Kindred Gifts' Blog

We asked wonderful EcoMILF founder and blogger Meagan Genovese to share her wisdom on remembering how you can use your re-usable Eco Accessories everyday.


Meagan is first and foremost a mama to two gorgeous little ones, a wife, a green cleaner and vegetarian chef, a writer, a yoga teacher, an animal rights activist and creator of all things homemade. She enjoys shopping, vegan baking and her newfound hobbies- sewing, knitting and photography. You can find her playing hide and seek at the park, drawing with crayons, reading a book or feeding her newborn while sipping soy chai lattes and nibbling on Fairtrade chocolate.



Perhaps you’ve had great green intentions in the past. You’ve resolved to remember your green bags when you go to the shops and your water bottle when you’re heading out the door. But sometimes life throws you a surprise farmer’s market, a spontaneous trip to the beach, or a coffee you just weren’t planning. Follow these little tips and you’ll never be without your beloved eco accessories.

Green Bags
Everyone has big bulky green bags purchased from the supermarket. Store a bunch of these in the back of your car and keep them there. Don’t have an alternative spot for them in your house, so that when they’re unloaded they must be put back into the boot.


Keep 2-3 small bags that fold, zip or scrunch up into themselves neatly tucked away in your purse or handbag, the nappy bag and the bottom of the pram. That way, if you’re inspired to do a last minute shop you’ll have a few reusable bags on hand whether on foot or on the road and you won’t have to feel guilty at the check-out. Baggu Bags fold up into their own little pouch and come in two beautifully striking colours.



Re-usable coffee cups
Again, I have a couple of these available in case I forget one somewhere. Keep one at home, cleaned and close to the front door by the keys so you can grab it when you walk out the door. Alternatively, keep one on your desk at work if you buy your coffee mid-morning. If you want to be really prepared, keep a third in the car for an unplanned emergency caffeine fix. The key here is never to stash it away in your kitchen cupboards. When it’s clean, put it back at it’s station ready to be picked up and used again. Don't have a reusable coffee cup yet? Try Hookturn BYO Reusable Coffee Cups. They're made from BPA-free silicone and come in all sorts of funky colours.

Re-usable Water Bottle
For me, leaving the house without a water bottle can feel like leaving without an essential item of clothing on! We have a small collection of stainless steel bottles of varying sizes in our home, which ensures there’s always one kicking around to fill up and throw in my handbag or nappy bag. If you have a small cupboard, mantle or cabinet somewhere near the front door, consider storing your clean reusable water bottles in here for convenience. I’m drooling over the gorgeous 321 Water Bottle with a built-in carbon filter so that you can stay healthy and hydrated no matter where you are.

When I am running out the door I usually do a mental check and visual sweep before shutting the door that goes something like this: lights out, stove and oven off, hats, sunscreen, nappies, wipes, water, snacks, bag, wallet, phone, keys! Get into the habit of checking your eco-accessories off the list in your head before you leave the house.

Other Eco-Accessories to store in your handbag, backpack, office desk and/or car :-
There are many other instances where reusable containers and accessories can be used instead of disposable plastic or paper. If you’re motivated to make a few more changes add these to your handbag when you head out the door:
- reusable produce bags
- a fork, spoon and knife
- cloth napkins (see Manor12 napkins)
- vintage hankies
-reusable or recycled take-away containers
- reusable snack packs and sandwich wraps (see the Fluf range for very cute snack packs and lunch bags)
- cloth nappies
- cloth wipes
- glass or stainless steel straws
- stainless steel malt cup for smoothies and/or shakes

You don’t have to be an eco-saint to make a difference. Choose one or two reusable items you intend to use over the next year and make a concerted effort to have them available when you need them. It will only take a few weeks for the effort to transform into habit and soon bringing and using your reusable eco accessories will become second nature.