The first day of Spring lands one week from today and for many of us, that means the time has come for the annual deep cleaning of our home. According to the 2018 ACI National Cleaning Survey, “91 percent of Americans and 96 percent of Millennials engage in spring cleaning, with 76 percent of the population participating each year.” There are many reasons for spring cleaning, the tops ones named in the survey being: “to give my house the thorough cleaning it needs (60%), to remove clutter (22%), to remove asthma or allergy triggers (10%), and to prevent the spread of illness (7%).” No matter what your reason is for spring cleaning this year, we would love to highlight a few key rooms and areas around the house as you clean to also check for used textiles you may no longer want or need.

 

Bathroom

Amongst those who took the survey, the room most likely to get deep cleaned was the bathroom: “46% reported that the bathroom was the room they most likely chose to ‘deep clean’.” As you clean the bathroom this Spring, remember to declutter as well. Check the drawers and closets in your bathroom to assess which towels and washcloths no longer get used or absorb as they should. Check also your beach towel stash for the summer ahead and recycle any beach towels that you no longer need or use. Lastly, If you are looking to give your bathroom an inexpensive makeover, also remember to recycle your cloth shower curtain. For information about recycling bins and partner stores nearest to you, please contact us.

Textiles to Recycle

• Towels
• Washcloths
• Hand Towels
• Beach Towels
• Cloth Shower Curtain

 

Kitchen

The second most likely room to be deep cleaned (with 36%) according to the survey was the kitchen. This is usually comprised of pulling ovens and refrigerators out to sweep underneath or behind, deep cleaning the oven and fridge, sinks and stovetops, and mopping or scrubbing floors. As you complete these tedious but necessary tasks, look around at the textiles in this room also and see what needs to be recycled. Kitchen towels, non-vinyl tablecloths, table runners, cloth placemats and oven mitts at times will need an overhaul, and when they do, remember to recycle these items and do not throw them away.

Textiles to Recycle

• Kitchen Towels
• Non-vinyl Tablecloths
• Table Runners
• Cloth Placemats
• Oven Mitts

 

Living Room

The next room most likely (10%) to be deep cleaned this spring is the living room. Although we do not accept pillows or rugs, we do accept pillow covers, sofa covers, drapes or curtains, and blankets that you may find in your living room. Even if it is tattered, stained or contains holes, please donate it so that we can best decide how to give it another life elsewhere. For where to donate your rugs, carpets or pillows, check out our previous blog about CTR’s unacceptable items and how to recycle them.

 

Textiles to Recycle

• Pillow Covers
• Sofa Covers
• Drapes/Curtains
• Throw Blankets

 

Bedrooms

From those surveyed, seven percent answered they deep cleaned bedrooms as well during spring cleaning. Bedrooms are where the majority of textiles can be found in your home as bedding and clothes constitute the majority of what we own in textiles. As you move your bed aside to vacuum underneath and dust dressers and bookshelves, take the time to declutter as well in your spring cleaning and clean out your closets, dressers and excess bedding.  No matter how you go about the process, it will feel good to go through and assess what you already own, what you may need, what no longer fits or is no longer in good shape to wear and recycle those items you’ve realized are not getting worn.

 

You can also look through shoes and donate any paired shoes to our bins or partner resale stores. Additionally we accept purses, backpacks, belts, handbags, totebags and stuffed animals. For a full list of acceptable and unacceptable items, click here.

Textiles to Recycle

• Bedding (Sheets/comforters/pillowcases)
• Curtains
• Clothes (Jeans/pants/shirts/sweaters/socks/underwear/bras/dresses/shorts/swimsuits)
• Paired Shoes
• Stuffed Animals
• Purses or Backpack or Soft Luggage
• Belts 

 

Closets

One area of your home not mentioned by those who took the survey but equally important in cleaning out this season are your closets, such as linen closets, hall closets, and front closets.  At Chicago Textile Recycling, we accept sheets, bedspreads, jackets, coats, scarves, hats, mittens, and quilts in addition to those items mentioned above such as handbags and backpacks. All of these items may be ones only found in extra closets around the house, so be sure to clean these out as well before making a trip to the donation bin or resale store. 

 

Textiles to Recycle

• Linens
• Towels
• Jackets and Coats
• Scarves, Hats, Mittens
• Quilts

 

Spring Cleaning includes Decluttering

Twenty-two percent of survey respondents cited decluttering as their primary reason for spring cleaning each year. If you are a part of that 22%, or even if you aren’t, try decluttering as a part of your spring cleaning this year and see if living with less reduces anxiety and makes you feel better in the space where you live. “Women’s stress levels are directly proportional to the amount of stuff in their homes.” I have found this to be true in my home. I feel more relaxed when there are less piles on each tabletop and when things are put away in their proper place. According to the National Soap and Detergent Association, “getting rid of clutter eliminates 40% of housework in the average home.” Who wouldn’t want less housework?!

 

Another statistic that may sway you is one given by the National Association of Professional Organizers that reports “on average we spend one year of our lives looking for lost items.” If that sounds a little too incredible, another study done by Pixie, a location app for iPhones states that “Americans spend an average total of 2.5 days a year looking for misplaced stuff.” (Read more here.) Whether it’s 2.5 days every year (125 days over 50 years time) or an entire year of your life, think of all that time you could gain by instead spending the time now to declutter and create a space for each item you own. 

 

Whatever your reasoning is for spring cleaning this year, know that the commitment and effort are worth it. You and your family will feel better once its been accomplished, your home will look better, and the environment will be improved by donating textiles, lowering the amount of space used up by landfills and significantly lowering carbon emissions. So mark your calendar and get ready to “spark joy” this spring.