Update on Dump Your Junk January Challenge
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At the end of December I issued a ‘Dump Your Junk’ January Challenge!
The idea was to spend the month of January getting your home in order
It was opportunity to get rid of the stuff you no longer needed, wanted or loved.
And I can’t believe how many of you are on board!
Here are some of the things you’ve been up to, the issues you are facing and the solutions you’ve found:
Hoarding
Over on Twitter Claire said
@myzerowaste I’ve been doing some sorting out this week. We are moving into our first house soon! But still fighting my hoarder instinct.
It seems many of you find it hard to release things that you either spent a lot of money on, or are sentimental.
What are your solutions for this?
Downsizing
Reader Just Gai is up for the challenge. She wrote “I’m in. A hoarder by nature my house is bursting with things that I should have parted company with years ago (and some things that I should never have bought in the first place!). We plan to move back to Scotland in a couple of years’ time, to a two bedroom flat from a four bedroom house, so at least half our stuff has to go, and quite frankly the sooner the better. I’ve tried the 15 minute declutter before and found it very helpful, so I’m going to go for it again combined with the MinsGame. I’m looking forward to seeing what my house looks like with 400 items less.”
Over on Twitter she rallied the troops:
For my January Challenge: #dumpyourjunk – 1 item on day 1, 2 on Day 2 … 496 fewer thing by 31 January. Yeah! Dare to join me?
— Gareth Rae (@justgai) December 29, 2014
Off to the Recycling Centre
Emma, from Cheshire Wife was way ahead of the game! She emailed:
We’ve started already – just on the way to the tip 🙂 I’d love to join in 🙂
Suzanne was already running the decluttering baton too. She wrote:
4 bags waiting to go! We’re having new bedroom furniture, so what better time for a clear out? Pleased to say, Hubby seems to have got the message this time. No way will he ever fit back into those jeans or wear those ties!
Inspired On Twitter again, Hertfordshire’s County, District and Borough Councils work together on waste reduction and recycling schemes. They tweeted:
This year I’ll #declutter, but will donate (not dump) items. Inspired? Read this fabulous blog by @myzerowaste http://t.co/datIOrj1VE — WasteAware (@HertsWasteAware) January 1, 2015
Getting rid of unwanted gifts
Another common problem that came up was how to get rid of unwanted gifts. I have some thoughts on this which I blogged about in the summer. Check out ‘How to get rid of gifts without the guilt‘ and let me know how YOU deal with this. You can also hold onto gifts and donate them to a raffle – schools, Scouts / Brownies and community groups are often after raffle prizes. Lyn came up with the following suggestion: “A Facebook outlet for unwanted presents are the auction pages for special interest groups raising money to help where there is a particular need. These groups are usually closed groups so you would need to join to view but funds are raised by members posting an item for auction with a closing date and time and highest bid wins. Poster pays for postage and funds go in via Paypal to the group. All done on trust.”
How to recycle individual chocolate wrappers
Amy was sorting through clothes and toys to donate to her nephews and nieces and the charity shop. She also came across loads of individual chocolate wrappers; like you get with Roses and Heroes, as she’d been gifted lots of chocolates this year and was wondering what to do with them. I know that Quality Street wrappers are compostable – does anyone know about other brands?
Charity shops and dog homes
Vicky has been putting her unwanted stuff to good use by sending bedding to a dogs home:
@myzerowaste #dumpthejunk underway: old bedding to dogs home, DVDs to @musicMagpie, bric a brac to @ageuk charity shop
I’d love to know how you are getting on!
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Amy asked how to recycle old sweet wrappers: some things simply don’t recycle! However, if these are clean., I include them in my bag for kindergarten or child care centres, for “children’s art”. These are always welcome there.
Ah, great idea – thanks Ann!