When I first started looking into zero waste, I thought it would involve big changes. New products. New routines. A complete lifestyle overhaul.

In reality, most of the changes that stuck for me were small, slightly boring swaps — the kind you can try this week without buying much or thinking too hard.

I didn’t do all of these at once. I still don’t do all of them perfectly. Some took longer to stick than others, and a few I still forget regularly. But each one reduced my waste a little without making life harder, which is why I’ve kept them.

These aren’t the best zero waste swaps. They’re just the ones that felt realistic for me.

1. Bringing a Reusable Bag (Eventually)

This is probably the most obvious swap — and the one I was weirdly bad at for a long time.

I owned reusable bags long before I actually remembered to use them. They lived in cupboards, then drawers, then the car. I’d still forget them and end up buying another “bag for life”. Or quietly not scanning them at self checkout. Arrest me, Tesco.

What helped was stopping trying to remember all the time and instead:

• keeping one bag permanently in my backpack
• leaving a couple in the car
• accepting that I’d still forget sometimes

Once I stopped treating it like a personal failure, it became a habit much more naturally.

2. Switching to a Reusable Water Bottle (An Easy Win)

This was one of the easiest swaps for me.

I already owned a water bottle — I just didn’t always use it. Once I started carrying it more consistently, buying bottled water became the exception rather than the default.

This didn’t require a mindset shift or extra effort. It just quietly removed a lot of plastic bottles from my week.

If you’re looking for a low-effort place to start, this is a good one.

3. Saying No to Things I Didn’t Actually Want

This was one of the most surprisingly effective swaps — and it didn’t involve buying anything.

Saying no to:

• plastic cutlery with takeaway
• extra napkins
• freebies I didn’t need

At first, it felt awkward. Now it’s automatic.

What helped was realising that most of these things go straight in the bin anyway. Refusing them saves me dealing with the waste later.

I still forget sometimes. But even remembering occasionally makes a difference.

4. Using What I Already Had (Instead of Replacing Everything)

This is a swap I nearly missed entirely.

Early on, I was tempted to replace perfectly usable things with “better” zero waste versions. Cloths instead of paper towels. Glass containers instead of plastic ones. New everything.

I didn’t do that — and I’m glad.

Using what I already had reduced waste immediately, without creating new demand or extra cost. Over time, as things wore out, I replaced them more thoughtfully.

If there’s one theme you’ll see again and again in zero waste, it’s this: don’t rush to replace things.

5. Swapping Paper Towels for Cloths (Most of the Time)

I didn’t give up paper towels completely.

What I did do was start using cloths for everyday cleaning — wiping counters, spills, general mess. Old tea towels and cut-up T-shirts worked just fine.

Paper towels are still around for particularly gross jobs, and that’s okay. I just use far fewer than before.

This swap stuck because it didn’t require perfection. Just preference.

6. Carrying Snacks From Home (When I Remembered)

This one took a while to become consistent.

Individually wrapped snacks were a big source of waste for me, especially when I was out and hungry. Carrying snacks from home helped, but only once I stopped trying to be organised all the time.

Now I keep a small container or snack in my bag most days. Not every day. But enough days to noticeably reduce packaging waste.

Some weeks I’m great at this. Other weeks I forget entirely. Both are fine.

7. Buying Larger Sizes (Instead of Lots of Small Ones)

This is a quiet swap that doesn’t get talked about much.

Buying one larger pack instead of several smaller ones:

• creates less packaging
• often costs less
• reduces how often I need to shop

I don’t do this for everything, and sometimes larger sizes aren’t practical. But when it makes sense, it’s an easy win.

No lifestyle change required — just a slightly different choice on the shelf.

To ensure your food doesn't go to waste and lasts the distance, make sure you seal up the bags correctly in zip lock bags or one of those sealing clip things.

8. Composting Food Scraps (Imperfectly)

Food waste was something I avoided dealing with for a long time.

Once I started composting (or using food waste collections), I realised how much space food waste takes up in the bin. Separating it out made an immediate difference.

I don’t compost everything. I forget sometimes. I still mess it up occasionally.

But doing it a bit is far better than not doing it at all — and it quickly became one of the most impactful swaps I made.

9. Reusing Jars and Containers Instead of Recycling Them Straight Away

Before, I recycled jars almost automatically.

Now, I pause and ask: could this be useful?

Some become food storage. Some hold leftovers. Some store random bits and pieces. Not all — but enough to reduce how many containers I buy or recycle.

This swap didn’t add effort. It just slowed me down slightly before throwing something away.

10. Pausing Before Buying Something New

This is the least visible swap — and the most powerful.

I don’t always stop myself from buying things. But I pause more often than I used to and ask:

• do I actually need this?
• do I already own something similar?
• will I still want this in a month?

Sometimes the answer is still yes. Often it isn’t.

This pause alone has probably reduced my waste more than any single product swap.

What Didn’t Work So Well for Me

It’s worth saying this too.

Trying to:

• change everything at once
• follow strict rules
• be “perfect”

didn’t work. It made zero waste feel heavy and easy to give up on.

What worked was letting changes happen gradually and keeping the ones that fit my life.

If You’re Starting This Week, This Is What I’d Suggest

If I were starting again, knowing what I know now, I’d say:

• pick one or two swaps, not ten
• don’t buy anything yet
• expect to forget sometimes
• focus on what feels easiest first

You don’t need a full lifestyle reset. You just need a starting point.

A Final Thought

Zero waste swaps don’t need to be dramatic to matter.

Most of the changes that reduced my waste were small, repeatable, and slightly unexciting. But they added up — and they stuck because they didn’t make life harder.

If you try one of these this week and it works for you, that’s enough.

And if it doesn’t? Try something else. That’s part of figuring it out.