Using resources sparingly during lockdown

Most of the things that gave our days structure such as going to work, school, meeting with friends and shopping are long gone. With the recent extension of the lockdown for three more weeks, no one is certain when we might return to our lives before the coronavirus pandemic.

Our priority now is to create new routines and practices that will ease the strife induced by the lockdown.

As the quarantine days drag on, we will begin to see our carefully stocked pantries begin to empty and with less access to the supermarkets to restock, it is common sense to learn how to conserve what you have in stock.

Make food last longer
Conserving what you have will take a deliberate effort, according to Dorah Katende, an etiquette and lifestyle coach.

“With your family at home, the ideal is giving them three meals a day. So, you should plan how you are going to do that without running out of food and money. Go through your pantry or fridge and write down what you have to create a menu plan for the next three weeks. Start with food items that will go bad fast such as fresh vegetables and fruit and save the ones with longer shelf life such as dry beans or rice for last,” Katende suggests.

She also recommends using the packaged items in order of their expiry date.

“Some people never get time to check the contents of their pantry properly so food items expire without their knowledge which results in wastage. Now, with time on our hands, let us remove everything, check the labels and arrange them according to their expiry dates putting the closest to the front so they are easy to reach,” she tips.
Variety
Another way to make food last longer is to have variety at every meal. For instance instead of simply making meat stew alone, add some groundnut paste or beans and vegetables which will reduce the amount of meat consumed while everyone is eating adequately.
“It is important that you emphasise to your family that what we are going through is a crisis which requires us to make some changes and sacrifices to survive. One of these sacrifices is serving less food so it lasts longer. An effective way to eat less without remaining hungry is drinking a lot of water. The more water you drink, the fuller you will feel and the less you will need to snack or eat,” says Katende.
Make beauty and toiletries last longer
We now know how important hand washing is in the fight against Covid-19. But this incessant washing means we will use more hand wash than usual.

“What I do, is adding a little water to the dispenser bottle to loosen the remaining soap. You will be surprised how much soap you throw away in your dispenser. You can do the same for your shampoo and conditioner,” notes Katende. She suggests keeping the soap dish dry to enable the bar soap to harden between uses and enables it to last long.

To loosen a thick and stale nail polish, Florence Namusoke, a beauty and hair stylist recommends adding a few drops of nail polish remover. She also suggests using less of your cosmetic products since you do not need as much as you usually do when going out in public.

“I do not think we need a full face of makeup. All you need to do is cleanse, tone and moisturise your face. Give the foundation, concealer and mascara a break. Let your lips heal from those aggressive lipsticks; just apply a lip gloss or Vaseline. Use a deodorant if you cannot do without it but a thorough shower and light clothes should be able to keep you smelling fresh,” Namusoke notes.
Lower water consumption
Staying home and having to wash hands constantly will inevitably increase water usage in every home.

Therefore, precautions must be taken to prevent wastage and consequently lower our bills. Charles Lwanga, a husband and father of four says he has educated every member of his household about the importance of saving water.

“It is not wise to assume everyone knows that they are wasting or what that wastage means to your wallet. Find teachable moments to demonstrate what you mean. I noticed that a lot of water is wasted when washing the dishes at the sink, so I put two buckets to be used instead of washing under running water. We use the same method for vegetable and fruits before storage,” Lwanga shares.

He says he has also discouraged filling up bathtubs for baths and insists everyone takes quick showers instead. Laundry in the Lwanga household is done in bulk and is done twice a week to save water.