Plates n' Bowls n' Stuff

02/06/2026

This type of post actually makes my skin crawl 🙈

Why? Imposter syndrome, mostly.

The idea of suggesting I might know something that someone else doesn't immediately makes my brain go - "No you don't!"

But you know what maybe that's not a bad thing. I'm not here to preach, I'm not here to pretend I've got my ducks all in a row. But what I can do is share my experience in the hope it might help someone else.

Over in our networking group, I've asked everyone to share a top tip today, and I figured I need to walk the walk too.

So here goes...

Start small.

When I first went down the rabbit hole of wanting to make more eco-conscious choices. I immediately became overwhelmed. Every choice I was making was killing the planet. Every item I was buying was killing the planet. Every activity I was doing with the kids was killing the planet. Even just having children - yes you guessed it - killing the planet.

I felt a huge amount of guilt. And decided everything needed to change - well nearly everything - I'd keep the kids.

And I gave it a bloody good go. I ditched the single use plastic, I bought the reusable wipes, I bought the toilet roll that came in a box rather than plastic, I bought the cloth nappies, I even bought a coat made from recycled bottles (that one made me feel really smug 🤣🫣)

And then the cost of living crisis really kicked in, and the choices I was making were no longer choices for me, at all - because you know what - some of it is more expensive 🤯

So instead I had to take it just one step at a time. And make small, sustainable choices.

And you know what I am nearly back to being as environmentally friendly as I was. Yes it took longer, but it's my journey, and I'm doing the best I can.

I'd love to know what small steps you've taken recently to be more environmentally friendly?

27/05/2026

I have been absolutely blown away by the amount of party items that have been donated to help me build these reusable party kits 💚

It has really highlighted just how much party waste is created from items designed to be used once and thrown away.

A lot of the donated decorations were never designed to last beyond one or two uses, so some pieces are sadly reaching the end of their life already. BUT... we’ve still managed to keep them out of landfill for a little longer, which is something worth celebrating 😊

So while I continue building my more sustainable reusable kits, I’ll also be including these extra decorations at no additional cost.

Pictured here is just a tiny portion of what’s been donated:
✨ party boxes
✨ tablecloths
✨ door tinsels
✨ birthday banners
✨ balloon alternatives

I also have:
❄️ Winter Wonderland backdrops
🎬 Hollywood-themed decorations
✨ Silver door tinsel
🎉 Age-specific birthday banners
➕ Changeable number banners

This whole process has also reminded me just how much waste we create for a few hours of celebration. Something that brings joy for one day can sit in landfill for hundreds of years afterwards.

The good news? More and more people are creating better, more sustainable ways to celebrate - so we can still have the magic without the waste 🌍💚

If you’d like to see what I can provide for your next party, send me a message xx

12/05/2026

Somewhere along the line, we forgot something.

We forgot that humans have always shared. Tools, food, time, space. Long before the supermarket aisle told us that convenience meant single-use, and long before a multinational shipped us a pack of 50 plates we’d use for 5 minutes and never think about again.

Party kits are embarrassingly simple.

Someone hosts a box of reusable tableware.
Someone having a party borrows it.
That’s it.

But underneath that simplicity is something quietly radical… the idea that our local connections still have value. That the person 3 streets away is worth knowing. That small, neighbourly acts add up to something real.

It won’t solve the waste crisis on its own. We’re not claiming that.

But it is a small act of rebellion.
A way of saying: we’d rather share a plate between neighbours than fill another bin bag.

And honestly? So much better than a soggy paper plate. 🎉

10/05/2026

If you've been following along recently, and been thinking about how you could begin reducing your own plastic... how about a freebie? 🤩from the amazing Elephant Box UK.
Check out the post to find out how to enter. And good luck 💚

🎉 GIVEAWAY 🎉 Win this beautiful stainless steel washing up bowl from our friends at Elephant Box Uk

Running a party kit means a lot of washing up. And we mean a lot. So when Elephant Box, makers of this stunning plastic-free, premium stainless steel bowl, offered us one to give away to our community, it felt like it was made for us!

To enter:
👉 Follow Party Kit Network
👉 Tag a friend in the comments who’d love this

While you’re at it, please give Elephant Box a follow - they’re doing brilliant things for eco living. 🌿

Closing date: 11.59pm BST on 19/05/2026. Open to UK residents including Party Kit Network members. The promoter is Party Kit Network CIC. This promotion is not affiliated with or sponsored by Meta. Full T&Cs on our blog. Good luck!

29/04/2026

The kit's getting bigger 😁 Thanks to The Really Rubbish Company I actually collected another load of items the other day too, just haven't had a chance to sort through them yet. Loving how much is being saved from landfill.
And I've officially started getting enquiries about hiring these amazing kits 💚

03/04/2026

Thank you to The Really Rubbish Company for these items which have now been added to the kit 😊

17/03/2026

Here is a little more info about the party kit.
And yes washing up is included in the price 💚

12/03/2026

Day 4

This was a little bit disappointing to see. A few years ago we were purchasing quite a lot of our food from a local refill shop. But then covid happened and we went back to supermarkets. Definitely need to start again to bring our waste down.
Has anyone else signed up and been tracking their plastic waste? What have you noticed?

09/03/2026

Day 1.
5 items thrown away. Only 1 could be recycled unfortunately.

07/03/2026