Green Organizing Tips to Clear Clutter

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Green Organizing Tips


Every year, I make a promise to myself that I will be more organized. I will deal with the clutter in my closets and the piles of paperwork that take up almost every flat surface in my office.


Then, I will schedule my appointments so that I spend less time running around. I will spend more time in my garden and less time working in my office and looking out the window at the garden.


So, I have the best of intentions, but sometimes I have a problem following through. This year, I am taking steps to make sure that I do follow through with my goal of reorganizing.

I have realized that part of my problem is clutter. Whenever I think about organizing, my first thought is to buy new containers to put the clutter.


After all, fifteen books in a pile are cluttered. Fifteen books in a cute basket is organized, right? Unfortunately, it isn’t. You will have those fifteen books taking up space.


You still need to dust around those fifteen books when you clean. If those fifteen books are not books you need or will refer to again, why keep them?


As I go through the process of decluttering and reorganizing, I’m trying to make eco-friendly choices.

What is the best way to organize?

Tossing a houseful of stuff into the landfill and running to the store to buy new containers, boxes, baskets, and organizers doesn’t make a lot of sense to me.


Here are a few green organizing tips that I am trying to keep in mind.

Repurpose

Use baskets, containers, jars, and other items that you already have to organize. Many organizing books I have read encourage you to go out and buy new container systems to organize things.


While I agree that using containers to help group things together can be helpful when reorganizing, it’s not necessary to run out and buy new ones.


Look at some of the containers you already have in your house and think outside the box. Can you prevent something from going to the landfill and instead use that to organize?


I needed a container for all the Washi tape that I have been collecting. Rather than buy something new, I repurposed a Mason jar I had.

How can I organize my house quickly?

Don’t tear your entire house apart trying to accomplish this all at once. You’ll just get frustrated, and the task probably won’t get done. Start with one shelf or one bookcase or one room.


I am organizing our living room since it also serves as my office. As much as I’d love to snap my fingers and have it done in one day, I know it won’t happen.


I’m beginning with our entertainment center since it holds the most clutter.

As I decide there are things I do not want, I am offering them on Freecycle. Freecycle helps keep things out of the landfill and passes them onto people who might need them.


As I cleared off a section of our entertainment center, I recycled what I could and offered several books on Freecycle.


I then repurposed a basket I had to hold coasters. I’ll continue working on the entertainment center this week before I move to another area of the living room.

Clean green

As you are clearing off surfaces and reducing clutter, give everything a good cleaning. Choose eco-friendly cleaners rather than those containing toxic chemicals. You can even make green cleaners.


I always try to use green cleaners. When I do not have the time to make my own, I purchase eco-friendly cleaners at the store. I don’t like the idea of exposing my family and our pets to the chemicals in traditional cleaners.

Buy green

If you do need to purchase a new container, look for an eco-friendly option. There are so many things that are made of recycled materials like plastic bottles that you can find them just about everywhere. Make sure that you recycle your products to help make this possible.


Do you have any other green organizing tips to share?

REPREVE is a recycled fiber that helps turn plastic bottles you recycle into cool stuff you can wear and use every day. Now there’s no excuse not to recycle! The U.S. plastic bottle recycling rate is less than 30 percent—so less than one-third of all plastic bottles get recycled.


Most people don’t think about what happens to plastic bottles after you recycle them. So Repreve is on a mission to get the word out: Just recycle more and buy REPREVE products.


Ellen is a busy mom of a 24-year-old son and 29-year-old daughter. She owns six blogs and is addicted to social media. She believes that it doesn’t have to be difficult to lead a healthy life. She shares simple healthy living tips to show busy women how to lead fulfilling lives. If you’d like to work together, email info@confessionsofanover-workedmom.com to chat.

Ellen Christian - Confessions of an Overworked Mom
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  • BonDiva BonDiva on Feb 08, 2023

    I will check Repreve out, I have already done everything that you are doing forever lol. I moved after twelve years in one place last summer and I am STILL doing the "Big Sort," as my grandmother always called it. ( She had TWELVE children, she would know!) Thanks for the reminder about FreeCycle I have used it before. Check out the " Blessings," FB groups as well. Take time to vet them. the one that I like from my old hometown has developed to the point that they are an official non-profit I donated THOUSANDS and THOUSANDS of dollars worth of items to them last year. Due to my health issues I had to let go of all of the expensive materials that I had worked on for so many years for two charities that I had developed I was thrilled however to discover that this group also has secondary groups that create many items for donation purposes . So, your yarn and fabric are made into lap and baby blankets and quilts. and well more just more.

  • DEE MCNEIL DEE MCNEIL on Feb 25, 2023

    why would the mother of a 29 year old and a 24 year old be overworked?

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