How to declutter in an eco-friendly way

Congratulations on starting to declutter your home and, as a result, decluttering your life! 

You might be tempted to put everything in black plastic bags and take them to the dump, but doing so would be a waste of resources and terrible for the environment. 

 

Sorting your stuff into piles will help you minimize the number of things that go into the landfill.

For sale pile – things in excellent condition that you don't use anymore and wish to sell either online (eBay, Craigslist, FB Marketplace), at a garage sale, or to friends.

Giveaway pile – things that you wish to give to friends and family. 

Donation pile – things you wish to donate to charities. This pile tends to be leftover stuff from your for sale and giveaway pile.

Reuse, Repair, Upcycle pile – this is for clothing, bedding, and towels that are not good enough for selling or donating but would be great upcycling projects. If you have a lot of extra bedding, your local animal shelter would love it.

Recycling pile – sometimes you need to add things to the recycling bin.

Trash pile – things that cannot be reused or repaired but are not recyclable. It's pure waste.

Now you’re ready to start decluttering the eco-friendly way!