Blog
by Angela on April 24, 2012
{Photo from Scrapbooks Etc.}
Some people think that getting organized is difficult and expensive. This may be true if you are buying everything brand new, but what if you could repurpose some things you already have? This is the fourth and final post of our Eco-friendly Organizing Series click here to see Part, 1, 2, or 3. In this post we will look at ways to organize your crafts.
Organizing ribbon is a breeze by covering an old oatmeal canister with decorative paper and cutting an opening in the side. This keeps ribbon from coming off the spool while still being able to see exactly how much ribbon you still have left.
{Photo from Craftbits.}
While the oatmeal canister in the first picture would work great for ribbon on a spool, this repurposed egg carton would be fantastic for loose ribbon that tends to end up in a tangled mess. Poke holes in the top of empty egg cartons to store ribbon. Thanks Craftbits for this fantastic idea!
{Photo from Craft Habit.}
In the photo above you can see how Meagan from Craft Habit turned a plain Jane Pringles can into a fabulous storage container for her paint bushes.
{Photo from The Hazel Bloom.}
You will quickly discover there are lots of options for Pringles cans like storing knitting needles. Perfect!
{Photo from Scrapbooks Etc.}
I love this idea for sewing notions or tiny craft supplies. Stick magnetic spice jars to a pizza pan to hold small craft items. Simply attache the pizza pan to the wall. You can even give it a quick coat of spray paint to give it a little splash of color.
{Photo from Better Homes And Gardens.}
Decorate small paint cans or soup cans with wallpaper scraps and use as desk organizers. Hmm…I think I might try this with my upcoming desk makeover!
{Image from Crafty Nest.}
Monica from Crafty Nest used Freecycle to collect enough baby food jars in the same size to fit this spice rack. She primed and painted the lids to match and then stored a variety of beads, buttons, etc.
{Image from Bored and Crafty}
If you still have some of those old film canisters laying around you can use them to organize and store your bobbins. That way you can see the color of the tread easily.
{Image from Real Simple.}
Keep your yarn form ending up in a tangled mess by storing it in a baby wipe containers. Stack up several containers high if needed and tape a small piece of yard to the outside of the box so you can easily identify the color.
So there you have it! Tons of ideas for getting your crafts organized in eco-friendly way. I think this may have inspired me to take thee eco-organizing challenge! Are you inspired? Which idea was your favorite? Post a comment below to let me know.
by Angela on December 29, 2011
One of the most common questions I get is where do I recycle phone books? That’s a great question because many local paper and cardboard recycling centers do not accept phone books. But during the month of December when the new phone books come out that is typically the only time, at least here in Central Texas, when you can recycle your old phone books. Many local grocery stores have large “garbage bin” style dumpsters set up at the end of a parking lot where you can drop off your old phone books. But, time is very limited on these, they typically only stay out for a few weeks and then they are gone till next year. So dig up those old phone books and take them while you can.
Pictured above is a bin I found at a local H-E-B grocery store.
If you have phone books and the recycling bins have been packed up and moved away, Keep America Beautiful recommends that you call 1-877-88RECYCLE (1-877-887-3292).
Good luck!
by Angela on June 30, 2010
It’s good to be green, but sometimes being green can pose a few challenges. One question I have received many times is “what do I do with my old Compact Florescent light bulbs?” Don’t let your old CF light bulbs clutter up your space simply take them to Home Depot where they have these mini-recycling centers set up (as pictured left). I was in Home Depot with my family last weekend looking for a new tree for our backyard when I snapped this picture with my cell phone. Sorry it’s not the best quality. You can also take your old batteries from power tool, like drills, screwdrivers, etc. to Home Depot for recycling.
So gather up those recyclables and take them to the Home Depot. Just in time to clean out the garage for the summer!
Go green!
Copyright (C) 2010 Angela Ploetz, POSH Space www.theposhspace.com.
by Angela on May 7, 2010
Batteries are one of the most common things I see in people’s homes as we are getting their spaces organized. In many cases we will fill up a small zip top baggie full of old batteries. So here is where the debate begins. Are you supposed to recycle old batteries or can you simply toss them in the trash? I have always just tossed old batteries in the trash but about two years ago another Professional Organizer told me you were supposed to recycle them. I felt so guilty for all those years I had been polluting our environment! But I keep hearing different things from different people, so it’s time to get to the bottom of this!
According to Duracell Battery “It is important not to dispose of large amounts of alkaline batteries in a group. Used batteries are often not completely “dead.” Grouping used batteries together can bring these “live” batteries into contact with one another, creating safety risks. “
So if you are just tossing out one or two batteries it’s technically safe to throw them in the trash, but if you are tossing out large quantities you should recycle them.
Many battery stores like Batteries Plus offer battery recycling for many different types of batteries including cell phones, laptops, cordless tools, and more. There is also a company called Battery Solutions that sells boxes that you can fill with all different types of batteries. Once the box is full you ship it to the company at no additional cost to you. This is perfect for a corporate environment or a place that is using a high volume of batteries per year.
Be sure to designate a specific container for collecting the batteries that way they do not end up scattered around the house or even worse mixed with the good batteries. Keep the container in your laundry room, utility room, or garage.
Do you recycle your batteries or toss them out?
Happy recycling!
Angela
Copyright (C) 2010 Angela Ploetz, POSH Space www.theposhspace.com.
by Angela on April 27, 2010
Yogi’s rejoice! If your old mat has become less than Zen you can feel at peace with letting it go. Send your old mat to Recycle Your Mat which recycles worn out mats, donates mats still in good condition, and upcycles mats. Upcycling means giving the old mat a new life, typically turning something old into something new and completely different. For example, I have seen old yoga mats turned into water resistant zipper pouches at my local Container Store click here to see them .
Just another way you can reduce your clutter and be environmentally friendly!
Angela
Copyright (C) 2010 Angela Ploetz, POSH Space www.theposhspace.com.
by Angela on April 22, 2010
Remember how important prom was? Just think if you didn’t have a dress to wear. Now you can donate your old prom dress or bridesmaids dresses to Donate My Dress. Donated dresses are given to teenage girls who cannot afford one and are looking for a picture perfect prom.
Visit Donate My Dress to find dress drop off center near you!
Help clear some clutter and help to make a girls dream day extra special.
Happy Earth Day!
Angela
Copyright (C) 2010 Angela Ploetz, POSH Space www.theposhspace.com.
Next Page »
