If you make recycling a part of your life, it just takes a little extra thought until it becomes a habit.

Here are some tips to make your recycling journey an easier one. The benefits of recycling are many – protecting the environment, saving money, and helping the future generations.

Reduce and reuse first
Where possible reuse your containers before throwing them out. Glass containers can be used as storage jars. If you buy fruit in plastic containers at a farmer’s market, then they will willingly take the empty containers back when you have finished with them.

Buy used
Buying used items instead of new means that items are used for longer and ultimately less new items are produced.

Know what to recycle
When you use things, learn what is recyclable and what is not. It may be slow to start with, but eventually it becomes second nature.

Sort before you store
Have multiple containers for each type of recycling. Don’t throw all recycling in one area intending to sort later.

Designate an area for recycling
Have an area of your home, ideally in the garage, with multiple boxes for sorting the things you recycle. It’s best to use plastic boxes, not bags or cardboard boxes. Then you can just place your recycled items in the boxes and if they get dirty they can easily be washed.

Reuse grocery bags
Plastic bags cost about 5 cents each for the store to buy. And then they are thoughtlessly tossed. Buy your own reusable bags, keep them in your car and use them. Plastic grocery bags can be returned to the store for recycling.

Buy large containers
For things that you frequently use, such as laundry detergent, buy large boxes and then less cardboard or plastic is used. Generally try and buy cardboard containers rather than plastic.

Reuse paper
Paper has two sides, but often we put it though the printer once and then discard it. Have a system of reusing the paper in your printer.

Reduce unwanted catalogs
Go to Catalog Choice to reduce your catalogs and junk mail.

Read your daily paper online
Instead of getting newspapers delivered, read your daily newspaper online.

It just takes a little extra thinking and then recycling becomes a habit.


This article is a chapter from the book Living Simply - Improve Your Life with Less Clutter


Beyond Recycling: A Re-user's Guide: 336 Practical Tips to Save Money and Protect the Environment