The Best Green Tips for Decluttering Your Home
Are you thinking about simplifying your living environment? It can be a challenging prospect, especially if you want to use eco-friendly methods. Here’s everything you need to know on decluttering your home without hurting the environment.
Why Less Is More
Having a clean, uncluttered home is getting a lot of attention these days, due in no small part to the many potential health benefits to be gained. Less clutter is associated with reduced stress levels, lowered anxiety, better sleep quality, and less exposure to allergens and toxins. You can even boost your energy, productivity, and creativity. However, finding an effective process for dealing with clutter is a somewhat personal matter since you need to figure out what will work for you, both now and in the future. One suggestion is to sort your belongings into basic categories, such as things to put away, items to recycle, and items to sell, donate, or rehome.
Fresh, Clean, and Tidy
Having an uncluttered home feels great, and as you go through the process of editing your belongings, it can feel even better to refresh as you go, giving your home a deep cleaning. However, when it comes to scrubbing away dirt and debris, be careful about your choices. Today.com points out that many common cleaning products contain dangerous chemicals, but there are cleansers which are non-toxic choices. Another idea is to create DIY cleaning products from the supplies in your own pantry, such as vinegar, lemon juice, and baking soda.
You’ll also want to take your vacuum into account. To stay inspired and keep on track for the long term, think about adding a new tool to your cleaning cupboard. For instance, a commercial vacuum is a nice choice for when you have substantial cleaning since it has more power than a traditional vacuum. Another great suggestion is a bagless version; with just a canister to dump, you have less to recycle. Always do your research to ensure you choose the best vacuum.
Recycling, Rehoming, and Reselling
When you discard items, all those things need to go somewhere. Trash that ends up in landfill sites can be hard on the environment, leaching toxins, emitting greenhouse gas, and polluting our land, air, and water. Some items can seem difficult to recycle, especially large things like appliances, electronics, and bedding, but there are some good options. Most retailers that sell these items will haul away your old ones for a small fee. The Spruce points out that there are charities that accept nearly everything you own, especially if your items are still in useful condition. Some utility providers will accept electronics and appliances for recycling, and you can sell items of value in yard sales or online. There are also numerous crafters who are anxious to get their hands on old goods, so consider offering them to be hauled away. Websites like Craigslist and Freecycle are among the popular options for listing used belongings.
Going Paper-Free
One of the biggest sources of piles in many people’s homes is paper-related. However, Money Crashers notes that there are plenty of ways to virtually eliminate paper from your home these days. Getting out of junk mailings, signing up for electronic invoicing, and paying your bills online can cut the snail mail entering your home. As far as the things you want to save, such as photos and important documents, it can all be digitized. It’s a pretty simple DIY project, although if your collection is substantial you might rather pay a service for the task. It’s a worthwhile endeavor since, once complete, you can enjoy your memories and access important documentation from wherever you are and whenever you want.
If it’s time to simplify your life, consider what’s cluttering up your living environment. While cutting down on belongings is challenging, it’s good for you in many important ways. With proper planning, it can be a healthy choice for the environment as well.
Alice Robertson began her career in the home organization industry as a professional house cleaner. After cleaning and organizing her clients’ homes for years, she decided to open her own home organization business. Over the years, she has built an impressive client list, helping to make spaces in homes and businesses more functional. She recently created tidyhome.info as a place to share the great cleaning and organizing advice she has developed over the years.