Tag: trash

Practicing Ecofriendlty Consumerism

Posted on by Jordank

#Holiday shopping is in full swing, and that may have many readers spending not-insignificant amounts of money in an attempt to check everyone off their #gift lists. While getting with the spirit of the #season is a worthy goal, buying all of that #stuff has an impact.

U.S. #holiday spending is expected to grow to nearly $1 trillion in 2024 — a truly staggering amount. And while some of that spending will result in great #gifts and cherished memories, Americans generate 23% more waste in December, according to the Center for Biodiversity.

Many of those gewgaws you select take considerable resources to manufacture and ship, and most will eventually wind up in landfills. Many will contribute to household #clutter. That’s why it’s important to practice #ecoconscious consumerism.

Consider buying (and requesting) secondhand gifts, Business Insider suggests. Buy Nothing groups can help locate quality used toys and clothing, and the #thrift stores stocked by generous #donations to ClothingDonations.org are overflowing with one-of-a-kind finds.

Another way to spend sustainably is to give experiences rather than hard goods. Tickets to sporting events, concerts and the theater make thoughtful gifts, and add to the excitement by creating a whole new outing. A gift certificate for a personal care service such as a massage or manicure pampers without creating a lot of trash. Many of these services are local, meaning that you’ll support your community with real dollars and limit the carbon footprint required to manufacture and ship merchandise.

Even a gift card is an ecofriendly gift idea when you don’t know exactly what to get and don’t want to give something that will just get tossed. Americans wasted an estimated $9.1 billion on holiday gifts that were exchanged, sold or thrown away in 2023, according to Finder. Another way to limit your environmental impact is to limit the use of disposable gift wraps. Although festive, they contributes to waste; consider reusable bags or get creative with fabric wraps instead.

You can have a fantastic holiday while creating less #trash. It take a little forethought, but your efforts will pay off with less indoor clutter, a healthier #earth, and good cheer among family and friends.

Do a Pre-Holiday Decluttering

Posted on by Jordank

It may be hard to believe, but the #holidays are right around the corner! Two weeks from now, you’ll be enjoying a #Thanksgiving feast; then, it’s on to the big shopping and gift grabs of the Christmas, Hanukkah and Kwanzaa season.

Do yourself a favor, and #declutter ahead of those holiday events. Whether you’re going to be hosting or not, #streamlining your home and weeding out your extra #stuff will help you get ready for seasonal #celebrations with less stress.

Start with the #kitchen. You may be baking cookies, contributing a side dish to the potluck or hosting a family feast. Go through your cabinets and drawers, and pull out anything that’s broken, cracked or chipped. #Trash and #recycle these items immediately.

If you find anything you haven’t used in more than a year or is ever-so-slightly less than perfect but still could be of use to someone, set it aside in a box or bag and #schedule a #free #donation #pickup with ClothingDonations.org.

Before you know it, your kitchen will be streamlined and ready to churn out that green-bean casserole or roast turkey with no fuss. Why? Because you’ll be able to find the cooking tools, serving dishes and dinnerware you need quickly because you’ve eliminated the #clutter!

Next, do the same thing as you get any #holiday #décor items out of #storage. Are some of your table linens worn and stained? Are those strings of twinkly lights half-lit? Clean and fix them if you can, and #trash them if you can’t. And again, you can #donate anything that no longer makes the cut.

“I love a good declutter before the holiday season,” professional organizer Carly Adams told Real Simple. “The best time to #declutter and #tidy the spaces you’ll be using to #host guests is before the social expectations of the holidays are here.”

Prepare your home for the holidays now! With a quick #decluttering, you’ll be able to everything you really need faster, reduce the stress surrounding holiday gatherings and have a happier holiday season. #HolidayDeclutttering

Join a Global Cleanup Event on Sept. 20

Posted on by Jordank

Sept. 20, is World Cleanup Day, an opportunity for individuals and communities to reduce solid wastes and contribute to a #cleaner, #healthier and more beautiful planet. Earthday.org’s Great Global Cleanup® is helping stage trash pickup events in parks, waterways and beaches worldwide to help beautify the surroundings and protect wildlife habitats, cut pollution, and build a more sustainable future. Get involved by joining a cleanup event or organizing one of your own with the Great Global Cleanup Toolkit. You can make a difference in the health of the planet! #WorldCleanupDay # GreatGlobalCleanup

Rid Your Home of Winter Dirt

Posted on by Jordank

With homes sealed up against the cold, winter creates a special kind of dirt inside the home. With #spring arriving early this year, you can get a headstart on the #deep-cleaning needed to get your home ready for the warm-weather months, however. Good Housekeeping suggests #organizing storage spaces such as the garage by sorting things into keep, #donate and toss piles before cleaning the walls and floors, then replacing the (fewer) things you want to keep. Also pay special attention to the things that gather lots of dirt and dust in a closed-up house, such as blinds, doormats, ceiling fans and curtains. #SpringCleaning

The Ultimate No-Clutter November

Posted on by Jordank

With #Halloween in the rearview and temperatures dropping fast, it’s on to November and the #holidays. ’Tis the season that you’ll see more #stuff than ever, as you give and get gifts, bake up platters of cookies, prepare your home for guests, get the good China out and put up the decorations.

But November can also be a month of measured austerity. The Great American Smokeout happens mid-month every year, and No-Shave November encourages cancer prevention and awareness. But there’s an unofficial cause you can take up in the effort to lead a calmer, more stress-free life: #No-Clutter November.

You can start with décor items that don’t get used, Organize Your Stuff Now says. As you #decorate for the fall and winter #holidays, take a good look at the stuff that doesn’t make the cut. You don’t need to save that stuff for next year — you aren’t using it, so get rid of it now. When you pack the decorations away again in January, they will take a lot less space.

Chances are you’ll be spending more time in the kitchen, too, making cookies, a dish to pass or hosting a full feast yourself. As you prepare, have a box handy and throw any shabby kitchen towels, hot pads and oven mitts in it. Do the same as you go through your drawers and cabinets; there are probably utensils that you haven’t used in years.

It’s also a great time to assess your cold-weather #clothing, much of which you’ll be getting out for the first time in November. “We recommend people #declutter their collection of hats, scarves and gloves,” professional organizer Diane Quintana told Homes & Gardens. “Look at these items critically. If they are in good condition but [you don’t] want to use them anymore, release them so someone else can benefit from them.”

To attack No-Cutter November aggressively, First for Women suggests, eliminate one item on Nov. 1, two on Nov. 2 and so on. You’ll eventually have a pile of 465 items that you don’t want or use, and you can #trash, give away or #donate them to ClothingDonations.org by arranging a #free #donation #pickup. By the end of the month, your home will be #decluttered and #streamlined — and you’ll be ready to meet the holidays head-on.