As we are slowly getting back to pre-lockdown life, most folks will soon have the option of going back to their office either part or full time. Which is great news! (Especially since this also includes my very loud husband who does not practice his indoor voice!) As we adjust to this new “out of the house” lifestyle, there are few sustainable items that I plan to have on hand that will make the ‘office life’ just as comfortable as the ‘home office life’:
1) Reusable Water Bottle with a Straw:
Drinking water out of a built-in straw will not only prevent any accidental spills but you’re likely to drink more water from a straw than if sipping water from a cup. Plus, no one wants to be that person with a squeaky lid to screw on and screw off every time you’re thirsty. Keep in mind, bigger is usually better when it comes to water bottles (less trips to the kitchen!), however- make sure the bottle will fit in your car drink holder, so it is not rolling around on the floor.
Here are a few of my favorite water bottles that can be found at REI and Amazon: Hydro Flask is one of the most popular bottles out there as it is known for keeping cold drinks cold, and hot drinks hot, for hours!
CamelBak is always a winner
My personal daily water bottle is from IronFlask that comes with 3 different lids. The straw is wider than traditional straws while the straw is completely detachable which makes the bottle super easy to clean. It’s a win win!
Do you already use a water bottle that you currently love? Perfect! If your bottle did not include a lid with a built-in straw, some brands now sell their lids separately, so you won’t need to buy a whole new bottle. Be sure to buy from the brand of your water bottle so the fit is perfect. Here are some examples:
Yeti:
2) Glass Food Storage Containers
I am a big fan of bringing my lunch to work, as this allows me to make healthy choices while preventing me from spending money on non-necessities. I am also a big fan of heating up my lunch in glass containers instead of plastic containers when using the microwave. Depending on what I’ve packed for lunch, I appreciate owning a variety of sizes of containers so I only bring what I need. These glass containers are perfect for food storage no matter what you enjoy bringing for lunch.
3) A travelers best friend…Packing Cubes!
Whether I am traveling for work or for fun, I never pack my suitcase without these packing cubes. My husband introduced these to me a few years back and I thank him every time I pack for a trip, as they make life so much easier! Packing cubes keeps clothes organized, prevents the suitcase from becoming a mess, and keeps the clothes folded, even if the suitcase gets tossed around. I use the packing cubes to group together complete outfits and can typically fit 2 outfits in 1 packing cube. I will also use the packing cubes to separate my clean clothes from my dirty clothes for longer trips, or when I didn’t wear all of my clothing items. These are truly a game changer!
4) Bento Boxes aren’t just for Japanese dinners.
If you’re anything like me you appreciate having a variety of foods to choose from throughout the work day. Sometimes I’m craving something sweet… or maybe something salty, or maybe something that’s sweet and salty! This is where a simple bento box can help! The word ‘bento’ originates from Japan and the concept of a bento box is to provide a single portion meal where the different foods won’t touch each other because of the built-in walls within the box. This can be used for complete meals like sandwiches & chips, or for snacks like carrots, popcorn, granola, etc. I love my 3-compartment stainless steel box from LunchBots. I’ve had mine for years and it’s still as strong as new! These are even great for kids who need a lightweight lunch box, or who don’t like their food touching.
5) Stylish Comfort + Sustainably Made = Happy Feet
It’s safe to say that my feet have truly enjoyed working from home and not having to wear uncomfortable heels all day long! To ease back into long days on my feet, I want to be comfortable, but still stylish. I love these sustainable slip-on flats from Rothy’s that are made from recycled water bottles and ocean plastic. They are made to hug your feet and are 100% machine washable.
These are sold on the Rothy’s website. This style is called ‘The Point’ in the wildcat color.
I hope my “Back to Work” blog will inspire you to make sustainable choice regardless of whether you work from home, or from an office. Feel free to pass this blog on to others in hopes we can inspire friends and co-workers to make sustainable choices regardless of where we work. We all make choices in our daily lives, why not make them sustainable choices! From my big straw water bottle to yours, thanks for reading!
And a big ‘Thank You’ to the following companies who inspired me to write this blog and where I found pictures for this blog: REI, LunchBots, Amazon, and Rothy’s.