'Think before you toss'

By MICHELE BESCHEN
DIY Network

"Use it up, wear it out, make it do, or do without"....New England proverb.

Recycling is certainly nothing new, but there is definitely a re-energized enthusiasm to the word and all it stands for.

To most people, it simply means diligently gathering up their papers and plastics, or their cans and bottles and delivering them to the nearest drop-off site.

But, to me, it is so much bigger than that --the whole concept of recycling gives all of us the exciting opportunity to exercise our imaginations and to be resourceful and innovative on a daily basis.

Think about it, from the time we get up in the morning until the time we go to bed, we're continually faced with "trash," or what I lovingly like to call life's leftovers.

Life's leftovers come in many forms -- from packaging materials to clothing, food, home and garden debris. We're constantly on the toss.

My challenge to you in the New Year is to think before you toss. Look at your trash in all its discarded glory and try to imagine another use for it.

Granted, some things are easier to re-use or repurpose than others, but it really is a simple exercise that every one of us can try, no matter where or how we live.

By doing so, you're opening yourself up to the possibility of discovering new materials to work with and innovative ways to use things -- and you're ultimately cutting down what gets sent to the landfill.

You, and everyone around you will benefit from this new level of awareness, and at the same time, it's a testament to your creative side.

Naturally, by doing this you'll be accumulating things you otherwise wouldn't have to store, so the key to successful recycling and repurposing is to be organized and orderly with the things you're saving.

A beautiful way to start is by putting your recycling efforts on display. It's a clever way to organize, store and decorate, all in one shot!

Set yourself up with an assortment of clear jars or containers in various sizes and organize them on a shelf or shelves and start collecting.

The golden rule is to always deal with life's leftovers immediately. Clean, disassemble, cut to size, remove labels, etc....so everything is ready to use.

Another important rule...don't be keeping things for the sake of keeping things. If you don't see another use for it, don't hang on to it.

Keep all like items together. You'll immediately identify what things you'll be collecting on a regular basis and arrange your jars accordingly.

I have all of my jars in a shelving unit in the kitchen, because so much of the waste we generate happens in that room. Everything is within reach, everything has its' own jar, so I can easily toss my bottle caps, rubber bands, corks and such. (Trust me, if you don't keep it simple and organized, you either won't be doing it for very long or you'll have a giant mess in one of your cupboards).

As your jars start to fill, you'll notice a beautiful, decorative display coming to life. Most of my materials end up getting used for various art projects, and if I find my supply is starting to run rampant, I neatly package them up and pass them along to friends or donate them to art programs, schools or thrift stores.

Treat life's leftovers with the same respect you would your newly purchased items, and you'll be enthralled with the ingenuity that comes of it. Cheers to a resourceful New Year!

Michele Beschen is creator of the B. Original series for the DIY Network. Visit www.diynetwork.com.