This post is sponsored by Grove Collaborative but all thoughts and opinions are my own. Thank you to Grove Collaborative for gifting the product for this post and for supporting Chickpea in The City.
I have to say quarantine has been pretty interesting in terms of things I find myself doing besides work. Anyone else? I’ve kept up on reading for an hour or two a day (pre-quarantine I swear I never read), I go for more walks than usual and have consistently been cleaning and reorganizing my kitchen and bathroom every morning. I’ve found that giving myself breaks off of my computer is key to staying sane and the ways I do this usually involve cleaning my apartment to some degree. Anyone else?
When I was younger, my favorite activity when my mom made me clean the house was vacuuming and safe to say that still rings true. One thing that’s changed since then is that when it comes to products to clean your home, I now prefer cleaner products and care about how they’re made, their ingredients and how they benefit my body and environment.
Around my junior year of college, my views toward cleaning with toxic products filled with added colors shifted to using more sustainable and plant-based cleaners. I remember always using pink neon dish soap and wondering if there were better (but still just as effective) options that didn’t smell like cotton candy. Think about washing your dishes with pink liquid and then continuing to eat off of said dish… it’s kind of nuts to think about. When it comes to things from dish soap to laundry detergent and everything in between, there are so many little simple swaps we can make for cleaner and happier spaces which in turn benefit us.
For the past two years I’ve been making slow steps to have my home and all the products in it be as sustainable and plant-based as possible, free of synthetic colors, sulfates, etc and while it is never easy to go from 0 to 100 in terms of cleaner products, I love that brands like Grove Collaborative are making it easier on us. Grove Collaborative is truly a true one-stop shop for all things when it comes to household, personal care and beauty products for providing a healthier, happier home. Their site is a super convenient option in a time where going to multiple grocery stores to find your bathroom cleansers or restocking on makeup might not be easily accessible.
They’re a community-driven, community-focused Certified B Corporation that focuses on providing products that are kinder to our Earth, carbon offset (helping to reduce Carbon Dioxide emissions and other greenhouse gases) every shipment that goes out and within the next 5 years, they aim to be plastic-free. Additionally, their platform is a flexible recurring shipping service which means you can keep the household goods coming each month so that you’re always stocked, never run out (we all know the struggle of having to run to the store after dinner for some new dish soap or toilet paper) and cancel whenever need be.
When I placed my first order, I was surprised by how many of my favorite items were available including their Organic Essential Oils Set, my favorite mascara from Burt’s Bees, and these reusable bamboo straws I use for my daily matcha lattes. Tons of easy, simple plastic-swaps too like their reusable glass bottles which I use for my all-purpose cleaning spray in my kitchen.
In my personal opinion, online shopping for cleaning supplies has been way too much fun thanks to Grove’s options. They have pages of options to choose from and all of the brands they partner with are ones I would normally look for in a physical store. Sometimes I get carried away and find myself with things in my cart I don’t necessarily need, but I want, want, want! How about this ceramic mug and organic tea set? It’d make for such a simple gift for a friend, too.
Each product you choose to put in your cart on their site gives you a rundown of what it exactly is and why it is aligned with Grove’s values and mission. Examples can include shampoo that has no parabens or sulfates, tampons and pads that are 100% Certified Organic Cotton and elderberry syrup that uses honey as a sweetener and is Non-GMO Project Verified.
One area of my household that I always struggle with in terms of finding more sustainable laundry options are stain sprays or removers and subbing out dryer sheets for dryer balls. When I spotted both of the above on Grove’s site, I had to check out what they were about. So far I’ve used the Stain Remover Spray that is free of parabens or fragrances and guys… it ACTUALLY works! I need to stop spilling barbeque sauce on my sweatshirts… but thankfully Grove has my back. I was hesitant at first because when I’ve tried cleaner versions of these products in the past they never got the job done, but Grove’s has thoroughly impressed me.
I had also heard news buzzing around certain Instagram stories that the healthier option for drying your clothes without using dryer sheets was wool dryer balls. You can buy them in a pack of 3 here or buy them with an added on essential oil. Since I bought my essential oil kit separately, I’ve been adding 5-10 drops of it onto each ball before I toss my clothes on a delicate cycle and they come out smelling amazing. Nothing better than a warm and freshly dried blanket smelling of lavender essential oil.
Since I’ve been pretty much hibernating in bed or doing tons of at-home workouts the last two months of quarantine, I’ve found myself washing and drying my blankets and clothes more than ever so these Grove products have been lifesavers.
It’s been nice making swaps here and there, even during this time, to brighten up my day in the smallest of ways. I’m sure we can all agree we’ve had days where we lack motivation or productivity for certain things but I have to say personally that switching out some of my products has created some motivation I didn’t know I needed.
The most exciting little detail is if you head to Grove’s site here you will get a free gift with your purchase (applicable to new customers only). Fun fact: After your first initial order, you can download their app on your phone so you can order your goods at any time.
Nothing makes me happier than sharing these types of products with you guys because I believe health and wellness goes beyond just what we feed ourselves but our surroundings, too. All of these products listed in the post I’ve been using for 3+ weeks now and have loved the little sparkles of light they’ve added to my home. Let me know if you try any of them and I hope you enjoy Grove Collaborative just as much as I do. Yay for spring cleaning!
xx,
