What's in my trash jar - January 2018

I started January pretty positive with a small mason jar, determined to only fill that and not increase the size of the jar... that didn't happen. I was so annoyed at myself and ashamed that I had produced so much waste when my trash back in previous months was much less. However I then remembered that last month I became pretty obsessed with minimalism videos and decided to have a massive clear out of my stuff.

One of my dreams is to build myself a tiny house and I currently have WAY too much stuff to live in one, so better to start now right?! I sorted through paperwork that dated back to 2014 and gave items I no longer wanted to my local charity shop. I also went through boxes of holiday cards and random junk that I had hoarded for many years. This resulted in half of my jar being filled with materials that were purchased or used before my zero waste journey. I have decided to share what is in my trash jar with you all so I can analyse the type of stuff I am throwing away and to show you that it takes time to use up items you previously owned. I want to set an example and prove to you all that i'm not the perfect zero waster and that I still create trash every day but a few small changes can make a massive difference in the long run.

So here is my trash from January:

Craft

Items:

- Cutoffs of cards that cannot be recycled as they contained glitter

- X2 plastic films from sticker sheets

- Black glitter material and foam from my 2017 diary

- Stamps book

- Plastic sealant strips from envelopes

- empty tipp-ex pen

Beauty and hygiene

Items:

- Floss

- Plastic packaging from makeup sponges

- Blister packets from medication

- Small bags from a homemade body scrub kit I got for christmas.

Mail packaging

Items:

- One bag from a sent christmas gift

- X2 parcel bags from items I ordered at the beginning of January despite emailing and asking for no plastic

Food Packaging

Items:

- Packaging from wild rocket and watercress

- Vegan turkey packaging

- X2 packets of crisps

* One because I wasn't prepared with food when I went out!

* One which was going to be thrown out at work but unopened

- Last packet of quinoa

_ Last packet of irish cream coffee

*Now buying in a glass jar

- Vegan meatball packaging

- Top strip of plastic from xylitol bag

- 3 plastic lids from the last of my ketchup and choc shot packaging

- LOADS of stock cube wrappers which I have hoarded for too long as I told myself I would use them for craft (such a lie)

Random items

Items:

- Broken charger

- Old festival wristbands (I have the memories)

- Unknown plastic packaging

- Public transport tickets

- Old recipts (they cannot be recycled!!)

- Sticky labels

- Fabric labels

- Balls of tape

- Bikini bottom plastic insert

- Plastic cap from a bottle of prosecco and metal cork covers from wine

- Old membership cards

- Old and broken bus card holder

- Plastic envelope inserts

- Plastic clothing tags

- Foil from a dehydrator

- Yankee candle wax melt packaging

- Staples from all the old paperwork

- Candle wick discs

- Cotton bud tips with makeup on them (Compost the paper sticks)

- Plastic tags

So there is my trash.... hopefully next month will be much better :)