How to store recycling at home

Storing recycling at home can be challenging, but when correctly set up and managed, it can help greatly at keeping your home organised and making it easier for your recyclables to end up where they truly belong – at your nearest recycling centre.

Regional director and CEO of RE/MAX of Southern Africa Adrian Goslett said that we should all do our bit to help reduce the amount of waste that ends up in local landfills.

“Setting up a recycling management system in your household will ultimately contribute towards greater environmental sustainability,” he commented.

To help homeowners practise this sustainable habit, RE/MAX of Southern Africa shared the following tips on how to effectively manage and store recycling at home.

• Designate a recycling area
Choose a specific area in your home to serve as your recycling centre. For convenience, it should be easily accessible and ideally near your trash disposal area. To prevent unsightly pileups or lingering odours, consider areas like the garage or a covered outdoor area at the side or the back of the home. Having your recycling set up near a sink could be useful because it is important to rinse out containers to remove any food residue and to remove all screw caps, otherwise, these items might be rejected at recycling facilities.

• Print out a recycling schedule
It can be easy to forget about recycling, especially if it is stored out of sight and out of mind. If you live in an area where your recycling is collected, print out a calendar and mark off the recycling collection days, or set up a reminder on your phone. If you have to drop off your recycling yourself, it can still be helpful to set up a reminder to drop it off once every second week or once a month, depending on how much recycling your household creates.

• Find out what is recyclable
Not all materials are accepted for recycling in every area, so it’s important to find out what can and cannot be recycled in your community. If you are unsure, get in touch with your local recycling centre to find out what their requirements are. Some facilities might require that you separate your recycling (e.g. paper and cardboard separated from plastics and also separated from glass items, etc.) while others might be willing to accept unsorted drop-offs.

If you are not sure where to start with setting up your at-home recycling station, reach out to your local real estate agent for some local insights and best practices.