Reduce, reuse, recycle. Most of us are familiar with the three Rs that help minimize waste. But we can do so much more to help us protect the environment and get the added benefit of having a more organized home. In honor of Earth month, I’ve expanded the list to 10 Rs that can make a big difference in the spaces that we live in and benefit our precious planet.
A great way to start is by reducing your purchases from the very beginning. Before hitting that buy button, pause and ask yourself: Do I really need this? Could I borrow or rent instead? Could I use something I already own that would give me a similar result. By giving it a second thought, we can dodge unnecessary clutter and waste. Use a wait period of at least 24 hours before purchasing, especially if it is something that you were not intentionally looking for. Another way to reduce is to select items made with less packaging or no packaging at all.
You can also rethink your initial reaction to buy something and think more about the entire lifecycle of the product. To do that you can ask yourself the following questions: What materials is it made of and are those sustainable materials? Is this just a mass produced/fast fashion item that is only good for one season or a short amount of time? Who made it and were they treated and paid fairly? What happens to the product when I don’t need it anymore?
Resist the urge to stock up on supplies. Especially if you don’t have the space for all the extras or don’t know if you can use the extras in a timely manner. Sometimes the discount on bulk purchasing is not worth the stress of having a cluttered closet, drawer, pantry, kitchen, bathroom, etc.
Reuse and see if you can find the item used on eBay, Facebook marketplace, or your local charity/thrift store before purchasing new.
Refuse items. Say "no" to those little extras like print receipts (use email or text) and free samples/giveaways. Also, when you don't need that shopping bag, politely decline. It's a small step that adds up to less waste.
Repurpose and get creative and up-cycle those jars and boxes into handy storage solutions!
If you can, try repairing an item before getting a new one. This is hard to apply to everything but duct tape and super glue fix a lot of things and there is a world of DIY tutorials on YouTube just waiting to guide you through fixing just about anything.
Select products that you can refill. This works especially well for household cleaners. You could use the bulk bins at grocery stores to refill many food staples. There are also companies online that refill body products such as shampoo and soap.
Rot those food scraps and coffee grounds. It is amazing how many food scraps are created in a single week. If you’ve got a yard, composting is pretty easy. With enough rain water the breakdown goes quickly. If you are worried about smells, try storing compost in the freezer/refrigerator to keep things fresh and odor-free.
And of course, recycle. Re-read your recycling company’s information and only put items fit for recycling in the bin.
By weaving these Rs into your daily routine, you're not just decluttering your home — you're also making a big impact on our planet. So let's keep that Earth Month energy alive year-round and commit to being conscious consumers every day. 🌍💚