Wondering what to do with all of your Simply Smita Co jars, pouches and packaging that you're collecting? We've got a few ideas for you! While you can certainly recycle all of our packaging, or even compost our muslin bags, it's even better to reuse or upcycle them when possible. This not only reduces the dependency on less green alternatives, but it also helps limit the need for virgin products to be made. But before we can dive into going green and reusing your packaging, it's important to know how to clean it first!
How to Clean Your Packaging
Lip Balm Tubes: To clean your lip balm tubes, simply wind the tube until the bottom comes all the way up and wipe residual balm off with a q-tip or paper towel. Toss into a pot of boiling water for 5 minutes until excess balm melts out (our tubes are BPA + BPS FREE so no need to worry about leaching chemicals!). Remove carefully and wipe off any remaining residue. I recommend tossing into a fresh pot of boiling water one more time to sanitize before use. Once your tubes are cleaned, allow them to air dry. I like to leave mine out overnight so any water that's seeped into the crevices can fully dry.
Glass Jars: Using a paper towel or rag, wipe off as much oil/balm as you can. Stick the jar in the microwave for 10-20 seconds to melt any leftover product and wipe away well. Let soak in hot water and nontoxic dish soap for a couple hours then wash and let dry. Tip: If the jar is sticky from the label, dab a couple drops of organic lemon essential oil onto your rag and rub off.
Muslin Bags: If you're muslin bags get dirty, simply throw them in the wash with your towels. I recommend washing before using for teas or cooking so the green ink washes off ;)
18 Ways to Reuse Your Packaging!
Glass Jars
- Carry Oils. Our 1 oz jars are my favorite for carrying oils on the go, especially while traveling. I never leave the house without a jar of organic coconut oil and coconut castor oil. Tip: These jars are leak proof but make sure to close them extra tight to prevent spilling. I typically put all of my oils in our muslin pouches and then into my toiletry bag or backpack just to be safe!
- Store Herbs, Spices + Teas. I love making my own tea blends at home and these jars are perfect for that. They also work well for organizing and storing dried spices and herbs.
- Vitamins on the Go. If you're anything like me then you remember to take your vitamins the moment you leave the house! I've also gotten sick of finding smushed ziplock bags at the bottom of my backpack, not to mention the unnecessary plastic waste, so these jars have been the perfect solution :)
- Store Bath Salts + DIY Recipes. Who doesn't love making their own bath salts and scrubs? They are super easy and quick to make and now you don't need to buy more containers to store them! Here are some of our go-to recipes: Lavender Foot Scrub; Argan Face Scrub.
- Carry Honey on the Go. Don't want to travel without your favorite local honey? Well, you don't have to! Our 1 oz jars are the perfect size for carrying honey on the go, mess-free :)
- Make Candles. For those of you who are feeling extra crafty, upcycle our jars to make organic beeswax candles. They are better for you and better for the environment! Here's my go-to recipe guide.
Muslin Pouches
- Moth Bags. Simply add dried lavender flowers and hang in your closets to deter moths and prevent stale scent in clothing. Tip: Also a great organic and hypoallergenic way to add to add an organic scent to drawers and clothes in the dryer!
- Bath Soaks. Fill with salt and flowers and drop into a warm bath or foot soak and feel the relaxation! I recommend a 1/2 cup of dried lavender, rose or chamomile flowers and 1 tablespoon of Epsom salt or ground oat flour (especially great for dry, itchy skin!).
- DIY Tea Bags. Don't have a strainer on hand? Simply fill your muslin pouch with fresh herbs or flowers and steep in a cup of hot water. I recommend 1 tbsp per cup of water.
- Spice Bags for Cooking. This is especially great for flavoring broths or ciders, and for spices you want to remove from the final dish like cinnamon sticks, cloves, bay leaves, and lemongrass. Simply fill your bag with the spices, knot and simmer in your dish until flavors are achieved.
- Carry Things on the Go. I use our muslin pouches for carrying everything on the go from business cards (it helps them stay clean) to pens (no more digging around my purse to find them!) to jewelry, makeup, and even tampons. If you have kids, you can use them to carry crayons, toy cars, cards, etc. The options are endless!
- Soapnuts for Laundry: If you haven't already, I highly recommend making the switch to organic soapnuts for your laundry needs. They are the best thing we have ever found! Simply fill the pouch with 5-6 soapnuts and toss into your washer. Your clothes will come out clean, fresh and free of harmful irritants ;)
Lip Balm Tubes
While our tubes are number 5 PP, which means they are recyclable, they can definitely come in handy for other things, and they are truly the perfect size for carrying things on the go such as:
- Herbs while Traveling. Those of you who know me know that I never travel without a few key herbal remedies, and our lip balm tubes are the perfect size to carry these on the go!
- Toothpicks. This one is pretty self-explanatory ;p
- Hair Ties + Bobby Pins. In our house, hair ties are everywhere except for when I really need them! So this solution has been great and also helps declutter. Simply wrap the hair ties around the outside of the tubes and fill the inside with bobby pins Tip: This also works well for rubber bands ;)
- Paperclips. It's so much easier to find paperclips when they're stored neatly. I prefer using lip balm tubes over our glass jars for these since they are easier to toss into my backpack.
- Raw Sugar on the Go. Can you believe people still use white sugar?! I love a teaspoon of raw cane sugar in my afternoon early grey tea and this is much neater (and greener) than carrying the little pouches around in my backpack :) Tip: Can also use to carry salt, pepper, or red chili flakes (yes, mom, this one's for you!).
- And even Money! If you're looking for a waterproof money holder than look no further! Here's a simple way to store some money in your old lip balm containers:
How do you reuse your Simply Smita Co packaging? We'd love to hear your tips in the comments below!
Love + Light,
Smita :)
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