Decluttering: How to Clean Your Home the Eco-Friendly Way

March 5, 2019 by Jessica Leave a Comment

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Photo via Pixabay by PhotoMIX-Company

Decluttering: How to Clean Your Home the Eco-Friendly Way

Decluttering your home is a great way to get organized, reduce stress and anxiety, and change things up for the better. It can be difficult to know where to begin, however, especially if you want to go about it in an eco-friendly way. Cleaning your home and ridding it of all the things you no longer want or need can help to boost your mental health, but it can also help your physical health as well. The more objects you have, the more dust you’ll have, which can cause allergies and affect your sleep. Using eco-friendly cleaning products and finding a way to downsize your collections can help you stay healthy and reduce your carbon footprint.

So, how do you get started? It’s a good idea to take a look around your home to find things you might be able to recycle. Keep in mind that large items like mattresses or electronics may not be accepted at a recycling plant and will require a different plan. You can also utilize technology to consolidate some items, such as uploading photos to a hard drive or to the cloud so you can get rid of physical photo albums, which take up valuable space.

Keep reading for some great tips on how to clean your home in an eco-friendly way.

Get a Deep Clean

Decluttering and moving things around can expose stains, damage, and odors, so it’s a good idea to look for a company that will give your home a deep clean. Carpets or hardwood, baseboards, and cabinetry can all become dusty and soiled over time, creating poor indoor air quality. Do some research online to make sure they use eco-friendly cleaning products, and keep in mind that the average cost of a one-time deep clean in Buffalo, New York, is between $108 and $253.

Recycle

Recycling is a great eco-friendly way to declutter since you can pull things you no longer need or want and keep them from ending up in a landfill — which contributes to much of our global warming issues. For big items such as mattresses, you’ll need to call the recycling center first to see if they’ll take it. Some will only be able to take it off your hands if you take it apart first, so look into breaking it down before you give it up.

Downsize

A cluttered home is often a home that won’t allow you to relax or focus on your needs the way you should, and an easy way to start some positive change is to downsize any collections you have, such as records, books, or DVDs. Look for your favorite stories on an e-reader, and all the shows, music, and movies you love on streaming services. You can donate or sell the physical items (or put them into storage) and make room in your home for more important things.

Get Energy-Efficient

Making some changes around your home can include more than just cleaning; you can also replace older appliances with more energy-efficient ones and clear up some counter space. These days, just about everything can be upgraded for a more eco-friendly version, from your coffee maker to the dishwasher. Look online for the best deals on all the things that can make your home run more smoothly while reducing your energy usage.

Decluttering can be a big job, so it’s important to have a plan in place beforehand so that you can stay motivated. Go from room to room and finish one section before moving on, and have a plan for donated or recycled items from the beginning so there won’t be any problems when the time comes to get them out of the house.

@TidyHome

Organizing Your Move

May 10, 2018 by Jessica Leave a Comment

Moving can be an exciting and stressful process all wrapped up into just a few short months! There is so much to do, and with what seems like so little time. Organizing your move can be much easier than you think – but it all starts with a plan.

1. Create a timeline

Before you get started you will want to have an organized checklist to asses what still needs to be completed before the big day. Need help with where to start? Allstate has a wonderful printable moving guide! Download it here.

There is a lot to consider when making this list. As you can see in the example above, keep in mind the purging of unwanted or unneeded items, transferring utility services, cleaning, hiring movers, packing and so on.

2. Start collecting boxes

Boxes can be purchased at your local hardware or shipping stores. On a tight budget? Ask around with friends and family or check with local stores for any boxes they would be happy to donate at no cost that they would either way be tossing. Boxes of all sizes will work but keep in mind that it is easier to stack boxes in a moving truck when they are are of the same size!

3. Labeling the boxes

This step will be crucial in making sure your move is as simple as possible. There are two steps to the labeling process.

Step one: label by color.

Step two: label by room.

To take this a step further, as typically you will have more than one or two boxes per room; under the colored room label make a few bullet points with what is contained within your room labeled box. For example:

Like these pre-made moving labels?
Download them here!
This step is quite simple, but also it is a fool proof way to keep your boxes organized and will help you to not lose anything important during your move!

AND DONT FORGET TO LABEL YOUR “FRAGILE” BOXES

4. Unpacking

Congratulations, you have successfully made it into your new home!
Now, time to unpack.

DONT FORGET ABOUT THAT CHECKLIST YOU MADE!

Ensure you have all your items where they should be, and boxes made it into the right room. If you have hired movers, make sure they have not missed anything.

You will want to unpack in order of urgency. Typically kitchen first, bathroom next, bedrooms and so on. You will want to have a meal shortly after you are settled in, and a bathroom break is inevitable! As you unpack you will decide on perfect placement and naturally get a “flow” and routine in your new home.

Local Donation Sites!

October 21, 2016 by Jessica Leave a Comment

Here is a list of local places in Buffalo that accepts donations where you can bring your unwanted or unneeded items! If you are looking for a specific item to donate and do not want to search the entire posting, press (Ctrl+F) to find the item you are looking for!

Be sure to scroll to the bottom of the page for additional resources!

The Salvation Army

Pick up service, drop-off bins, community centers and stores.
Schedule a pick up: 1-800-SA-Truck (1-800-728-7825)

Items accepted: Appliances, automobiles, children’s clothing, furniture, household goods, men and women’s clothing, answering machines, bicycles, board games, books (hard and paperback), CDs, computer monitors, computer printers and systems, copiers, DVDs, DVD Players/VCRs, edgers, golf clubs, ice skates, luggage, lawn mowers (push and riding), radios, roller blades, sewing machines, stereos, stuffed animals, tennis rackets, typewriters, umbrellas and vacuum cleaners.

Buffalo City Mission

Donation drop off, pick up service.
Schedule a pick up:
716-348-3150

Please see website for a list of current needs.

Goodwill

Drop off bins, donation centers and retail stores.
Phone: (716) 854-3494

Items accepted: gently used clothing, household goods, furniture, books and electronics including computers and computer parts, flat screen monitors, printers, video-gaming systems, flat screen televisions, radios, cell phones, VCR’s, DVD players, etc.

Items NOT accepted: Cribs and bumper pads, car seats, strollers, jumpers, playpens, baby walkers, baby gates, children’s bicycle helmets, bunk beds, halogen floor lamps, bean bag chairs, children’s plastic dishes, utensils, cups, bottles, chemicals, paints and solvents, propane tanks, weapons and explosives, construction materials, large appliances, mattresses, analog TVs and computer monitors older televisions-picture tube, wooden console or projection-or older model computer monitors.

Wear ‘ n Share

Drop off location.
Phone: 716-225-3539

Accepts new and used children’s clothing, coats, and shoes.
See website for a list of current needs

Dress for Success

Drop off location.
Phone: 716-842-0602

Clothing accepted: Interview appropriate suits and blouses, professional separates including blouses, slacks, skirts, dresses, blazers and jackets, work appropriate shoes, jewelry and scarves, handbags (briefcases, portfolios or work appropriate handbag), plus sizes.

Eye Glass Donations

Most eye care places collect used glasses.
The Lions Club also accepts them.

Amvets

Pick up service, thrift stores.
Fill out online form to schedule a pick up.

Items accepted: Gently used clothing, household items, and furniture.

Bucks 4 Books

Retail Stores.
Location and Phone:
1601 Elmwood Ave
Buffalo, NY 14207
(716)876-7700

Items accepted: Used textbooks

Habitat for Humanity

Drop off locations or pick up service.
Schedule a pickup: 716-852-6607

Items accepted:New or gently used condition..
Furniture, large and small appliances, building materials, hardware, electrical items, plumbing items, windows and doors, flooring, couches, cabinetry.

Items NOT accepted: mattresses or box springs, clothing, children’s toys and hazardous materials.

Wheels for Wishes

Drop off or pick up service.
Schedule a pickup: 1-855-238-9474
Donate almost any vehicle regardless of whether it is running or not.

Items accepted: Cars, boats, RV’s or motor homes, motorcycles.

Journey’s End Refugee Services

Drop off or pick up service.
Schedule a pickup: 716-783-5979

Items accepted: Person care items, housekeeping items, lamps, clock, towels, paper products, pens/pencils, pillows, shower curtains, blankets, dishes, pots/pans, school items, cooking utensils, strollers, fans, umbrellas, TV/DVD player, furniture, clothing.

Items NOT accepted: Large TV’s, entertainment centers, old computer tables, sofa beds, mattresses, box springs, head boards or bed frames, large appliances

Vietnam Veterans of America

Drop off or pickup services.
Schedule a pickup: 1-800-459-8387

Items accepted:Clothing, shoes, baby items, kitchenware, furniture, small appliances.

Ecoatm

Walmart drop boxes.

Items accepted: Cell phones, tablets, chargers, MP3 players.

Animal Shelters

Check your local animal shelters as they are always in need of things such as newspapers, zip lock bags, blankets, towels, pet supplies, cleaning supplies and so much more. Check each shelters website for current, specific needs!

Misc. and other disposal:

During the holidays, hospitals, charities and shelters have wish lists – be sure to visit their website or social media pages, or call during the holiday season for more information!

Recyclenation

Search your zip code and the item that you are looking to recycle! This is a great resource for disposing of electronics, paint, gasoline (and propane tanks), cardboard, organic waste and SO much more!

Find a Charity

Find a charity that will pick up your clothing and household item donations!

Home Organizing: Where to Start

July 1, 2016 by Jessica Leave a Comment

Just the idea of decluttering and organizing your home can be overwhelming. It seems almost impossible to find the motivation to clean up and organize your home because you simply don’t know where to begin. With Organized by Jm, you don’t have to do it alone!

Start Here:

There are some basic tips and questions to ask yourself when you decide to make the step towards bettering your life. The truth is in any home, the “stuff” is coming in faster then we are moving it out. In order to avoid this or slow the process down, you need to have a plan. Maybe you would like to have a garage sale or donate unused or unwanted items.

The first important piece of this process is, you must know what you have. Often we purchase duplicates of things in our home because we cannot find them, or we forget about them because they are not in a place where we see it.

During our time together there are questions that I always initially ask my clients to figure out their needs, wants and hopes for their space. These questions can help to put in perspective for you, what is really most important to you:

There are some questions that I then want you to ask yourself. This always helps to get the ball rolling if you are feeling a bit stuck.

How many of these do I really need?
How many of these do I actually use?
When was the last time I used this?

Purging, as I always say, is essential to organizing. Without moving things out, we are just moving the “stuff” around the house. I don’t want anyone to ever feel that an organizer is going to come in their home, and throw out all of their stuff. These are your items and they mean something to you, and as a client- YOU mean everything to ME.

We all like to hold onto items because we feel like we have to.

For example, birthday or Christmas cards, maybe a physical gift someone gave us. We feel like we need to keep these items because if we got rid of them we would feel guilty, or obligated but the truth is – you will feel so much better after they are gone from our space, as they are taking up space!

Holding onto items “just in case” will end up causing you unneeded stress in the long run. Storage space is limited, and you need to take advantage of every bit of it that you have. When you make the decision to purchase an item that will stay in your home, make sure to have a plan for that item, and make sure you need it.

Closet Organization: Round 2

June 24, 2016 by Jessica Leave a Comment

So now that you have completed round 1 of closet organization and have purged, it is now time to organize what you have left! Take a step back and see what you have left over, and how much.

First you are going to want to categorize.

Pants from jeans, t shirts from long sleeved shirts, tank tops from sweaters and so on.
If you haven’t already, get everything that you want on hangers hung up, and anything else that may be folded in a bin or drawer, folded.

I find the easiest way to find what you are looking for in your closet is to organize by sleeve length, and also by color (rainbow). This may seem tedious, but it is not like you are shopping at a store for new clothes and are just rummaging through who knows what. This is YOUR closet, you know what you have and what the item is that you want to wear looks like! This will save you time in the morning, I promise!

Take a look! ——->

Tank tops in rainbow order, then the next sleeve length which is t shirts in rainbow order, then next length on bottom which is long sleeve!

Next, select (if any) the organizational tools

There are many tools that can physically help you organize. See some ideas below:

If you want everything super-perfect, these hanger separators are your OCD best friend! These keep everything perfectly spaced apart from one another – and looks awesome!

Click the picture for a direct link where to purchase!

Baskets- as you know they ARE my favorite, can be useful in just about any part of your closet. For example, on a shelf above your hanging bar to store shoes, out of season sweaters, purses or whatever! They keep them organized, and out of the way.
- If you are putting an item on a top shelf, another additional idea may be dividers between the baskets, or the items you have placed on the shelf.

Do you keep shoes in your closet? How about a shoe rack so your shoes do not end up all over the floor of the closet which leads to potential mis-matching. An over the door, or hanging shoe organizer can also be useful for shoe organization.

How about scarves? Either there are specific scarf-hangers or if you want to get creative – shower curtain rings can be put onto a hanger to hang your scarves!

A handy trick: keep a hamper in your closet if you have the space! I keep one right in my bathroom closet for my worn clothes (and it keeps them off the floor!) A step further: if you have a larger closet, keep a few baskets for dirty clothes where you can separate them into darks, lights, and towels.

Any form of organizational tool is very helpful with keeping a system in your closet to KEEP it organized and not fall into any bad habits.

At this point your closet should be complete! You have purged, you have categorized, hung and/or folded and you have used your own favorite organizing tools to keep all of the items in your closet neat, organized and easy to find. Anything else that you need help organizing in your closet? ASK! I would love to help you find the best closet organizer, or give you some tips!

Garage Sales to Clear Clutter

May 26, 2016 by Jessica Leave a Comment

One man’s trash is another man’s treasure – right?! Garage sales are common in the Spring and Summer once we have cleaned out our houses and garages to make a quick buck for all of our unwanted clutter. Heck I was garage sale-ing just this past weekend! I love finding hidden treasures such as an old bookcase that I can throw a coat of paint on and can turn it into a crafty “like-new” shoe shelf!

The idea here is that once your home decluttering is complete, you can make a little bit of money instead of literally kicking the clutter to the curb. It is difficult to always find things in your home that you would like to get rid of (without trashing the items) but no store that will take your unwanted items such as old kitchen utensils or outdated board games. Garage sales are an easy way to sell just about anything you come across!

Step one is to plan your designated date or dates for the sale, along with times. Depending on how much you have to sell may help to determine how many hours you will hold the sale. Be sure to consider the date (ex. a holiday weekend versus an uneventful weekend) and weather of your sale to ensure lots of foot traffic!

Next; be sure to designate where you want to put up yard sale signs to bring attention to your sale. Several signs around the neighborhood and surrounding main streets can bring attention to many people.

Get organized! Categorize your items the best you can. Many items may be random but there are always several similar items you can put together. For example; books and games together (hobbies) while kitchen items will be in another area.
1. Garage sales do not have to by “fancy” either! You just need a few cardboard boxes and some sort of table to place your items on an there you have it. Keep in mind though, just like at a retailer or favorite shopping center, the more appealing the set up, the more appealing the product can be. Hanging clothes for example are more attractive than having to dig through a box.
2. Labeling. Now this is another option but labeling your categories can draw extra attention to the items in that area. For example: Shoes sizes 7-8. Clothes sizes S-L. Kitchen utensils. Kids toys. Etc.

Pricing. First off, make sure prices are clearly marked on each item. Color sticker dots work best! We all know that you are not going to become rich from garage sales but also consider that people are looking for a deal and may negotiate you down a few dollars for a better deal.

Once the sale has ended, it is just about guaranteed that you will be left with some items. DO NOT bring the unsold items back into your home or garage! After the sale you can either:

Pack the items in your car and bring them to the nearest charity or donation center. There are also charity services that will even come by your home to pick the items up. This way you do not have to transport them.
Or simply bring the items to your curb and put up a FREE sign. People love free things! And after a day or two if the items are still there then they can either then be donated or just left at the curb for garbage pick up.

Just like moving, many Professional Organizers just like me are available to help plan, set up and help run your garage sale! My services are offered at the same hourly rate as any other service provided. Garage sales are not charged any additional costs or rates!

Paper Organization – Done Easy!

May 18, 2016 by Jessica Leave a Comment

Previously I have written about command centers and this is simply an extension of that but the goal here is to have less paper clutter in your life! It is easy to grab the mail on our way into the house and just toss it down on the counter and let it sit there for a few days before we remember to go through it. Maybe even some torn out magazine recipes or newspaper articles that we have full intentions on reading and then never take them off the table. We all have paper clutter somewhere in one of the main areas of home – don’t try and deny it!

Designate each paper area!

Lets start with where most of our paper comes from… the mail.

Junk Mail: There is only 1 place that this goes; right into the recycling bin!

Bills: Always be sure to open them up to check due dates and any errors on your bills. Once they are opened and the ripped open envelope is into the recycling bin, then place the bills into the designated bill area.

Magazines: It is only necessary to keep the most current months edition, so one you receive a new magazine in the mail, throw out last months copy. Then all current month magazines go into the designated magazine area.

Need to file: Anything that is necessary to keep will go in this area. Things like pay stubs, tax records, medical records and anything else that you need to keep for your records or that the state may require you to keep for years at a time will go into this designated area. This will end up in your filing cabinet in a separate area. The trick here is to make sure this need to file bin doesn’t ever get too full, you need to set aside 5 minutes maybe at the end of each week to actually file.

Cards or Invitations: Only keep until the date of the event, then toss these in the recycling bin, or if you keep them put them in your keepsake area!

Keepsake: A lot of the time these tend to be the things that we want to keep so badly we just have no idea where to put it so it is not in the way. A keepsake area is pretty much the same thing as a memory box. Photos can be kept in here or invitations just to name a few. If you have a larger keepsake area, I have always liked to keep awards, yearbooks, team t shirts or jerseys, artwork from when you were a kid and so much more.

Labeling is always important to designate a person or specific thing. Such as “Mom” or “Bills”. You also need a home for where these items specifically go, obviously. Each of these designated areas can go be a basket or bin, a magazine holder, a folder, whatever works best for you but make sure your bins are in sight where you will remember them! An eye-pleasing, attractive system may entice you to keep up with this filing method.

Looking for some “pretty” office supplies? Check out the See Jane Work line!

(You can purchase some of the line from Office Depot as well.)

Spring Organizing

March 11, 2016 by Jessica Leave a Comment

We all know about “Spring Cleaning,”- but what about Spring Organizing?! Cleaning is no fun, but organizing can be (and a big sigh of relief)!

Warmer Season Change

Which means its time to put away the heavy sweaters,winter jackets and thick blankets for the season! Since the weather starts to warm up there is no need for us to have warm AND cold weather clothing and accessories out at the same time – together they just take up space. Swap them out for the warm(er) month items and pull out a few storage bins to sort and store the winter items. This is also a good time to purge any worn out, unused or unwanted items!

(As I have mentioned in past blog posts. Season change is a good time to do the clothes hanger purge trick! Pick a start day, in this case the first of the upcoming season, turn all your hangers backwards (so it is not easy for the hanger to just come off the bar). This takes only a minute! When you wear that item out, take it out and hang it normally. At the end season, any hanger that is still backwards, you know you don’t wear, purge it!)

Round up the Garage

This will be one of the more commonly used spaces in the warmer months. Whether you are just going in and out for gardening supplies or its the place you hang out; bottom line, things need to be in place. The garage is a place that is easy to sort and put into categories to easily declutter this space.

Clear the Fridge

Take a few minutes to go through the fridge and pantries to check for expired, or close to expiring foods. This is a good time to wipe everything down but throw out any old food or things that are not being eaten. Heck, our diets change from season to season, its time to clear out the old and in with the new fresh grocery list!

Get rid of piles

None of us enjoy the piles of mail that are laying on the counter or the last minute items that we threw into the garage and know we wouldn’t see for another season, and quite frankly the cold winter months makes us all a bit lazy. Take about 10 minutes in each room of your house to go through and throw out and old bills, throw out any ratty items, and sort items that need a proper home. Its time for the windows and doors to be open and people will be visiting, a clear organized home will be a sign of relief!

And of course we all know what spring cleaning is, clean up as you go! Take a few minutes in each area you organize to wipe a counter and dust a shelf 🙂 Happy Spring!

Purged? Now what?!

February 21, 2016 by Jessica Leave a Comment

OK – so you have taken the first step in organizing and started to purge things that you are not using. You now have piles throughout the room, and you are thinking oh no, NOW WHAT?
You don’t want to just throw everything out, huh?

Let me help! There are SO many ways to repurpose unwanted items in your home without just having to throw them in the trash! Ever think, “I paid good money for that!” and either never used it or have no use for it in your space? Well keep reading for some ideas to repurpose those items!

Recycle. Sometimes we get overwhelmed when we see these piles of things to get rid of and just have the urge to throw everything out because we don’t know what else to do! When you are purging throughout your house take a minute with each item to determine if it is garbage or recyclable.
Examples: old receipts, vases, batteries, electronics, phone books etc.

Sell! Many people think selling unwanted items in your home are too time consuming or very difficult and involves a lot of research. But this is not true! You can sell pretty much anything, its just what you are selling – and the best place to sell that item. PLUS its an easy way to make money $$$. Craigslist and local Facebook selling pages (“online yard sales,” or of course, you could have an actual yard sale) are just a few examples of places you can sell pretty much anything!
Examples: clothing, appliances, furniture, books, electronics, sports equipment

Donate. There are thousands of places to donate your unwanted items, and almost ANYTHING can be donated to people in need. One of the easiest – clothes! We all have too many, and people are anyways in need of clothes. Donating is not only an easy way to clear clutter, but a feel good way too.

Repurpose. Ever hear the term “one man’s trash is another man’s treasure?” This is very true! For example in my house, we have a lot of recyclable items from food and drink containers that many people see as garbage, and I see as potential! Many of these containers just need the label removed and then get creative! Maybe wrap an old coffee can in wrapping paper, or spray paint it a light color. Its free storage!
Examples: coffee can, salsa jars (mason), shoe boxes, paper towel rolls

Still think I am crazy? Here is an example of each;

If you are feeling crafty, you can find thousands of ideas on Pinterest!

There will be a HUGE list full of places to donate, sell and recycle all sorts of items COMING SOON on my website. I am in the process of compiling THE BEST places, so stay tuned! And of course if you need to find out more information about specific items- just ask! I can find a place to donate just about anything, right in your area!

Closet Organization: Round 1

February 7, 2016 by Jessica Leave a Comment

Is your space too small or is your stuff just too BIG?

This is where organizing comes to the rescue! Most people believe they do not have enough closets or storage solutions in their homes. But we have to start at the beginning on this journey and that means…

PURGE! PURGE! PURGE!

We always collect things that seem to pile up quickly that we do not use enough to even consider keeping….. CLOTHES. We all have too many! I LOVE to purge clothes, most people do not – but this is the first step to getting your storage to its max use!

You have to ask yourself:

“When was the last time I wore this?”
“When is the next time I plan on wearing it?”

Not anytime soon? GOODBYE! Get rid of it. And you don’t need to just toss it in the trash, there are hundreds of places to donate to, or even a little sister or girl down the street who would love the new items in their closets!

Having the URGE to PURGE is great and all, but how often should I do it?
Here is your answer:

EVERY TIME THE SEASON CHANGES!

Some people like to organize or separate their clothes by season, box them up and only have the current season in their closet. Not you? That’s OK!

Here is a fun trick to purging:

Pick a start day, maybe the first of the upcoming month, turn all your hangers backwards (so it is not easy for the hanger to just come off the bar). This takes only a minute! When you wear that item out, take it out and hang it normally. In 6 months (or at the end season), any hanger that is still backwards, you know you don’t wear:

PURGE!

Stay tuned for more blogs to complete your closet organizing!