Written by: Nelize Ernst
For most of us the words reduce, reuse, recycle sound like nothing but a mission, never mind getting down to actually doing it. But, thanks to the hippie’s and the front runners of the green trend, it really isn’t that hard anymore.
Once you get over the initial shock of how much you have been wasting, the challenge will be on and soon your home and office space will be eco living with ease. There are so many ways to incorporate the 3R´s into your life, and getting organised is one of them. So, get some organic coffee brewing and grab your note pad, cause we’ve got just the right person to for the job!
Harriet Marshall, a professional Organiser and Productivity Consultant, based in Cape Town shares some tips and advice on how to get organised the green way…
De-cluttering
Start in the room/area that is causing you the most concern and work your way through what you can see – from left to right and top to bottom. Leave the cupboards and drawers till after you have cleared what is visible on the outside. Decide whether the things you are keeping belong in the room you are currently working in or see if it will it work better somewhere else in the house or in your office.
Doing a big de-clutter means lots of things will be ready to move out, separate the items into what you will keep i.e. what you “need, use and love” as well as throw-aways, give-aways, sell and recycle. Start calling your favorite local charities and recycling organisations and see what items they are accepting, most of them will also collect your donations. Don’t forget some schools also have recycling projects which can make life a lot easier for parents. Items of value can be also be sold online, at a garage sale, or in your local newspaper.
You can use big crates or empty card board boxes to separate your paper, glass, tin and plastics as you go along and remember to remove lids and caps making sure empty bottles and jars are clean. You should soak off the paper labels, flat pack cardboard boxes and containers and flatten plastic containers. Remember to take expired and/or unwanted medicines to your pharmacy for responsible disposal.
Storage & Organising
Once you are left with only what you really “need, use and love”, it’s time to give everything a home i.e. create a storage system and label boxes/drawers/shelves so that everyone in the family or office (including your domestic worker!) knows where things belong.
Before going out to buy stuff take a look around your home or office. You might already have all the products you need to create a good system. If you need to purchase storage holders or containers, look for eco friendly office products like; grass storage baskets, recycled plastic containers, recycled paper folders etc. There are many products that are made from recycled or natural materials.
Think out of the box – just because something was created to do something specific, it doesn’t mean it can’t be used for something else as well. Here are some ideas to think about:
- ice cube trays for jewellery,
- shoe boxes for toys and games or Zip lock bags for puzzle pieces,
- unused Tupperware for compartmentalising drawers,
- mugs for stationery and ice cream containers for DVD’s
Wooden crates, baskets, and empty jars can store anything from memorabilia to paperwork, office supplies to doggie treats. While many office supplies such as file folders, plastic envelopes, bins and containers can be used over and over again.
How to stay “Greenized” without letting things slip again
Getting organised and going green works synonymously with each other. When we’re organised, we know what we have and what we need to buy. The less we bring into our homes, the fewer resources we’re using, and the less clutter we end up living with.
Here are some tips to help you stay on top of things:
- Don’t shop without a list – ever! This will save you from buying things you don’t need.
- Use up what you have, give away the duplicates
- Know what’s in your wardrobe (wear your clothes) so you don’t buy yet another pair of the same jeans
- Unpack everything and put it where it belongs each time you bring a shopping bag into the house. Try and always use a reusable shopping bag, this way you are forced to empty it each time you want to use it again
- When you purchase a product, consider if the packaging (box or container) can be recycled or used as a storage container. Clean it up, remove any labels, and put it to use or recycle it
- Keep a shopping bag handy in your closet for items you want to donate
- Recycle stained T-shirts and other un-wearable as cleaning rags
- Gifts and hand me downs that you don’t always need make their way into your home – if you don’t need it, pass it on for someone else to enjoy
- Cut down on paper waste by printing documents only when necessary. Recycle all of your discarded paper. Instead of storing paper files, keep digital versions on your computer
The bottom line is that when any item comes into your home or your office you need to take responsibility for using it, storing it, and ultimately disposing of it.
Click here for more info from Harriet Marshall on getting organised.
The liveeco team
