My Ethical Bathroom.

This is my bathroom. To the left, is my toilet, to the right is my shower. Tiny, my own and probably the most ecological and ethical part of my bedsit. Confused? So was a friend of mine, who raised one eyebrow and said "How? Surely it's the least eco-friendly with all the water?" Well, I considered that, and this is how I answered.

My Sikkim Girls Perfume, Sea Spray Hair Mist and Olney.

My Angels on Bare Skin Face Cleanser
(put back in the fridge after my shower),
Fair Trade Honey Shampoo and
Miranda Soap.

My first and most obvious answer to my statement is within the products I use to fill my bathroom. I have been an all-time Lush fan for about four years, and am very, very lucky to have gotten myself a Christmas Temp job there this year. Having been a vegetarian since I was seven years old, and profusely involved in a number of different charities and community events, it was only natural that I was drawn to this wonderful company who put ethics and the environment first. Their range of products are vegetarian and vegan, and strive to be as preservative free as possible. They also trade as fairly as they can and are against animal testing. Oh, and they recycle the plastics they do use and all the glitter in their range is PET free and safe to go back into the earth. No, really, they even invented a glitter made out of agar (that's seaweed!) just so that they could make sure their glitter wasn't going to damage the planet. So, as you can see, aside from my little plastic Octopus (his name is Olney and he glows) my bathroom shelves are filled with Lush products, wonderfully ethical and, once I use these lovely pots up, ecological. You see, another great thing Lush does is ask their customers to bring back their pots so that they can be recycled. In return for five pots, you get a fresh face mask too!

Okay, so we've looked at the ethical side, and some of the ecological side of my bathroom, but what about all that water? Well, this is where it gets pretty good. I'm a very lucky girl to be living on my own because not only do I NOT have to figure out where all the bread is going, but I also have no opportunities to be embarrassed. That's right, ladies and gents, I can use my toilet without thinking about who might use it after me and that makes me immensely happy. Of course, this also means I have control over who flushes it - me. The European Commission recently conducted a study and found that us Brits flush our toilets the most out of any other country in Europe and the average person could use around 150 litres of water a day just from flushing. THAT IS A LOT. So, I combat this by being very selective in my flushing. If it's yellow, yes, I will let it mellow for a bit, except when I have guests. Aside from those very rare moments when people are in my bedsit (really, it's no place to socialise), my toilet will only see one or two flushes a day - if I need to "flush it down", and one after all those yellows have mellowed for a while.


Brushing your teeth with running water is also a huge waste of water. I have never fully understood why people have this compulsion to leave the tap running whilst they're not using it. My tap stays off until I need to rinse my toothpaste from my brush and down the sink. Simple. We don't need the tap running and by leaving it to do so, you could waste up to 6 litres of water. At last, we came to my shower. I don't have a bath, but that's a very good thing. A shower is already has the potential to be more ecologically sound than a bath, all you have to do is limit yourself.

Now, the final thing that I liked to show off about my bathroom was this wonderful tub right here. It may not seem very special, but this piece s actually where I wash my clothes. Hand washing my clothes may seem like a long and difficult chore, but it's not only saved on the amount of water and electricity used in my flat, but also on the amount of pounds I would have to spend in the laundrette. This tub saves at least £6-8 a week in laundry (including drying), excellent savings for a student like myself. The stuff that's in the tub? That's also a Lush creation. FUN is a fantastic soap that you can model, re-use and wash yourself and your clothes in (though don't wash your clothes with the red one - I have pink pants because of this). It also gives a donation to a charity that supports children effected by the Fukushima disaster in Japan each time you buy it. This stuff lasts a long time and leaves your clothes smelling gorgeous and fresh. It's worth mentioning that you can wash your clothes in some of the shower gels that Lush offers also, just ask a Lushie in store!



So, there you have it - my ethical bathroom. Why not try to make a difference in your home, whether it's from swapping to something fair trade to just making sure you switch off a light you don't need, it's all worthwhile and I can tell you now, it feels great knowing what you're doing.

Moving Nightmares

My new kitchen!

Part of my first flat after halls. I loved this place.

It's a scary, but inevitable thing, moving. I, for one, prefer a solitary living space where I can dance in my pants and use all the hot water on myself. However, it isn't always the cheapest option, and that's why moving was on my agenda. Lucky for me, I have a housemate who understands my lonesome tendencies, and respects my privacy as much as I respect theirs. But still, that doesn't tackle the nightmare that can be Landlords and estate agents. No, really, I've had some awful experiences in my past and I'm here to share with you in the hopes it will help you in your moving endeavors.

PRIVATE LANDLORDS 

I went to a private landlord through a friend with the hopes of getting somewhere halfway decent without the fees and deposits of estate agents. Now, the rent did work out cheaper without an estate agent fee, but the price didn't justify what I went through. I spent 3 months with a broken hob and no fridge/freezer. My housemate and I spent a fortune on food and microwaveable meals that didn't need to be refrigerated  and that soon racked up far more than an estate agent's fees.

The trouble didn't stop there. The house was a shared house, which meant others soon started moving in, and one of those people were not pleasant in the slightest. When he started to become a threat to others, we reported him to our landlord, who did nothing. I think that was the worst part of all - because you didn't have an estate agent to go through, getting hold of the landlord and sorting things through someone professional was not an option. In the end, I chose to move.

What I learnt from this and will pass on to you is that private landlords are not always a decent option. Though the rent was cheap, I wasn't entirely sure if everything was above-board, and without someone professional to back your corner (I'm 5ft and not great with numbers), things can easily start to become difficult. I'm not saying it's all bad but, with private landlords, who knows if they've been okayed?

Estate Agents 

Ah, so after my little rant about renting privately, I'm sure you're thinking Estate Agents are a breeze. Not necessarily. The truth is, you have to find the best estate agent for you. Some can be a little unorganized with the sheer amount of houses they run and some can be fantastic. The fact is, you don't really know what's going to happen until you've been with them, but there are things you should think about doing to ensure that you get exactly what you're entitled to (this works with private landlords too).

A damaged door

1. Take Pictures

   It sounds daft, but once you move into your accommodation, take pictures of the room and anything that you find wrong with it. Often, estate agents will hand you an inventory (if furnished) or a form to fill in any faults you find with the place when moving in. This way, any faults with the flat that are still there when you leave won't affect your deposit, and any problems like damaged goods can be dealt with as soon as possible. I found taking pictures was a good means of evidence, as in the past, I have had estate agents deny that there's anything wrong.
   
   

2. Don't Give Up!

   Sometimes it can be really difficult not to give in and just go with what the estate agents are saying. If you feel like you're right, it might be best to seek advice from others more experienced than you, or even the citizen's advice bureau. Remember, you have your rights!
   

3. Keep Copies

   You should get a copy of your contract and receipts, MAKE SURE YOU DO. It's also worth keeping copies of any letters or information you receive from your landlord or estate agent - you never know when you need it! 

4. Write Everything Down

   

   The desk in my old bedsit!

   People scoffed when I told them that my new flatmate and I kept a flat logbook, but the truth is - it's been really helpful so far. Write down anything that you're told, or promised and the name of the person who said it. This was, you can quote exactly what was said over the phone, or via email without having to strain your brain. For example,  "Sarah told me on the 28th that it'd take two days..."
   We also use our log book to ensure that we know what each other has said to the estate agents and what response we received so we can cross-reference each other if need be. See? Not so scoff-worthy.
   
   
   
   All in all, renting can be a great experience and is ever-more popular than house buying at present. Just remember these tips, find your perfect property, and have fun!