the thoughtfulness, etc.
Convenience culture pushes us toward:
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Fast buying
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Fast decorating
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Fast gift giving
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Fast discarding
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Fast replacing
But the holidays are meant to be the opposite: slow, warm, and intentional.
When you:
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Partake in more DIY’s
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Bake with reusable tools
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Borrow or repair decor
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Opt out of frantic last minute purchases
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Gift with intention (at any time of the year)
…you’re not only embracing sustainable living, you're reclaiming the holiday experience from the churn of convenience.
A combination of both product and habit swaps can help you align your holiday with the planet. Not everything has to change, just some things.
You don’t have to overhaul your lifestyle to save the world, just contribute to a version of it that feels a bit less disposable.