Earth Day is a great time to start think about how our decluttering and organizing is impacting our environment. Here are some tips to help you start decluttering in a more environmentally friendly way.
Donate and recycle clothing responsibly. As you are sorting through your closets take the clothing donate pile one easy step further. Think of what can actually be used and what need to be recycled. With the popularity of the Marie Kondo show Tidying Up, second hand stores have been inundated with donations. Make sure you are donating items that actually have a second life left in them. For clothing items that should be recycled look for a textile recycler in your area. Many large scale (think Goodwill or Salvation Army) will recycle your textiles is you mark them as "Recycle". Check with your local donation site.
Recycle your electronics. Best Buy offers one of the largest e-recycling programs in the US. They recycle 400 pounds of electronics per MINUTE! Most electronics can be recycle for free. There is a small charge for TV's and monitors. They also have a trade-in program, so there is a chance you could make some money on your old electronics. Check out their website for more details.
Stop the junk mail! Think of all the trees you'd save and the clutter you'd eliminate if you could reduce the junk mail coming in your house. EcoCycle.org had 6 easy ways for you to cut down!
Recycle the packaging! Decanting is a great way to reduce visual cutter. Make sure all the packaging (boxes and plastic wrap) is recycled correctly. Did you know that Trader Joe's and Target will recycle plastic bags and film! Check out Recycle by City for tips on recycling near you.
Be more thoughtful in what you purchase. If you purchase less and purchase better you will have less clutter and won't need to replace items as often. Clutter is a too much problem, not a space problem. If we reduce what we bring in it will be better for our home and our planet.
What are you doing this Earth Day? If you need help tackling the clutter in an environmentally responsible way I can help! Let's Chat!