Okay, hear me out before you judge. Last month, my husband and I had the same fight we'd had 100 times before. The dishes fight. The "I cooked so you clean" fight. The passive-aggressive dish-soaking fight. You know the one.
Then I had an unhinged idea: What if we just... didn't? What if we used compostable plates for every meal for 30 days and saw what happened?
Spoiler alert: We haven't fought once. We've had more sex. We actually LIKE each other again. And no, this is not sponsored by Big Compostable Plate. This is just the truth about what happens when dishes stop ruining your life.
The Tuesday Night That Started Everything
It was spaghetti night. I'd worked late. He'd worked late. The kids were feral. The sink was already full from breakfast (don't judge). We stood there, looking at the pot of pasta, knowing that eating meant adding to Mount Dishmore.
I grabbed the palm leaf plates I'd bought for a party and never used. We ate. We threw them away. We watched Netflix instead of arguing about dishes. Revolutionary.
The next morning, I proposed the experiment: 30 days, no dishes (except pots and silverware because I'm not completely insane). He agreed faster than he's agreed to anything in 12 years of marriage.
Week 1: The Guilt Phase
Day 1-3: Felt weird using "party plates" for regular meals. Keep apologizing to the environment (the plates are literally compostable, brain).
Day 4: Realized breakfast takes 5 minutes when you don't wash plates. Had time for coffee. ACTUAL COFFEE.
Day 5: Kids confused why we're "having a party every day." Sure, sweetie. Party forever.
Day 6: First Saturday without dish arguments. Made pancakes. Used palm leaf plates. Threw them away. Went to farmers market instead of cleaning.
Day 7: Neighbor saw our recycling bin (all compost, no dishes). Asked if we'd been on vacation. Nope, just living our best life.
Week 2: The Revelation Phase
This is when things got interesting. Without dish stress, we started actually cooking together. TOGETHER. Like those couples in movies who drink wine and laugh while chopping vegetables.
Day 10: Made tacos. Usually a 47-plate disaster. Used bamboo plates. Cleanup took 30 seconds. Had energy for... other activities.
Day 11: Kids made their own lunches because "throwing away plates is fun." I didn't correct them.
Day 14: Realized we hadn't had the "whose turn to clean" fight in two weeks. Felt like newlyweds. Gross but true.
Week 3: The Lifestyle Phase
By week 3, I'd become that person. You know, the one who has SYSTEMS.
Morning routine: Coffee and breakfast on wheat straw plates. Neutral, calming, Instagram-worthy without trying.
Lunch situation: Bamboo plates for sandwiches. Sturdy enough for real food, light enough to not feel wasteful.
Dinner upgrade: Palm leaf plates making every meal look restaurant-quality. Kraft mac and cheese has never looked fancier.
We started inviting people over again. You know why we stopped? DISHES. You know why we started again? NO DISHES.
Week 4: The "Holy Shit This Is Our Life Now" Phase
Day 25: Hosted dinner for 6. Usually would spend next day washing dishes. Instead, went hiking.
Day 27: Calculated we'd saved approximately 14 hours of dishwashing. FOURTEEN HOURS. That's a full season of Netflix. That's seven date nights. That's freedom.
Day 30: Husband brought home flowers "because you seem so happy lately." I AM, DEREK. I AM.
The Unexpected Benefits Nobody Talks About
We Eat Together Now
When cleanup isn't looming, dinner becomes enjoyable. We sit. We talk. We don't rush to "get it over with." The kids think we've become "fun parents." Maybe we have.
Morning Sex Is Back
I SAID WHAT I SAID. When you're not starting every day resentful about last night's dishes, things... improve.
The Kitchen Stays Clean
No dishes in sink = kitchen always photo-ready. I've become one of those people whose house is "always company-ready." The power.
We Cook More
Paradoxically, when cleanup is easy, cooking becomes fun again. We've tried 12 new recipes this month. Before? Maybe 1 every three months.
Kids Help More
"Clear the table" is easy when it means "throw everything in this bag." My 6-year-old is now helpful. Miracle.
The Cost Breakdown That Shut Up the Haters
Monthly compostable plates: $60
Monthly therapy we don't need anymore: $200
Date nights from saved time: Priceless
Marriage satisfaction increase: Immeasurable
Someone said, "That's $720 a year on plates!" Okay, and? I spend more on coffee. This investment gives me TIME and SANITY.
The Different Plates for Different Moods Discovery
Angry Tuesday: Wheat straw plates. Neutral, calming, no decisions required.
Fancy Friday: Palm leaf plates. Makes frozen pizza feel special.
Lazy Sunday: Bamboo everything. Sturdy enough for couch eating (we all do it).
Meal Prep Monday: Small bamboo plates portioning everything out. Look at me being healthy.
The Things People Say That Make Me Laugh
"But the environment!" - They're compostable, Karen. Your K-cups aren't.
"Seems wasteful!" - You know what's wasteful? Divorce lawyers.
"I could never!" - Cool, enjoy your dish fights.
"Must be nice to afford that!" - It's literally $2 a day. That's less than your Starbucks.
The Holidays Are Coming and I'm Not Scared
Thanksgiving? Compostable plates. Christmas? Compostable plates. Every nightmare holiday where I used to spend more time cleaning than celebrating? SOLVED.
My mother-in-law asked what she can bring for Thanksgiving. "Nothing, we've got plates covered." She's confused. She'll understand when she's not washing dishes at midnight.
The Rules We Made Up
1. Pots and pans still get washed (we're not animals)
2. Real silverware stays (some standards remain)
3. Wine glasses are worth washing (priorities)
4. Guest get palm leaf plates (fancy)
5. No apologizing for our choice (ever)
The Text Exchange That Validated Everything
Best friend: How are you so chill lately?
Me: Stopped washing dishes
Best friend: What
Me: Compostable plates for everything
Best friend: That's insane
Me: Haven't fought with husband in 30 days
Best friend: ...link?
She started three days ago. Already texted that her husband noticed she's happier.
The Plot Twist: We're Not Going Back
The 30 days are over. We could go back to regular dishes. We're not going to. Why would we? We've discovered the secret to happiness, and it's literally just eliminating the thing that caused 50% of our arguments.
Some people eliminate gluten. We eliminated dishes. Both are transformative in their own way.
Your Permission Slip to Try This
You're allowed to use disposable plates every day. You're allowed to prioritize your relationship over dishes. You're allowed to buy back 14 hours of your month. You're allowed to choose peace.
It's not lazy. It's SMART. It's choosing your battles, and dishes aren't worth battling.
The Instagram Post That Says It All
Posted a photo of our palm leaf plates from dinner. Caption: "30 days dish-free and marriage is thriving."
284 likes. 47 comments. 12 DMs from friends asking if we're okay. We're MORE than okay. We're free.
Start Your Own Experiment
Order one pack of palm leaf plates. Use them for tomorrow's dinner. See how it feels to throw them away. Feel that? That's what freedom tastes like.
Then maybe try a week. Or a month. Or forever. Because life's too short to spend it washing dishes and fighting about them.
Ready to save your relationship one plate at a time? Shop our everyday collection of compostable plates that make life easier and marriages happier. Because the couple that doesn't do dishes together, stays together.
