Less Stuff, More Room (Part 3)

Part 3 of a series designed to help you find opportunities to free yourself from the stuff that clutters your home and your head.

Say NO to the landfill, and YES to reusing and recycling.

None of us wants to add to the landfill in Arlington, Oregon (that’s where Seattle’s trash goes). For anything with any kind of life left in it, we want to find a recipient, but this can be really hard for things that don’t go in our curbside recycling bin. Or maybe Goodwill isn’t where you want your “stuff” to go. So, here is a helpful idea for dealing with your stuff. And stay tuned … with each upcoming newsletter we’ll share more ways for you to get rid of your stuff.

RIDWELL (subscription service)
What can you do with all that stuff that is now suddenly in view, underfoot, taking space in your living area and unused?

You’ve seen those Ridwell boxes on porches, so what exactly are they and what do they take? Inside those boxes are four linen bags for their bi-weekly pickups.  The bags are for threads, plastic film, batteries, and light bulbs.

Recently they added a features bag for collecting their rotating list of particular items which in the recent past have included electronics, eyeglasses, school backpacks, kitchen ware, kid’s toys, Halloween candy…

Ridwell began with a young son, Owen who with his Dad went to research where batteries go, leading to a long list of other items that usually end up at a transfer station.  So now, they send bras to Africa; ReWa has received kitchenware; pet supplies, Styrofoam, car seats, and latex paint have all found new homes.

It’s great to keep all those things out of the trash, and know they will be passed on … that’s what a sustainable Ballard looks like. There is a subscription fee depending on your zip code. Their prices and all further info are at www.ridwell.com.