One of my favorite things to do every January is to reflect on what worked and didn’t work in my life over the past year; everything from personal habits, to career goals, to products that I use in my daily routine. In short, new year’s resolutions and past year reflections. 🙂
As you can probably tell if you have been reading my blog for a while, I LOVE to share tips, tricks, and products related to living a sustainable lifestyle. One of my favorite ways to say thank you for the support is to hold an annual giveaway with a few of my favorite products from the past year. Some products were recently discovered and some are making a comeback from the previous year’s giveaway because they are just that awesome!
To enter the giveaway, CLICK HERE to go to the Instagram post. [NOW CLOSED]
Keep reading for what will be included in this year’s giveaway as well as another overview of entry rules and requirements:
This blog post and shop widgets may use affiliate links. Affiliate links are marked (ad).
Read the disclaimer about affiliate links and PR products/gifting HERE.
All of the products mentioned in this post were purchased by me and were not gifted or discounted. I was not asked to share about any of these products.
Let’s check it out!
1. Good Days Start with Gratitude Journal & The 3 Minute Gratitude Journal for Kids
This gratitude journal has been a favorite of mine for almost three years now. I was so excited when I saw there was a kids edition this past year, I don’t know if I’ve ever bought anything so fast haha. Gratitude is something that we have to practice daily so that we can train ourselves to see what is already around us instead of always seeing what we don’t have. By teaching kids to seek gratitude daily, they start to form those habits early. I’m all for it!
2. Skoy Cloths – Earth Friendly Cleaning Cloth
Another oldie, but a goodie!! I cannot tell you how many paper towels I have saved by having these Skoy cloths on hand to mainly wipe down counters and tables. I have used them for other cleaning tasks, but they are primarily for kitchen use in my house. They last a long time, they hold FAR less germs than a traditional plastic sponge because you can throw them in the dishwasher, and I love the designs. I will continue to repurchase these year after year.
3. Save the Bees by Bethany Stahl
This past summer was the first time Bryan and I were able to decide exactly what WE wanted to do when it came to our garden. Prior to 2019, Bryan and I were renting so the garden was always determined by the landlord or management company. This past summer, we were able to make our front and back yards into little oasis’. With the beautiful blooms came the pollinators and by the end of the summer I became so appreciative of the butterflies and bees that roamed the garden. I began to learn more about how important they are in the circle of life and dare I say I even became protective of them. Bees are so small, yet so mighty and important for us all. I found this book and it quickly became one that I will continue to share with all of the littles around me. We must learn how to save the bees.
4. Zero Waste Club Dish Brush
I have been through a few “zero waste” dish brushes and this is the only one that has not eventually fallen apart after a month or two of use. The metal handle of this brush is extremely durable and the replaceable brush heads are easy to swap out. In an effort to eliminate plastic sponges for cleaning dishes, this brush has come in handy and accomplishes the task with flying colors. It’s a bit pricey for a dish brush, but absolutely worth the investment.
5. Stainless Steel Straw and Brush in Organic Cotton Sleeve (ad)
Skipping plastic straws is a great way to start incorporating more sustainable practices into your daily life. There are many reusable straws on the market, but I have found stainless steel to be my go to. Glass straws seem to be too delicate and bamboo straws don’t get clean very easily, but stainless steel straws are both durable and very easy to clean. I have a set of five that I use and then clean in the dishwasher. The cotton sleeve comes in use to eliminate straw use on the go. You can store the clean straw inside the sleeve within your purse or bag until you need to use it, then after you use it you wipe it off with a napkin and place it back in the cotton sleeve so it doesn’t leak inside your purse. When you get home, you are then able to wash it in the dishwasher.
6. Who Gives A Crap 100% Recycled Toilet Paper Rolls, Bamboo Paper Towel Roll, and Bamboo Tissue Box
This brand holds a bit of a special place in my heart because it was the very first product review that I ever posted to my blog. I was so excited to find a sustainable toilet paper alternative mainly because in general people go through a massive amount of toilet paper over their lifetime. Who would have thought that by switching to a more sustainable toilet paper option you would have such a positive impact in the goal towards curbing climate change?! To check out the blog post I’m referring to, click HERE.
7. Stasher Bags – Set of 2 (ad)
People always ask me, “What about plastic baggies? Haven’t you found a plastic-free version of those yet?” To be honest, no I hadn’t… until I found Stasher bags. Stasher bags are not the perfect replacement, but they are the closest that I have found to date. Stasher bags are versatile, extremely convenient, and they accomplish exactly what I want a plastic baggie to do. Ok, so why aren’t they perfect? They are a bit pricey. I still think for most people the convenience and the cheap price of plastic baggies are why they don’t have a great alternative yet. But Stasher bags are the closest alternative. I was elated when I found these last year.
8. Raw Elements Baby + Kids Certified Natural Sunscreen Lotion & MyChelle Sun Shield Clear Spray SPF 30
Since I wrote a whole blog post about the importance of using “reef-safe” sunscreen, I am not going to go over it here, but please take a moment to check that post out if you haven’t already. Using reef-safe sunscreen is essential for the health of our oceans and getting in the habit of looking for safe ingredients in our sun screens is a good habit to get into before we take a trip to the beach. To check out my blog post about sunscreen, click HERE.
9. Classic String Shopping Bag by Eco Bags
I have always thought that the small plastic bags in the produce department of a grocery store were so unnecessary. Their purpose is literally to hold my fruits and veggies until I get home and then I toss handfuls of plastic in the trash. They aren’t even worth reusing because they are so flimsy. These string shopping bags have been a game changer for me when it comes to holding my produce. I now don’t have to throw away ANY of those plastic bags I mentioned above. These simple string bags save so much plastic from entering the environment and/or a landfill.
10. Give A Sh!t Compostable Dog Waste Bags
These have easily become one of my favorite products to promote because what responsible dog owner doesn’t have a roll of dog waste bags with them when they are out and about? Everyone does (or at least everyone should). What it comes down to for me is… why would you put something like dog poop that is supposed to decompose in something like a plastic bag that won’t decompose for at least 500 years? That’s just gross to me, like let the dog waste decompose and disappear would ya! Haha. Check out my full review of this product HERE.
11. Kapa Nui Base + Top Coat & Nail Polish in Strawberry Guava
These are a more recent discovery, but I loved them so much I actually put them on my Christmas list this past December. Kapa Nui provides non-toxic, environmentally friendly nail care and nail polish in a variety of different colors. The quality of the polish is excellent and I actually find myself taking these to the nail salon when I get my nails done professionally. They are also my top pick for at home mani + pedi’s too. The color that I choose for this giveaway is a great neutral color.
Giveaway Entry Requirements:
[NOW CLOSED]
- Like the original Instagram post, click HERE.
- Follow @thekyliebee on Instagram
- Tag a friend (1 per comment), each additional tag is an extra entry
Entries close March 14th at midnight. Giveaway is open to U.S. residents only. Entrants must be 18+ years of age to enter. No purchase necessary. Winner will be contacted via DM from @thekyliebee Instagram account on March 15th. Giveaway not affiliated with Instagram.
The annual giveaway is always so much fun to pull together. Like I said, I love sharing with those around me what I have been enjoying in my day to day routines. And most importantly, thank you so much for your continued support for yet another year of thekyliebee blog! I am so excited for what this next year has in store.
Click HERE to subscribe to my blog for future zero waste, sustainable, and plastic-free tips, tricks, and reviews of alternatives to products that we use everyday.
Until next time and best of luck to you!
Kylie Bee
