For me, as a longtime professional organizer with an interest in helping people simplify their lives, the landfill is the destination of last resort when clearing clutter from homes and offices.
Just about everything can be recycled or reused. It’s a matter of finding the right place for something whether it’s electronics, clothing, tires or anything else that is no longer needed and taking up space. A number of recyclers even pay for gadgets, such as cellphones and laptops.
The Internet has become a valuable research tool for finding the right places to recycle things. Some of my go-to websites for recyclers and green charities are listed below.
Boulder-based Eco-Cycle works to establish zero-waste locally and worldwide. Its website tool locates a recycling center for many kinds of materials, from aerosol cans to zippers. There is even a free, online bulletin board for finding and trading reusable items.
metechrecycling
This is where to find electronics recycling and certified data destruction companies for just about any item including computers, microwaves, cameras and TVs. What’s more, consumers can now bring up to five Sony products to any Metech Recycling location, and Sony covers the costs to recycle them.
This is where you might get some cash for your gadgets as Gazelle is a “re-commerce” service that helps people sell and recycle used electronics. Cellphones and laptops are among the more than 250,000 products it accepts.
An easy-to-use online recycling directory. Just search by entering the item to recycle and your ZIP code. Or call 1-800-CLEANUP. There’s also a free iPhone App (iRecyle). The directory was featured on the Oprah Winfrey Show and syndicated by National Geographic and others.
A metro Denver guide to giving in-kind donations, compiled by lawyers, who are also husband and wife, who had too much stuff. The guide is available in bookstores, on , and on the website as a print edition or e-book. It links people who have stuff to give with charities that need it.
A service that helps busy individuals and families who want to green their homes and personal lives but don’t have the time to research, investigate and implement green solutions by themselves.
donate.
The website has an easy way to locate nearby Goodwill donation sites, and a nifty tool that calculates the impact of your donation. For example, donating a coat or jacket provides 11 minutes of career counseling.
When batteries are recycled, there is less waste in landfills and fewer harmful chemicals to contaminate soil and water. Check out the website’s recycling section to learn how plastic, lead and sodium sulfate in batteries are repurposed, and where to recycle your batteries.
Sally Allen is a certified professional organizer and owner of A Place For Everything. She’s also the creator of Right-Sizing Right Now, a series of downsizing workshops for seniors and their families. More at .
