By Stephanie Gonzalez
You’re sniffling, it’s raining nonstop, the dogs are constantly tracking mud in from the backyard. It can mean only one thing: Spring is here! The season of renewal is a great time to pare down some of the clutter that’s gathered in your home over the past year, but don’t just resort to throwing things away. Here are a few green ways to cut down on clutter.
Sign up for the Cooper-Young Yard Sale
This annual event features dozens of homes offering their wares and attracts people from all over the city to our neighborhood. It’s a great time to unload some of your past treasures that no longer spark joy, or to find some new prized possessions that might help you get organized. It’s not too late to sign up for the sale, which will be Saturday, April 27. Simply sign up at cooperyoung.org/yardsalesignup
Donate clothes to the CYCA Clothing Swap
We held this event in the fall, and it was so much fun that we’re doing it again in the spring. From noon to 3 p.m. also on Saturday, April 27, we’ll swap clothes (and laughs) at the CYCA office, 2298 Young Ave. Simply bring clothes you’d like to donate (you can drop off clothes starting on Tuesday, April 23) and walk away with some replacements for your own closet. All leftover clothes will be donated to local charities.
Find out where to recycle household goods
At the CYCA, we’re making an effort to minimize the amount of waste we contribute to the landfill every year. That means finding the right way to recycle all kinds of old stuff, from computers to school uniforms to paint and more. Check out the Resources tab at sustainableshelby.com for information on how and where to recycle these items and much more.
Buy second hand … or less!
Clothes, furniture, even cookware: You’d be amazed at what you can find almost new at secondhand and vintage stores. We outfitted our entire living room with furniture we bought at a thrift store. It fits perfectly in our 1920s home, and you’d never know we spent less than $300 on all of it (well, I guess you know now). One of the keys to keeping an uncluttered home is to simply consume less. Do you really need all of those single-purpose kitchen gadgets? Hold off on the impulse buys. You’ll end up with less to get rid of down the road. Your bank account—and the environment—will thank you later.
There are plenty more ways to ensure a greener, cleaner, less cluttered home, but these are a few that can get you started. Do you have more to share? Join us at the CYCA General Meeting on April 9. We’d love to hear from you!
Stephanie is the current Vice-President of the Cooper-Young Community Association. In her spare time, Stephanie enjoys craft beer, karaoke, dogs and the outdoors.
