Day 116 – Today is Get Organized Day! My senior year of high school, I was given the title, “Most Organized”. It wasn’t the most exciting title, but it wasn’t the worst either. I have carried that organizational skill into my adulthood. However, there are times when things fall of the rails and I find myself with a lot of stuff, everywhere.

Women’s Day shared a list of over 100 ways to get organized. Here are 10 tips from the list. I have added an eco-friendly spin on most of them.

1. Sort your fridge like a grocery store – By organizing your refrigerator you can cut back on food waste.
2. Pick your favorite cleaning products – No need to have 100 products and all those single-use plastic bottles and make sure those products are environmentally friendly.
3. Put everything in its place – If there’s no place for it, then it needs to be rehomed.
4. Get rid of things you never wear – This tip mentions throwing away your stained or ripped clothing. A better option would be to mend or donate to a textile recycler.
5. Cut down on paper towel use – Start using old rags and t-shirts to help with the dirty work.
6. Borrow special-use kitchen appliances – Not only will it save you space, but it will be one less thing you have to get rid of when you realize you never use it.
7. Get rid of makeup you don’t use – Pare down your cosmetics so that it all fits in one portable bag. Recycle the cosmetics you don’t want anymore.
8. Stay on top of your bills – Make a list of all the bills that need to be paid and check them off as they get paid. Make sure to go paperless.
9. Get rid of expired beauty products, medicine, and coupons twice a year – When you adjust your clocks each spring and fall, also weed out expired medicine, sunscreen and smoke detector batteries, to name a few.
10. When you declutter, before tossing anything in the trash, find out if it can be donated or recycled.

Getting things organized can make you feel better. However, throwing all those unwanted items in the trash can really bring down the mood. So, do your research! Here’s a Recycling and Donation Resource to get you started.

Another great option is to hire a professional organizer. He or she will help you get your life in order and can assist you in accomplishing it in an eco-friendly way. For anyone living in the Chicagoland area, Kelly Brask, Certified Professional Organizer, can help bring order to your home and office. Consider hiring Kelly for your next big decluttering task.

Tomorrow, growing a healthy lawn without pesticides.