Clutter Control: Creating a Recycling Program for Your Home

mom • home management • parenting • home management

by Debbie Sardone on August 2nd, 2011 | No Comments »

Clutter Control—As part of this clutter control series, we’ll be discussing ways to free yourself from a cluttered home and uncover simple organization tips that you can follow to live in a more organized and functional home. Today’s rule is all about creating a new recycling program for your home.

Clutter Control Rule #5: Recycle it.

We're not talking about just paper, aluminum, glass, and plastic. You may argue that you throw these items away anyway, so how does recycling help with uncluttering? Well, for one thing, it's a good habit to form when getting used to putting certain things in certain places. In addition, many people have a tough time parting with certain containers, especially glass bottles. Mayonnaise jars are good for storing bacon fat, and pickle jars or peanut-butter jars are just right for something else.

Recycling finally allows the world's bottle-savers to put their bottles to good use. Recycle them. The same goes for plastic Cool Whip containers, with their irresistible resealing lid, and microwave plates that remain after the dinner has been eaten. Even if you can't recycle plastic in your area, don't save these disposable items.

Other things can be recycled also. What about clothes you no longer wear or fit into? Recycle them into the hands of someone who needs them. Don't forget old sweaters and shoes that aren't so obvious when you open the closet door. What about books that overflow the capacity of your bookshelves? Sell them to a used-books store, or give them to a school library.

Magazines can be given to a school or hospital or nursing home full of folks who will enjoy them. If you don't want to go to the trouble of finding a new home for your old magazines, recycle them with your newspapers, if allowed. Old towels can be used for rags only if you need more rags. Otherwise, recycle them along with your old clothes. The same goes for unused linen, baby clothes, diapers, ties, belts, purses, wallets, plants, or bikes. In fact, almost any inanimate object in your house is a candidate for reuse by someone else.

How do you recycle items in your home? What item in your home is your number #1 candidate for your new recycling program?

To follow along in this series, please be sure to check out the previous clutter control tips and tricks:

Debbie Sardone is the founder of Cleaning For a Reason which provides free cleaning services to women who are touched by cancer. She also owns a Dallas cleaning service.

Her long-time passion for teaching cleaning and organizational has lead her to continue the legacy of Speed Cleaning and the use of green cleaning products.

She can be followed as @DebbieSardone on Twitter.