This month's challenge was inspired by the neon haired child entertaining trio, the Doodlebops! In a recent episode, I believe it was the blue haired fellow that said, "Don't use it, don't need it!" Think of how many items you own and how many you actually use. Are you still hanging on to that old sombrero from your high school trip to Mexico? Still have maternity clothes and your kids have graduated from university? Can't let go of your favourite teddy bear? It's time to clear out the closet, the drawers and under the couch and get it rid of some stuff!! Do the three R's all at once, REDUCE your belongings, let someone else REUSE them and RECYCLE the unusables!
Your challenge this month is to rid your home of 31 items, that's one a day for the month of July. Get yourself a sturdy box and leave it out to remind yourself of your daily chore. At the end of July, send it packing!
Of course, we don't want to add to the landfill with our junk so consider some green ways to recycle your goods.
* Post an ad on craigslist or kijiji. You can sell it or post if for free.
* Call your local charity that does monthly pick ups. Community Living or The Diabetes Clothesline program (1-800-505-5525)
* Drop it off at Goodwill or Value Village.
*Give it to a friend or neighbour.
*Large items can go to the end of your driveway for passerby pick ups.
* Call a shelter and find out what items they need. (often they don't have a lot of storage so find out their specific needs first.)
* Have a clothing trading party with your friends.
* Have a garage sale, organize a street sale.
* Take it to a consignment store and make a few bucks.
* Give it away for free at www.freecycle.org
* Check out www.earth911.org/canada for recycling information in your region.
Once you 've gotten rid of stuff, you'll feel liberated and you'll have that much less to clean up at the end of the day! Now, your next goal is not buy anything to replace it!! An empty space is a happy space.
Send me a comment with your creative ways of reusing your junk or tell us about your most interesting "treasure" you gave up!
2 comments:
I can't agree more! I think we have to think about needs vs wants more when we buy things and then we will have less cluter around and less consumption.
I need to get rid of 50 years of National Geographics!
Michelle In Ottawa
Any big readers out there?
I just got rid of my beer can collection from the 80s on freecycle!! One man's junk is another's treasure!
Post a Comment