Can you live without paper towels?

[sweetproserpina]

Lol, I've been reading through these posts and there seems to be a trend in mothers bringing over paper napkins. I notice because my mum does the same thing. She gets them for me every Christmas (you know the fancy printed pattern kind) and they lounge around in my drawer for ever. We use cloth napkins or tea towels 'round here.

We had quite a discussion when we were planning my wedding reception. I spoke firmly for cloth napkins. And got them.. except my mum wanted to just put a couple packs of paper napkins out- just in case.. Perhaps in case the cloth didn't work?? Lol, I'm not quite sure, but she did, and now I have even more stacks of paper napkins in the cupboard!

 

[enjoy the ride]

I wonder if some of this Mother giving paper napkins thing has something to do with the way things were.
I can remember my Mom spending hours ironing things- my father wore uniforms so she had to keep those fresh for every day, then she ironed hand towels, hankerchiefs, pillow cases, blouses, dresses, etc- I can remember wanted to get the hankerchiefs and napkins to iron because they were so much more easy to do than anything else.
No permanent press, no one wore jeans- everything needed ironing. If you didn't, you were not a good housewife which really was a profession then- you were not a stay at home mom- you were judged by all on the way you ran the household in detail. I can remember the laugh my Mom use to have at her sister who would only iron the cuffs and collars of her husband's shirt so that he looked OK when his suit coat was on but no matter how hot it got, he was ashamed to take his coat off.
Can you imagine the relief to her work load of thisngs like paper napkins? I wonder how many of us now spend and hours or two every other day ironing?

 

[love blrw]

"This is so funny, my DH and I have been debating this exact thing. He says we don't need them, that they are a waste of money (and he's the one that works). When we were really poor years ago I never had the luxury of them, so I know I can live without them because we have before."
I am the same, during lean times I can't afford to buy them, so even during better times I am not so dependent on "reaching for the paper towels". I do use them when we have a large gathering at holidays, because our extended family is not so strapped. Still I am grateful to have learned to do without.
lin

 

[shareneh]

My husband likes paper towels a lot but since I do the shopping so he only gets the luxury of paper towels if he is with me when I am shopping. Doesn't happen to often.

 

[Fairacre]

I am trying to live with less paper towels here, but it's a struggle to reprogram the rest of the family. Teen Son will pull of 3-4 sheets just to dry his hands after washing. Mister will yank off yards of them to clean up a spill he's mad about making.

Mainly it just bothers me how much of my life is being devoted to paper towels. Searching the Sunday fliers for the best deals each week. Remembering to buy them when I'm in town. Keeping the household supplied with them before we run out. Replacing the roll when it's empty. Nagging the guys for wasting them.

I did not dream of being a Paper Towel Police when I grew up!

I prefer terrycloth towels for drying and sponges or rags for mopping, old newspapers for soaking up big wet spills. I save paper towels for the truly icky nasty oily greasy things.

I can't do much with Mister, but at least I'm trying to get Teen Son to take the damp paper towels he's used to dry his hands and wipe something else clean before he throws them away.

 

[ticks]

Hi fairacre! welcome to SS!

 

[miss_thenorth]

I am trying to live with less paper towels here, but it's a struggle to reprogram the rest of the family. Teen Son will pull of 3-4 sheets just to dry his hands after washing. Mister will yank off yards of them to clean up a spill he's mad about making.

Mainly it just bothers me how much of my life is being devoted to paper towels. Searching the Sunday fliers for the best deals each week. Remembering to buy them when I'm in town. Keeping the household supplied with them before we run out. Replacing the roll when it's empty. Nagging the guys for wasting them.

I did not dream of being a Paper Towel Police when I grew up!

I prefer terrycloth towels for drying and sponges or rags for mopping, old newspapers for soaking up big wet spills. I save paper towels for the truly icky nasty oily greasy things.

I can't do much with Mister, but at least I'm trying to get Teen Son to take the damp paper towels he's used to dry his hands and wipe something else clean before he throws them away.

How I started the paper towel withdrawal, was , first, to keep them in a very inconspicuous/inconvenient place, where it is much easier to grab a dish rag or towel. then I started buying them les and less often, untilit resorted to buying none. I haven't had them in ages.

 

[enjoy the ride]

I love this post- it is about the central point of self- sufficency. Very little is so clearly not needed as a roll of paper towels but is so convenient to have around.

 

[Cassandra]

I still have not bought any! can you believe it?!

I have a question, though. We were talking about different things you can use to drain deep fried things and fatty foods. Like I said, when I was a kid, my grandmother would tear open a paper grocery bag.

Then, fairacre just mentioned using newspapers for mopping up spills. So, heyyy.. could you use newspaper for draining greasy food? Seems like it is probably comparable in cleanliness to a paper grocery bag. LOL And I remember reading that if you have a baby away from the hospital, you can wrap him in clean newspaper to keep him warm until you get to the hospital... so, seems like they can't be that toxic, right?

Cassandra

Welcome, fairacre

 

[miss_thenorth]

I still have not bought any! can you believe it?!

I have a question, though. We were talking about different things you can use to drain deep fried things and fatty foods. Like I said, when I was a kid, my grandmother would tear open a paper grocery bag.

Then, fairacre just mentioned using newspapers for mopping up spills. So, heyyy.. could you use newspaper for draining greasy food? Seems like it is probably comparable in cleanliness to a paper grocery bag. LOL And I remember reading that if you have a baby away from the hospital, you can wrap him in clean newspaper to keep him warm until you get to the hospital... so, seems like they can't be that toxic, right?

Cassandra

Welcome, fairacre

I always use newspaper to soak up grease from bacon, pan fried fish etc. We use dishcloths at dinner time in place of napkins, and for washing dishes, older dishcloths for wiping spills, etc, tea towels for wiping hands, or if there is a big spill. It has to go in the laundry anyway. i cut (w/zigzag scissors) old worn bath towels into 1'x1' squares and keep a basket full of these in the laundry room for just in cases.

You could try these ideas, and when ppl are calling for papaertowels, you can offer an alternative, and then tell them to throw it in tha laundry afterwards.