What To Do With Unused Hotel Toiletries: Travel With A Cause

If you're like me, you compulsively collect the travel-size bottles of fancy shampoo and lotions from your hotel stays. Until you've amassed a huge collection. So, what should we do with those unused hotel toiletries?

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Travel With A Cause

While embarking on a two week vacation this summer I happened to hear a plea on the radio for backpacks and travel toiletries for The Road Home, a local homeless shelter. So I happily stashed the hotel amenities each morning to be greeted by a whole new set each night.

Many large hotels participate in programs like Clean The World that recycle their toiletries for humanitarian purposes. But most do not and your partially used or totally untouched shampoo goes to the landfill. Travel with a cause and stick those babies into your bag to do a little good while you're having fun. {Is that starting to sound familiar!?}

What Toiletries Do Hotels Provide?

Depending on the hotel you'll probably get shampoo, lotion, and a bar of soap. Nicer hotels offer body wash, conditioner, shower caps, and q-tips. Some even offer complimentary make up remover or sewing and shoe shine kits.

Can You Take Unused Hotel Toiletries? 

But is it ok to just TAKE?

Some of you “rule followers” might be uncomfortable with the idea of taking anything from the hotel. I get it, I am one. But you've already paid for it and they don't care if you use it or stash it.

Anything from the standard shampoo and body wash to cotton balls and Q-tips, IF they offer it, the hotel is required to replace it daily. And if you DON'T use it, they most likely toss it.

Just don't raid the hospitality cart and blame it on me! Thanks.

How Can I Help If I Don't Travel Much?

Unused hotel toiletry stashes are GREAT for business travel or extended vacations but what about the rest of us who still want to help?

Travel sized toiletries run between $1-2.69 in most stores but that adds up quickly. For this project, the dollar store is your best friend and allows you to create several affordable hygiene kits that really make an impact.

DIY Travel Sized Toiletries 

Travel Toiletry DIY Supplies:

• Plastic Travel Bottles (3 for $1)
• Full bottle shampoo
• Full bottle conditioner
• Full bottle body wash
• Toothbrushes* (4 for $1)
• Toothpaste**

*Toothbrush note: If you use a Sonicare Toothbrush, like I do, you aren't using the toothbrushes from the dentist and they tend to pile up. This is a great way to utilize all those extras. {My Sonicare is waay better than the Oral-B my hubs uses just as an FYI}

**Toothpaste note: I was irritated to note a travel size toothpaste was $1.29 but I could get a full size tube for 86 cents. If budget is a concern, shop around and be smart. The more you save the more you can help.

Fill Up Your Bottles

The soaps typically come in squeeze or pump bottles making it really easy to portion into the travel containers. So easy my kiddos (9yo & 7yo) helped do nearly ALL of them.

I'd be lying if I said I didn't choose the shampoo based on color! Doesn't that look pretty all lined up? They smell nice too. That's a big factor for me. Doesn't matter how well it works if I can't stand the smell.

DIY Travel Bottle Labels

The one thing missing on these bottles is a label, but just any old label will smear and come off in the shower. So I found waterproof label paper and made my own. I opted for full page labels so I could adjust the size myself. Just print, cut, then apply.

The labels add to the cost but you'll be able to use them for lots of other future projects. I only factored in the cost of the single sheet I used for this project.

• Full Sheet Waterproof Labels

Package Hygiene Kits

Packaging up hygiene kits in Quart Size Ziploc bags is perfect depending on your toothbrush size. Then add them to backpacks. I found a great Back to School sale at Winco Foods with backpacks for $5.98! Keep an eye out in August and stock up when you can!

Blessing bags for the homeless can provide lots of things including food, socks, and books, but these simple hygiene kits take care of the basics and we chose to keep it simple and make:

• TWELVE hygiene kits for under $35 {or the cost of one family lunch out}
• TWELVE backpacks for $72 {or the cost of one nice family dinner out}

Sometimes you have to choose between helping ONE person a lot, or a DOZEN people a little. Ultimately it's up to you.

Woman's Hygiene Kit

After speaking with the volunteers at the Food Bank and having them talk about women who weep over feminine hygiene items I've made it a personal goal to help out my fellow sex. So we now add tampons, pads, razors, and deodorant to at least half the bags we donate.

It seems a small thing for us, but it can made a huge impact for someone's life this month.

Where Can I Donate My Personal Care Items?

Now that it's packaged up and ready to go, where are you going to take it?

• Homeless Shelters are always in need and I especially like to support Family Shelters
• The Salvation Army
• Battered Women's Shelters
• Refugee Centers
• Local Title 1 Schools
• An education organization like Salt Lake's Granite Education Foundation

Or keep a few in your car and pass it along to a person in need. Hopefully it'll be well received. Either way you'll know you did something to help a little. Who knew your unused hotel toiletries could provide a little hope? Give back a little dignity?

I know it can feel overwhelming, there is so much more needed than shampoo. But your kits will make a difference to that ONE person. And that makes all the difference.

Pin it for later

Please follow Parties With A Cause on Facebook and Instagram and tag us @partieswithacause so we can celebrate your service too!

*Another thing you can do is encourage your favorite hotel to join Clean The World if they haven't already.

More Ideas for Family Community Service

• Christmas Shoe Boxes
• Light The World This Christmas
• Host a Donation Birthday Party
• Assemble Food Bags for a Local School Food Pantry