Home Recycling Bin And Containers Hall Of Fame: How Readers Recycle In Their Homes

Adding a home recycling bin or containers to your kitchen or other area of your home is essential if you and your family want to start recycling items, instead of just trashing them.


As part of week number six of the 52 Weeks to an Organized Home Challenge I asked readers to create a home recycling center, and many people wrote in to share their system and what worked for them.

I really enjoyed looking at everyone's pictures and ideas (scroll down to see them all), because it really gave some great inspiration for how you can increase the recycling efforts in your own home, without too much extra work or effort. Plus, I like seeing what has worked for REAL families, don't you?

The first step in the process is, of course, to decide where you'll place your recycling center, and set up the containers where you'll sort and organize the recyclables.

That's why today's Declutter 365 mission is to declutter this area.



To get ideas of where to put your recycling center, and what kinds of containers may work well for you, scroll on down.

In addition, if you get inspired by these pictures and tips, please take pictures of how you recycle in your home, and submit them to the Home Organization Hall of Fame, and I'll feature the best of these photos here on the site!

DIY Sorter Using Plastic Tubs Hung On Hooks On Pegboard

by Megan @ Life of the Lorenzens

Megan from Life of the Lorenzens shared her system for recycling in her home.

They keep most of their recycling in their garage, where they've made their own sorter using the green plastic tubs which are hung from hooks in a pegboard.

Since it would be inconvenient to go out to the garage each time that they wanted to recycle something, Megan has also created a satellite collection center within her pantry.

She explains: "Most recycling items are collected in the large white basket and sorted in the garage about twice/week. (This will eventually be the kids' job.)"

In addition, in the pantry she added a couple of informational sheets to the wall that remind her what her local recycling center will and will not accept.

You did a great job Megan!

You can get pegboards here:

Pegboard {Referral Links}

Put Your Recycling In Your Lazy Susan Corner Cabinet

The photo above is from a reader, Shirley, who said, ""Had shelves in two corner cabinets for over 20 years. Referred to those cabinets as "the black holes". HATED THEM!!! 2-1/2 years ago, did a total makeover in my kitchen. One is a two shelf lazy Susan that I use for all my baking pans and such. The other one is quite possibly my favorite feature in my new kitchen - a three can recycling center!"

If you don't like your rotating lazy susan corner cabinets this may be an idea you want to consider. It allows for use of this space, and also for you to hide both trash and recycling bins from view in your kitchen.

You can get the hardware and materials necessary to transform your rotating lazy susan cabinet into a hidden recycling center here:

Lazy Susan Cabinet Bin {Referral Link}

I Keep My Home Recycling Bin Under My Kitchen Sink

Carrie shared this picture on Home Storage Solution 101's Facebook wall.

Carrie says:

This is my 'recycling center'. I'm not sure what all is included in the challenge, but this is what I've got. I have big garbage cans in the garage I empty these into. It's all commingled now, so I could get by with one container. Old habits die hard!

The plastic bag that's hanging is for box tops for education, etc., so when I take them off the container, It's right by where I throw the container.

Taylor says:

Thanks for sharing your home recycling center Carrie.

I think it is definitely easier for those people who don't have to separate their recycling, but what I am seeing from everyone is that even if you don't have room for separate home recycle bins or containers for each type of item having one container can still work.

In that instance you just need to create a routine to actually empty the single container on a regular and frequent basis into larger separate containers in a separate area, such as your garage or an outdoor shed. In that case big garbage cans, as long as their labeled for what you should throw in them, will work just as well as more traditional recycling types of containers and bins!

I also completely love the tip for organizing and keeping soup labels and Box Tops for Education. My kids' school collects these too, and when we use an item with these types of codes I like to save them for donation. (Every extra little bit of money helps!) Having a space right near where you throw the rest of the container is a simple but very effective way to save these in a place convenient for you, and that will help you remember to save the codes. I am totally going to do this in my home now!

Here's another photo from a reader, Paula, below, who also keeps her recycling bin, and trash can, under her sink.



Paula said, "Undersink cupboard. Garbage on left. Returnables on right (5c ME deposit) soda, beer, wine, plastic water and juice bottles and jugs."

Hidden Recycling Container In My Kitchen

Above is a photo from a reader, Joan, who showed off how she sorts and stores her recycling before it's dropped off.

Joan said, "This challenge was accomplished years ago. Works great! Sits in my kitchen where it is most convenient. Painted and polyurethaned to match other pieces in my kitchen."

Home Recycling Containers For Collecting All Types Of Recyclables

by Jan @ The Crafty Mermaid's Grotto

Jan from The Crafty Mermaid's Grotto shared her family's recycling system on her blog, in response to this week's challenge.

She too has a good system in place, which works well with the recycling rules where she lives, and for how often they pick up recycling, and what she needs to take herself.

I really like how she's used some labeled garbage cans for home recycling bins and containers in her garage. It think it is very important to label all your containers and bins with what type of items should be in there, especially if your recycling center requires you to presort so you make it as easy on yourself (and your redemption center) as possible.

Here are some examples of garbage cans, in various sizes and shapes, which are labeled as for recyclables. Of course, you could easily use a regular garbage can too, as long as you labeled it for recycling.

Types Of Bins {Referral Links}

Another thing I really liked about Jan's system for recycling is that she also had some small containers for holding the odd recyclable items you gather around your house, like certain types of light bulbs, electronics, etc., but that don't fit into the common recycling system such as paper, plastic, metal or glass. Just having a small basket or container for such items, which you deal with periodically, is a really good idea.

Here's another photo below, sent in by another reader, Sarah.



Sarah said, "We are new to recycling and our town requires us to sort and drop it off ourselves. So, I got these cheap trash cans from Walmart. I had to make signs to stick on the front because we are learning what goes where and what can't be recycled. The grey one is one we already had and is just for regular non-recyclable outside trash. Fun project. I've been working on it for about a week."

Dawn's Trash and Home Recycling Center

by Dawn @ Megwetch, Gitchie Manito
(Minnesota)

Dawn shared her system for recycling in her home.

Dawn says:

I already had a system in place and it works well for us so I didn't make any changes. One easy, cheap trick I have for collecting recycling is using an ice cream bucket under sinks in bathrooms or where ever you might need a small one.

I also keep a ceramic jar outside by kitchen door for compost scraps. I found it at Goodwill for cheap.

I've posted on my blog my recycling and trash system. ***Update - Dawn has taken down her blog, so I've removed the link.***

After completing all six challenges so far, I'm feeling much lighter from clutter and junk overload!

Taylor says:

Thanks so much for sharing these ideas for how to recycle. I especially like how you've recycled items to use as your home recycling bins, which is the real essence of recycling.

I'm also impressed with your large storage shed from your main recycling that you keep behind your house, and that you explain in more detail on your blog (everyone should read Dawn's blog post for more details, since it is really helpful and informative.)

Utility Storage Shed {Referral Link}

All The Home Recycling Containers In Our Condo

by Anne Roth
(Washington MO)

Anne shared her system for recycling throughout her condo

Anne says:

We set up this recycling system when we moved into this condo three years ago and it is working well for us.

Picture 1: We put plastic, glass, cans & lightweight cardboard in this bin under the kitchen sink.

Picture 2: When this container is full I take it to the garage to empty.

Picture 3: We put paper in these bins at the end of the kitchen cabinets.

Picture 4: We sort the plastic, glass & metal into the green bin which goes out weekly for the city to pick up. The lightweight cardboard goes in the blue bins and heavy cardboard lies on top. About once a month I take the cardboard & paper (from the kitchen) to the county recycling center.

Taylor says:

Thanks for sharing these pictures Anne, and the explanation of each.

I can tell you've really thought about where you need to collect recycling, and have placed your containers and bins strategically to collect the items where they are generated.

Are You Inspired To Get Organized Now?

I hope these pictures have given you some ideas for how you can arrange the recycling centers in your own homes.

If you've gotten inspired, I would love for you to join the 52 Week Organized Home Challenge here on the site.

During the course of a year we organize each room and type of item in our homes, so that by the end we've organized the whole thing! As you can see from these pictures, it's really making an impact in people's homes, and it can in yours too.

Further, if you do the Home Recycling Center Challenge I'd love to see your results.

Be sure to take some pictures of the system you create for your home, and send them into the Home Organization Hall of Fame here. Then, I'll feature the best ones here on the site!

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Related Pages You May Enjoy

Get Rid Of Clutter Hall Of Fame

Home Recycling Containers Ideas Hall of Fame {Part 2}

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