Declutter (& Recycle) Phone Books {15 Minute Mission}

Ready for a super easy decluttering mission?

Go ahead and declutter old phone books, directories, Yellow Pages and White Pages you've got in your home.


Now, don't just throw them in the trash! Below I've got tips for phone book recycling so we don't fill up landfills with a product that is 100% recyclable.

Question: Do You Even Need To Keep A Phone Book Anymore?

With the Internet to find phone numbers and addresses, do you really need any of these books anymore at all?

This is something you need to think about for yourself, and there is no right or wrong answer.

There are many reasons people both want to keep them, and also reasons others find them just clutter. I'm playing devil's advocate with a couple of these reasons below, so just see which ones resonate with you to help you decide if you want to keep one or toss them all!

Reasons To Keep One

1. During power outages or other emergency situations landline phones may still work, but cell service and/or Internet may not. Keeping one is kind of like a back up.

2. In areas with spotty Internet service these can be invaluable.

3. Some small local businesses may not have a website, but still be listed in the phone book.

4. Some people in the household just may not feel comfortable using technology and would prefer a paper version.

Reasons To Get Rid Of All Of Them

1. This information is most likely readily available on the Internet, and the amount of times it is not doesn't make it worth the hassle to keep one.

2. These books are often large and unwieldy, and take up a lot of space especially compared to the benefit they provide.

(If you decide you don't want one in the future, do yourself, the environment and the Yellow Book publishers a favor and tell them using the information below and opt out of receiving more of them!)

Get Rid Of The Oldest & Out Of Date Books For Sure

Whether you decide to keep any of these books or not, I can tell you though that you definitely don't need all the old outdated ones. Keep only the newest ones if you're going to keep any at all.

You may keep a book in a couple of different locations, meaning you'll keep the newest one in one place, and the second newest in the next, but each year as you receive the next one at least one should be unceremoniously tossed from your home!

(And remember, when I say toss, I mean recycle. So see my tips below for how to do it!)


Bottom photo courtesy of Doc Searls

Phone Book Recycling Tips Plus How To Opt Out Of Receiving Them

Phone books are made of paper, so they are 100% recyclable. There is no reason they should just be thrown in the trash.

Tips For Recycling

If you've got curbside recycling most likely you can just toss the entire book into the recycling bin and, boom, you're done.

Just be careful to remove any magnets that may be stuck to it (sometimes these promotional items are on the front or back cover of the book), and/or to separate the plastic bag the books often come in if you don't have single stream recycling, and instead need to separate your paper and plastics, for example.

Even if you don't have curbside recycling it is not hard to recycle these directories. Often if you look at either the front or back of the book itself it will provide you with the information necessary to know how and where to recycle them.

If that doesn't tell you though you can also contact the local Yellow Pages publisher to learn about where the phone book recycling drop off locations that are located near your area.

How To Opt Out So You Don't Receive These Books Anymore

If you've decided you don't want these books in the future that's perfectly fine.

It will actually be even better for all involved, including the planet, to let the publishers of these books know that though. No need to receive it and throw it directly into the recycle bin.

And fortunately for you there is a very simple way to do it.

Just go to YellowPagesOptOut.com and fill out the form provided. Simple and easy! :)

Are You Ready To Declutter Your Home?

I hope this mission has inspired you to get rid of your excess paper clutter in your home.

When you begin to declutter the feeling you get is contagious, so if you're loving the results you're getting I would encourage you to keep going.

I've got a whole series of 15 minute decluttering missions (eventually 365 of them!) that you can do.

Just pick and choose the ones you want to do, that will make a big impact in your home. But if you want someone else to tell you the order you can also grab the 15 minute daily decluttering mission calendars and follow along as we all get our homes clutter free together!

Photo courtesy of Jamiesrabbits

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