Medicine Cabinets
Safely Dispose of expired or unused medication by dropping it off at any Bartell’s location. Secure collection boxes are located near the pharmacy.
Under Sinks
Take inventory of unused chemicals. If you don’t foresee yourself using them again, take the steps to dispose of them properly. Here are links to several local resources:
King County
Pierce County
Snohomish County
Games & Puzzles
Have your board game and puzzle collections grown out of control since the beginning of quarantine? Take stock of which ones you play frequently in various circumstances – solo, 2, 3, 4+ players, with kids, etc., and consider passing the others along, or even creating a sharing circle. Many of us are in the same position, especially on the puzzle front, so being able to circulate puzzles and games within a trusted community keeps it fun and fresh for all involved.
Furniture
Are you tripping over an ottoman or coffee table more frequently than you use them? It could be time to move on. Or if you need an ottoman but want more storage, explore options with built-in storage to minimize wasted space.
Have the kids outgrown their tiny Ikea furniture? Take one more pic of them using it for posterity (prom embarrassment) and hand it down. If you’re looking for a good place to donate furniture or even buy used furniture, try Habitat for Humanity. Call ahead or check online to see if the location nearest you has a strong focus. For instance, the Tukwila location is large but caters toward contracting and renovation supplies (tools, doors, plumbing fixtures, etc.) with a smaller section for furniture, while the Bellevue location has a more modest showroom almost completely dedicated to furniture with some appliances and only a light selection of remodeling/renovation supplies.
For some, it’s a point of pride to have an extensive library of books, CDs, and DVDs. With movie, e-book, and music streaming services having larger libraries than ever before, it may be time to re-evaluate which physical versions are worth the square footage. Most major artists and studio releases are available on at least one streaming platform, however, there are several categories (e.g. local, indie, international) that may be worth keeping the physical versions. If you’re a true cinephile, early DVDs tend to have more commentary tracks, behind-the-scenes, and special features than their later editions. And don’t discount the box art! Maybe downsize to a binder, only keeping the cases with your favorite art. Put them in a shadow box or frame to display in your screening room (aka basement mudroom).
If you’re sitting on stacks of magazines, consider snipping your favorite recipes and putting them in a binder. If you have kids, you can save a healthy stack – stored out of sight – for collages and other art projects.
Designate a go-backs basket
If you’ve ever been in retail, you likely have a love/hate relationship with go-backs (aka abandoned and unwanted items gathered up, in a basket or shopping cart, to be returned to shelves). Bring the fun home! Gather up items that have migrated from their home areas and put them away at the end of the day. If you have kids, this is a must. You can take a quick inventory and task the worst offender with making sure everything goes back to its home zone.