Before spring comes around, get a head start on spring-cleaning by clearing out old items from your house, as clutter can build up in a remarkably short amount of time. We bring things into the home and then use them a while before forgetting about them – or they simply stop working and we set them aside, so all of these items should be thrown out or recycled. The more space you clear, the easier it will be to do a thorough cleaning of your home later on. Let’s get started!
Check Your Closets
It’s tempting to hold onto clothing, but if you have not worn a particular item, or have not worn it in several years, it might be time to get rid of it. Thrift stores usually accept clothing that are in good condition, and you can also sell these clothes or donate them to a shelter.
Check the clothing you’re keeping for wear and tear as well, clothes that are ripped, stained or moth-eaten should be discarded, regardless if it’s the new fashion craze is to wear ripped and torn tights or jeans, we all need to draw the line somewhere.
Appliances and Electronics
If your appliances or electronics are in good working order, but you do not want them anymore, sell them or give them away, and keep in mind if they are not working anymore, you may still be able to get some cash for them. Electronic and appliance refurbish companies sometimes buy old items for the parts. Alternatively, call your municipal waste management for recycling companies that take these items, as some appliances and electronics often contain heavy metals, such as mercury, cadmium and lead, and should not be thrown away with your regular trash.
The Garage and Storage Room
Throughout the year, people tend to place worn out items, old boxes, broken garden or cleaning tools in the garage or storage room of the house and forget about them. Go through these areas to separate the clutter from the valuable items. If you find old containers of cleaning chemicals, set those containers aside for delivery to a household hazardous waste facility. Or you can hire service from the ewm dumpster rental, which can pick up any kind of trash the same day when you call them or on the schedule you want.
Some old gardening tools can be fixed as you can buy a new handle for a shovel or spade, but ask yourself if you want to go to that trouble or if you would rather buy a new one. Be realistic, don’t say you’re going to fix certain items if you know they’re just going to sit until next spring. Try to get rid of as much old stuff as you can, and make way for a brand new beginning.
Recycle Your Old DVD’s and CD’s
Most people with a collection of movies or CD’s have some they will never watch or listen to again, and since so many people only buy their music digitally, we’re all left with those old CD’s. Go through your entire collection and pick out all the DVD’s and CD’s that you do not want anymore, and separate from any you want to keep. Later, you can make some extra money by recycling the movies and CD’s through sites like musicmagpie.com.
Cupboards and Refrigerator
Go through all of your cupboards and your refrigerator, check expiration dates and throw out anything that has expired or looks or smells off – this includes old cleaning chemicals and worn out or dirty cleaning tools that are lurking under your kitchen skin. Wipe out your cupboards and drawers, you’ll be surprised what collects overtime.
Purchase Environmentally Friendly Cleaners
Buy natural cleaners with ingredients such as lemon, white vinegar, and baking soda to use for your spring cleaning. Water and lemon can be used to clean the microwave’s interior, placed in a microwave safe dish, and boiled for 3-4 minutes, everything will wipe clean. Water and vinegar can be used to clean glass surfaces and wood or plastic cutting boards, as it disinfects without leaving chemicals behind, and baking soda may be used in place of scouring powders.
