Over the summer holidays many parents find they homes filling up with more and more clutter. Whether it’s the cheap BBQ you bought for that one party or a popped paddling pool many people would hold onto it until spring when they will have a big clear out. However why not do that now? With the kids going back to school parents up and down the country are breathing a sigh of relief and finding themselves with more free time. Why not take a bit of time to clear out the clutter and start some new recycling habits whilst you’re at it?

Clearing The Clutter

Clearing clutter can be very time consuming but it is definitely worth it in the end. You may be tempted to simply throw any junk straight in the bin and use waste contractors to collect any bulky items. However you could reuse or resell these items in order to generate a little bit of spending money whilst doing your bit for the environment. The circular economy aims to reduce the amount of waste we create through reuse and recycling. By reusing old BBQs as planters, recycling the plastic paddling pools or upcycling old chairs you will be helping reduce the amount of waste that ultimately ends up in landfill. Alternatively you could use a service like Enviro Waste that will collect your items at a time that is convenient for you and then recycle them for you.

Recycling Tips For the New School Year

Now you’ve got rid of the excess clutter in your home it is a perfect time to start introducing new processes for the school year that will decrease the amount of waste you and your family create. Here are our top five tips for the start of the school year that will help increase your recycling rates and reduce the amount of waste you create.

1.      Reusable water bottles – Every year a million plastic bottles are consumed and only some are recycled. You can reduce your family’s usage by buying a reusable water bottle for your child to take to school.

2.      Notebooks – Every year you may feel the need to buy new notebooks for your child but why not get them to use the space left in the notebooks your purchased last year.

3.      School clothing – There is always a rush to buy brand new school clothes every August. Instead make alterations to last year’s uniform or buy the items you need from charity shops.

4.      Second hand books – Some school courses will require your child to have their own textbook, these are expensive and since many are binned after a year they are very wasteful. Try searching online for second hand copies but make sure they are still relevant.

5.      Pens and pencils – Investing in refillable pens or encouraging the use of pencils means you will need to buy less and that less plastic will end up going in your waste bin.

Are there any other tips for recycling when the kids go back to school? Share them with us in the comments.