7 Sustainable Product Swaps That Can Save You Money *and* Space, According to a Dorm Expert

Making the most of a small living space can be tricky, especially if you’re on a budget. On the one hand, buying in bulk can be more wallet-friendly than purchasing one-off items. But that giant jug of laundry detergent and 24-pack of bottled water can take up a lot of storage space (plus, single-use plastic takes a major toll on the environment). 

Pivoting to environmentally-friendly products is a simple-but-effective way to maximize space and save money. Who better to consult about product swaps than a dorm dweller on a budget who also happens to be passionate about sustainability? Klara Underwood, a junior at Kent State University, has few years of experience figuring out how to maximize space in her dorm while saving money as she pursues her degree. 

One thing to keep in mind, before you swap out for any of these products: Throwing something out before it’s done is even more wasteful. So aim to invest in sustainable products when something has run its course rather than unintentionally adding to the landfill! Here are Underwood’s top recommendations for sustainable product swaps for your own small space.

One of Underwood’s all-time favorite space-saving, wallet-friendly products is a stain stick by Meliora. “It takes up as much space as a stick of butter, and lasts forever,” she says. “Because it is a solid concentrate of stain-removing ingredients, you don’t need much each time you use!” So far, Underwood says one stick has lasted more than a year.

Along the same lines, Underwood prefers bar soap to liquid soap in the kitchen and the shower. Not only does bar soap often come in paper wrapper rather than plastic, which is more sustainable, it also lasts a lot longer than liquid soap because it’s not watered down with other ingredients. Plus, you won’t be tempted to take extra pumps! 

Properly storing food is one way to prevent food waste (which in turn can help you save money). The problem is, plastic wrap and plastic baggies are terrible for the environment. Instead, Underwood suggests No Trace beeswax wraps, which fold down flat like paper when not in use (and take up less space than a huge roll of Saran wrap). Like other reusable options, they are a pricier investment, but you can have them forever. “You might need to do a bit of maintenance such as re-waxing them about two to three years in, but that is an easy, stress-free project that requires you only invest in a bar of wax,” she says.

There’s almost nothing cozier than warm, soft laundry (even if you do it in a laundromat). No matter where you wash your clothes, there’s no need to buy dryer sheets, which are both wasteful and costly. Instead, Underwood suggests wool dryer balls. “They can shorten your drying time and can last over 1000 washes, so they’re worth every penny,” she says. “You can even add essential oils to them to infuse your clothes.”

If you’re a person who gets a period, consider investing in a more sustainable option than pads or tampons. Underwood likes to use a menstrual cup and Thinx period underwear instead of single-use products. Both are more compact and easier to store than cardboard boxes, and while they’re an investment up front, she says they can end up lasting a long time if you take care of them!

Prefer purified water, but no room for a Brita filter or bottles of water? Underwood swears by this Kishu water filter stick, which filters water with activated carbon and adds minerals like magnesium and calcium. “They are tiny, and can go in any container unlike the bulky Brita counterpart which has very few size accommodations,” she says. Plus, they last up to four months and can be composted after use!

Underwood likes this organic cotton veggie bag, which she says keeps her produce fresh for longer and therefore prevents unnecessary food waste. In the event your fruit gets slimy before you can eat it, the bag also protects the crisper drawer from getting dirty (and saves you time cleaning). “Although it’s an initial investment, it never wears out and can be frequently cleaned in the washer and dryer,” Underwood says.