The Budget-Friendly IKEA Jar Hack That'll Help You Cut Back On Paper Towel Use

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Paper towels are a modern convenience that many individuals have become dependent on. The single-use nature of these resources can be a massive advantage in this busy day and age, but they come with a real cost: both your wallet and the environment are prone to extra stress with excessive paper towel usage (it's estimated that Americans spent over $5 billion on paper towels in 2017). If you're tired of shelling out money on paper towels but aren't prepared to bid adieu to the convenience they bring to your life, a budget-friendly IKEA jar hack can help.

This heavy-hitting, money-saving hack involves utilizing two IKEA 365+ glass jars with bamboo lids ($9.99) as vessels to help you curb your paper towel reliance: one to hold clean, dry cloths for wiping up messes, drying dishes, and cleaning around the house, and another for depositing the dirtied, used cloths. Once the dirty jar is full of used cloths, it's time to launder them, and refill the clean jar. If you're worried about distinguishing between the two jars, you can label each one for easier implementation. If this tip to save money on household essentials sounds like a frugal fix that you're interested in trying out, it's easy to get started.

Ready to begin saving money and the planet from unnecessary paper towel waste? Getting started with this budget-friendly hack is super easy and also boasts relatively low upfront costs: you'll need the two IKEA 365+ jars, which will total $20, as well as some absorbent cloths that can be washed and reused multiple times. If you're interested in saving as much money initially as possible, consider cutting up old T-shirts, or even putting some of your extra washcloths to use. After gathering your supplies, simply stuff your glass jar with as many cloths as will comfortably fit inside. If you're interested in starting entirely fresh, you can purchase a roll of reusable microfiber cleaning cloths, like this option from Fantasticlean ($22 for a 75-count roll).

As far as labeling the jars go, you can be very basic, writing "clean" and "dirty" on paper tape with a permanent marker. You can also try this genius way to make chic home labels without a label maker. Even though it will cost you about $20 in jars and possibly some more for cloths, once in place, this hack can immediately save you money. What's more, customers who have purchased the IKEA glass jars rate them highly for quality and appearance, as well as performance; the reusable microfiber cloths also have a 4.8-star average from over 3,700 reviews, so you can purchase with confidence.

For anyone who has tried a sustainable and frugal swap before, making the change successful all comes down to its convenience. In the case of using cloths in lieu of paper towels, you'll want to ensure that your glass jars are placed in a logical location. In all likelihood, this means positioning them in the room where the most paper towels are used — for many individuals, this location will be in the kitchen, but it's possible that it could be your laundry room instead.

Beyond simply being in a convenient spot, you'll want the washing and refilling of the jars to not add too much work to your plate. Laundering the cloths in the same load as your kitchen towels can create a natural structure to your paper towel alternative without generating another load of laundry. Additionally, while you may have the best intentions to do away entirely with paper towels, it's wise to keep a roll of them on hand for extra messy situations, or if you get backed up on laundry and need a day off. You can also pair this IKEA hack with Swedish dishcloths — the cost-effective paper towel alternative TikTok swears by — for cleaning up stubborn messes, and you'll be well on your way to helping the environment and your wallet in meaningful ways.