CleanScapes waste reduction tips: Moving and Cleaning

Home Sweet Home

Whether you are a student making the summer transition off campus, or moving to a new neighborhood or city, there are many ways to reduce waste during the moving process.

As you sort through your stuff and setting aside items that are not moving with you, consider the new life all of those unwanted things could have.

Reusable clothing, shoes, toys, sports equipment, electronics, appliances and furniture can be sold or donated online, or dropped off at any of the available non-profit donation sites around the city. There are even organizations that are willing to pick-up items at your residence.

If you have broken electronics, old cell phones, dead batteries, unusable clothing or Styrofoam, local recyclers will help you keep these items out of the landfill.

Take unwanted hazardous products like pesticides, paint or cleaning products to household hazardous waste drop-off locations in Seattle or King County.

When the time comes to pack everything up, save money by reusing free boxes listed online, used cardboard boxes from liquor stores and wholesale shopping centers, or support green businesses and rent reusable plastic packing totes.

After your move, continue the reuse cycle and donate your boxes online.

Once everything’s packed and you are ready to clean, help reduce the accumulation of more household hazardous waste by purchasing or making environmentally friendly cleaning products!

Resources: FrogBox Seattle | Goodwill | King County HHW | HHW Products List | Washington Toxics Coalition “Recipes for Safer Cleaning” | EPA Design for the Environment “Safer Product Labeling Program” | Styro Recycle | Total Reclaim | Interconnection | ReTex | Earth911.com “Eight Ways to Green Your Move” | NW Center

The Big Picture 

The US Environmental Protection Agency reports that US residents and businesses sent 161,000,000 tons of material to landfills in 2009.

During the chaos of moving it may seem easier to trash the items you no longer want, but local businesses and non-profits have made it easy to find a new home for your unwanted items.

Instead of filling landfills, consider finding a new home or safe disposal for your unwanted stuff.

Reduce, Reuse and Win! Do you live in Seattle or Shoreline? Learn how you can help your community win the annual Neighborhood Waste Reduction Rewards competition!

Do you have a great idea or community waste reduction project? Tell us your story! Email the CleanScapes waste reduction team.