We at the Optimist Daily are big on sharing solutions for waste and reductions in your own home. For today’s installment on low waste living, we challenge you to take a trip through your garbage (metaphorically or literally) to figure out what areas of your life are most wasteful. Following this agenda from BonAppetit, we challenge you to track your waste to make more meaningful lifestyle changes.

Step one is to make a list. Keep track of everything you throw away for a week. You can do this by category, area of your home, family member, or any classification you’d like.

Step two is sorting your waste into three areas: trash, recycling, and compost. If you already compost, good for you (if not you can check out last week’s Optimist View for some tips on how to start!).

Step 3 is to analyze where you waste most. Maybe you notice you throw away a paper coffee cup every day, use a ton of paper towels, or always toss moldy strawberries. Once you notice these things, you’ll be able to avoid making the same mistake twice.

Identifying where you waste most will help you personalize your waste reduction plan to be more effective. Once you know where you waste, it’s easier than ever to invest in a reusable coffee cup, get more cloth towels, or consider freezing those strawberries before they get fuzzy!