Happy New Year!

Well - It's Official! My living green journey is beginning. It started with a bit of a bump, though, as we were exposed to a nasty virus yesterday during our New Year's celebration. We left our son with his grandparents for another day, just in case we get sick. While sharing is good, this isn't something we'd want to share, lol.

So my day was spent taking down the tree. We use an artificial tree (allergies - no real trees allowed here) and it's all that remains up in our home. I purged the decorations that were left in the boxes this year. I have a large box full of things for a garage sale this summer. I've decided not to throw away anything, rather I'll see if anyone wants it first. And a garage sale seems like a nice way to recycle things. I can use the money to do something fun, later.

I guess I started the year green by not throwing away any of those things. I also have a bunch of old pinecones that I purged and they will go into the in-laws composter. I saved all the gift bags, tissue paper, gift boxes to be reused. I always do this. I've accumulated quite a big collection, so I think I'll clear that out and put away some to share. I've also put away the Christmas cards to save. I also put away all the ones I can reuse when I make cards or gift tags. We got gift tags in the mail from junk mail, so I kept those to use next year rather than throwing them away.

This is my start - reusing things where I can. And as we go through our home, spring cleaning (a little early) I will be putting things aside for the garage sale (I think these are the perfect re-use events and afterward I donate everything that is in good condition) and for the consignment shop (where I like to shop, too). I already check out thrift stores and we are inundated with Kid Swaps for me to find things for our son. After this month I am sufficiently disgusted with the major toy makers to not buy their stuff new. I have never seen so much packaging - it's sick. I threw away a big bag of plastic, wire and tape and have a huge box of cardboard to recycle from it. This is one way to stand up for what I think with my money. I much prefer the way toys used to be packaged - in a box that you could reuse. This new packaging of a half open box with plastic overlays, wire holding everything in, shrink wrap and more is so very wasteful.

Day one is over - and I'm happy with my beginning. I'm doing my best not to throw away things - and I've fixed a bunch of things so they can be used properly, too. A very successful day, I think.