Decluttering is a popular trend, and for good reason. It’s fun to get rid of clutter and create space in your home or office. But what about all those items you decide to donate or throw away?
There are ways to reduce waste when decluttering so that your hard work doesn’t have to be for nothing. Here’s how:
| Takeaways |
|---|
| Decluttering can be done sustainably by reducing waste and minimizing environmental impact. |
| Minimalism can help create a more eco-friendly and sustainable lifestyle. |
| Donating, recycling, and repurposing items are some ways to declutter responsibly and minimize waste. |
| Assessing the items in your home and deciding which ones are no longer necessary is a vital first step to sustainable decluttering. |
| Sustainable decluttering can help you save money in the long run by reducing consumption and preventing unnecessary purchases. |
1. Embrace Minimalism
Minimalism is a lifestyle that focuses on reducing the amount of stuff you have. The idea is that by owning less stuff, you can live simpler and more meaningful lives without feeling stressed or overwhelmed by your belongings.
Perhaps you were drawn to minimalism because it sounds like a good way to reduce the amount of waste produced in your home.
After all, if you stop buying new stuff, there’s less room for trash! But you might be surprised to learn how much clutter affects other areas of your life as well: minimalism can help save money through reduced utility bills, improve mental health by keeping stress levels down, and even declutter your home so that it feels easier for guests to navigate when they come over (or even just for yourself).
Minimalism is not only about reducing physical possessions but also living sustainably. In our post on Minimalism Meets Sustainability, we discuss how minimalism can help in creating a more eco-friendly and sustainable life.
2. Declutter Your Kitchen
If you’re like most people, your kitchen is likely packed to the gills with a hodgepodge of items. When decluttering, it can be helpful to divide the space up into sections and tackle each one separately.
You’ll want to start by pulling everything out of your cabinets and drawers in order to get a good sense of what’s currently taking up space in these areas.
Next, begin sorting through each group of items that you find: put together an “I might use this” pile for things that are more likely to be useful going forward (i.e., if I have a lot of friends coming over soon or will be hosting dinner parties), then set aside an “I don’t need/use this anymore” container for things that are no longer useful/desirable but have sentimental value (e.g., my daughter’s first pair of shoes).
Finally, move onto the items in your pantry; here’s where we suggest truly decluttering—getting rid of anything that isn’t used regularly!
You may want to consider donating any expired food or other perishables as well; while they may seem fine now, there’s no way knowing how long they’ve been sitting there before making their way into your cupboards!
Living sustainably should be a goal in every aspect of our lives, including our homes. Check out our post on Decluttering for the Environment where we share tips on how to declutter and keep a sustainable home
3. Create A Cleaning Caddy
A small plastic storage box with a lid
A mesh laundry bag. You can use this to store the cleaning supplies you need to carry around with you, or just keep all of your cleaning supplies in one place if they are not too heavy.
A plastic container for anything that won’t fit into the mesh laundry bag and/or is too small to warrant its own space in said bag (e.g., sponges, rags). Make sure this container has a lid!
Place all three items in an accessible location so that when it comes time to clean up after dinner or after work, you don’t have to spend much time searching for them.
| Essentials for a Cleaning Caddy | Recommended Brands |
|---|---|
| Small plastic storage box with a lid | Sterilite, IRIS USA |
| Multipurpose cleaner | Mrs. Meyers, Method, Simple Green |
| Glass cleaner | Windex, Seventh Generation |
| Microfiber cleaning cloths | Scotch-Brite, Mr. Siga |
| Rubber gloves | Playtex, Clorox |
| Scrub brush | OXO Good Grips, Casabella |
| Toilet bowl cleaner | Lysol, Clorox |
A cleaning caddy can help keep your cleaning supplies organized and make chores more manageable. Some of the essential items to include in your caddy are a small plastic storage box with a lid, multipurpose cleaner, glass cleaner, microfiber cleaning cloths, rubber gloves, scrub brush, and toilet bowl cleaner.
Popular brands for storage boxes include Sterilite and IRIS USA. Recommended cleaning product brands include Mrs. Meyers, Method, Simple Green, Windex, Scotch-Brite, Mr. Siga, Playtex, Clorox, OXO Good Grips, Casabella, and Lysol.
4. Use Up Your Beauty Products
This is not a novel idea, but one that we often neglect. When you’re buying new beauty products, don’t just go to the store and buy the latest thing off the shelf. Instead, use up what you already have before buying more.
This will help reduce waste from packaging and also save money! If there are any items in your bathroom or makeup bag that are about to expire, use them up first before buying new ones!
If you have a lot of beauty products taking up space on your countertop or vanity area (and we’re sure most of us do), try storing them in containers like these ones:
You can also store smaller products in makeup bags with compartments like this one:
Decluttering not only makes your space organized but also contributes to reducing your carbon footprint. Visit our post on The Eco-Friendly Decluttering Method to learn about sustainable decluttering practices.
5. Donate Unread Books
Donate unread books. Unwanted books are the most common item in book bins, so if you have any on your shelf, now is the time to get rid of them!
Donate them to your local library or school. Many libraries will accept donations from their patrons; this is especially important for schools who often need new books for their classroom libraries.
If you want to donate to friends and family instead of institutions, make sure that they’re still reading the book before sending it off with a “loved one” (or donating it yourself!).
If you can see that someone really needs that particular title because they haven’t read it yet, then go ahead and include a little note inside with instructions on why you chose certain titles—this way they know what they’re getting into!
6. Invest In Reusable Grocery Bags
It’s a no-brainer: using reusable grocery bags is better for the environment and your wallet, health, and community.
When you think about it this way, why wouldn’t you want to do it? Not only will your shopping experience be more pleasant for everyone involved (including your family), but also the environment will benefit from less waste going into landfills.
Plus, when people see others using these environmentally friendly bags around them at the store or wherever else they go and they know that they’re doing something good with their money they’ll feel more inclined to make a similar choice themselves!
Decluttering is a great way to simplify our lives and it all starts with having a minimalist mindset. Check out our post on Minimalism 101 to learn more about the core principles of minimalism.
7. Limit Memo & To-Do Lists
It’s important to set realistic limits for yourself, so that you don’t overcommit yourself. If you keep a to-do list and write down everything that needs to be done, your mind will be flooded with tasks that can seem overwhelming.
Instead of trying to get everything done at once, prioritize your tasks based on how much time and effort they require.
Keep the list short by breaking large projects into smaller steps, so that each task is manageable on its own.
Review your lists regularly daily if possible so that they stay fresh in your memory without being overwhelming or intimidating.
| Methods for Limiting Memo & To-Do Lists | Benefits |
|---|---|
| The Pomodoro Technique | Increases productivity and reduces procrastination |
| Eisenhower Matrix | Helps prioritize tasks based on importance and urgency |
| Mind Mapping | Offers a visual representation of ideas and tasks |
| The 1-3-5 Rule | Limits task list to a manageable amount of items |
Maintaining productivity can be challenging, and keeping to-do lists can sometimes add stress and anxiety by making us focus on all outstanding tasks. However, several techniques can be used to limit to-do lists and improve productivity. The Pomodoro Technique is a time management method that can increase productivity by breaking down work into 25-minute intervals separated by short breaks, which can be very effective for limiting to-do lists.
The Eisenhower Matrix is another technique that can be used to prioritize tasks based on importance and urgency. Mind Mapping is a visual thinking method that can help organize thoughts and tasks. Lastly, the 1-3-5 Rule is another simple technique that can limit to-do lists by prioritizing tasks and limiting them to a manageable amount of items.
8. Get Rid Of Old Electronics
In the case of electronics, it’s best to donate or recycle them rather than throwing them in the trash. Old phones and computers can be recycled through several programs like Gazelle or Best Buy’s trade-in program.
If you don’t want to sell your old phone, you can also donate it directly to a charity such as Cell Phones For Soldiers, which will use the device for soldiers overseas who need cell phones but can’t afford one.
In addition to donating or selling your old electronics, make sure they’re not just thrown out with other trash!
This can cause problems in landfills because of toxic chemicals that may leak from these devices into soil and groundwater around them.
Decluttering is not just about throwing away unwanted items, it’s also about reducing waste and living sustainably. In our post on The Sustainable Way to Declutter, we share tips on how to declutter while keeping sustainability in mind.
9. Don’t Over-Water Plants
Plants need to be watered on a regular basis, but there are some things you should keep in mind before you water. The first is that plants need less water during the winter than they do during summer months.
This is because they’re actively growing and producing new leaves and flowers during summer, so it’s important to give them enough water to sustain their production.
On the other hand, plants can go several weeks without watering in winter because they’re dormant or slower-growing at this time of year.
Another thing to consider when watering plants is whether or not sunlight will reach them. Plants that are grown closer to windows or get more direct sunlight may need less frequent watering since they’ll have access to plenty of natural light (which produces energy for photosynthesis).
Conversely, if you keep your houseplant in an area with little natural light then it may require daily care for its survival or even twice-daily care!
Additionally, some plants prefer being watered at night instead of daytime hours; others prefer daytime overnight times as well as morning and evening ones too!
So what does all this mean? It means don’t just automatically stick with your usual watering schedule; instead try experimenting with different times throughout each day/month/year so that everyone gets exactly what they need (and nothing more!).
10. Start Composting
Composting is a great way to reduce waste, improve the environment and save money. Composting can be done in your backyard or on your balcony.
Composting will help keep harmful chemicals from entering our water supply, which means it also helps us drink cleaner water.
And if you’re thinking about starting a garden, composting will give it an added boost soil with compost is more fertile than soil without!
| Type of Composting | Location |
|---|---|
| Vermicomposting | Indoor/Outdoor |
| Bokashi composting | Indoor |
| Tumbler composting | Outdoor |
| Cold composting | Outdoor or Indoor with proper ventilation |
Composting is an effective way to reduce waste, improve the environment, and save money. There are several types of composting methods, including vermicomposting, bokashi composting, tumbler composting, and cold composting. Vermicomposting is suitable for both indoor and outdoor setups, while bokashi composting is more appropriate for indoor composting.
Tumbler composting is best for outdoor spaces, and cold composting can be done indoors with proper ventilation or outdoors.
11. Say No To Single-Use Plastics At Home And The Office
You can take your own reusable water bottle to the office, or bring a mug and coffee cup from home.
Reusable bags: Use grocery bags as presents, take them to the farmers’ market, or use them for shopping. You can also use cloth shopping bags (available at most supermarkets) instead of disposable plastic ones.
Reusable cups: Avoid paper or plastic cups by using a stainless steel cup instead of disposable plastic ones they’re easy to wash and won’t leave behind any harmful chemicals when they get thrown away! Plus they look nice on display in your home office space too!
12. Donate Extra Office Supplies & Accessories
If you have office supplies or accessories that you no longer need, consider donating them to a local charity.
You may also want to donate these items to a school or other organization that could benefit from them. For example, you can donate old books and magazines to a library or nursing home.
Donate your extra stuff at either:
- Thrift stores (eBay’s donation program often takes used office supplies)
- School-related organizations/charities such as the PTA
- Recycling centers
| Office Supplies & Accessories to Consider Donating | Charitable Organizations to Consider |
|---|---|
| Unused printer cartridges | Office Depot: Give Back to Schools Program |
| Gently used notebooks and binders | Back-to-School Brigade (Operation Homefront) |
| Unopened boxes of pens and pencils | Goodwill |
| Surplus filing cabinets or bookcases | Habitat for Humanity ReStore |
| Office furniture, such as chairs and desks | The Furniture Bank Association of North America |
Consider donating surplus office supplies and accessories to local charities such as the Office Depot Give Back to Schools Program, Goodwill, and Operation Homefront’s Back-to-School Brigade. Unneeded or unused items such as printer cartridges, notebooks, pens and pencils, filing cabinets, and furniture can be donated to organizations such as Habitat for Humanity ReStore and the Furniture Bank Association of North America.
Conclusion
Hopefully, by now you’ve gotten a good sense of why decluttering is so important and how it can help you live a more sustainable lifestyle.
We know that it can be tough to clear out all those things we have lying around the house, but we also think it’s worth the effort!
Remember that there are many ways that you can make this process easier on yourself: start small with one room or area at a time; ask friends or family members for help if they have some extra time on their hands; enlist the help of an organization like Goodwill (or even better yet, donate your items directly to them).
Further Reading
If you found the previous resources on sustainable decluttering helpful, you might want to check out:
Sustainable Decluttering Tips: A blog post that shares practical tips for decluttering your home sustainably, from reducing paper waste to donating unwanted items to charity.
How to Declutter Responsibly: An article that provides tips on how to declutter your home in an eco-friendly way, with a focus on reusing, recycling, and repurposing items.
Decluttering 101: A comprehensive guide on how to declutter your home responsibly, with information on the environmental impacts of clutter and tips on how to dispose of different types of household items.
FAQs
How can minimalism help me live a more sustainable life?
Minimalism can help you live a more sustainable life by reducing your consumption of goods and resources. By only purchasing and keeping what you need, you can minimize waste and reduce your carbon footprint.
What are some eco-friendly ways to declutter my home?
Some eco-friendly ways to declutter your home include donating items to charity, repurposing items for DIY projects, and recycling materials whenever possible.
How do I get started with sustainable decluttering?
To get started with sustainable decluttering, begin by assessing the items in your home and determining which ones are no longer necessary. From there, you can choose to donate, sell, or recycle unwanted items.
How can I ensure that my unwanted items are disposed of responsibly?
One way to ensure that your unwanted items are disposed of responsibly is to research recycling programs in your area and make use of community donation centers that accept a wide range of goods. Additionally, consider selling or giving away items online to reduce the overall waste.
Can sustainable decluttering save me money?
Yes, sustainable decluttering can help you save money in the long run by reducing your consumption of goods and preventing you from buying things you don’t need. Additionally, donating and selling unused items can help you earn some extra cash.
Hi there! My name is Hellen James. I’m a professional decluttering expert who loves to help people get their homes in order. I’ve worked with people from all walks of life—from high school students to retirees and everything in between—to help them clear out clutter and make the most of their space so they can focus on what matters most to them.