April Showers Bring Eco-Friendly Organizing Tips: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle
Celebrate Earth Month with Sustainable Organizing Strategies
In honor of Earth Month, we're excited to share eco-friendly organizing tips to help you stay organized while making a positive impact on the environment. Embrace the three R's—Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle—as fundamental principles for a greener lifestyle and a more organized home.
Reduce
The first step to an environmentally friendly lifestyle is to reduce your consumption. Focus on cutting down the use of single-use plastics and toxic materials. This includes making behavioral changes such as driving less, eating fewer animal products, and minimizing online shopping to reduce your carbon footprint.
In organizing, reducing clutter plays a crucial role. Even with an effective organizational system, a constant influx of new items can disrupt your system. By understanding and utilizing what you already have, you avoid unnecessary purchases, reduce waste, and create a clutter-free space. This not only saves money but also supports a more sustainable lifestyle.
Re-Use
Before you buy, see if you can re-use what you have! This applies to all kinds of different categories. It is so easy to buy things, and a lot of items are available for very low prices. Try to take an extra moment (or even day or two) to think about if you really want an item before clicking that "purchase" button. Unneeded clutter has an impact on your physical space, mental bandwidth, and the environment.
Before purchasing new items, consider if you can reuse what you already own. This principle applies to various categories such as clothing, toys, and craft supplies. Take a moment to evaluate if a new item is truly needed or if it can be sourced from secondhand marketplaces.. There are plenty of Goodwill, Salvation Army, and Savers stores to peruse for whatever you may need, along with Buy Nothing or local Everything is Free pages for items in good condition that need a new home. Before browsing Ikea or Amazon for an item you've been thinking about buying, consider saving money and carbon emissions by checking out Craigslist or Facebook Marketplace!
We love the Container Store and have lots of recommendations for great organizing products from Amazon, but when it comes to organizing supplies, you don't always need to buy new. Reused or secondhand organizing products can be just as effective. Remember the SPACE method—Sort, Purge, Assign, Contain, Equalize. Avoid buying bins until the organizing process is nearly complete, as less is more when it comes to storage solutions.. I can't tell you how many storage products I have purged with clients who purchased them with the hope of getting organized. Less is more!
Recycle
Last, but certainly not least, is recycling. Recycling is a vital part of reducing waste. Most municipalities offer curbside recycling, but it’s important to recycle correctly. Ensure that items are clean and free of food residue before placing them in the recycling bin, as contaminated items can hinder the recycling process. When in doubt, throw it out.
If you aren't sure how to recycle an item, Earth 911 is a valuable resource for finding recycling options. Common categories include textiles and electronics, which often require specialized recycling. If you want to see a list of local options, check out our Disposal Resources page!
If all of this seems like too much to handle, give us a call! If you need help navigating eco-friendly organizing or recycling, our team is here to assist with sustainable and joyful solutions.
