Weaning off napkins and less paper towels

[$hirley$aves~$$]

I am trying to use less and less PT's and eventually - totally "get off" napkins.

I know most of you don't use any paper products, but I'm not quite there yet. I'm pretty frugal but not in that department. I guess we all have to "pick our frugal" LOL

A couple of questions -

Do you think that using a 1/2 of a sheet of one of the select a size sheets(this is a half of a whole sheet) paper towels is cheaper to use than napkins? I didn't do a scientific cost comparison, yet. My DH says off the top of his head that using paper towels would be cheaper.

I know that using cloth napkins is really the most frugal way to go. How do you deal with cloth napkins? Do you give one to each family member per day, and they use it the entire day? What do you do with them "between uses"? I don't think I could stand having a bunch of napkins/cloths just laying around in my kitchen. I like for everything to have a place.

Also - for those that are totally "off paper" how do you deal with...say....making sandwiches for DH's lunch the next day? Tonight I just put the bread on the counter and made the sandwiches and cleaned up the crumbs. Seemed odd to not put something down. Normally I grab a paper towel for this. My counter top was, and for the most part clean, but it still felt odd.

[itsahumanzoo]

I don't use paper towels, and I have about half a package of napkins left from a party a long time ago that we're still going through.

I mostly use dish towels for everything from drying my hands to wiping the counter. I haven't got any cloth napkins yet, but that's my next step. Right now we're just using the paper napkins with meals.

As far as sandwiches go, I usually put down a plate, cutting board, or nothing at all. With the cutting board, I can just wipe it down and put it away, no real need to wash it for just crumbs! I prefer not to use bare counter because sometimes when cutting the sandwich I can mess up the counter.

[mom2matty]

I am down to buying 1 roll of paper towels a month now!

I had dh pick up a package of those white terry towels (they are 14"x17" and there is 24 in the package) at Home Depot and he says they cost about $6. I use those for everything! I buy cloth napkins in the clearance section of Target and Walmart, they don't have to match since it is usually just us. I do have a couple of sets of good stuff if company happens to be here

I use a few different things when I make sandwiches and stuff. I either set the bread on the baggie I'm going to put it in or I have a piece of tin foil or wax paper I use too. I just dump the crumbs or whatever, fold it up and put it away.

[Drgnfly423]

I'm interested in weaning my family off paper towels and napkins, too, but haven't taken the plunge yet.

I bet a good place to find cloth napkins is Goodwill. You've inspired me. Maybe on my next trip I"ll look in that section!

[frugal_z]

This is a goal I am also interested in achieving. When I lived alone, I would sometimes just use my shirt sleeve for the occasional mouth wipe or use my pants to wipe my hands on. Why? Because I am a guy and that's what we do when no one's around. But, being part of a household again, I am acutely aware of the waste that paper towels and paper napkins represent. I have managed to justify the total abandonment of paper napkins, but the struggle to forgo the use of paper towels continues.

I too am curious about the cloth napkin etiquette.

[$hirley$aves~$$]

Thanks for the replies.

Cutting board...hmmm, I never thought about that. Good idea.

A reusable piece of foil or wax paper, is a good idea.

Frugal_z, I will have to admit that I have used MY DH's SLEEVE before!LOL He's always such a gentleman and so gracious to "offer it up" if I need to wipe my hands, my nose or anything else and I don't have something handy! Ain't he just the sweetest?! LOL

[HisDaisy]

We use very few paper napkins. Our rule is if you sit at the table eat has a couple then we use cloth napkins. If we are eating alone we can use paper. My DH was resistant at first, but now he use cloth even on his own.
I got my napkins on clearance at Walmart and so may have come from Target.
We use maybe a roll of paper towels every other month. I have lots of dish rags and towel on hand. I usually only use paper when cleaning windows or mirrors.
When making sandwiches, I usually put down a cutting board and wipe it off when I am done.

[latierra84]

I have just made the switch and I love it! Its only DH and I though so I don't know how this works in a home with kids but I LOVE IT.

I have 8 that I bought at Ross (100% cotton) and I use one a day and DH tends to just use his pants (gah). I just throw them in with the towels in the wash and voila.

[hippytreehugger4ever]

I've never bought paper towels or napkins, we just use dishtowels for everything and wash them when they get dirty

[blitzen]

I have just made the switch and I love it! Its only DH and I though so I don't know how this works in a home with kids but I LOVE IT.

I have 8 that I bought at Ross (100% cotton) and I use one a day and DH tends to just use his pants (gah). I just throw them in with the towels in the wash and voila.

I have two kids and we never really need paper towels. I have a roll or two on hand for cleaning the dog's ears and cleaning up dog barf--other than that, we use washcloths and dishcloths for everything else. I did make a few cloth napkins recently (just cut out some squares from fabric and pinked the edges--too lazy to sew them!).

I've also cut down towels that were getting too holey to use as towels and made washcloths/cloth napkins from them.

[$hirley$aves~$$]

I have just made the switch and I love it! Its only DH and I though so I don't know how this works in a home with kids but I LOVE IT.

I have 8 that I bought at Ross (100% cotton) and I use one a day and DH tends to just use his pants (gah). I just throw them in with the towels in the wash and voila.

I would imagine that napkins would dry pretty quick.
One thing that I have thought about was using terry cloth washcloths. I got a few bundles of the 12 pks that were on sale at Kohls for 2.99 a while back. I was thinking that it takes a while for terrycloth to dry either in dryer or on the clothes line.

[$hirley$aves~$$]

I like the idea of using one napkin per day, per person. I have a basket that I keep cloth napkins in. I could just buy different colors/prints and put one napkin per person in the basket daily. Each persons would have their own color/print. When we use it, just replace it to the basket until needed again. and at the end of the day, throw in the dirty clothes. That way they wouldn't be laying all over the kitchen. There are only 3 of us(soon to be 2) so that wouldn't be too much trouble.

[ladykemma2]

i weaned off paper products about 20 years ago. i use newspaper for countertop messes, and to drain grease.

i use "hotel" napkins, white, all the same for everyday, along with a selection of bar mops. i have good linen napkins for holidays.

since the divorce, and it's just me, honestly i have doing the sleeve thing myself...

[baxjul]

As soon as a cloth napkin gets used it goes directly into the dirty laundry. I don't leave them laying around. I've never bought paper towls, so I don't have any idea about the half sheet ques.

[Lady_V]

how do you deal with...say....making sandwiches for DH's lunch the next day?

I have a plastic cutting sheet which is small enough to roll up and put in a drawer when not in use... I just put it down whenever I am going to make lunches and even use it to place utensils on while cooking. When I am done, I just wash it off and stick it on the dish rack to dry.