This is the perfect time to move your bounty forward – Here are a few tips to help you clear your clutter, donate to your favorite charity and dispose of hazardous eWaste responsibly.

Appliances 

When you get a new appliance to replace the old, make sure to let go of your old one!

Old Electronics

Recycle at your local Goodwill. This helps the environment and your community

The Dell Reconnect Program - Dell is the first major computer manufacturer to ban the export of non-working electronics to developing countries as part of its global policy on responsible electronics disposal.

Reconnect has recycled nearly 96 million pounds of computer equipment to date.

What they recycle:

Monitors

Computers (Desktop & Laptop)

Printers

Scanners

Hard Drives

Keyboards

Speakers

Cords & Cables

Ink & Toner Cartridges

Software

Xbox®

Microsoft Zune®

Televisions

Cell Phones

Appliances

Electrical Cords 

If you end up in that box of electrical cords do a quick assessment. Are all of the electric and electronic gadgets you own hooked up and working? If so, you can let go and donate your jumble of old cords.

Dead Batteries 

The SD County Library system recycles old batteries. Collect them in a bin and take them to your local library. If you live outside of this area, check this website to find out where you can recycle.

Prior to dropping off the batteries, residents should cover the positive ends of the batteries with tape and place them in a sealed plastic bag.

Lightbulbs

Bring in a sealed bag with your old lightbulbs to your local IKEA for recycling. They can even be donated once broken.

Your old bulbs go through a separation process into glass, powder and mercury. Separated mercury goes through a process of triple distillation which takes away all contamination (mercury has a tendency to attract other materials).

After the triple distillation is finished the mercury is reused.

Boxes and Old Gift Wrap

Don’t just throw in your regular trash bin, Recycle them!

Peanuts, foam packing nuts

Take these to your local pack and ship store. This helps support local business and recycles at the same time.

Hangars 

Metal - Take to your local dry cleaner. Supports local business and keeps them out of landfills.

Plastic - donate to your favorite charity

Old Cell Phones 

Domestic violence programs accept old cell phones. The Hopelines program through Verizon also brings old cell phones to those in need.

Treecycling

Artificial Christmas trees have a negative effect to our environment. They are manufactured with PVC which is a non-biodegradable, petroleum-derived plastic. In addition, many older tree varieties may contain lead.

The Christmas tree industry employs more than 100,000 Americans and now almost every community in the US recycles live trees after the holidays into mulch.

Old Holiday Cards – My personal favorite!

St. Jude’s Ranch Recycled Card Program, which benefits the St. Jude’s Ranch for Children. Launched more than 30 years ago as a thank-you to donors by using the previous year’s Christmas cards to turn them into “new” cards, the special cards are sold to raise money for the ranch’s programs. People from all over the world send their used greeting cards for all occasions.

Children at St. Jude’s Ranch learn entrepreneurship skills and participate in making the new cards by removing the front and attaching a new back so that customers receive “green” holiday cards for their use.

The address is St. Jude’s Ranch for Children, Recycled Card Program, 100 St. Jude’s St., Boulder City, NV 89005, and the phone number (877) 977-7572.

Other Recycling Tips

If you dont see the recycling location you need, check out www.earth911.com

SITUATION: An entertainment center that no longer entertained, but instead, simply annoyed the owner.

CHALLENGE: This entertainment center was in the footpath of the way into and out of, the family/great room. I think that the basket was originally intended to hold remote controls.

Instead of being a storage area for entertainment supplies, it was housing keys, glasses, and any other loose toy that was found in that area.

SOLUTION: I recommended getting rid of the basket. Baskets are often a tricky solution to implement. Unless the intended purpose for each basket / container is agreed upon by all family members, it will begin to attract miscellaneous objects almost like magic.

We got busy and emptied and reorganized the drawers that were part of this massive entertainment center. Many of the drawers were underutilized and did not contain entertainment related items. After creating a cabinet space for cameras and other video related tools, we were able to get those supplies off the shelf. Also, in the process, we found memory cards, charger cords and bags that were scattered throughout the area. Now, when it is time for a quick photo or action video of the baby, all important items are quickly located.

It was determined that the basket was not the solution for this area. Instead, using a drawer was a better alternative. This way keys and could gather without becoming an eyesore during tv time.

We also spent a lot of time sorting through electrical cords and moved all of them into a tub to be stored in the garage for future needs. Every house that I visit has too many unidentified cords.

Look at this from my perspective for a moment because this is a very common problem. If all of the electronic devices that you own and use right now are hooked up and functioning, it is a good idea to let go of the unidentified cords that are jamming up your drawers and cabinets. If you can’t convince yourself to let them go, at least move them out of the house and store them in the garage in the tool zone.

Consider this, what is the worst thing that can happen if you don’t have the proper cord later? Well, for starters, right now everything you own is working and hooked up just fine. If you do one day need a cord, go out and spend the $10- 20 to replace it. The money that you might possibly have to spend later is better than living with a drawer or cabinet space that doesn’t function every day in the meantime. Right? Well, at least I think so…