Dispose of Paint

By Allison Carter, CPO®

Every house is loaded with this stuff and so far, there doesn’t seem to be an easy way to help clients get rid of it (in most areas.)

After much research, I have found a very very limited number of places that will accept paint and haul it away and even fewer that recycle.

(opportunity for some business is awaiting!!!)

So how do you dispose of old house paint properly?

You have a few options:

Use it up

Mix it up with other leftovers to create a brown and paint a storage room or area that doesn’t need a decorated look. Use it as an undercoat on your next paint job. Keep painting on coats until it is all used up. Buy just enough for the room.

Dry it up

• For cans more than 1/4 full: Dry with Waste Paint Hardener or cat litter, mulch, or shredded paper.
• For cans less than 1/4 full: Take off the lid and leave it out to dry.

After latex paint is dry you can safely send it off with regular trash pick-up.

Pass it on

donate to schools, theater groups or anyone else who wants paint.

Try offering it on Freecycle.org and Craig’sList.org (sign up for local area)

California and Oregon have some amazing Paint Recycling stores:

* Amazon Environmental – California http://www.nvo.com/amazon/door/

* Metro Paint – Oregon http://www.oregonmetro.gov/index.cfm/go/by.web/id=521

* Los Angeles -  In the Los Angeles area there are household hazard waste disposal centers that accept paint, solvents, oil, etc. during business hours and on some weekend days. There are several located around the city and the way to contact them is to call the City of LA Household Hazardous Waste Hotline at 800.988.6942.  For other city services such as “bulky item pick-up” the city will come haul away large bulky items such as old sofas, furniture, appliances, etc. for free. That number is 800.733.2489. Also, dialing 311 within Los Angeles will connect you to the same hotline.
If you know of other paint recycling / disposal resources please let us know!!

Would you like to use this in your newsletter, blog, or website? You can, as long as you use this complete blurb:  Allison Carter, CPO® is the lead trainer at Organizer U, providing learning opportunities for Professional Organizers everywhere.  If you’re ready to start your business, learn about the organizing industry, or refresh your current PO business, you can get your complimentary “10 Steps to Starting a Successful Organizing Business” at http://www.OrganizerU.com .

5 Ways to Cut Down on Disposable Clutter

One of the steps in being a green organizer is to replace the things you use as disposables with things that are durable.

Some quick ideas:

1. Plastic grocery bags: Purchase your own shopping bags now available everywere. Bring them into the store with you and we can stop killing all the little plastic trees.

You can purchase simple bags for $1 at most grocery stores. Or you can find some beauties that are specialized for veggies, frozen foods, and regular groceries.  The multitasking gro bag from BlueAvocado replaces 3 plastic bags.

2. Plasticware: If you bring your lunch to work or school, pick up an inexpensive set of silverware at a thrift store or use some from your own home instead of adding to the trash mountains.

3. Lunch bags: Speaking of lunch, instead of brown bagging it, try using a bag that you bring home and refill. Less for you to buy. Less for you to store. Less in the landfill.  I had a Donny Osmond lunch box in 2nd grade. I wish I still had that one!

4. Water bottles: Drinking water is great. But the 24-bottle-cases are going straight to the trash heap. Find a really great bottle, refill and wash.  Aluminum is the new green material and there are some great looking bottles. Buy one for every member of the family. Color code them so they don’t get mixed up of course. See the pretty pink one here available at Amazon.com

5. Computer CD’s: Instead of burning and tossing, put your data onto a jump drive or memory stick. CD’s are hard to organize. It is much easier to get gobs of info onto one drive.

I realize this doesn’t sound much like organizing. But any time you can cut the amount you bring into your space, you’ve got less to organize!

Organizing Green Resources

Earth day is here us and so I bring to you some resources to help you organize for better recycling.

Places to recycle (please add your own in the comments!)

Cell Phones – Office supply stores, best buy, church, school
Electronics – Best buy, apple
CF bulbs – Home depot – there is a drop box in every store
Eyeglasses – Lyons club
Work Clothing – http://Dressforsuccess.org

Electronics Recycling:

http://Earth911.org – type in what you want to recycle and your location.
http://flipswap.com – Phone recycling, and cash to you or charity
Atlanta Reboot Computer Recycling 770-846-2094 garyblanks@bellsouth.net
Other Computer recycling:
http://www.techcorpsga.org

Pre-Cycle by stopping junk from coming into your life

• Buy one large package instead of little ones
• Amazon.com Hassle Free packaging
• Opt out of Junk Mail

Stop Junk Mail:
www.proquo.com
www.catalogchoice.org
www.dmachoice.org

http://stopjunkmail.org/
http://www.optoutprescreen.com
Get bills online, pay online – Your bank, credit union, or www.Checkfree.com

Green Products for Organizing:
www.realgoods.com/
www.organize.com/collection-eco-friendly-products.html
www.greenhome.com/products/
www.ikea.com/us/en
www.crateandbarrel.com/eco-friendly-products/
www.ecohousewares.com/
www.ecogeekliving.com/housewares.html
www.myecostore.co.uk/EcoHouseholdProducts/

Recycle Holiday Gift Cards

It’s been a good year for my husband, who is a High School English Teacher. Every year at this time we get a flood of gift cards (happily accepted).

Up to now, after they were used up, I would struggle to toss some out because some are really cool looking. Honestly. Some stores actually put thought into the design (Target, Starbucks, iTunes).

The other looming question: Will the cards be collectible someday?

I now have a great Right-Brainy way to re-cycle them thanks to a random comment to a comment on a blog. No joke.
(Debbie Jordan Kravitz of Virtually Organized asked her followers on Twitter what we couldn’t live without.
I said nose strips. I stand by it.
Paul Merrill, a rubbish artist in Colorado, commented that he has a post similar.)
and here comes the winning comment:

An idea for recycling: Ian cuts these up into guitar picks!
Yay! A great used for cool, hip plastic.

Another idea: Ice scraper for car windows

What else can you do you do with your used gift cards? (besides tossing them)

Re-Gifting Rules for the Season

As a professional organizer, and rampant de-clutterer, I asked my followers on Twitter and facebook friends about re-gifting to see if people are all in agreement these days.
Our opinions are about the same – re-gifting is a great way to get things to the right person and declutter at the same time.

My Re-gifting Rules:
1. It’s ok to re-gift if the recipient would really like it.
2. It’s not ok to re-gift anything used
3. Mark your gifts you might re-gift with the name of the person who gave them to you so you don’t mistakenly give them back or to friends or at same event.
4. Make fun of re-gifting by having a re-gifting party where you can only bring something you got and isn’t right for you for whatever reason.
5. Never re-gift fruit cake
6. Never re-gift a partially used gift-card.
7. Repackage whenever possible (new wrapping) or you might leave an old card in by accident.

—
Twitter replies about re-gifting
Love to regift BUT some have to go to a worthy cause especially from my dear sister in law

I so agree with ur views on regifting something that hasn’t been used &was not right for U but is “just right” for ur friend

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Facebook replies:
So, regifting researcher . . . If someone gets, say a 2.5 lb can of gormet peanuts from a printer, but that someone doesn’t eat nuts . . . is it in good taste to regift it to her client who is The Professional Organizer?

Depends on the gift – if it is something that you will never use and you give it to someone who can use the item, then I think it is a great idea.

Regifting.. there is nothing wrong with it as long as the person will like, enjoy or appreciate.
Agreed. In the spirit of recycling (and giving) – anything given to the right person for the right reason is OK. I think we should remove the stigma of used items completely, it was artificially drilled into us by retailers. I have a ton of Lincoln Logs and other such things that my kids have grown out of and can easily pass on to several … Read Moregenerations.
I say – consider it the “green” thing to do. Maybe we can start a “Green Christmas Revolution.” By the way – you’re all getting socks with holes in them.

Depends on the motivation. If it’s truly a matter of having a great gift around that you just aren’t going to use but is perfect for somebody else, it can work. But if you’re secretly trying to justify not spending money on somebody you don’t like much by re-gifting, that’s bad karma!

Hmmm, I haven’t re-gifted, but I have donated several things I would never want or use to a charitiable thrift store nearby. (People, please don’t give crap just to say you did something…know your friends and give them something appropriate.) But, if I did get something great but thought another friend could make better use of it, I think I would happily pass it on. (No passing on the dreaded fruitcake, and the like, though.)