Not so much progress...

[holyschist]

I did a bunch of socializing this weekend instead of cleaning.

In:

4 books

Out:

1 box stuff to thrift store
1 big piece of what-was-I-thinking fabric to thrift store
1 lap desk to thrift store
A bunch of empty medication bottles and old shampoo and whatnot (cleaned out under bathroom sink! Lots of space there now)

Net:

-3 + 0 = -3 (but better by volume)

Did not get packages ready to mail--this week!--or finish going through papers yet (lots of papers). Off to get new tackle box today, but also some other stuff for upcoming move (which has thankfully been pushed out a little. :-(

I started a box for stuff that needs special disposal--old/broken electronics, unused medications, dead batteries. I need to find out about 1) electronics recycling in my area, 2) whether there are any local shelters or similar that would like cell phones, 3) battery recycling, and 4) proper disposal of medications. I may or may not actually get all this worked out before I leave, but at least it will be in a single box to be dealt with as soon as I get back. Also need to look into food pantries for when I clean out the kitchen cabinets.

Thing I'm struggling with: supplements and vitamins. I have a lot of these from over the years, and I'm not so great at taking anything regularly, so they mostly sit there. I hate to throw them out, but I'm obviously not using them right now. What should I do with them? I'm sort of inclined to keep the vitamins and a couple of the ones for joints for when I'm having a flare-up and toss the rest.

How do you guys decide what to keep and what to toss in the realm of bath & medical stuff?

Comments

[kept_wench]

The Petsmart stores here used to have pre paid mailer baggies for old cell phones. Totally free to you. The phones went to a 3rd party company to be recycled and the money for them went to animal charities (details were on the little kiosk, as I recall.) I don't know if they are still doing it; the kiosk disappeared when all the holiday junk got dragged out last fall. :p I need to ask next time I go; I've got 2 old cell phones that I need to get rid of myself.

Our local county trash disposal organization has a hazardous waste collection point, no charge to the consumer. Businesses do pay a small fee if they are dropping off a large amount of items. Everything like batteries, old cans of paint, bug sprays, old TVs, computers, dead cell phones, etc is supposed to go there and not into the landfill. They recycle all the electronics they get. The county also keeps a free store for anything good that is re-usable, but you have to tell them it's for the free store when you take it in. I dropped off 4 cans of house paint once (all fairly new and unopened, landlord's unwanted leftovers) and picked up a small half box of plant fertilizer from the free store while I was there. I happened to need some and they had a half box sitting there.. absolutely nothing wrong with it and not out of date... usually there isn't anything in the free store I can use; it tends to be mostly home DIY stuff.