Reading time: 2 – 3 minutes

You can recycle prescription and over-the-counter pills, tablets and capsules this Saturday, April 30, between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. at a site near you. Nationally, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) is coordinating with state and local law enforcement agencies to remove potentially dangerous, controlled substances from our nation’s medicine cabinets. They call it the National Take-Back Initiative.

You can learn more about the Initiative and search the DEA’s database of collection locations here.  These are results for a for a 50-mile radius around my zip code, 31405.

• Southcoast Medical Group, 1326 Eisenhower Drive, Savannah, 31405
• Kroger (Berwick), 5720 Ogeechee Road, Savannah, 31405
• Wal-Mart (Pooler), 160 Pooler Parkway, Pooler, 31322
• Wal-Mart (Sandfly), 1955 East Montgomery Crossroads, Savannah, 31406
• Armstrong Atlantic State University Police HQ, 11935 Abercorn Street, Savannah, 31419
• Wal-Mart (Whitemarsh), 3725 East Highway 80, Savannah, 31410
• Rincon Police Department, 107 West 17th Street, Rincon, 31326

There were also results for Pembroke, Hinesville, Claxton, and Beaufort. Put in your zip code to find the location nearest you.

Remember, do not flush pills down toilets. It is harmful to your local environment, water supply, rivers and streams. Also, be careful how you dispose of your prescription labels (tear them off and shred them if you can), so you can avoid identity/medicine theft. The bottles themselves are recyclable in my area.

So, take a moment to zip through your medicine stash. Dump out the expired or unused pills into a container, and drop them off at one of these collection sites on Saturday between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m.  You’ll be glad you did!

A prudent man sees danger and takes refuge, but the simple keep going and suffer for it. Proverbs 22:3 (New International Version)

Recycle Unused Drugs This Saturday is a post from: Grow Your Organizing Skills

Reading time: 5 – 8 minutes

Join us for Earth Day Savannah 2011 on April 23 in Forsyth Park! The drive-through Recyclerama is 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. They’re accepting medicines, paint, tires, oil, batteries, light bulbs, printer cartridges, and phones. The Festival, with over 80 exhibitors, is 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Schedule of Events
8 a.m. – 11 a.m. Recyclerama
9 a.m. – 3 p.m. Forsyth Farmers Market
11 a.m. – 3 pm. Earth Day Festival
4 p.m. 4th Annual Savannah Wheelie Earth Day Bike Ride

The 2011 theme is “Conserve, Recycle, Grow” to emphazise the importance of creative reuse and environmental conservation. Afternoon workshops include keeping beehives, raising chickens in city limits, and urban gardening. For more information, visit www.earthdaysavannah.org.

The annual Earth Day Festival is a central part of the City of Savannah’s year-round environmental activities. It is the largest Earth Day environmental-education and outreach event in Georgia.

For more information about the creation of the earth:

Genesis 1

 1 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. 2 Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.

 3 And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. 4 God saw that the light was good, and he separated the light from the darkness. 5 God called the light “day,” and the darkness he called “night.” And there was evening, and there was morning—the first day.

 6 And God said, “Let there be a vault between the waters to separate water from water.” 7 So God made the vault and separated the water under the vault from the water above it. And it was so. 8 God called the vault “sky.” And there was evening, and there was morning—the second day.

 9 And God said, “Let the water under the sky be gathered to one place, and let dry ground appear.” And it was so. 10 God called the dry ground “land,” and the gathered waters he called “seas.” And God saw that it was good.
    11 Then God said, “Let the land produce vegetation: seed-bearing plants and trees on the land that bear fruit with seed in it, according to their various kinds.” And it was so. 12 The land produced vegetation: plants bearing seed according to their kinds and trees bearing fruit with seed in it according to their kinds. And God saw that it was good. 13 And there was evening, and there was morning—the third day.

 14 And God said, “Let there be lights in the vault of the sky to separate the day from the night, and let them serve as signs to mark sacred times, and days and years, 15 and let them be lights in the vault of the sky to give light on the earth.” And it was so. 16 God made two great lights—the greater light to govern the day and the lesser light to govern the night. He also made the stars. 17 God set them in the vault of the sky to give light on the earth, 18 to govern the day and the night, and to separate light from darkness. And God saw that it was good. 19 And there was evening, and there was morning—the fourth day.

 20 And God said, “Let the water teem with living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth across the vault of the sky.” 21 So God created the great creatures of the sea and every living thing with which the water teems and that moves about in it, according to their kinds, and every winged bird according to its kind. And God saw that it was good. 22 God blessed them and said, “Be fruitful and increase in number and fill the water in the seas, and let the birds increase on the earth.” 23 And there was evening, and there was morning—the fifth day.

 24 And God said, “Let the land produce living creatures according to their kinds: the livestock, the creatures that move along the ground, and the wild animals, each according to its kind.” And it was so. 25 God made the wild animals according to their kinds, the livestock according to their kinds, and all the creatures that move along the ground according to their kinds. And God saw that it was good.
    26 Then God said, “Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals,[a] and over all the creatures that move along the ground.”

 27 So God created mankind in his own image,
   in the image of God he created them;
   male and female he created them.

 28 God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground.”
    29 Then God said, “I give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food. 30 And to all the beasts of the earth and all the birds in the sky and all the creatures that move along the ground—everything that has the breath of life in it—I give every green plant for food.” And it was so.
    31 God saw all that he had made, and it was very good. And there was evening, and there was morning—the sixth day.

Genesis 2

 1 Thus the heavens and the earth were completed in all their vast array.

 2 By the seventh day God had finished the work he had been doing; so on the seventh day he rested from all his work. 3 Then God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it he rested from all the work of creating that he had done.

 4 This is the account of the heavens and the earth when they were created, when the LORD God made the earth and the heavens. 

There’s more. Feel free to keep reading. Click here.

Earth Day Savannah 2011 is a post from: Grow Your Organizing Skills

Reading time: 3 – 4 minutes

Let’s talk about something called The Possession Cycle (Terry Prince, CPO-CD). Terry says that there are three stages in The Possession Cycle. First, things are Acquired. Second, things are Used. And, third, things are Disposed.  Acquire-Use-Dispose.

Hmmmm…. Acquire-Use-Dispose. So, THAT’S how it’s supposed to work! Genius! What happens when it doesn’t work that way? Well, clutter is what happens when things get stuck in a particular stage of The Possession Cycle.

Can you think of things you Acquired that you never Used or Used only once or twice? I’m thinking of some clothing, in particular, and cool new kitchen gadgets that turned out to be not so cool after all.

And then there’s the Dispose stage.  Hmph. Why does it take me so long to dispose of things that I no longer use? Someone else could have gotten years of use out of that hair diffuser attachment to my blow dryer (when perms were still in) had I not held onto it for so long.

Now, what if YOU didn’t actually do the Acquiring? Other people might Acquire things for you. Do you have a kind friend or family member who loves to shop at garage sales for you? Are there others in your life that can’t pass up a sale when they see something that reminds them of you? Have you inherited items that don’t match your style or interests?

Try to remember that the good people who Acquired these things on your behalf did so with your best interests at heart. They gifted this item to you because they thought you would want it, love it, and Use it. If that is not the case, I am certain that they would not want you to continue to have bad feelings every time you look upon their gift (whether it is displayed or stored away).

To prevent clutter from growing, make sure that all your Acquired things keep moving through The Possession Cycle. Once you’ve Acquired It, either Use it, or make plans to Dispose of it. Someone else NEEDS it. I promise. You can do this.

(The Possession Cycle is used by permission from Terry Prince, CPO-CD, http://www.terryprince.com.)

”Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” Matthew 6:19-21 (New International Version)

How Does Clutter Happen? is a post from: Grow Your Organizing Skills

Reading time: 2 – 3 minutes

You can recycle prescription and over-the-counter pills, tablets and capsules this Saturday, September 25, 2010, between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. at a site near you. Nationally, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) is coordinating with state and local law enforcement agencies to remove potentially dangerous, controlled substances from our nation’s medicine cabinets. They call it the National Take-Back Initiative.

You can learn more about the Initiative and search the DEA’s database of collection locations here.  These are results for a for a 50-mile radius around my zip code, 31405.

• Southcoast Medical Group, 1326 Eisenhower Drive, Savannah, 31405
• DEA Savannah Chatham Metro Police, 56 Park of Commerce Boulevard, Savannah, 31405
• Pooler Police Department, 119 West Highway 80, Pooler, GA 31322
• Rincon Police Department, 107 West 17^th Street, Rincon, GA 31326
• Hinesville Police Department, 123 MLK Drive, Hinesville, GA 31313
• Pembroke Police Department, 154 Railroad Street, Pembroke, GA 31321
• Tri-Circuit Drug Task Force, 2 E. Liberty Street, Claxton, GA 30417
• Wayne Memorial Hospital, 865 South First Street, Jesup, GA 31545
• Bulloch County Sheriff’s Office, 17257 US 301 North, Statesboro, GA 30458
• Beaufort Police Sub Station, 1205 Duke Street, Beaufort, SC 29902
• Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office, #7 Lagoon Road, Hilton Head Island, SC 29928

Remember, do not flush pills down toilets. It is harmful to your local environment, water supply, rivers and streams. Also, be careful how you dispose of your prescription labels (tear them off and shred them if you can), so you can avoid identity/medicine theft. The bottles themselves are recyclable in my area.

So, take a moment to zip through your medicine stash. Dump out the expired or unused pills into a container, and drop them off at one of these collection sites on Saturday between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m.  You’ll be glad you did!

Thanks to Lorie Marrero’s original Clutter Diet blogpost that inspired me to write about this important event.

 A prudent man sees danger and takes refuge, but the simple keep going and suffer for it. Proverbs 22:3 (New International Version)

Recycle Unused Drugs This Saturday is a post from: Grow Your Organizing Skills

Reading time: 2 – 2 minutes

Hi. I’m Tina Bonifacio, and I am passionate about helping busy people learn how to declutter and organize, so they can reduce stress, get things done, save time, save money, and enjoy life. Do you know someone who could benefit from this information? I’d appreciate it if you would share this with them using the icons at the bottom of this post (email, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, etc.).

I cover a range of organizing topics. Things like: Offices, Kitchens, Closets, Kid’s Rooms, Garages, Attics, Time Management, Recycling, and more.

In the column to the right, scroll down to see a whole list of Tags and Categories. You might like to see a topic that is not already here. Or, you might like to see more of a topic. Just leave me a Comment below, and let me know.

Organizing is a skill that you can learn. It’s just like learning to walk. Once you know how, you can do it any old time you like.

1. First, you learn the steps to organizing
2. Then, you learn the steps to maintaining what you’ve organized
3. Finally, organizing is a skill in your toolbox forever. You can repeat the process in any space that needs it

How would you like to reduce stress, get things done, save time, save money, and enjoy life? You can do this.

“…and I have filled him with the Spirit of God, with skill, ability and knowledge…” Exodus 31:3 (New International Version)

Why Read an Organizing Blog? is a post from: Grow Your Organizing Skills

Reading time: 3 – 4 minutes

Do you ever just want more stuff – any time – all the time – every day? Even if you could afford it all, where would you put it? Would you just keep buying homes and storage units to put all the stuff you continued to acquire? When would you ever get rid of some of the older stuff?

The definition of Decluttering is: getting rid of some of the older stuff. Here are simple instructions for quick Decluttering.

[You may have already seen my Organizing Lite post. And, you may be thinking what’s the difference between Organizing and Decluttering? Well, Decluttering is only one of the steps in an Organizing process. In fact, it is “Step 2: Purge.”]

Supplies Needed:

• Containers for sorting: bags, boxes, bins, etc.
• Container labels: donate, recycle, trash, keep (in this space), elsewhere (another room or belongs to someone else), storage (long-term)
• Sharpies
• Sticky Notes

How to Declutter:

1. Start at the entrance to the room/space and work clockwise
2. Pick up the first item next to you
3. Make a decision about which container is appropriate for that item
4. Place the item in its container (if the item is too large to place in a container, simply put a sticky note on the item with the appropriate label and place the item near the container if you can – or find a staging area for such items and place it there)
5. Wash. Rinse. Repeat… until the room/space is decluttered (You may have to pause this session in mid-project. Regardless of when you pause, immediately…)
6. Take out the Trash containers
7. Take out the Recycle containers (or load your vehicle and deliver the items to be recycled)
8. Load your vehicle with the Donate containers and deliver the items to be donated)
9. Move the Storage containers to your long-term storage area (attic, basement, storage unit, etc.)
10. Move the Elsewhere containers to wherever they belong (you may want to do another sort and re-containerize these items before you deliver them, e.g., garage, closet, Cousin Joe’s, etc.)

That’s all there is to Decluttering! Now, all you’re left with is the Keep containers. Refer back to that Organizing Lite post to see what needs to happen next. You can do this.

“There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven… a time to keep and a time to throw away…” Ecclesiastes 3:1,6 (New International Version)

Decluttering Lite is a post from: Grow Your Organizing Skills

Reading time: 3 – 4 minutes

I’ve been thinking about people in need. You and I might not have money to ease their burden. But, take a look around your home. What do you have – that you don’t use or love – that you could donate to someone else who would greatly benefit from it?

Linen Closet:

• Towel sets
• Sheet sets
• Other bedding (blankets, comforters, quilts)
• Tableware (tablecloths, placemats…)

Bathroom:

• Bathroom sets (soap caddy, toothbrush holder, trash can…)
• Makeup (note: don’t donate products that directly touched your skin/body due to infection risk)
• Hair products (shampoo/gel/mouse/paste, combs, brushes…)
• Skin products
• Samples
• Travel sizes

Closet:

• Clothes in sizes that mock you – you’ll deserve new stuff when you get back to that size
• Shoes
• Accessories
• Luggage

Office/Electronics: (make sure your data has been professionally wiped)

• Diskettes, CDs, DVDs, thumb drives
• VHS tapes
• Computers, monitors, towers, laptops, keyboards, mice, headsets
• Gaming consoles, games, accessories
• Thumb drives
• Old cell phones and accessories

Library: (books, magazines, tapes, CDs, DVDs, games)

• Children
• Self-help
• Educational (including college textbooks)
• Entertainment
• Fiction
• Special interest that’s of less interest these days

Kitchen:

• Utensils
• Appliances, large or small
• Gadgets
• Plastic storage
• Pantry items
• Glassware
• Bakeware
• Dinnerware

Utility/Mud Room:

• Cleaning products (clothes, floors…)
• Cleaning tools (brooms, mops, dusters…)
• Old coats, jackets, rainboots, mittens, hats, scarves…)

Garage:

• Hardware no longer used (nails, light bulbs, tools…)
• Sports equipment and accessories
• Hobby items
• Tools
• Gardening supplies
• Vehicles

These were just a few of things that came to mind. The list could go on and on. The sky’s the limit, really.

Some ways to donate:

• Donate directly to someone in need.
• Donate to a charity who will sell/distribute your items.
• Try http://www.freecycle.org – “…a grassroots and entirely nonprofit movement of people who are giving (and getting) stuff for free in their own towns. It’s all about reuse and keeping good stuff out of landfills. Each local group is moderated by a local volunteer (them’s good people). Membership is free.”
• Try http://www.giveyourstuffaway.com – September 25, 2010 – free stuff will be available in neighborhoods all over America.
• Try http://www.goodwill.org - my personal default charity.

Declutter and organize your home. Do some good in your community. You can do this.

“There were no needy persons among them. For from time to time those who owned lands or houses sold them, and brought the money from the sales.” Acts 4:34 (New International Version)

Don’t-Need-It Organizing is a post from: Grow Your Organizing Skills

Reading time: 2 – 2 minutes

Savannah’s 2010 Earth Day Festival
This Saturday, April 17, 8 a.m. to 11 a.m., Forsyth Park, Savannah, GA

Recyclerama – recycle hard-to-recycle items for free during these three hours once a year:

1. PAINT – courtesy of Ashland
2. OIL – courtesy of Coastal Refining
3. OLD FURNITURE – courtesy of Structured Green
4. NEW! MEDICATION (liquid/pills for humans/pets) – courtesy of Return Logistics

History: Though Earth Day is always April 22nd, Savannah chooses a Saturday (this year it’s April 17, 2010) for the Festival to allow for maximum participation, educational opportunities, and fun! The Earth Day Festival in Savannah has continued to grow and improve over its 13 years of existence. This festival focuses on raising awareness in the community on environmental topics and concerns, both regionally and globally. The Festival is now organized through the City of Savannah’s Water and Sewer Department, specifically the Environmental Affairs Office. If you have any questions about the Earth Day Festival, please contact Sarah Barlow at 912-651-6943 or email sarah_barlow@savannahga.gov.

Just in time for spring cleaning! Get this stuff safely out of your space and disposed of properly… for free! Happy recycling!

This Saturday: Recyclerama and Savannah’s Earth Day Festival is a post from: Grow Your Organizing Skills