Let’s Spring into Summer Cleaning. The transition from Spring to Summer is such a wonderful time of year! Trees are budding, flowers poke their heads up and everything feels so fresh and new – anything seems possible. Many of us begin to feel a buzz, a calling to freshen up our environments, and give our spaces a deep clean..

This year, our routines have changed, and our daily lives filled with different activities. We’re using our homes differently than in past years, spending our time differently, and if you’re anything like me, some things are beginning to pile up. So, while you are spending more time in your home, why not put a little of your pent-up energy to use and do a little spring & summer cleaning?

Why Jump into a Summer Clean?

It happens to all of us through the fall and winter, and into the holidays – we gather. We not only gather with friends and family, we gather stuff. New toys, new electronics, new clothing – new stuff. But we’re busy and don’t always have the time to deal with the things that have been replaced. So, we also gather bits and pieces of old stuff in the backs of closets & cupboards, in storage rooms (I can barely open the door!), in garages and in other tucked away areas.

Now that you can throw open the doors and windows – it’s the perfect time to give your home, your castle, a clean sweep! Whether you take it all in one shot or chip away over a period of time, the feeling of freeing up space is, well, freeing! 

Check out our handy checklist to help you with this liberating task. And, if you have any ideas please share, we’d love to hear them in the comments below.

Beverage Containers:

Likely you’re accumulating far more refundable beverage containers at home than ever before! And, like many of us, you’re trying to figure out what to do with them.

• Try our new Fast Drop solution. You can drop off your containers at our depots unsorted, and we’ll pay your full refund within a few days. No more waiting in line and spending time sorting through your countless bottles & cans. Visit one of our participating depots and speak with a team member to get started.

• We just released a new blog post about all the obscure containers that you may not have known have a refund value associated with them. Check out our Can I Recycle This Container article to learn how you maybe throwing out some hard-earned cash. 

• You can DONATE your refundable beverage containers to a local community organization at our depots! Every month our Regional Recycling locations provide our customers with the opportunity to donate their empties to a good cause, whether it’s to help an organization feed at-risk children or to support home’s capital campaign. We are currently donating all refunds to Backpack Buddies at participating depots.

• And, if you can’t get to us, but want to have your empties go to a good cause, why not leave them out for a binner – those folks who make their living by keeping recyclables out of the waste stream. Check out this blog on the Binners Hook by the Binner’s Project. 

Electronics and small appliances:

As many of us are staying at home, it’s been reported that there’s been an unprecedented amount of kitchen appliances and household electronics purchased to help pass the time. We handle end-of-life electronic products, which means only those that are non-functioning and beyond repair.

Please Note: If you have more than 2 pallets of electronics, you may qualify for a free commercial pickup, or a free school recycling pickup.

Gently used clothing:

When warmer spring weather arrives, it’s time to pack away sweaters, coats, and other cold weather clothing. Storing seasonal clothing is easy to do safely if you follow a few simple rules.

• Make sure that the storage containers and areas are clean, cool, dark, and dry. This will keep clothing in good shape for next winter. 

• You can donate gently worn business clothes to Dress For Success and Working Gear to support disadvantaged people get a fresh start by making a positive first impression at their next job interview.

• Less gently-used items – Donate to Big Brothers / Big Sisters – All our locations have bins on our lots that collect clothing for this organization.

Paper Recycling:

If you are like many people, you collect paper & packaging, saving all types of paper to reuse, and, only when it has breathed its last useful breath, it gets recycled.

• Paper & Packaging is relatively easy these days with blue box programs in most residential-multi units and in residential neighborhoods making recycling these items easy. 

• If you do not have a blue box paper recycling program, please bring your paper products to us with the rest of your recycling.

Books, Newspapers and Magazines:

How is the current state of your bookshelf or magazine pile? Is the pile of “I’m going to read that this weekend” getting longer and longer? If yes, it’s time to create a donation pile. Be vigilant and give it away or swap it with friends who share your literary taste.

• Libraries are often happy to take well-treated books, as are some schools and care homes. We also have Book Donation Bins on our parking lots. 

Office / School Supplies / Computer Equipment/ Media:

It’s amazing how many of these items we collect in our homes that can be recycled. And now, with more of us at home, it’s likely you are noticing it more. Happy to note that all types of computer equipment and media can be recycled at any of our depots.

• Use our handy small electronics recycling box to collect all your handheld electronics, cords, media, batteries and other recyclable items and bring them into any of our 8 depots. 

Garage/Shed/Storage Room:

Do you have all sorts of stuff laying around your garage like old paint, broken garden tools, and half-finished projects? The garage is a wonderful place to accumulate those often-ignored items.

Using the “touch it once” rule, sort items by categories – donate, recycle or toss.

If you find any of the following, bring it in to us for recycling!

• Scrap Metals hiding in there? While we won’t recycle your car, Regional Recycling does pay for all sorts of non ferrous scrap metal! Learn if your scrap is worth cash here

• Paint & Pesticides  It’s a great time to start a new spring project around the house. You can recycle your old paint and pesticides with us. We also have recycled paint available for pickup for that new flash of inspiration to revitalize your home.  

• Outdoor Power Equipment  – We’re excited to join the OPEIC network of depots. Learn more about the outdoor power equipment we accept, free of charge.

We hope you have fun and feel a sense of relief with your summer cleaning. At Regional Recycling we will take most of your recyclable items, so load up your truck, your car, your bike or your basket and come on down to one of our 8 locations. Bring all your collected beverage containers to earn some cash along the way!

Enjoy the sunny days ahead. Happy SUMMER-TIME Recycling!