Getting Organized the “Green” Way
Organizing “Green” simplified.
Going “green” is a mission and responsibility our society is ramping up and being more conscientious of. Every day we hear, “Be conservative, conserve energy, recycle plastic, recycle paper”, and more. Part of “going green” is being organized. However, being organized generates a lot of stuff, but knowing what to do with it can be frustrating and leaves you feeling defeated. Below are five steps to assist you in making organized changes that will lead you and your family towards a “greener” life.
1. Organizing involves recycling, donating and purging.
It is always good to have options of where your items can be recycled and donated. Learn about your town’s recycling policies and drop off locations. Make a note of your community shredding events and opportunities where you can recycle electronics, paper, plastic and other items. Knowing these services are available makes the organizing task less stressful.
2. Organize a space for recycling.
Have a dedicated space allocated for daily recycling or products that are identified as needing to be donated or disposed of. You may create a recycling center outside in a shed or garage. For children, you can label the bins with pictures or words to help them learn where each item goes. Children can learn at an early age to recycle and organize.
3. Repurpose and recreate.
The way we use the items in our homes can change as we change and our lifestyle changes. If you find you no longer use an item in a particular way, be creative and repurpose it in another way. For example, an old filing cabinet can be covered with a decorative cloth and used for an end table or night stand. If you find you truly have no use for the item, move it along!
4. Organize and cleanse your lifestyle.
Eliminate items that longer serve your lifestyle or purpose. Cleaning out the OLD allows for the NEW to enter your life. In our life we allow stuff to hold us hostage to our past. For instance, an antique chair that your mother gave you holds a “not so good” memory of her. Dispose of the chair as this can cause your life to become stuck and hinder you from moving forward. Old furniture can be donated, tossed, or sold promoting a “green” environment.
5. Organizing paper is a huge frustration for most individuals.
Individuals have piles and piles of papers on their desks and in their homes, creating a cluttered, chaotic mess. There are ways to dispose and save on paper. Here are a few organizing tips to get those papers under control and organized.
1) think twice before printing pages from your computer
2) use both sides of the paper if possible
3) stop your junk mail – Call (800) 5OPT-OUT to stop junk mail
4) keep a recycle bin close to your desk for easy disposal or shredding
5) pay bills on-line as this reduces the paper mail and makes it easier to keep papers organized.
