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This time of year at home and work is always a time to “get organized” for the New Year. The kids are off school and there is no homework in the evening. I look around at cupboards, closets, rooms, paper piles, etc. and wonder how things managed to get so out of control. Then I remember how hectic the last few months have been – work, school, sports, homework, holiday planning and activities. With all that, it’s no wonder that we need to take some and get things back in shape. If this sounds like your home or office, I wanted to provide my tips/resources for “organizing green”.

Photo Credit: Lori Sullivan

We all have the organizing process down – you empty out the space to be cleaned, sort through it, decide what stays/goes, and then come up with a plan on how to put back what you are keeping in some organized fashion. The two key areas to greener organizing are 1.) deciding what to do with the things you are getting rid of and 2) determining what you may need to find/buy to organize what you are retaining. Here are my thoughts on the two categories.

First, as you look at the pile of stuff you are getting rid of, sort it into two categories: “Still in Good Shape” and “Needs Thrown Away”. For those things that “Need Thrown Away”, ensure you are recycling everything you can. Check www.earth911.com to find locations to recycle items that your neighborhood pick-up may not take. Set a goal before you start the process to have less than one garbage bag (ideally none) go into the true “trash” from your organizing project. According to research by Recycle Now, 41% of people say they let their recycling habits lapse during the holidays. Let’s not let that happen with our organizing project this year!

Now, on to the items that are “Still in Good Shape”. These are the things that you should strive to find a new home for either by selling or giving away. To sell your “gently used items”, consider a local consignment shop, www.craigslist.com, or www.ebay.com. To give items away, the easiest choice is a family member or friend that could use the items. There are many local charities that offer both drop off and pick up of clothing and many household items. Another option in this category is www.freecycle.org. Freecycle is a website that allows members to post items that they are getting rid of and allow people to come pick them up – usually left out on a porch or driveway.

As you move from the pile you are getting rid of to the pile you are keeping, the next question on your mind is how to put it back in a way that is “organized”. Before heading out to the store, look around the house for creative containers that could be repurposed for your project. Some ideas include shoe boxes, bowls, baskets, and ice cube trays. You may still realize you need to head out and purchase a few things. The key is to shop for items that are made of recycled materials and/or are easy to recycle when you are finished with them. If you look at plastic containers, check to see if they are made of #1 or #2 plastic – they are the easiest to recycle.

Hopefully, you have found ideas and inspiration here that will allow your holiday organizing project to be One Shade Greener this year!