When you first embark on your decluttering journey, you may feel a rush of motivation that makes you want to get rid of everything as fast as you can to clear some space. If you do get this urge- stop- and think about the impact it will have on the earth if you simply throw everything away.
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As it’s Earth Day today- a day to promote ways to save the earth- it’s important that as you purge your space, you do so in the most eco friendly way.
Here are just a few ideas to help you to do this:
Sell/give away your items: Rather than bagging them all up and taking them to the charity shop- sell or give away your things to those people who really want them. Generally, people are unsure what can and cannot be donated to such shops and centres which results in a lot of the items being sent to landfill anyway. The items you list will be sought out by people who are intentionally looking for them and so you are more likely to give them a better home this way. Often the items you see no value in- someone else might- so give everything a chance first.
Take sheets, duvets and towels to animals shelters and vets: Charity shops will generally not take old linens such as these, so call up your local shelter or veterinary centre and ask them if they need them for the pets that are being treated overnight or for the animals who are waiting to be rehomed. I’m sure you would feel better knowing that an animal is more comfortable thanks to your donation.
Recycle what you can: Check what you can pop into your recycling bin at home and anything outside of this you can probably take to your local tip- always do your research first. Electricals, wood and textiles are common culprits that people throw away and shouldn’t because there are designated skips for these types of materials that will be taken away and used to make something new.
Walk your items to the donation centre: If your local charity shop is only down the road from you- rather than taking a huge car load- separate your items into single bags that are light enough to carry and take them by foot. This will reduce your fuel usage while doing your good deed.
Compost food that has passed its best: Rather than tossing your perished food in a bin bag which will take a long time to decompose, get yourself a compost bin and put the inedible items in there instead. Then, once these have broken down sufficiently, you can use these to spread around your garden to help your flowers and plants flourish.
Hand old medication over the counter at your local pharmacy: Don’t simply flush it down the toilet as this can contribute to water pollution. When reducing the items in your first aid box- bundle up what is out of date or no longer useful to you and take it all to your local pharmacy. This way it can be disposed of in a safe manner by the professionals.
Repurpose what you can: Before you throw something in the recycling or give it away- can you use it for another purpose? Glass jars are ideal for toothbrush holders and for rinsing paint brushes if you are a keen painter or have children that are. Old clothes can be torn up and used as rags and last year's Christmas cards can be cut up and used as gift tags in the coming year.
Giving your stuff a new lease of life isn’t necessarily minimising as these items are not leaving your space, but it does mean that you won’t have to buy new pieces and bring things into your home to replace them. You are minimising your future spending instead.
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