Magazine Guilt

If you feel guilty about throwing your magazines in the recycle bin when you are the only person who thumbed through them, here's the cure!

Take that pile of magazines with you to the hair dresser, dentist, or doctors office and leave them.  You can cut off your address on the front cover.  Don't let them pile up just because you didn't read every article. Let others enjoy!


~Gretchen

Give it to Goodwill

We love Goodwill!

Yes, we go to the dump but Gretchen and I love to recycle. Giving to Goodwill  is one of the easiest ways to recycle used clothing and general household items.

Watch this video and learn what Goodwill Does:

To keep or not to keep - Heirlooms?

Over and over again, I meet people that tell me they are saving boxes of items for their children. My first question is "Are you saving it for them, or for YOU?" Get your children involved in this process!

My daughter is 11 and ready to shelf her American girl doll. I asked her when will be the next time she will use it. She's not sure. When she has children? Specifically a girl? I'm thinking that better be at least 15 years away!!!

The idea of passing on heirloom items is overly fantasized. In general, we all have too much stuff that we hold onto that will never be considered an heirloom.

My best advice is to enjoy what you have today and give it away rather than storing it for 20 years in hopes of using it in the future. Give it to a friend or post it on FB. Give it to Goodwill and give someone a job.

What did we do with my daughter's American Girl doll? We postponed that decision one more year. We gave away accessories pictured below to a friend and passed on a smile TODAY!

Amy

American Girl accessories 

Is that a keepsake? Part 2: Do you like it?

What items do you treasure? A child's treasured keepsake may be a game-winning baseball. Adults have a variety of collections that they treasure.

Antique Camera. Do you like it?

What happens when someone gives you a collection or an item that you do not treasure? Do you like it? You have some choices:

1. Store it. Do nothing and store it in the garage, attic, or closet.  
2. Honor it in your home by display. Think of incorporating items into your home decor. There are many options for framing items. 
3. Honor it in your home by use. Choose a portion of the collection if you are not fond of the whole. If your grandma gave you an entire set of dishes you love, use them! Or, pick out the serving pieces and use them!
4. Give it away. Give to Goodwill and you give someone a job. Give to a family member that you know would enjoy it for no reason, Christmas or a birthday. 
5. Sell it - eBay, Craigslist, yard sales, antique dealers, etc.  

What's Coming in Your Door?

If that is coming in, what's going out?

When you bring something in, take something out -  monitor your drawer, in your closets, in your files, your mail, your bookshelf, your child's schoolwork...the list is endless.


If you buy three new pairs of socks, get rid of three or even four old pairs.  Once you develop this habit, you will be amazed at how it cuts the clutter in your life, and not just paper, toys, and clothing.  Use this strategy to break bad habits, improve your nutrition, and even develop healthier relationships.


~ Gretchen

Recycling Options You May Have Never Considered

I can't recycle these at my curb. Now what?

Wondering where to recycle items not meant for curbside recycling? Try where you bought them. 

Compact florescent bulbs can be recycled at Lowes or Home Depot. Do not put them in with trash or glass recycling as they contain mercury. 

Batteries can be recycled at Batteries Plus. Store spent batteries in a glass jar in case of corrosion leakage. 

Cell phones can be recycled at Verizon stores. They will not accept the charger or car charger or case, just the phone including the battery. Ink cartridges can be exchanged at Office Depot, Office Max, or Staples often for a discount or a pack of copy paper. Your local Lions Club will accept your old prescription glasses and in some cases your optician will see that the Lions Club gets them, just ask. Your dry cleaner will take back wire hangers.

Kroger and Publix recycle plastic shopping bags, though you should bring your own bags whenever possible to the grocery store. Both Publix and Kroger also have bins to donate to local food banks. Whether you have something to bring from home or you find a good deal while grocery shopping and want to share, you can do it conveniently at your local store. Whole Foods even provides recycling for wine corks.

Electronics such as computers, televisions, and DVD players can be recycled at Best Buy. Apple stores accept old ipods and other Apple products. If you are buying a new computer, check to see if you can have your files transferred in the store where you buy. Sometimes there is a fee and sometimes it can be negotiated as part of your package. 

Electronic waste is becoming a huge problem because as the componets and batteries break down, toxins leak into soil and eventually, ground water. Before desposing of any appliance or electronic item, check with your local refuse collection service or do a little research on the internet to find out proper disposal for the item. You may want to donate it as long as it is not broken.