Sustainable Spring Cleaning

As the seasons change and we welcome back the warmer weather, this time of year brings with it a renewed sense of energy and a desire for a fresh start. Spring cleaning is an annual ritual that allows us to declutter our homes and gives us a chance to create tidy, healthy living spaces. As we begin this essential practice, it’s important to be mindful of the environment, minimize waste, and promote a healthier planet. Let’s transform our cleaning routines into an opportunity to support a more sustainable, eco-friendly lifestyle.

Pantry Purge

The pantry is one of the most challenging areas in the home to keep organized and tidy. You’ll want to begin by removing all your pantry items and assess your food inventory; throw out or donate any items that you won’t be using. If you have expired food, consider recycling its packaging before throwing it away. You’ll want to clean the pantry and then group like items as you place them back. An organized pantry can help you save money by using items before they expire and save you time, as you’ll be able to find ingredients quicker when preparing meals.

Upcycle and Recycle

When decluttering your home, you want to remember to recycle, donate, or sell unwanted items. When you’re going through your closets, drawers, and storage spaces, don’t just throw away unwanted items in the trash. Instead, create separate piles for different types of items: donate, sell, recycle, or trash. Donating or selling your unused items will prevent otherwise useful objects from going to the landfill.

Choose Clean, Green Cleaning Products

Practicing eco-friendly cleaning methods and using natural cleaning products can contribute to a healthier home environment and improve your indoor air quality. As some store-bought home cleaning products contain chemicals that are potentially toxic and pose health risks, consider selecting a natural alternative or making your own cleaning products using greener alternatives such as vinegar, lemon, and baking soda. These ingredients can be just as effective, healthier, and cost less money.

Ditch the Disposables

When cleaning, try to reduce, reuse, and recycle whenever possible. Consider using microfiber cloths in place of paper towels. You can even make cloth rags out of old clothes to use instead. It’s a great way to save money, reduce waste, and extend the life of fabrics. Take inventory of what you’re using and research the best ways to phase out wasteful products. Invest in reusable mop pads and other cleaning tools that can be used repeatedly.

Clean the Air Naturally

Boost your indoor air quality by adding some houseplants and greenery to your home. Houseplants bring more oxygen into your home and help to filter the air, reduce toxins, and create a healthier living environment. For lower-maintenance indoor greenery, philodendron, spider, and snake plants are good options. Also, be sure to open the windows and let in the fresh air! Replace conventional air fresheners with natural air fresheners to reduce synthetic fragrances that can be potentially harmful to your health.

Encourage Energy Efficiency

Improve your home’s energy efficiency by making small tweaks to problematic issues. From fixing a leaky faucet to sealing a window, now is the time to complete those small jobs that have a big impact on your energy use. Make a checklist and tackle them as part of the spring-cleaning routine. This might also include insulating unheated areas, weatherstripping around doors and windows, and replacing inefficient appliances.

Commit to Composting

Compost food scraps or leftovers to reduce waste in the kitchen and turn it into nutrient-rich soil for your garden. When food scraps are thrown away in the garbage, they fill up your trash bags, making it necessary to purchase them more often. You do not have to have a big yard to begin composting. Consider using small composting containers to help you get started. Composting is a great way to produce free fertilizer for your plants and to reduce your environmental footprint.

Go Paperless

Say no to junk mail! If you’re sorting through dreaded piles of letters to recycle, take a moment to note which mail isn’t benefiting you so you can unsubscribe and stop receiving it. Consider going paperless for bills, bank statements, or pay stubs. Also, select the option for digital receipts any time this is offered, as receipt paper is often coated with toxic chemicals like bisphenol A (BPA) and bisphenol S (BPS). Going paperless is beneficial as it helps to prevent clutter from building back up.

It’s easy to create a more sustainable home by making these simple changes to your spring-cleaning routine. As we incorporate these greener practices, we are building better habits for the years to come as well as refreshing our homes, minds, and overall wellness.

Lastly, consider a renewable energy plan for your home (in states that are deregulated) from a retail energy supply provider like AEP Energy. Renewable energy doesn’t produce greenhouse gas emissions from fossil fuels, and it can help reduce air pollution. To learn more, click here.

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