People often say that zero waste living is a lot of work. Some areas, it might be such as air-drying clothes, making food from scratch, composting, and things of that nature. But, I’m willing to bet that around 90% of my zero waste life is lazy and may even save me time as opposed to their wasteful counterparts.

So, let’s dive into 20 ways that I live a lazy low waste life!

Turn off lights

Or…just don’t turn them on in the first place! During the day, I never turn on the lights. I just use the natural light coming in from the windows. This means I don’t have to remember to turn them off when I leave a room. It’s one less thought and one less action to take.

Plus, even if you do use lights, simply remembering to turn them off when you leave a room is helping future you be lazy. Now, you don’t have to get up later to walk over and turn it off. And, in general, this act requires little energy and time and can help save you some money each month.

Turn off water

Similarly is to turn off the water when not in use. Become fluent in water conservation! It’s not difficult or time-consuming and, once again, can help save you some money.

Use the dishwasher

The ultimate lazy hack! Load up the dishwasher instead of taking time to wash everything by hand. Let technology handle the hard work for you AND it’s going to save water. Dishwashers are much more water-efficient than washing by hand. Of course, it will use more energy, but if you’re looking for a lazy way to conserve water, the dishwasher is it!

Wash recyclables in the dishwasher

Use the dishwasher for more than just dirty dishes…let it help you recycle correctly! Of course, all recycling rules are different worldwide and even from town to town. But, generally speaking, recycling DOES have to be clean. No crusty yogurt tubs or cans of tomato sauce, please! Good news, most of your recyclables are dishwasher safe: glass, metal, and thick plastics. Do not place paper and thin plastics in the dishwasher.

This can encourage you to recycle more, recycle correctly, and it’s a lazy way to do so. Or, better yet, it encourages you to reuse more! I know I am much more likely to reuse a glass jar when the dishwasher can properly clean and sanitize it. Give it a try!

Quit shopping

Shopping takes time, energy, and money. Yes, even when doing it online, but especially in person. So, quit buying so much! I know, it’s easier said than done. But, here are a few questions you can ask yourself to prevent impulse purchases:

How will I use this item?
How will I store this item?
How will I dispose of it when I no longer use it?
Do I already have something at home that can do what it does?
Did I want this item before I saw it in stores, saw the ad, or saw an influencer talking about it?

Why does shopping less benefit the planet anyway? Well, everything we buy has an impact. It takes resources to create that item. For example, my reusable water bottle: oil had to be mined and turned into plastic to make the lid. Metal had to be mined and smelted using extremely high temperatures to create the body of this water bottle. The paint is likely also oil-based. All of these items are created in different parts of the world and shipped to China or Brazil (for Stanley water bottles) for production. Then they’re shipped to your home country to be sold at a warehouse. And then it’s shipped to your door or your local store that you have to drive to. And this is just a brief overview. Think about the lifecycle of your items before you buy something on an impulse next time.

Carpool

The ultimate lazy eco hack: carpooling. Let’s say you gather 5 of your work colleagues or classmates to carpool together. Instead of driving 5 days a week, now you all only have to drive once a week. That’s more time you can be lazy. You can use that time in the back seat to read a book, catch up on a podcast, finish your homework, take a nap, have a meaningful discussion, and so much more.

Little changes to your diet

Our diets have more of an impact on the planet than we may think. So, by making small changes to our diets, we can impact our carbon footprint. Now, going vegan overnight is not a lazy thing to do. It takes effort and research and preparing. But, make one small change this week that requires no effort. For example:

Try beans instead of beef in your chili this week
Try oat milk instead of cow milk for your cereal
Opt for single oranges versus oranges pre-packaged in a plastic bag

These things are very simple and require no effort, but can have a big impact! Here is why eating fewer animal products is better for the planet.

Reusable water bottle

To be honest, I have never used disposable water bottles…even as a child, we just refilled disposables at home! But I truly could not imagine having to drive to the grocery store or water refill station to get more water. Of course, this is a huge privilege: my water is safe to drink. But, yours likely is, too. So, save yourself some time, energy, and money and use a reusable water bottle at home. Fill it up in the sink and the next time you run out, head to your nearest sink instead of having to drive all the way to the store. Here’s how much money a reusable water bottle can save you, too.

Library card to get books on your phone

I love libraries and I will never shut up about them! But doesn’t it take effort to drive to the library and browse thousands of books? Nope! Well, yes, it can, but it doesn’t have to. I rarely go to the library, but the library helped me save $1800 in 2024 because of all the books I borrowed right to my phone. Not only do I not have to physically drive to the library but I also don’t have to drive to the bookstore or browse sites like Thriftbooks. Of course, I love all of these services, but as a lazy reader, I would rather type a few works on my phone and download a free audiobook or e-book right to my phone to borrow. It saves time and money and it’s a great way to live zero waste!

Soaps and cleaners

Okay, you might be wondering how the act of cleaning can be done in a lazy way and it really can’t. But, I consider this a low-effort swap because eco soaps and eco cleaners don’t require any learning curve. They are not hard to use and are not different to use from your traditional products. The only difference is better ingredients and better packaging. So, try some eco-friendly cleaning products and get to cleaning without having to learn anything new! Here is my list of favorite zero waste cleaners.

Silicone baking mat

Another zero waste swap that will truly save you so much time and frustration is a silicone baking mat. They are non-stick and fully reusable. This means you no longer have to buy parchment paper and/or aluminum foil or cooking spray. I also prefer it to parchment paper because parchment paper loves to roll up and not stay on the pan. Silicone baking mats lay perfectly flat every time. Not to mention, they leave my pans SO clean. I have baked such sticky and messy stuff on these mats and my pans remain 100% clean at the end of the meal. The best part? It’s fully dishwasher safe making it even more lazy. I love this swap for money saving, waste saving, and saving my own energy.

Deodorant

Similar to soaps and cleaners, using a zero waste deodorant requires no learning curve. It’s just the same as a regular deodorant except it’s better ingredients and better packaging. Of course, not all eco deodorants are created equally. Some of them do require you to smear the deodorant onto your armpit with your fingers which is not everyone’s cup of tea. But, brands like Wild (code WILDSIMPLE gets you 20% off), Native, Meow Meow Tweet, and more are just like what you can find at Target. Check out my first review and second review here.

Stop shaving

Once again, not everyone’s cup of tea, but a way to reduce waste and save you time and energy is to stop shaving or stop shaving so frequently. This reduces the number of razors and/or blades you have to buy, conserves water, reduces the need for as much shaving cream, and takes no time at all to just stop doing it. It’s something to consider, that’s for sure!

Wash your hair less

I used to wash my hair around 3 times per week. Since dying it blue, I’ve started washing it just one time per week or even longer! I do this to help my color last but it also saves so much more: water, shampoo, conditioner, money, energy by not having to hair dry it, and time. The key to making it last longer is to train your hair, touch it with your hands as little as possible to reduce oils, get good at styling your hair when it starts to get greasy, and a good low waste dry shampoo. I make mine out of cornstarch and a little cocoa powder for color.

Of course, use your discretion. If you get sweaty or you work a dirty job (I used to work for a state park and washed it much more frequently there due to dirt and grime), please wash as necessary.

Wash your clothes less

Hear me out! As with hair, I am not saying don’t wash your dirty clothes, but perhaps reevaluate if your clothes are even dirty. That cardigan that you wore overtop of another shirt for just a few hours probably doesn’t need a wash just yet. That fancy dress you wore to church for just one hour probably doesn’t need a wash right away. Same with other outer garments. Please wash undergarments regularly! And, as with hair, if your clothes are dirty or sweaty, please wash them, too.

This will lower your loads of laundry per week, save detergent, save water, save energy, and save you time as well.

Eco Egg

Now, when it does come time to wash your clothes, there is one eco detergent that is the laziest of them all: the Eco Egg. This isn’t my favorite laundry detergent of all time (review here), but it sure requires the least effort. You don’t have to measure anything, you don’t have to dispose of anything or take care of anything. You chuck this egg into your wash load and let it do its thing. Remove it and let it air dry. You can use this dozens of times before you have to change out the cleaning beads. And even then, it only takes a minute tops.

Plan your grocery list

I don’t know about you, but I love to get in and out of the grocery store as quickly as possible. For me, that means planning my grocery list. It takes only a few minutes and saves me plenty more time while I’m in the grocery store. Better yet, I put them on the list in the order in which I need to buy them to even further maximize my time. How does this save waste? If you go to the store without a plan, you are likely to overbuy, impulse buy, and therefore, waste food. This may also waste you money, too. So, buy precisely what you need to expedite the trip and to prevent waste.

Menstrual cup/disc

While not my favorite zero waste period swap, menstrual cups and menstrual discs are the laziest low waste period option. Why? It’s just one swap that is endlessly reusable. Period underwear requires time to wash them, dry them, and reuse them. But menstrual cups and discs only require a quick rinse before reinserting them for reuse and just one good clean at the end of each cycle. They may take a bit of time to learn how to use them properly, but with how much money they can save, doubled with how lazy it can make your period, is a game changer.

Rags, hankies, and reusable napkins

Sure, using rags, hankies, and reusable napkins may add a bit to the laundry basket, but it will save you time in other areas. No more running out of paper towels and having to run to the store when you can use a rag that is endlessly reusable. I find they also absorb so much more than paper towels which can save time, too.

I have never noticed that usable reusables have created more laundry for me. I didn’t all of a sudden start to do more laundry. But, I did notice the money savings and time savings from not having to stock up on disposables as often.

Rechargeable batteries

Lastly for today, a very underrated zero waste swap, reusable batteries. Once again, you no longer have to spend time hunting down the last battery in your house or swapping batteries between devices or driving to the store for more. Simply recharge the dead ones and put charged ones in it’s place. It saves time and is one of the biggest money-savers in my home!

That concludes the list of 20 eco swaps that save you time, energy, and money. I love that my zero waste life does not require extra time. I still have time for hobbies and time for being lazy and relaxing. The zero waste swaps I use are easy, fun, and save me money!

If you want to learn more about how much money a zero waste life can save you, check out this video next. And don’t forget to leave your lazy zero waste swaps down below!

As always, remember that your small actions make a big difference in the long run :)

Emma

Lazy Ways that I Live Zero Waste