The Founder Diaries: Back-to-School Chaos

Every September, I convince myself that this will be the year I’m organised. The uniforms will be ordered early, the shoes will fit, everyone will know where their calculator is. The cupboards will be stocked, the washing finished and I’ll return to the office refreshed, focused and completely on top of things. It's never happened. Back-to-school season isn’t one task. It’s about 47 small tasks that need doing at exactly the same time, usually while you’re still surrounded by half-unpacked suitcases and wondering how every plant in the house managed to die while you were away. There are uniforms to check, which involves persuading the kids to try on clothes when neither of you can remember what fitted at the end of last term. I inevitably miss the secondhand uniform sale, find out something essential is out of stock and end up pre-ordering a jumper that may or may not arrive before Christmas. Then come the shoes. An in-store experience that feels less like shopping and more like crowd control. Are they the right size? Is there enough growing room? Will they actually be worn, or declared deeply embarrassing within a week? Next, we begin the annual hunt for the missing stationery. Calculators disappear, pencil cases mysteriously empty themselves, school bags that looked perfectly fine in July are suddenly deemed unusable. Old exercise books and folders are still lurking around the house, although nobody is quite sure which can be recycled, which must be kept and which apparently contain “really important stuff”. Meanwhile, I’m attempting to restore some order at home. The holiday washing has turned into its own mountain range. Summer items need putting away, the Tupperware cupboard has descended into complete anarchy, there are twelve lids and somehow none of them fit the three remaining containers. I’ll do a food shop, forget what we already have and double-order half the kitchen. We’ll then have six cans of tomatoes but nothing anyone can actually take to school or work for lunch. And then the WhatsApp messages begin. School groups, year groups, sports groups, clubs, classes, sign-up forms, payment reminders, dates for the diary. Dates that have changed since the last message. One notification leads to another until I’ve opened 14 conversations and can’t remember what I was originally trying to find. This year I even nearly missed the netball sign-up, which would have been particularly embarrassing because I’m the organiser! There’s also the health and life admin I’ve conveniently ignored all summer. Haircuts need booking, dentist appointments need arranging. Everything that felt like it could wait in July suddenly becomes urgent in September. At the same time, I’m trying to switch my founder brain back on and catch up on work. While I’ve been thinking about school timetables, work hasn’t exactly been quiet. On one particularly chaotic day, ten event enquiries landed in my inbox. There are meetings to organise, opportunities to assess and an investor-and-founder event in Leeds that I’ve mentally flagged but haven’t yet worked out how to fit into the diary. Running a business and raising a family often means moving between completely different worlds within minutes. One moment I’m thinking about Seep’s next stage of growth, the next I’m trying to work out who has taken the only working black pen in the house. My own routines have fallen away too. Exercise has slipped, meals have become more improvised. I keep telling myself I’ll get back into a rhythm once everything else is sorted, but perhaps that’s the trap - nothing is ever completely sorted. There will always be another form, another meeting, another load of washing or another cupboard that could do with a clear-out. September has a funny talent for making us feel as though everyone else has returned from summer beautifully organised while we’re the only ones scrabbling around for a PE kit. I’m fairly sure that isn’t true. So this year, I’m trying to resist the urge to fix everything in one heroic burst. I’m tackling one pile, one email and one sign-up form at a time. The dead plants may have to wait a little longer. If you’re also limping rather than gliding into the new term, you’re in very good company!

Every July, millions of people around the world take part in Plastic Free July™, a global movement encouraging us all to cut back on plastic waste for a month. It's been going for 15 years, and the movement has achieved so much. We also think that perhaps it's time to evolve it. From an absolute pledge to remove all plastic items from your lifestyle (virtually impossible in our world) for one month, to reducing plastic every day of the year. Starting simply, room by room, looking at your routines and the products you buy. So here are some tips from the Seep team. What is Plastic Free July™? Plastic Free July™ is a global movement that helps millions of people reduce plastic waste through simple, everyday choices. It began in 2011 with just 40 people in Western Australia who wanted to challenge themselves to refuse single-use plastics for one month. Today, it has grown into the world's largest waste reduction campaign, with more than 174 million participants across 190 countries. The aim isn't perfection. It's about becoming more aware of the plastic we use every day and discovering that many of those items have better, longer-lasting alternatives. Every reusable bottle, refill, or compostable sponge helps reduce the demand for disposable plastic and brings us one step closer to cleaner streets, healthier oceans and less pollution in our homes and bodies. How can you take part? One of the best things about Plastic Free July™ is that anyone can take part, regardless of their lifestyle. Rather than trying to change everything overnight, focus on one swap each week. It's scientifically proven that small, realistic habits are far more likely to stick than an all-or-nothing approach. Here are a few easy ideas: Swap cling film for reusable silicone food covers or beeswax wraps. Choose glass food storage instead of plastic containers where possible. Carry a reusable coffee cup or water bottle. Buy loose fruit and vegetables when you can. Choose refillable household products like deodorant, cleaning sprays, and laundry detergents. There are some fabulous alternatives out there. Choose natural fibres when buying clothing and avoid polyester and acrylic. Switch to plastic-free cleaning essentials made from natural materials. By the end of the month, you'll have made several simple changes that could last for years! Does Plastic Free July™ really make a difference? Absolutely. What started with just 40 participants has become one of the biggest environmental movements in the world. Since 2011: More than 174 million people have taken part. The campaign has reached 190 countries. Participants have helped avoid an estimated 15 million tonnes of plastic waste. 86% of people say the changes they made during Plastic Free July™ became permanent habits. That's the real power of the movement. It's not just about one month of action - it's about creating everyday habits that reduce plastic waste long after July has finished. Easy plastic-free swaps for your cleaning routine The cleaning cupboard is one of the easiest places to reduce plastic. Many conventional sponges, scourers and cloths are made from plastic and shed microplastics every time they're used. Those fibres are washed down the sink and can eventually find their way into our rivers, oceans, and even our bodies. Switching to plastic-free cleaning products is one of the simplest changes you can make. At Seep, we've designed everyday cleaning essentials using natural, renewable materials that work brilliantly without relying on plastic. From compostable sponge scourers to plastic-free cloths, these alternatives are just as effective and easy to use as the traditional products you're replacing.   Every small swap adds up Plastic Free July™ isn't about being perfect. It's about progress.  One reusable bottle won't solve plastic pollution. One compostable sponge won't clean up the oceans. But when millions of people each make one small change, those choices quickly add up. So this July, choose one thing to swap. Next week, swap another. Before long, you'll have built a home that's a little lighter on plastic and taken a step towards a cleaner future.   Looking for an easy place to start? Explore Seep's range of plastic-free cleaning essentials and discover how everyday swaps can make a lasting effect on your home and the planet.

Meet the new Seep. Brighter, bolder and designed to make everyday cleaning feel a little better. The same plastic-free products you know and love, but now with a fresh new look that's made to bring a little joy to your sink, kitchen and cleaning routine. Why we’ve changed Our motto 'Feel Good Cleaning' has always been at the heart of everything we do since day 1. We’ve always been determined to shake up the dusty cleaning category, and freshen it up with feel-good alternatives. Not just cleaning essentials that feel good for the planet, but cleaning essentials that feel good to use and look at, and that are better for you, your home, and your health too. We get it - cleaning isn’t for everyone. But we think it can be more fun and exciting, and that’s why we’re shouting louder about it. We strongly believe cleaning can feel good. Cleaning should feel good. What’s changed Our Packaging To embody our new brand spirit, we freshened up our packs with lighter tones and more playful messaging. Our current packaging is navy, functionality-focused, and all about the planet. Our new packaging is bright turquoise with hints of yellow and navy, emotive-focused, and focused on being microplastic-free. (Do note you may not see our new packs for a while, as things take a while to roll out… so don’t worry if you receive our current packaging right now!) Our Look & Feel  We’ve levelled up our look and feel across our website, social media channels, and email platforms. You'll start to see new bold colours (think bright pinks, pops of yellow and more), slightly new fonts, and bold imagery that instantly makes you feel good about cleaning. We hope you love it as much as we do! Our Mission Our original mission was to ‘eliminate 1 billion plastic cleaning tools from landfill by 2030’, but things have changed. Currently, only 5% of waste goes to landfill. So, we've decided to shift focus and look at the deeper, long-term impact that goes beyond the environment. We're now focusing on something that can impact individuals in their homes - microplastics. Therefore, our new mission is to ‘wipe away microplastics from cleaning essentials in 10 million homes by 2035’. We want to prevent the problem (microplastics), not just be there when it has already happened. Fancy giving our feel-good cleaning essentials a try? Try our Starter Kit or our best-selling Sponge Scourers.