If you live in the Greater Toronto area, we’ve got a challenge for you! It’s time for the Great Toronto Fall Cleanout! Yep, you may know all about fall cleaning, but we think the end of summer is a fantastic time to refresh, declutter and get your home ready for the colder months ahead.

A pre-fall cleanout makes perfect sense when you think of it. During the fall and winter, we’ll be spending lots more time inside our homes, hosting family and friends for the holidays and having busier schedules between work, school, sports and events.

So as summer winds down, why not get your house ready to feel cosy and inviting? But before you decide to box up all of those old items that have been cluttering your home, here are a few things to think about.

Sanitising

Keeping a clean home is important. It’s especially critical to sanitise as much as possible during Covid and cold and flu season. But make sure you read the labels on the products you’re using so that you know that you’re sanitising properly. There are plenty of helpful tips available from Health Canada

Reusable Cloth

If you’re washing windows or dusting you may want to think about using reusable cloth. If you’re using paper towels, only the cardboard spool is recyclable. The paper towels themselves are not and just end up in landfills. Many people choose old newspapers to clean their windows. A little vinegar and water is all it takes to do a streak-free job. Just remember, wet newspaper scraps shouldn’t go into your recycling bin.

Plastic Bottles

When you’re finished with a bottle of cleaning fluid, make sure it’s clean and free of any chemicals. You’ll want to remove the pump or spray top before you recycle the bottle because they usually contain parts that are not recyclable. Consider saving the spray bottle however and switching to refill cleaners or powders that dissolve in water to create cleaners.

Cleaning Gloves

Whether they’re single-use or reusable, they can’t go in with your recycling. Most wipes like cleaning and sanitising wipes aren’t flushable or recyclable either.

Old Appliances

Gather your old or unused appliances and reach out to us here for help recycling those items. We’ve got years of experience helping people get rid of these items. Many contain metals that can be recycled and have value.

Cleaning In Stages

Many community drop-off locations and Goodwill depots have specific hours to accept bulky items you wish to donate. While you’re cleaning and sanitising your home, consider what items you wish to part with and when you want that to happen. You might want to gather them into piles or in boxes to separate the different materials you wish to recycle. To stay organised, label them (for example, yard sale, Goodwill, and recycle centre).

Recycling your unwanted items is essential and good for the environment. But you don’t want to overwhelm the essential workers who gather these items from your curb. That’s why it’s important to clean your home in stages. Nobody wants to see an enormous pile of refuse at the end of their drive.

Organising Tips To Inspire Your Fall Cleanout

  • The majority of all of your recyclable items come from your bathroom, kitchen and laundry room. Maybe create little “know what to recycle” signs for these rooms.
  • Food and organic materials are not recyclable. But creating a compost pit in your yard is a great solution. Doing this will enrich the soil and bring new life to your flower beds or vegetable garden next spring!
  • One of the easiest ways to keep your trash in order is to place the recycling bin next to the trash can in each room. This way you’re collecting all of the proper items for recycling that can eventually be refabricated. You’ll be doing your part to keep your neighbourhood and the planet green.
  • While you’re out shopping, read the labels of items you wish to purchase. You’ll find that many products use recycled and earth-friendly materials. Check with Scarborough’s recycling management company to ensure what items can and cannot be recycled in your home. Also, when you go to the store bring a reusable shopping bag. Plastic shopping bags are not recyclable and shouldn’t go with your plastic containers in the bin. If you have anything delivered to the house be sure to break down the cardboard and bundle it for recycling.
  • Whether it’s in your driveway, backyard or garage, keep your recycling bins in a safe place that’s convenient for your family. Make it easy for them to toss any unbagged or loose items into the bin. Ensure that it’s in a protected place to deter theft, vandalism or inclement weather. You’ll also want to place your bins on level ground when they are out for collection. Nobody wants to see a recycling bin that’s tipped over and its contents spilt all over the street on recycling day. Make it easy for the truck to get to it. Keep it away from trees, mailboxes or any other structures near your property.
  • While you’re performing your fall cleanout, separate all of the items in your home that you wish to donate. Even if your local Goodwill can’t take them there may be some non-profits in your area that can use them. Find a clean, dry place like the garage or attic to store these items until you find out where to donate them. Once your house is organized and clean for fall, you can drop these items off or schedule a pickup so they don’t end up in a landfill.

This fall you can not only get your house in order but make a difference in the community and help keep materials out of landfills. Go through your home and make a list of any items you wish to get rid of during your fall cleanout. Anything you haven’t touched in six months may be a potential candidate for recycling.

You may be surprised at what you find and that some of these old items have value in the recycling market. If you’d like to learn more about how you can get rid of your old appliances and any other objects in your home that may contain valuable metal, call the friendly professionals at Manville Recycling at 416-751-4732. We’ve been serving the community for nearly 20 years and have all the answers.