Don’t be surprised when people go through your trash. First, Recycle, don’t be a blockhead about it, you know it’s helpful to your community and most importantly, the environment. There is no denying it. Help save the planet. Moving forward.
Trash, Garbage, Rubbish is one of those things that we all have in common. Some is more offensive than others. Every home has to deal with it in their own way. Some apartment buildings will sort trash and recycling for you. Consider yourself lucky. Others may have to drive to a local dumpster down the hill, up the block, or the next town over just to never see their smell-tastic trash again. I commend everyone who have that in their daily routine. Your level of adulting is admirable.
Something else, People will go through cans and bags for bottle collection, new figurines or even their next meal. I’ve heard stories from college RA’s who furnished bedrooms and living spaces with stuff left behind and thrown away in-between semesters. Always try and give your furniture a second life; but when in doubt, throw it out. I’ve seen reputable looking ladies in NYC with shopping carts loaded with clear recycling bags overstuffed with plastic bottles of all sizes to bring to bottle collection machines for extra cash. Make that money. I’ve also seen cars pull in-front of homes on garbage day and take discarded furniture and décor items like they are shopping at a local Home Goods. One person’s trash is another’s treasure. If you’re going to purge your stuff, just be smart, invest in a shredder and don’t pass on gross, broken stuff. Sometimes people are going through your trash for less than honorable reasons and identity theft is a thing. Work smarter, not harder. That’s a note of advice that can take you far in your entire life.
I’m all about cleaning house and a good purge but I have to tell you. The most satisfying feeling is to have that trash just taken away forever by the local sanitation workers. Whether you get curbside pickup, apartment shoots or have to drive somewhere to get rid of with those kitchen bags filled with last night’s dinner, or baby’s diapers… be sure to be kind to your sanitation people. They are truly essential. Double bag when you have to. Contractor bags are glorious. Be mindful, it’s literally someone’s job to deal with what you’ve deemed trash and definitely smells. So, what did we learn?
- Recycle!! Sort your plastics, paper, and metal – just do it.
- Let it go. Clean up, clean out; let someone else have it.
- Show appreciation for our essential sanitation workers.