7 Ways to Create a More Sustainable Kitchen
There are many ways to create a more sustainable kitchen. These range from design changes, through to lifestyle habits that can add up to many positive benefits. We’ve listed a few great ideas for you to consider.
1. Reduce Food Waste
What’s one thing many kitchens Perth wide have in common? Lots of food waste. With the overwhelming majority of household waste made up of food scraps and organic matter, it’s something we all need to be more aware of.
Here are a few ways you can help to reduce food waste in your kitchen:
- Plan meals ahead and only shop for the ingredients you need.
- Store fruits and vegetables properly to make sure they last longer (such as in sealed glass jars).
- Re-use your leftovers and enjoy them for lunch at work.
- Use leftover vegetable scraps or large bones to make a hearty soup stock.
- Cook food in bulk and freeze it for the days when you need food on the table, fast.
- Invest in a compost bin to turn your food scraps into a nutrient-dense fertiliser for your plants.
2. Plant a Veggie or Herb Garden
Our kitchens are used for so much more than just preparing meals, so think about how you use your kitchen for family life versus entertaining. Do you have a space for serving snacks or a space for wine sessions? What about a homework space for the kids? Is there a perfect spot for your morning coffee? By thinking about the versatile use of a kitchen, you can create a space that woks for all. How much space do you need for food prep? Do you want a kitchen table in the space, or will the “breakfast” bar” suffice? Do you like having appliances on display? Or hidden away?
A great kitchen has flow: you can seamlessly work through the kitchen for both cooking, and for entertaining.
3. Use Homemade Cleaning Products
Most household cleaning products are packed full of chemicals that aren’t exactly friendly to the environment. Plus, they create loads of packaging waste, too. Luckily, you can create your own homemade cleaning products using ingredients from your fridge and pantry. These include:
- White vinegar (mix with boiling water and lemon to remove hard water from kettles).
- Baking soda (mix with warm water to help deodorise your sink and fridge).
- Lemon (cut in half and use it to wipe grease stains from your stovetop or pans).
Detergent (mix with water and place in a spray bottle to create a quick solution for wiping down your kitchen cabinets).
4. Ditch the Single-Use Plastics
Sorry, cling film – your days are numbered. While plastic wrap has its uses, it also takes many, many years to degrade. By ditching single-use plastics for reusable beeswax wraps or glass storage containers, you can help to vastly reduce the amount of plastic waste that ends up in our landfills each year.
At Flexi Renovations, our 3D digital image of how your new kitchen will look offers you a chance to play around with colours and tones and get the perfect vibe for your kitchen.
5. Upgrade to energy-efficient appliances
Many sustainable custom kitchen renovations in Perth begin with an upgrade to energy-efficient appliances. These can result in big savings in the long run, while saving precious water and natural resources. You can also choose eco settings on your appliances to push these benefits even further (and remember to only run your dishwasher when you have a full load).
6. Let There Be (Efficient) Light
Another important feature in modern Perth kitchen renovations is a shift towards LED lighting. LED bulbs are not only far more energy-efficient, but they last a lot longer than traditional bulbs – which makes them a good choice for your back pocket. It also results in less resources being used, and less waste being produced, which is fantastic news for the planet.
7. Consider Your Kitchen Design
Have you been thinking about creating a more sustainable kitchen design in your home? Our Flexi team can help you get started. With years of experience in designing and installing sustainable kitchens in Perth, Fremantle, Joondalup, Myaree and beyond, we have the attention to detail and understanding you need.
Why not organise a free consultation with our design team today, or get in touch with us to see what’s possible? We’d love to help you live a little greener and create a sustainable kitchen that offers incredible long-term potential.