Respect The Power of "Re" Words

In this post, I am not talking about the power of Rest and Relaxation – although I do encourage both in my Be Bored - It’s Healthy! blog post. Instead I am referring to harnessing  the power of rethinking our actions, reusing our possessions and quite frankly reducing the crap in our homes, cars, offices, yards and our planet overall. 

You may think that those who consider themselves economically and politically liberal are the only ones who find strong value in reducing waste on earth, but that isn’t all true. Recycling, among other popular “Re” terms, is a nationwide passion for many, no matter what your motive or politic party is and that it should be!

The following “Re” terms are fundamental to creating a simpler, healthier lifestyle for ourselves and our fellow inhabitants.

Recycle - The most commonly used term of all. Chances are you toss your Poland Spring bottles in a labeled bin each week, which is great, but have you considered all the things in your life worth recycling?  This includes plastic containers, cardboard, bags, paper or mail (w/o confidential info). Items like electronics and batteries should be disposed of properly and legally) and not in your regular trash. This HowStuffWorks article provides good insight on the topic. I also found a few local companies that take old computers: TheUsedComputers.com (free) and Clean Out Your Office.


Check out your local .gov website for recycling programs and find out if you need to sort your items for pickup. You can often bring your glass, can and plastic bottles to the local grocer if there is no town service. Also, this cool article reveals 8 things you may not know you can recycle. The wine corks caught my eye and I am sure you all have CDs laying around!

Reduce -  I've moved every year for 8 years now, so I get the lovely task of going through my possessions yearly. This is the first year I haven't moved, yet I still have the urge to purge. The best way to get rid of your old possessions is to give them away to someone who can find a use, before throwing it out, thus reducing the need to purchase.

This year we compiled kitchen items for Matt's brother and gf's first apartment, then we gave an old printer away to my nephew. Two of the best resources I've found are Freecycle or the FREE section of craigslist. Freecycle allows community members to list free items to be picked up locally and they monitor their users so nobody abuses it. My sister has provided and received A LOT of nice items using this website, which has helped them build their household! Second hand stores and yard sales are also a great place for used furniture or other items. Heck, the other day on my run around the lake I saw a pretty nice coat hanger sitting in someone's trash (treasure?).

Usually possessions fall into four main categories: Treasure, Tool, Toy or Trash. I admit I hold onto all my grade school notes and greeting cards, for nostalgic reasons, but I keep it to one bag I swear!  Some things take me a year or two to part with and that's okay.

Once a year, try to sift through some, if not all, of your stuff. Chances are you have useless items that you've kept around for years out of sentiment, nostalgia or simply laziness.


Reuse - Often found working alongside the term recycle, reusing items in your life is really a form of recycling. Some people go as far as reusing sandwich baggies- wow! Still, there are great ways to find new uses for things in your home. I know a couple who actually separates their left over veggies and disposable food to use as compost in their yard.

More simply, try reusing old t-shirts as rags or water bottles and take out containers for storage. This article from Perdue gives all kinds of uses for household items as does this great website - All Things Frugal.

Rethink - Shopping in retail is the worst culprit when trying to be resourceful. Unfortunately, the new items are shinier and more exciting than the used ones. However, reconsider what you are really paying for. Most used items will serve the exact same purpose and truly won't make you happier. This can be difficult to admit when faced with the bright, promising colors of a brand new (fill in the blank)!

If you need to have *new*, shop around for the big ticket items to make sure it's a deal. Last winter we decided to get an electric fireplace, but everything was $300 or more. I stopped in at a Bargain Outlet one day and they had one for $275, but I was able to get 10% off for joining their club and additional 10% off for purchasing the floor model - $225! There were a few scuff marks, but Matt touched it up with shoe polish. It looks great and was well worth it.

When shopping for small items, think twice about how useful that item will be versus saving your $ for a rainy day. Sometimes I roam the store long enough until I get over the excitement factor and realize it's just a piece of fabric. That $30 can now go towards a fun experience, like a vacation! (what's that?) If you're interested in more financial advice check out Expenses 101: The Missing College Course.

Resourcefulness - I pride myself on my ability to make use of everything at my disposal. For instance, we try to use up all the food in the fridge each week even if we don’t feel like eating chicken AGAIN. I also rarely order new packing supplies at work, instead I reuse boxes that came to me first. Although it doesn't directly affect me financially, I still don't see the worth in ordering new supplies when old ones work fine.

Try to think of ways you can avoid tossing items at home or work, by reusing or recycling. But don't keep it around for no reason, that just adds clutter! Put it to good use or at least part of it. Keep in mind, being resourceful and minimalistic is the goal.

Remember: Our planet is beautiful, try to do your part to avoid over purchasing and over using, therefore lessening the trash headed for the landfills. If anything, it's just ugly, smelly and unhealthy for everyone, forget the politics and get educated on ways to help! You will find yourself not only feeling great about the cause, but you will be more organized and carry less weight on your shoulders (and in your house). 

Extra resources: 
Eco-Friendly Ways to Keep  Tidy House
Going Green  
The Green Guide
Real Simple
Do It Yourself

What about you? Share your ideas for recycling, reusing or being resourceful that may help others (and the planet!). 

Oh and by the way, turn off the lights and TVs when you leave the room. I am bad at that... ask Matt.