1) Establish a Use It Up Week Designate a week of each month as the week to use up the left over products the household tends to collect. This can apply to:
Hair care products:
Finish up the remnants of a hair care product or empty and recycle the container.
Skin care products:
Use the last of the moisturizer - the one you had before you found and purchased the new one.
Food products:
The can of beans or canned fruit that has been hiding in the back of the cupboard - make it the "foundation" item for a meal.
Review your freezer contents twice a month for near expiration dates. Make them a foundation meal.
Check your refrigerator weekly for close to "end of life" fruits, dairy, meats and vegetables. Challenge yourself to prevent food waste.
2) Be a Free cycle "Offer" or Charity Donation Drop Off Only Person
Use Freecycle to give away usable and good products in your local community.
3) Convert to electronic banking. Make bill payments online and use bank online services from your financial services. Reduce the household bank statements and extra paper.
Specialized Household Recycling and Waste Collection Areas
By designating specific areas to hold your standard recycling and waste collection areas you are more likely to find recycling and disposal an easier task.
Batteries - Storing Used Batteries
Ink - Storing ink cartridges for refill or recycling
Sharps - Storing medical sharps waste
Seven Types of Plastic
This helpful article gives the common names and components of household plastic.
Reuse Ideas for Common Household Containers:
Large Plastic Coffee Containers:
Use to temporarily hold "miscellaneous parts" in the garage, use to hold paint brushes or to store hair brushes and combs in bathroom. Use a large plastic coffee container for temporary "used' battery storage and transport to regional recycling facility.
Checkbook and Register Boxes:
Use open in a drawer for divided storage of pencils and pens or small office equipment such as staple removers, hole punchers and extra staples. Use in a bathroom drawer to hold hair clips and pins. Consider making your bill paying electronic and reduce the number of checks you write.