Your mission, if you choose to accept, is to conserve water this summer with shorter (or fewer) showers.
Level of Commitment: Baby Steps
I’m a big fan of long showers, personally, so this is a tough one for me (and there’s a reason I’m sharing it in the summer, not the cold Michigan winters!). Once I get in that warm water, I just never want to get out. There’s probably something to be said about an escape from a 3-year-old and 6-year-old, too, some moments of solace that I don’t want to end. (photo source)
Sound familiar?
Step One: How Much Water do You Use?
To begin your mission, I want to recommend a little fact-finding activity:
Plug the bathtub when you take your next shower.
It was a revelation to me when I did this, because even though I was trying to hurry, the tub got far more full than when I give the kids a bath. I was practically swimming!
I was convinced I was a big fat water-waster and it was time to change my ways. During the summer, I did pretty well, but I’m telling you – when the house is 64F in the winter, I fell right back into 15-minute showers, which likely uses 40-75 gallons of water. Holy toots! Join me as I turn over a new summer leaf!
Take shorter showers. You’ll also gain a few minutes in your day/morning routine, which never hurts either. 
Other Ways to Conserve Shower Water
Taking a shorter shower isn’t the only option. You could also:
- Take fewer showers (I’m an every other day kind of gal, which works well with the no ‘poo shampoo method)
- Skip washing your hair every day (at least for women, a quick wash is a huge difference from washing and conditioning one’s hair)
- Install a low-flow showerhead
- Take baths (most sources online state that the average bath takes between 30-70 gallons of water – wow! If you take long showers and shallow baths, however, a bath would be a better water saver)
- Turn the water off to shave, then turn it back on for a quick rinse. If you plug the tub while you begin your shower, you have water to swish off the razor between swipes if you need it.
- Share a shower with your spouse. Tee hee! Two for one deal!
Another Way to Pamper Yourself
If your shower is your “mommy time” or “me time” and you miss the pampering, Renee Harris of MadeOn Hard Lotion has a fun new resource for you: My Buttered Life Summer Edition, an eBook with 5 recipes for DIY personal products, each with 5 or fewer perfectly safe ingredients. You’ll get instructions for:
- Foot Protector Bar (Renee’s son tested this one by going barefoot for 20 days!)
- Full Body Conditioner
- Sunscreen
- Bug Repellent Bar
- Tan Enhancer
KS readers had such a great response to Renee’s DIY lotion kit that I am certain you’ll love this guide. For $5, 5 recipe, under 5 ingredients each (with sources to help you find the supplies), it’s a great deal! Click HERE to read more and order.
Simple Missions, Kimball Update
I have a whole bunch of simple Monday Mission ideas that are just perfect for the lazy days of summer, so you’ll see a number of those coming in the next 6 weeks. They’re about all I can handle right now, for the reasons below!
For those who like a good challenge, keep you eye on the series a Sweet, Sweet Summer, when we’ll explore one natural sweetener each week, how it’s made, why it’s better than white sugar (or not) and how to source the good stuff. The first installment shared the nutrition in honey, a list of all my honey recipes (including a new snack!) and instructions for baking with honey. Watch this week for round two, maple syrup and maple sugar. Pancakes, anyone?
A quick update on the last 10 days in the Kimball household:
- Made the call to live with the in-laws instead of rent, against all reader and parental advice.
- Moved 95% of our stuff to a storage unit. Serious tetris action to make it all fit!
- Moved the remaining 5% to the in-laws’ house. They only freaked out a little about how much stuff 4-going-on-5 people need for a possible 3-6 months. (It’s actually probably only 2% of our stuff!)
- Moving took 5 days! Totally exhausted.
- In-laws left for the weekend. Providential. We got settled as a family and had a nice transition.
- Looking for The Perfect House resumes! Motivation is high.
- Baby due in about a month (although my hunch says a week later than the August 8th due date). Time to wash baby clothes and get “nesting!!!” (Now that I have a nest to line…)
In light of all that, you’ll see some excellent guest posts coming in the next few months, like the two last week: How One Woman Became “One of Them” a real food story and 3 Summer Popsicle Recipes.
———————————————
I’d love to see more of you! Sign up for a free email subscription or grab my reader feed. You can also follow me on Twitter, get KS for Kindle, or see my Facebook Fan Page.
If you missed the last Monday Mission, click here.
Kitchen Stewardship is dedicated to balancing God’s gifts of time, health, earth and money. If you feel called to such a mission, read more at Mission, Method, and Mary and Martha Moments.
Disclosure: I am an affiliate of MadeOn and receive commission for sales starting here. See my full disclosure statement here.
“Share a shower with your spouse. Tee hee! Two for one deal!”
But this lends itself to longer showers, yes?
[Reply to this comment]
Jeanne G. Reply:
July 11th, 2011 at 11:17 am
I was going to say that…
[Reply to this comment]
Amanda Y. Reply:
July 11th, 2011 at 2:30 pm
We do this, sadly not to be cute at all–we do it because of how prohibitively expensive water is here. It does save water if you do it right–I rinse, then give DH water to rinse while I soap, then I rinse while he soaps, I get out, he rinses, done…
[Reply to this comment]
Katie Reply:
July 12th, 2011 at 3:56 pm
Wellllllll…I suppose I’m busted on that one!
Amanda’s way is very efficient, but not so much “tee hee”, right? 
Katie
[Reply to this comment]
A timer is a great way to limit how long one is in the shower…and it starts when you turn on the water..not when you get in.
I have timed my shower from start to finish at 4 minutes whereas my husband is the long shower person. I should time him.. 
I know he would NEVER take a 5 minutes shower or even let me set a timer for him. Guess since he is the one working…I shouldnt complain too much.
[Reply to this comment]
take cold showers too. they are good for you, especially refreshing in the summer, and you tend to linger less.
[Reply to this comment]
If you recall, Friend, we lived with my parents for two months in the middle of which our first baby was born. It wasn’t easy, but it was a huge blessing! Enjoy the opportunity to have 3 generations under one roof! I think it should be more common!
[Reply to this comment]
Katie Reply:
July 13th, 2011 at 10:32 pm
I do recall that…although I recall more the amazing feat of moving in 3 days out of state…hoping I can still call in the pay-it-forwards from when I helped for friends around here to help us – again! I think I’m running out of friend “move” credits!
Thanks for throwing it into the positive – will try to enjoy that part!
Katie
[Reply to this comment]
Having a newborn has definitely helped me take shorter showers less often!
[Reply to this comment]
I often plug the tub while I’m showering, and if it starts to get full, I shut off the water (after adding a bit of very hot water, because it does cool down a lot) and just switch to a bath. Or, if the timing is right, I give the baby a bath in my shower water. You’re right: plugging the tub is a great way to see how much water you’re using … and to remind you to get out of the shower.
Good luck on your house hunt. That must be kind of scary, not having one of your own for awhile!
[Reply to this comment]
8/8 is my birthday! Yours is pretty close to your due date, too, if I remember correctly. Good luck on settling in & having the kiddo in such stressful upheaval. I’m praying for you:).
[Reply to this comment]
Conserve Water: Take Shorter Showers | Yoana Brecker // Jul 11, 2011 at 12:36 pm
[...] morning’s Monday Mission from Kitchen Stewardship was to conserve water by taking shorter showers. What an easy way to help the environment. I never realized how much [...]
If you live in an area with very warm summers sometimes you can actually shut off the hot water heater and save some $$ that way. People do that here in Phoenix and the water stays hot by itself (our hot water heaters are in the garage since basements are more or less nonexistent). If there’s a point in the summer where the water comes out of the tap warm or hot no matter how you turn the faucet, then give it a try.
[Reply to this comment]
Yeah, for me….I lived without showers and running water for 4.5 years….I did my time of saving money on that, and it is my one luxury now. Plus, for us….it doesn’t save money as our costs are so low.
= )
[Reply to this comment]
Oh, the nesting…lol. I am so there! I was thinking my baby would arrive a couple weeks late but now I’m starting to wonder if baby will come early, like in a week or two (that would be around 38 weeks). My other two were early. Of course, I say this now, then I’ll still be sitting here 4 weeks from now (past my due date) going, “Okay, baby, anyday now….” LOL.
As for showers, I’m totally a “skip several days” kind of girl…is that bad? Over the last 7 or 8 years I went from daily showering to once or twice a week. I usually shower in the morning with both kids (three for one?). Every now and then I fill up the tub as deep as I want and take a nice bath. But that only seems to happen about once a month so I’ll just say I’m good.
The no ‘poo has also helped me with the showering bit because I don’t get greasy hair anymore, even if I do go 4 – 5 days before showering! Ha….
[Reply to this comment]
Katie Reply:
July 13th, 2011 at 10:40 pm
Kate,
Uh huh…I was just too embarrassed to admit in the post that the “every other day” sometimes turns into “um, when did I shower last? I have a post to finish up this morning!” So yeah, I’m with you! What is your official due date? We must be right about the same time as I’m 36 weeks here…
[Reply to this comment]
I am a fan of the crick bath.
[Reply to this comment]
We lived with my inlaws while house hunting as well, and it turned out to be a HUGE blessing– financially, emotionally, you name it. I think we were all really nervous about it but it taught us a lot and we really bonded as a family. One of the best things we ever did. Hope your experience goes just as well!
[Reply to this comment]
Katie Reply:
July 13th, 2011 at 10:45 pm
Anne,
Good encouragement, keep it coming! 
Katie
Not something I knew, I don’t think – there are more of us crazy people than I thought!
[Reply to this comment]
We almost always shower together. It’s not only good for the environment, it’s also a good time to spend with your partner/spouse. You get alone time (which is necessary if you have kids) and you get some intimate time as well. Both things are necessary for a relationship.
[Reply to this comment]
My due date for baby #2 is also Aug. 8th! We live with my parents and just found out that my dad’s parents will be moving in as well, so four generations will be under one roof. I agree with Antonina that several generations in one household isn’t bad at all; we’re all learning how to be nice housemates and getting to spend time together that never would have happened otherwise.
As for showers, I do every other day and share with my toddler, mainly because he’d climb in with me anyway and I’m too stingy with sleep to shower during his naptime. My grandmother puts a bucket in the shower with her and uses it to catch water for her garden (this may not be the best if you use soaps with lots of chemicals).
I’m glad you have a little time to get settled, Katie. We moved in with my parents 6 weeks before baby #1, so it was a little hectic trying to get everything ready not just for a new baby but a home birth when I was as big as a house!
[Reply to this comment]
I’ve started to take super quick cold showers and LOVE it. Its exhilarating to step both feet in the shower and place myself right underneath the showerhead. Take a deep breath and then BAM!
It feels awesome right after an intense workout. I am a no poo dude who has short hair but I do scrub hard with my fingers. I am sometimes in and out in 2 minutes. Sometimes less!
I am not up for taking LESS showers… I do 1-2 per day. My first one this morning was a quick n and out deal in less than a minute to feel energized. I woke up at 5:45 since I have to keep my window open at night due to us not using A/C.
[Reply to this comment]
I just have to say, I love the Tetris reference! I remember reading another tetris reference you made to loading the dishwasher and it has always stuck with me! (I used to love that game too.)
[Reply to this comment]
Katie Reply:
July 13th, 2011 at 10:48 pm
How fun! My son now calls the dishwasher Tetris “Mom’s dishwasher magic” since he doesn’t get the 80s reference…
Katie
[Reply to this comment]
Oooh, what a great idea! I struggle with reallllllly long showers, so tomorrow I’ll plug the drain!
[Reply to this comment]
I installed low flow (1.5 gpm) showerheads purchased at Walmart for $10 each in both the showers in my house after the holidays. Thanks for the gift card Aunt Betty!
Preliminarly reports show we’ve decreased consumption by 2 CCFs per 2 month billing period. 1 CCF = 748 gal, if I remember right.
say a low flow shower head saves you a gal/min (1.5 gpm vs. standard 2.5 gpm). Times 3-10 min showers x 30 days/mth…900 gallons of water saved a month!
now to investigate reducing dishwasher water consumption. already using the economy setting but wondering about “quick wash”.
my NG hot water heater died of old age a few months back & the replacement is so much more efficient. I expect to save $300/yr on NG costs thanks to it.
Yay.
[Reply to this comment]
chuck Reply:
July 14th, 2011 at 2:28 pm
another easy water saving hack is to put something in your toilet to displace water and reduce the amount of water flushed each time. putting a 32 oz. gatorade bottle in there saves about 15%. i haven’t had any clogging problems. if it’s yellow, let it mellow to save more water. also, turn water off while you wash hands or brush teeth.
[Reply to this comment]
chuck Reply:
July 14th, 2011 at 2:29 pm
also, don’t water lawn in summer. it is meant to go dormant. grass is a near useless decoration.
[Reply to this comment]
Tonya Reply:
July 16th, 2011 at 2:06 am
i have 2 1.6 gal/flush (gpf) toilets. i think the lowest you can get is 1.28 gpf…or you can get a converter so your toilet has a #1 & #2 setting. i’ve often wondered if i could get away with putting a bottle in my toilet tank. do you know what size flush your toilet is, Chuck?
[Reply to this comment]
Katie Reply:
July 15th, 2011 at 10:46 pm
Nice! That’s pretty awesome to see the numbers. Here are some ideas on dishwasher savings: http://www.kitchenstewardship.com/2009/03/09/monday-mission-use-your-dishwasher-wisely/
Katie
[Reply to this comment]
Tonya Reply:
July 16th, 2011 at 2:08 am
pretty much doing all of those things. I have decent luck with dollartree $1 sun dishwasher detergent. my DW is a craigslist find Bosch, which is pretty high end. it cleans great.
[Reply to this comment]
you can be even more frugal like me and take a bucket into the shower to collect water as you shower. then i take it out to the yard to water plants.
i keep up the motivation to do this every time we get our $50-$100 water bill in the mail (we live in southern california, water is expensive here!!)
[Reply to this comment]
My Green Cheats: 15 Ways I Don’t Help the Earth | Green Your Way // Jun 15, 2012 at 12:34 am
[...] Even though I know showers waste a ton of water, and I’ve told other people to take shorter showers, I consistently take incredibly long showers. I just can’t get out. I think it’s [...]