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It’s easy to make your spring a tidy one that’s good for the planet. Being considerate of how you clean and dispose of items makes a big difference in how eco-friendly your housekeeping is. Courtesy of ForestNation, here are just a few ways to ensure clearing out your home is environmentally conscious.
Dispose of Items Responsibly
Decluttering your home means finding all those items you don’t use or need anymore. It’s a rewarding process to get those possessions out of the house. It frees up space and lets you figure out what really matters to you. However, those old clothes, electronics, and appliances need to go somewhere.
The best thing to do with any working or usable items is to donate them. If clothes or bedding you don’t use anymore are in good condition, there are many thrift stores across Pigeon Forge that would be happy to take them from you.
Make sure any broken appliances and electronics don’t end up in a landfill by taking them to your local recycling center rather than throwing them in the garbage. If you can’t make the journey, you can even have electronics picked up from your home.
Use the Cloud
Half the clutter in offices and living rooms comes from endless reams of paper, documents, and photographs that can be easily transferred to digital copies. Scan your documents and photos and upload them onto cloud storage. Getting in the habit of storing photos and documents online will save countless trees as you drastically cut your paper use.
Going paperless offers many other advantages. After switching, you can simply type into a search bar when you need a particular document rather than hunting through boxes. It’s a great way to organize family photos too. Finally, this option is more secure as you can password protect all your files. Be sure to shred any physical documents that contain sensitive information if you discard the paper copy.
Use Eco-Friendly Cleaning Products
Decluttering goes hand in hand with giving your home a good scrub. Be mindful that while there are some green cleaning products available, many other products on the market include harsh chemicals and are toxic to the planet. You can avoid damage by opting for eco-friendly cleaning products or even making your own. Lemon, vinegar, and baking soda are three ingredients that you likely have in your home already and make excellent cleaners and degreasers. If you opt to buy cleaning products, make sure they’re certified as environmentally friendly.
Bigger Upgrades
Regular cleaning and decluttering keep your home in excellent condition should you ever decide to sell it. If you make substantial eco-friendly changes, such as insulating your home or installing solar panels, make sure to document them. This includes taking before and after photos and keeping any receipts. Doing so will be invaluable when selling, as it allows you to quantify the value to prospective buyers.
Take Decluttering Further
These days, the need to go green is clearer than ever. And it’s not just good for the planet! If you decide to sell your house, decluttering can make home staging even easier. Make sure you use experienced professionals who will get you the best market price.
ForestNation is a for-profit sustainable business. We offer products and services that unite environmental, social, and commercial goals together. We empower individuals and organizations to reforest the planet and reconnect to nature. We’d love to hear from you!
