I’ve spent the past year making subtle changes to my environment…decluttering, organizing and using less.

One of the problems I addressed was clutter from the mail. To prevent a lot of paper coming into my house, I’ve gone paperless on as many accounts as possible. This has really helped. I have less physical mail to open and less paper to recycle. I can keep copies of bills/statements in a file on my computer and/or record the amounts in a monthly ledger file. Hard copies of statements don’t end up in a pile on my kitchen counter or on my desk waiting to be filed away. I can scan statements that don’t have a paperless option into a file on my computer. In January, when I start to organize my tax information, I will have less paper to sift through and I will have a digital file to share with my accountant- less for him to sift through while he’s on the clock should save me money.

I have to admit I love my Keurig, but felt guilty about the daily waste created by the little cups I couldn’t recycle. I tried buying recyclable cups and reusable cups. After buying four styles of reusable cups supposedly compatible with my machine, I ended up changing the model of my coffeemaker, so the reusable cups would fit. I enjoy the convenience of one cup of coffee or tea at a time. It’s more economical, better for the environment (no paper filters, tea bags or plastic cups to throw away) and my used coffee grounds or tea leaves enrich the soil in my flower beds.

I have a family member who needs to use straws, so I switched to reusable silicone straws which come with their own cleaning brush. This has been a key win for me in my efforts to keep plastics out of landfills.

I’m still stinging from my local recycling company’s decision to stop accepting glass bottles in our curbside recycling, but I reuse as many jars as possible to store food in my pantry and refrigerator. I also store metal washers, nuts, bolts, nails, paper clips and thumb tacks in the smaller glass jars. It’s easy to see what you have. To save space, you can screw the lids into the underside of a wooden shelf in your garage or office and attach the jars. Your supplies are organized and fixed in place until you need them, so no more rooting around in drawers or cabinets for the right items.

One other option I’m trying to save money and reduce waste is Misfits Market. An assortment of fresh fruits and vegetables will be delivered directly to my house twice a month in a recyclable cardboard box. The produce is the “ugly” less desirable sized fruits and vegetables not sold in stores. The savings are supposed to be 40% off retail, but while the website gives you examples of what produce is available each month, you don’t get to select the contents of your box. It’s an opportunity to try some new fruits and vegetables. I’m waiting for my first box to arrive, so I’ll keep you posted.

On the whole, I’m pleased with these steps. I have less trash to throw away each week and I’m using my time more efficiently. In the upcoming months, I’ll be updating you on some other steps I’m taking to live a greener more organized and less stressful live, and I weigh in on some of my budget friendly hacks such as life without cable and my new adventure in produce.