Having a “green” home is not nearly as difficult as you may think. Recycling is an excellent way to cut down on environmental waste and offers parents an excellent learning tool for their children. Getting started is relatively easy and takes very little time and you will quickly get used to the habit of recycling. You will simply need to organize your recycling efforts and check to see where the recycling areas are located in your city for drop off.

Once you have your recycling containers properly labeled and you have chosen a place to store them, simply begin using them. Here is a list of tips that will help you to better organize and manage your recycling:

• Choose a practical and convenient place to keep your recyclables. Most recycling items such as bottles, plastics and cans come from the kitchen. If you have space in your kitchen then you can place your recycling tubs there. You can also use the garage or a utility room if you lack kitchen space.
• You do not necessary have to go out and buy containers to hold your recycling. If you have larger baskets or tubs already in the home, put them to use. Be sure that you properly assign all of your recycling containers. Duct tape or packing tape with a magic marker will be good for labeling recycling tubs or baskets. Solid containers are better choices for cans, bottles and other items that could potentially have substance still in them. Once you empty the container you can simply rinse it out and avoid drawing bugs or causing a huge mess.
• You can keep the plastic bags from your grocery store and use them for trash bags for the bathroom or other smaller trash cans or simply return them to a store that collects used bags. They are often used to make lumber and various plastic products.
• Be sure that you are checking the bottom of all plastic containers to determine the specific type of plastic. There are certain plastics that are not recycled. If you are not sure, you can check with your local recycling center.
• Your junk mail can also be recycled. Paper is a major recycling product. If you no longer wish to receive certain mailings or magazines, be sure to opt out of mailing lists. As long as the paper is dry and clean, magazines, newspapers and other papers can be recycled.
• Batteries from your cell phones and other electronics can also be recycled. You can check with your local center to learn more about where to drop these off and how to properly store them before you drop them off.

Get the entire family involved. Show children where the recycling bins are and explain what products go into each tub. After a few weeks, you will find yourself and your entire family automatically placing items in recycling bins and you will have helped the environment and helped to clean up the clutter around your home.