When you’re indoors
GET ORGANISED!
The rule with recycling is to make it simple. Time spent organising packaging and kitchen waste is time well spent. There are some wonderful new innovations that are worth a look. Häfele has a pull-out dual-waste-bin system that makes sorting out food and rubbish easy (£49.99, Screwfix). Meanwhile, Brabantia has a colourful, Sort & Go triple-bin option (below). My advice is to have a separate food waste bin, ideally in a pull-out drawer next to the dishwasher.
BE A COMPOST QUEEN
Given the right tools, namely a good sealed bin, it’s easy to make garden compost at home – you just need patience, as it takes four to six months to break down food waste. Contrary to popular belief, you can compost cooked food but avoid fats and meat, so if you’ve put sauces or butter on vegetables, you need to add liquid – so chuck on veg stock, for example – to make it compost-ready.
MAKE A CLEAN SWEEP!
My favourite all-natural cleaning agent is lemon: simply cut one in half, stick it in the microwave for two minutes and then wipe the inside of the microwave with kitchen paper – no chemicals, no smells, no grease! Natural products, such as baking soda and distilled vinegar, can also work in tandem to clean almost anything, including ovens. The combo also works wonders as an alternative to bleach for cleaning the loo. Just add lots of elbow grease.