Winter on the East Coast can be a mixed bag of sleet, snow, rain, and dreary gray days. I’m ready for spring – a perfect time for a green clean.
I offer here some easy and affordable tips to de-clutter and spring clean in a way that’s healthy for you and the environment.
Table of Contents
Shed the Waste: Donate or Sell
Has your home accumulated a ton of clutter? My piles of junk seem to magically grow. Instead of throwing unwanted items in the garbage, give them a new life.
Here’s how to start: Sort unwanted items into those for donation and those that can be recycled or reused. The last – smaller – pile is things to trash. I also list in Tip 3, disposal options for various hazardous or environmentally toxic items.
Donate
Most likely, your community has a variety of outlets for donating unwanted items. I offer a list below and a few resources:
- Places of worship typically have thrift shops that accept donations.
- Local community centers, such as homeless shelters and thrift stores.
- Charitable organizations. National ones include:
- Zero Waste Days are usually organized by a municipality. They bring together in one location a variety of organizations that take donations, including furniture, clothing, and bulky items. Residents drive up and drop off their donations.
- Takeback programs. Check out this list of companies that will take back their products for donation.
- A-Z list of where to donate. This comprehensive list from The Spruce is excellent.
- Furniture banks. Check out Furniture Banks Organization’s list for a location near you.
Sell it
- Online. Ebay and Craigslist are the big dogs in this field.
- Facebook’s Marketplace.
- Clothing. For a comprehensive list, see Green That Life’s post on the best places to sell used clothing online.
- Garage Sales. Check local laws for what’s permissible.
Re-purpose, Repair, or Reuse
Rags
Tear up those frayed and old towels, sheets, and clothes and reuse them for all types of cleaning jobs.
Containers
Need more containers for all that organizing? Instead of buying new ones, take a look at what you already have at home. Re-purpose them:
- Glass jars – small. I use the smaller spice jars to hold my homemade spice mixes. They’re also a good size to hold small desk supplies (staples, paper clips).
- Glass jars – large. The larger sizes are useful for storing, well, anything: crafts, pasta, sugar, coffee, flour, loose change, sewing supplies… Or use those pretty mason jars to display fresh flowers.
- Baskets from packaged gifts, old Easter baskets, food packaging. The possibilities are endless: store loose toys, office supplies, balls, paper, pet paraphernalia.
- Crates. Infinitely useful. Leave one or two in the back of your car as a catch-all for groceries, sports equipment, and other loose items.
- Cloth bags. Useful for storing other bags, bedding, off-season clothing.
- Large plastic containers from yogurt, sour cream, soups. I use these all the time for leftovers and for freezing food. Bring them to the supermarket as containers for bulk purchases.
- Large juice or milk jugs for all manner of liquids – laundry, soap, even water for watering those plants.
Paper
- Printer. I have two baskets near my printer – one for unused printer paper and the other for (one-sided) printed paper. Feed the printed paper through your printer (check printer guidelines), and presto – you have extra printer paper. Before printing, fan and loosen the paper and check that edges aren’t frayed or creased.
- Notepaper. Collect used notepaper in one receptacle. Use the remaining clean portions to jot down notes, make grocery lists, put together your to-do list for the day.
- Repair Cafe. These are community workshops with tools and materials for you to repair broken items. Or you can enlist an expert to help. Visit the Repair Cafe site for a list of locations, or to start your own.
When Disposing, Dispose Responsibly
Now that you’ve dealt with your donated, reused, and re-purposed piles, take a look at what’s left over. Many items can be recycled.
What’s left (hopefully, a small pile) will be tossed in the garbage. Before you do that, however, check my list below of hazardous materials and how to dispose of them.
Recycling
Most municipalities have either curbside or drop-off recycling services or both. Check their guidelines to make sure you’re recycling properly and not wish-cycling. For general recycling tips, recycling no-nos, and how to recycle beyond curbside items, see Green That Life’s Recycling Resources Page.
Hazardous Material
- Expired/Unused Medication. It’s not as simple as throwing them in the garbage or flushing them down the toilet.
- Consult the FDA’s guidelines for proper disposal.
- Local Collection Sites. Many communities have permanent drug drop-off locations, typically at police departments.
- Drug Take Back Day is held annually by the Department of Justice and Drug Enforcement Administration. Consult the DOJ site for the date and a drop-off site near you.
- Batteries. In New York, rechargeable batteries can’t be tossed in the trash. Manufacturers are required to provide free and convenient recycling options.
- Electronics. Disposal requirements vary by state, so check your state website. Green That Life’s post on E-Waste lists e-waste disposal tips and resources.
- Chemicals. The NY State Department of Environmental Conservation has put out a helpful guide for managing and disposing of hazardous waste.
- Paint. Paint needs to be completely hardened before putting in the trash.
- Stir in equal parts kitty litter and wait until it hardens.
- For quick results, use a paint hardener, like Rock Solid Paint Hardener.
Freshen Up Naturally
It’s natural to want your home smelling clean and fresh. But air fresheners and scented cleaning products can pose a hazard to your health and to the environment.
How do you get that fresh scent naturally? A few tips and products below for a sweet-smelling home that’s also green clean.
Open the window!
Now that the weather is warmer, enjoy the natural smells – and sounds – of the outdoors.
Natural Air Fresheners
I hear you. You live in a noisy, sometimes smelly, city. You can’t or don’t want to open the window. For that fresh smell that’s natural, here are some options.
- Baking soda. It works wonders to absorb smells. Keep a box in the fridge, in closets, and cabinets. Sprinkle on rugs and in waste bins, and vacuum bags.
- Essential oils can be used to make a natural, non-toxic air freshener: fill a spray bottle with 3-4 drops per one ounce of distilled water. Try doTERRA’s Purify Cleansing Blend to refresh your home.
- Room mist. Aura Cacia Room Mist gets top marks from Environmental Working Group.
- House plants help absorb moisture and reduce smells.
Pet Odors
- Baking soda. You guessed, it! Baking soda helps remove pet odors. Sprinkle some in kitty litter boxes or on pet-soiled rugs.
- Commercial odor remover: ECOS Pets Stain and Odor Remover is made from plants and can be used to combat all pet smells.
Laundry
- Hang out. If it’s permissible in your community, try line drying clothes. Even if you do it occasionally or dry a portion of your laundry, you’ll be getting that natural fresh scent while reducing those electricity bills.
- Green laundry products. If air-drying clothes is not for you, check out my green laundry products picks in my recent post.
Green Clean Your Cleaning Products
Cleaning products filled with chemicals can be toxic for you, your pets, and the environment. Consider a green clean of any of these cleaning products and stop using them.
How do you know which ones are safe? And which products are the best? Read my recent post on green cleaning products for information, guides, and product picks.
