What do the "3 R's" of being green have to do with being organized? Well, quite simply, it keeps clutter out, and more money in your pocket. Here's how:
REDUCE Use less disposable products. Example-Use a terrycloth towel to clean a spill vs a gazillion paper towels. I usually pull one out of the dirty laundry to do this, so it's not adding to laundry already needed to be done. You will also have less garbage, and not have to buy as many paper towels! We live in such a "throw away" society that we often forget that for generations people got along just fine without all these "conveniences."
REUSE Tin cans are great organizers! Clean the food remnants out, remove any sharp edges, and take off the label. Leave it plain looking, or add a cute label for the new contents with scrap booking supplies. They are great for pencils, pens, crayons, buttons, paper clips, scissors, eating utensil caddy for a party, etc... Use your imagination! You can also punch a hole near the top and hang it on a hook on the wall if you are limited on shelf or counter space.
RECYCLE Check with your local disposal company to see what items are recyclable. Most areas have free recycling and offer curbside pick up and/or drop off sites. Recycling as much as possible reduces garbage build up in your home and the landfill. It does take discipline to not just toss it in the trash, but getting organized and clutter free does too.
My family follows these guidelines regularly. Our household has 7 people, and we only go through about two 13 gallon bags (standard kitchen size) of trash a week, and that's with a kid in diapers (Yes, disposable. We did cloth for a long time, but other circumstances changed that.) We will have even less when we get our compost going.
Once routines are established, it's really easy to keep up. Getting there is half the battle. You can do it!
No comments:
Post a Comment