5 Ways to Recycle and Reorganize Your Personal Environment in 2018

It’s that time of year when we all scramble to make and get started on a resolution or two for the months to come, something to work toward and enrich our lives. This year, if you’re already planning on changing things up, why not start with your very own home? Here at Carolina Fibre, we’ve come up with a few ideas for reducing waste and decluttering your closets, without the additional environmental strain of larger trash bags.
Holiday leftovers
No, we’re not literally talking turkey. But right after the new year begins, you might be glancing around and wondering how you came to own so much stuff that you don’t need, or why you have so many reusable items just sitting around and taking up space. Champagne bottles from New Year’s Eve, for example, can be recycled into commemorative vases or even employed as kitchen decorations once you wash them out, let them dry, and wind in some strands of twinkle lights. The holidays can still bring you some cheer after they’re over – you just have to get creative!
The whole package
Packaging items, like boxes, egg cartons, or even foil can be reused rather than tossed in the trash. When the kids need art supplies, or you have an impromptu birthday gift to wrap, you’ll be glad you thought to keep them, even if they are tucked out of sight! Or, you could donate these items as much-needed art supplies to a community center or classroom and save yourself the trouble of storing them altogether.
Spring planting
Spring will be here before we know it, and when it rolls around you’ll want to make sure you’re prepared to enjoy it. For some, this means planting a garden. If you’re hoping to nurture a green thumb this year, consider involving your entire yard in the process of maintaining your vegetable patch. Clippings from mowing the lawn serve as great natural fertilizer, not to mention cut down on the usage of plastic bags you would have employed to clean them up.
Wardrobe changes
We all change out our wardrobes from time to time, or at the very least get rid of old, worn-out clothing we can no longer wear. If it isn’t threadbare and can still be worn, the obvious answer for most items is to donate them. But, if you have a shirt with one too many holes or an exhausted coat, try your hand at a little DIY home improvement. Clothes can be broken down to make coasters, pillows, seat cushions, you name it!
Plastic or paper bags
Although it’s tempting – especially if you keep forgetting to take your reusable bag into the grocery store – refrain from throwing out paper or plastic shopping bags. These can be used in so many helpful ways around the home: trash can liners, recycling containers, temporary storage. And the best part? If something does happen to them, you won’t have risked a container that you wanted to keep for long anyway.
No matter how you choose to simplify your life or reduce the amount of waste produced in your home, the important thing is sticking to your resolutions and persevering! Contact us for a greener plan for your place of business, so you can bring this enthusiasm for a more sustainable space to the office.