Photo via Pixabay by Manbob86
It may be just around the corner, but you don’t have to until Spring to start decluttering your home. Decluttering has lots of benefits, and guest blogger Seth ‘PapaDIY’ Murphy is here to tell you all about it and how to do it in an eco-friendly way:
Eco-Friendly Tips On Decluttering Your Home: Living in a home with lots of clutter can be detrimental to your health in more ways than one.
For seniors, clutter can increase the risk of falls and other accidents, while other homeowners might begin to feel stressed, anxious, or overwhelmed in a cluttered space. Moving things out, getting organized, and making room can have a profound effect on the way you feel both mentally and physically, but how do you do it in a way that is environmentally conscious?
Eco-friendly cleaning doesn’t have to be unattainable; in fact, there are several simple ways you can clean and declutter your home that are good for the environment, such as recycling or donating clothing and pieces of furniture. Using chemical-free cleaning products is another great way to reduce your carbon footprint, and the bonus is that these will save you money as well.
Keep reading for some wonderful tips on how to declutter your home while keeping the environment a priority.
Recycle as much as possible It’s not always easy to know what to do with large items that are no longer wanted or needed in the home. Electronics and baby items are often not allowed at thrift store donation centers because they are outdated or have safety regulations associated with them, while mattresses are too big to leave out on the street or for the recycling center to break down.
Make sure you have any personal information taken off old computers or phones, and then look online for places near you that will refurbish them. Some cell phone carriers will take older phones and donate them to women in crisis, while computer parts can be used by engineers for their personal projects.
Clean it up Once you’ve gotten all the items you no longer need out of a space, make sure you clean everything up with chemical-free cleansers–plain old white vinegar and hot water is a great solution for cleaning just about anything–and a good vacuum that meets all your needs.
Upright vacuums are adjustable for your comfort, meaning you’ll be better able to maintain the cleanliness of your space.
Go digital Some people find the prospect of “going digital” a bit daunting, but it’s easier than it sounds. If you have a lot of photo albums that take up a substantial amount of room in your home, for instance, you can scan all the pictures on your computer and save them onto a hard drive or thumb drive, which will allow you to access them anytime you want and keep the bulky albums in storage.
Go green Living a green life can be a big adjustment, but if you start by making small changes to your lifestyle, it will be much easier on you and your family. Install energy-efficient light bulbs, which will last much longer than the usual kind and will prevent your household from adding to a landfill.
Repurpose old furniture and turn it into something more useful, such as creating a kitchen island from an unused dresser.
There are tons of ways you can go green that won’t be too hard to stick to; go here for more ideas.
Decluttering your home can be a big job, especially if you’ve lived in the same house for many years; it’s hard to fathom how much we can accumulate over even a short period of time! However, with some creativity and an open mind, you can clean up your home and make a serious impact on the world around you at the same time. Talk to your family members about how they can help, and delegate chores so that everyone can play their part.
Seth Murphy is a guest contributor to MyFolsom.com. Read more by Seth at www.papadiy.com