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Organizing & Recycling in Your Kitchen
In this guest blog, Jamie and Fillip Hord, founders of Horderly professional organizers, provide tips on minimizing waste, setting up a recycling system, and how to recycle correctly in the kitchenByline: BTB Editor
May 11, 2020 / Time to read: 5 minGuest blog and all photos by Jamie and Fillip Hord, founders of Horderly
“People cannot change their habits without first changing their way of thinking” – Marie Kondo
Swap Disposable for Reusable
Swapping disposable items for products you can clean or reuse is the easiest way to implement healthy, eco-friendly habits into your home – your wallet will thank you, too! Consider swapping the following items to make your kitchen a functionally conscious space:
- Swap paper towels for reusable rags or multi-use paper towels
- Swap sandwich baggies for washable Stashers or glass containers
How to Buy Less
Before making a purchase, ask yourself: Was it ethically made? How many of this item do I already own? Is this durable? What can I get rid of to make room for this item?
At Horderly, we love to encourage clients to shop their homes, but if they do get something new, something old needs to be donated or repurposed!
Shop Smart
The first step in shopping smart is to make a grocery list at home. Make sure you’re only putting the items you need on that list. Once your list is set, it’s time to go to the store!
Pro Tip: Think of your local grocery store as if it were a farmer’s market! Instead of using the plastics that the store offers you, bring your own containers to shop.
At the store, buy in bulk and decant into reusable containers when you’re back from the store. Make sure the bulk items are packaged in easy-to-recycle packaging.
Minimizing Waste
About one-third of all food produced globally goes to waste. How many times have you bought too much fruit or vegetables that you didn’t eat quickly enough, and then it went bad? How many times did you buy a huge carton of milk that went sour or bread you let get moldy? Prevent clutter and save your food with these tips:
- Use smaller plates to prevent overserving your friends and family
- Don't toss overripe produce, compost it or freeze it for baking
- When dining out, try to order only what you can eat
- Reinvent your leftovers
For those of you following Jamie and Fillip’s
In our home, we’ve installed a
Go Paperless
Consider typing your grocery list into your notes or reminders section in your phone! It’s super easy to check items off that list and you won’t need to go hunting for a piece of paper in your purse or pockets.
Set Up A Recycling System
Once your kitchen is stocked with only the food and products you need, make sure you have a functional recycling system in place. The key here is to set up something that’s not only functional and eco-friendly but to set up a system that you will actually use!
Setting up a recycling system is different for each home because of layout and lifestyle. If you set up something that seems right but doesn’t make sense during your day-to-day, you may as well have not set up anything in the first place.
Remember that placement is key! Do you take the recycling out through the garage or the front door? Do you typically collect recyclables in the kitchen, mudroom, garage or another area? Do you live in an apartment with a recycling area on your floor, or do you need to take your items downstairs or outside?
When setting up your recycling system, place your recycling bin or bag in an area that’s easily accessible and in a location where you will utilize it daily – whether that be in the kitchen or near your front or garage door.
Recycling Correctly
Now that you have a recycling system in place, it’s extremely important to make sure you’re recycling correctly. Here are a few steps to stay on track:
Keep it simple! Focus on recycling cardboard and paper, aluminum/metal cans, and plastic jugs and bottles.
Make sure all materials are empty, clean and dry before it goes in the recycling bin. Don't ruin perfectly good recyclables by mixing in items that are wet or soiled with food.
Don’t bag or bundle your recyclables unless that’s required by your city.
When in doubt, throw it out! For more tips and information, check out
Horderly professional organizers are trained to help create functional, maintainable systems in your home – any recycling is no exception!
Changing your lifestyle to consider healthy recycling techniques can be an adjustment. However, with the help of
Do you have more questions about recycling? Let us know in the comments!
For more information on all things
About the Authors
Jamie and Fillip Hord started Horderly in 2015. Jamie grew up type A, organized to the T and Fillip caught the entrepreneurial bug in grade school. Together, this dynamic duo, and their team, have taken on every organizing challenge presented. From the most cluttered city in America – NYC – to some of the largest homes in Beverly Hills and just about everywhere in between.
