6 Eco-Friendly Ways to Declutter and Help the Planet
Cleaning is never fun, but taking a few minutes to declutter your house can not only help your family, but it can also help the planet. Recycling and repurposing everything from toys to clothes and even candy can lighten the load at home and minimize your carbon footprint. Check out our simple, eco-friendly tips to help the planet while you do your spring cleaning.
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Eco-Friendly Ways to Declutter and Give Back
Kids come with a lot of stuff. From clothes they seemingly outgrow overnight to the must-have toys that end up unplayed with, the parade of things can seem endless. Instead of tossing the items they’ve outgrown, consider these options that can help the environment.
The Give Back Box
What could be easier that grabbing one of those Amazon boxes you already have at home and filling it up with the things you no longer need? This awesome program makes it breeze to declutter and give back. All you have to do is fill a box, add a prepaid shipping label, and they’ll take care of the rest, finding homes for donated items.
LEGO Replay
If you’re drowning in mountains of colorful plastic bricks, why not recycle them? Once your kids are done playing with a LEGO set, box it up and send it to the LEGO Replay program that donates gently used sets to kids in need across the country.
Mattel Playback
LEGO isn’t the only toy company working to build a sustainable future. The eco-friendly Mattel Playback program helps you recycle old toys. Simply box up your items, add a prepaid shipping label, and mail them off to Mattel, who will ensure that the toys are responsibly processed and recycled.
Target Car Seat Trade In
Car seats are vital to your kids’ safety, but all the plastic and materials that go into making them aren’t exactly safe for the planet if they end up in a landfill. Thankfully Target has a program to collect and recycle car seats and other baby gear. Not only will your baby gear be safely recycled, but you’ll also earn a coupon for your next purchase. That’s a win-win. Target’s Car Seat Trade In event happens annually, and (as of this writing) is running through April 29, 2023. If the current window has passed, check with your local store to see when the next one is planned.
Donate Candy
Whether it’s from an Easter Egg Hunt, Halloween, or a birthday party, there always seems to be an excess of candy in the house. Check out these simple ways to donate candy and declutter the kitchen, while giving someone else a little something sweet.
Local Charities and Buy Nothing Groups
Donating unwanted items is always better than throwing them away, but often times when you donate to large organizations it can be hard to know where your items actually end up. Instead, give to local charities or buy nothing groups where the items are more likely to be truly repurposed or reused. Live in Los Angeles? Check out the best places to donate clothes and baby gear in Los Angeles and the South Bay.
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