Happy New Year! As the holiday decorations come down, we crave simplicity and a fresh start. Decluttering is a productive way to breathe some fresh air into our spaces. But what to do with all the piles of unwanted items that result? According to the Environmental Protection Agency, in 1960, the generation rate of municipal solid waste was 2.68 pounds per person per day. By 2018, the generation rate had almost doubled to 4.9 pounds per person per day. If you think about it, that’s quite a bit of waste, and most of it ends up in landfills. While decluttering with an eye toward the environment may require a bit more creativity, it is one small thing we can all do to help reduce our environmental impact. Read on for some tips for environmentally-friendly decluttering.
repurpose/reuse
As you declutter, think about whether any of the items can be repurposed or reused within your home. One of my favorite ways to dust is using old socks! Slip a pair of socks onto your hands, give a light spray of your dusting aid of choice, and run them along your furniture and décor. Repurposing only works as a decluttering strategy; however, if you truly have use for the item. Otherwise, you are simply shifting the clutter from one category to another, and another disposal method is likely a better choice.
If you have furniture or decor that no longer fits your style, consider whether a makeover would make you fall in love again. You do not have to be crafty or a DIY pro to transform your pieces. Try swapping out hardware, using mineral paint, or recovering seats.
gift or sell unwanted items
You can gift items that you no longer want, but are in good shape, to friends and family. A word to the wise: be careful here. Discuss your intentions with the giftee (i.e., don’t give a three-year-old sweater to your sister for her birthday or randomly dump a pile of used books on your neighbor’s porch). Gift only if the recipient has a need or want for the item(s), and ensure that they know that they can decline the gift without hard feelings. We don’t want our decluttering to clutter our loved ones’ homes!
Selling your possessions is a great way to get them out of your home and make a few dollars while you’re at it. Local consignment stores, FB Marketplace, and online sites such as Poshmark and Mercari are options for selling. A few tips: engage in good safety practices if selling in person; have a place in your home to store your items while you wait for them to sell; and account for the time and expense of shipping if selling online.
donate
This is my favorite method of disposing of items we no longer have use for. Declutter, help others, and get a tax deduction – it’s a win-win-win! As with gifting, it is best to donate items that are in good condition, unless the organization specifically notes that it accepts items regardless of condition. Below is a sample of organizations that welcome donations of goods, but a quick google search will no doubt turn up more.
- Habitat for Humanity ReStore: appliances, furniture, building and finishing materials (think cabinets, doors, towel bars, light fixtures)
- Goodwill: clothing, décor, books, household items
- Disabled Veterans organizations: they distribute collection bags and do pickups in some communities.
- Salvation Army
- Animal shelters: towels and bedding
- Shelters for women and children: some organizations, like the Goodwill in our area, do not accept children’s toys. Shelters for women and children may accept children’s items for use by the kids at the facility. Churches may also be interested in these items for use in their child care area.
recycle (especially electronics)
According to Consumer Reports, a United Nations study reported that 53.6 million tons of electronic waste was discarded in 2019, and only 17.4% of it was disposed of properly. Many of electronics’ components can leach contaminates into land and water. Donating or reselling items such as phones and laptops can be risky due to sensitive, nonpublic information stored on the electronics. Recycling can be a better solution, as components can be salvaged and reused. Be sure that all data is wiped from the device before recycling it. There are tutorials online for this purpose, or, if your tech-savviness does not rise to that level, you can schedule an appointment at Best Buy and they’ll do it for you. Amazon, Best Buy, and the major wireless services have recycling or trade-in programs for old devices. In addition, Earth911 is a fantastic resource for searching for recycling options for a multitude of household items.
mindful consumption
The best method of reducing clutter is limiting the number of items that come into our homes. To do this, try to avoid fast fashion, furnishings, and décor. Purchasing fewer, high-quality items that will stand the test of time will avoid you looking to offload trendy, inexpensive items in a few months’ or years’ time. Love to switch out throw pillows with the seasons? Buy zippered covers and quality inserts. Reuse those inserts as you swap out covers to change your home’s look. It’s better for the environment and for your storage situation!
As you move through the cycles of purchasing and purging, just do your best! “We don’t need a handful of people doing zero waste perfectly. We need millions of people doing it imperfectly.” – Anne-Marie Bonneau of Zero Waste Chef.
For more home organization tips, check out some of my other articles: Developing an Organized Mindset; Creating Space; and Creating Systems.