This is a post for those that look at your friends who don’t clean with harsh chemicals, and wish you could do the same thing. You like the thought of ditching harsh chemicals from your home, but it all just seems too overwhelming. Where do you start? What do you use instead? Can you really keep it up?

I know that for me, I get overwhelmed by becoming educated about the ‘new’ way to do things, and I just don’t want to bother with all of the time it will take me. Which means, I end up doing NOTHING, and change doesn’t happen.

But no more! We’re going to work together to make sure that doesn’t happen to you! These three simple steps will help you walk down the path of ditching harsh chemicals, and transforming your home into the safe haven you’ve always wanted it to be!

Your 3 Step Plan to Ditching Harsh Chemicals

1. Take your time

If you have a lofty goal of getting rid of every chemical in your home as fast as possible, that’s definitely a recipe for disaster. The disaster being – you’ll give up after two months! You’ll want to give yourself time to make the changeover. Replacing everything at once is a challenge for two reasons:

• There’s a learning curve involved with making the switch. Not only do you need time to learn how to use your new, healthier products, but so do the people that live in your home! If you do too much, too fast, you’ll meet with a lot of resistance (Especially if you live with a man, haha!).
• It’ll cost you money. While switching to a healthier cleaning alternative, like Norwex, will end up saving you a lot of money in the long run, it is an investment money up front. And that big, upfront cost will not only be intimidating, but you won’t be able to sustain it. Once again, contributing to the ‘give-up’ possibility.

So, take it slow. Start with something like The Household Package Plus from Norwex, as a starter pack for your home.

You can do lots of the ‘essentials’ with this pack. And you only need to use them dry, or with water, for an effective clean and dusting of surfaces. (And, the fun colours will make your family members excited to use these new tools!). 

Once you’ve integrated these simple ‘basics’ into your home, you can move on to other products, like your laundry detergent, all purpose scrubbing paste, toilet bowl cleaner, etc.

2. Lay down your desire for things to ‘smell clean’

This is perhaps the hardest part of ditching harsh chemicals. We’ve literally been raised to associate a specific smell with clean. We’ve been taught that if it doesn’t have that ‘clean’ smell, it must not be clean. Then, we’re left feeling uneasy that it’s not been done “properly.”  That’s another this we’ve been raised to believe too: that the harsher the chemical, the cleaner the surface, therefore, the safer I am.

There’s always more than one way to do something! So, start slow, and slowly use less and less products that have a harsh smell, to help ease you into it. There are also some other strategies to help you switch to a healthier cleaning product, like Norwex, but still keep ‘the smell of clean,’ in your life.

It’s as simple as pairing essential oils, a natural product, into your cleaning routine. You can diffuse a citrusy oil or blend  while you clean, or just after you’ve cleaned. Not only does this give the smell of clean, but also helps to purify the air, and eliminate bad odours.

There are lots of different oil brands to choose from, and lots of different scents available, so you can easily pick a scent you love! Norwex offers an Energizing Blend of essential oil (organically farmed, too!) that contains aromas of orange, lime mint and rose. It’ll hit you right in the clean feels!!!

3. Decide to Try Something New

Just because it’s different than what you’re used to doesn’t mean that it can’t work for you. Most people like to stick with what they know, and aren’t willing to try something different just because they like what they’re comfortable with. But, we live in an age of education. Knowledge is literally at our fingertips. And if you take some time doing research, you’ll find that other, less toxic options for keeping your home clean are scientifically proven to be either just as effective, or more, than the chemical cleaners you’re already using!

Ditching harsh chemicals is similar to ditching junk food. You’re not going to throw away the chips and candy, and  stay away from the chip aisle, unless you decide to do it.

When you set a goal for yourself, you know exactly what you’re working towards.

So, set a goal for your home’s transformation.

• Pick one cleaning job to start with, and what product you’ll use instead.
• Decide on the next three cleaning jobs you want to switch over, from toxic to non-toxic.
• Set a date for when you think you could switch each of those cleaning jobs to ones you use a less toxic cleaner for.
• Once you’ve got the momentum going in your first 6 months, it’s only onward and upward from there!

Know that you won’t regret this process!

If there is any way I can help you in your journey to creating a Safe Haven, whether it’s more information on what I do in my home, information on Norwex products, or partnering with you to host an in-home or online Norwex party, please leave a comment, and I’ll be happy to help!

And if you want to purchase any Norwex products to get started on your journey, you can head over to my shop!

~Suzanne