Do It Together: 10 Tips for Going Green with Kids

Want to go green with your kids but don’t know how? Keep in mind that small changes make all the difference. Your family can adopt green habits easily by making them fun and routine. Consider placing friendly reminders around the house to help enforce the environmentally friendly changes or singing a “Reduce, Reuse, Recycle” song when kids are helping out. Use these tips as a guide to teach your kids about being environmentally conscious – it’s better for the planet if they learn young! Ready to make some green changes? Do it together!

Turn Off the Water
Help your kids get into the habit of turning off the water while they brush their teeth. After wetting their toothbrush, tell them to play their favorite song while the water is off (which should be around two to three minutes, the perfect time to brush their teeth).

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Switch Off Lights and Appliances
Kids can help out by turning off lights and appliances when not in use. Put them on “light duty” and have them go around the house shutting off lights that are not needed and turning off unused appliances. 

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Make Your Home Green

Your children can go with you to a local nursery and pick out their favorite plants to have in the house. This equals more oxygen for your home! Take this opportunity to teach your children about plant care as well and have them help you water and care for the plants.

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E-Waste

No more disposing of e-waste in the trash! Teach kids that batteries from everyday objects like video game controllers or Wii remotes should be recycled, as well as any electronic equipment. Place an e-waste bin in your home and label the container with a bright color so kids won’t forget!

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Sorting Fun

Make sorting recyclables a fun activity for kids. With color-coded bins, kids can sort paper, glass, plastic, etc. while singing a recycling song!

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Learn Green

When kids need new school supplies, take them on a hunt for eco-friendly school supplies. Have them search for supplies that say “recycled” or “eco” or “green” on the packaging and celebrate their finds!

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Plant a Small Garden

Whether it’s a flower garden or vegetable garden, kids can learn about green living by helping plant a garden. From seed to bloom, kids can see how rewarding it is to have a garden of their own!

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Buy Reusable Water Bottles

Have your kids choose a favorite reusable water bottle and pack it in their lunch box instead of a juice box. This way, you reduce waste while they enjoy drinking out of their cool water bottle!

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Donate Old Clothing

Have kids go through their closets and make a “donate” and “keep” pile. Teach them that donating their clothes helps reduce waste in the environment while helping those in need.

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Meatless Monday
Have kids vote for their favorite vegetarian recipe for Meatless Monday. Cutting down on meat consumption can help cut greenhouse emissions.

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Double Take

For homework, help kids get in the habit of printing on both sides of paper.  Place a sign above your printer for a friendly reminder or have kids ask their teachers if they can email assignments – that way, no paper is used!

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Go Organic

Take your kids with you to the grocery store and have them help you search for products that are labled organic, like milk, fruits, and veggies. They’ll be excited to help out the family when they make their finds!

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Resource:  Homesessive

All the Single Ladies: How to Move Furniture Alone

A lot of people may say they’ll lend a hand when it’s time for you to move, but when the big day finally arrives, good help can be hard to find. If your friends and family pull a disappearing act on moving day, don’t stress! Most items in your house can be moved with just one person.

Safety Note: Don’t try to be a hero! If you don’t feel in control of a heavy piece of furniture, don’t move it! A hospital bill is a lot more expensive than a mover’s fee, and sometimes hiring help is the only safe option. If you’re on a budget, check out these eight ways to cut your moving costs by $100 or more.

1. Strip it. If you struggle to shift your dresser just a few inches, getting it down a flight of stairs can be downright intimidating. But, a lot of heavy furniture can be disassembled, which makes it much lighter and easier to move. Basically, anything that’s screwed on can be taken off to lighten the load. Tip: Use an ice cube tray to keep track of small parts during the move.

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2. Rent moving gear. One dolly can prevent a lot of sweat and frustration (and possibly a hernia). Plus, the cost of renting a few moving tools for the day is a drop in the bucket compared to hiring professional movers. Visit your local hardware store and check out their furniture jacks, scissor lifts and dollies. They’ll do the heavy lifting for you!  Photo Credit: Getty Images

3. Don’t lift, slide. You could rent commercial sliders, but a large blanket or throw rug all work just as well! Lift the legs of your furniture one at a time and put them onto your makeshift sliders. Then, drag! Patience is key – move slowly to avoid damaging your floor, walls or furniture.

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4. Walk it out. If you don’t have a slider handy, and you’re moving a chair, use it’s legs. It’s time consuming, but you’ll avoid the heavy lifting! Put the chair on its back two legs and “walk” the chair left foot and then right foot. You’ll eventually get it out the door.

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5. Remove the hinges. If you ordered some furniture and then had it assembled inside of a room, getting it outside can be tricky! Before you think about sawing that entertainment center in half, try taking the doors off of their hinges. You’ll gain a few inches of wiggle room – which can sometimes be enough to slide that bulky furniture right on out!

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6. Beware of the second floor. If you have extremely heavy pieces of furniture on a second or third floor – such as a big sofa or desk – it’s really not safe to move it by yourself. This is because once you angle something down the stairs, gravity will actually increase the weight of the furniture, and it’s very easy to lose control!

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Resource: Homesessive.com