Organizational Tips & Tools

Do you have a plan if your wallet/purse is stolen/lost/misplaced?

Be prepared. before this happens photocopy BOTH sides of your license, credit cards, etc... This will give you an excellent record of what was in your wallet and all of the account numbers and phone numbers to call and cancel - right at your fingertips. Keep these items in a very safe place.

Avoid being one of the "statistical horror" stories you hear about someone who's wallet/purse was taken and your information was used to commit fraud. Suddenly you are charged with an expensive monthly cell package, applied for a new credit card, bought a computer, had your driving record tampered with, and the list goes on.

As everyone is aware, first cancel all of your credit cards immediately (and since you have easily accessible records this will simplify your life and help ease the pain slightly). File a police report immediately in the jurisdiction where it was stolen. This proves to credit providers that you were diligent, and is the first step toward an investigation if there is one. The next step is very critical and often not done. Call the three national credit reporting organizations immediately to place a fraud alert on your name and social security number. The alert means any company that checks your credit knows your information was stolen and that they have to contact you by phone to authorize new credit.  These numbers are:

Equifax - 1-800-525-6285

Experian (formerly TRW) - 1-888-397-3742

Trans Union: 1-800-680-7289

Social Security Administration (fraud line): 1-800-269-0271

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Closet Organization

 

Organizing your closet is a looming task for many people. Take a deep breath, give yourself quality time and make a nice cup of coffee or tea to begin with. Start asking yourself questions about the items in your closet. Have I used it in the last year? Does it fit? Will it ever really fit? Is it mine? Is it beyond repair? Am I keeping it only for emotional reasons?

Next get out five boxes, these will be:

1)     Dump – The Dump box will hold the items to be “thrown in the dumpster”.  This includes items that are too worn, are not repairable or are stained.

2)     Donate – The Donate box is for the items you would like to donate to a worthy cause because they are still wearable, but for some reason you don’t feel comfortable in them.  Examples of this are clothing that is too big/small, not your color/style or just doesn’t fit right.  There is someone, somewhere out there who can use the item today and probably needs it more than you do. For example, your old business suits and shoes may be given to an organization called Dress for Success, (online at http://www.dressforsuccess.org/how_to_donate/suits.asp). Always remember your old favorite charities like Goodwill, the Vietnam Veterans, and The Society for the Blind to name a few. This is a win-win situation for everyone, you get a tax write off, more space and freedom from clutter and others will be given what they need right now.

3)     Dollars – The Dollars box is for items that you want to take to a consignment shop or to sell in a yard sale.  These items also need to still be wearable and in good condition.

4)     Decide – The Decide box is for the items you’re having a difficult time deciding on right now. Put this box away for 2 weeks, make sure you make this date on your calendar, then pull it out and make a firm decision. No more procrastination!  If you didn’t miss the item, then you probably didn’t need it.

5)     Delegate – The Delegate box is the container for the items that either aren’t yours and need to be returned or the items that need to be repaired, altered, pressed or cleaned.  For the items that aren’t yours, it’s now time to give them back to the original owners.  For the items that need repair or cleaning, get them to the appropriate professional to have it taken care of.  Give yourself a time limit of how long it will take to get these items to the appropriate person.  After that time, it’s time to donate or dump.  

Tip - If you are having a hard time letting go of an item you are keeping solely for emotional reasons, try videotaping or photographing the item for easier storage.

Now it’s time to organize the remaining items in the closet. Store your out of season clothing in clear plastic containers, moving them to the back of the closet or under the bed. Group like clothing items together, going from short to long. This will help you get more space to put a storage unit under the shorter clothing items to store pantyhose, belts and other accessories. Place shoe racks under the pants and lastly hang longer items, like dresses or coats together at the end.

Always remember if you get stuck or don’t have the time, talent or patience to organize your closets, call Organizational Specialists, L.L.C. “We don’t just tell you how to organize, we do it for you!”

 

Garage Organization

Garages have long been notorious for being the one place people can make a “quick stash” of the excess “stuff” in your home so you have that clutter free feeling. Lying just outside the polished interior of your "pristine" home is a monster called the garage. It will eat up lawn chairs, paint cans, Christmas decorations, all sorts of gardening equipment, etc… but it stops short of the larger items that are supposed to be in the garage, namely, your automobile. So it’s time to take back what is rightfully yours, for the love of your car and your sanity.

To begin this labor of love, start early in the morning, eat a good breakfast and wear comfortable clothing. Then begin by pulling everything out and sorting it into categories of trash, donation, garage sale, returns (whether to the store or to friends, relatives, work, etc) and items that rightly belong in the garage. Once you know how much stuff actually needs to stay in the garage, you can begin to reorganize the garage.

Before beginning reorganization, you may want to think about adding a shed for additional storage such as out of season items that you won’t need so readily, the sleds in summertime or the kiddie pools and lawn mowers in wintertime. If this isn’t an option don’t fret, we’ve already cleared out a lot by donation, dumping and delegating (back to the rightful owner).

Let’s look at what we have and make a plan. A good rule of thumb is to get it off the floor. “If you can’t see it, you can’t find it”.  Use hooks, racks, custom made cabinets, shelving units, ceiling fixtures/rafters.  One example is a product called Displawall™, the “new pegboard”.  Displawall™ is a grooved panel with a durable finish that needs no painting or maintenance. It is easily installed and hooks are placed into the holes that can be easily altered to meet your ever-changing storage needs.

The next item of business is to designate areas for the shelving units and/or workbench area and/or cabinets. All of these items may be purchased or made by scratch.  The workbench should be placed on the wall closest to the home if it’s attached. This will be the warmest wall and if the need for electricity arises, you will be better prepared. Using plastic clear containers on the shelving units helps to contain and protect your items along with keeping items “visible” for easy access.

Now we can now start to put in motion the needed changes. Throw the trash; the old wire hangers, old paint/automotive/cleaning supplies**, old baggies, etc… OUT! The next big step is to become charitable. Do you really need all of those suitcases? Isn’t there someone else right now who can use one of them more than you can now?! What hidden items of Aunt Sally’s or Grandpa Joe’s can I either give away or place in a garage sale. Garage sales are big undertakings reserved for another article. Take my word and only plan on this path if you think you can survive the garage “rehab” and the garage sale immediately after so the garage sale items don’t creep back into the garage. This monster is always hungry! Place like items together; gardening, automotive, cleaning, etc…

When working on organizing your work bench/ shelf/cabinet area, prioritize your belongings to place items less likely to be used frequently on the upper shelves or on top of the cabinets such as ladders, folding tables and carpet remnants, ice chests and lawn chair cushions.  Utilize the ceiling area also for these items if you have rafters. Another idea for ladder and gardening supplies is to place items on the wall on hooks or clasps. Use your plastic containers to store the Christmas items, and any other miscellaneous like items and label for quick reference.

These are only a few suggestions to help begin the arduous but exhilarating task of decluttering your garage. For information, call us anytime!

**Discard hazardous waste according to local, state, and federal regulations.

MO No Call -
Stop Those Dreaded Telemarketers

www.donotcall.gov - State Do Not Call Lists

Click the above link, (or call 1-888-382-1222) find the U.S. state that you live in, and sign up for the "Do Not Call List" if one is currently offered by your state. By signing up for this list, wait up to 3 months for your number(s) to become active on the list, and it will be illegal for telemarketers to call your phone number for unsolicited sales and marketing calls.

           HOW TO PROTECT YOUR
                ADDRESS BOOK


As you may know, when/if a worm virus gets into your computer it heads straight for your e-mail address book, and sends itself to everyone in there, thus infecting all your friends and associates. This trick won't keep the virus from getting into your computer, but it will stop it from using your address book to spread further, and it will alert you to the fact, that
the worm has gotten into your system.

Here's what you do: first, open your address book and click on "new contact", Just as you would do if you were adding a new friend to your list of e-mail addresses.

In the window where you would type your friend's first name, type in AAAAAAA. Also use address AAAAAAA@a.aaa
Now. Here's what you've done and why it works: The name AAAAAAA will be placed at the top of your address book as entry #1. This will be where the worm will start in an effort to send itself to all your friends. But, when it tries to send itself to AAAAAAA, It will be undeliverable because of the phony e-mail address you entered.

If the first attempt fails (which it will because of the phony address), the worm goes no further and your friends will not be
infected.

Here's the second great advantage of this method: If an e-mail cannot be delivered, you will be notified of this in your In Box
almost immediately. Hence, if you ever get an e-mail telling you that an e-mail addressed to AAAAAAA could not be
delivered, you know right away that you have the worm virus in your system. You can then take steps to get rid of it!
 

30 Ways to Store More in Your Kitchen

 

So much stuff, so little room. Stuff you need, such as food and pots and pans. Stuff you collect, such as pottery and cookbooks. Stuff that seems to multiply overnight, such as bills, recyclables, and rubber bands. Fortunately, there are plenty of solutions to help you store your stuff—and quickly retrieve it. Check out the following custom cabinetry ideas, easy-to-install products, no-install containers, and tips about organizing that will help you whip your kitchen into shape.
 
1. Bring the pantry closer to you. A pullout pantry system has wire shelf sides that keep items from falling out and allow easy viewing of the contents. Pullout pantry systems, especially those that extend into toe-kick space near the floor, must be installed perfectly level and plumb to operate smoothly.
 
2. Take cabinets to the top. If you're planning for new cabinetry, choose designs that reach to the ceiling rather than those topped by a soffit. Although high-rise storage is more difficult to reach, it can conveniently conceal infrequently used items.
 
3. Specify upper cabinets that rest on the countertop. Shelves positioned between your shoulders and waist require no reaching to store stacks of dinnerware.
 
4. Shift dry goods into airtight, stackable containers. Often, packaged food products can be stored more compactly when transferred from their packaging into stacking containers.
 
5. Install a wire wall grid to keep kitchen tools handy. Turn a bare section of wall into a hook-and-hang center. To store more, add accessories, such as spice racks and cookbook holders.
 
6. Store spice bottles one deep, on their sides with labels visible, in shallow drawers instead of stacking them, says organization consultant Ginny Scott of California Closets in Portland, Oregon. The best location for spice storage is below a cooktop or to the side of your range. The flavor of spices stored above a cooking surface may be adversely affected by the heat.
 
7. Claim shallow storage spaces. You'll more easily see what's on hand when items can't hide behind each other.
 
8. Divide your drawer space. Adjustable inserts help organize flatware and other items inside your drawers. When designing custom drawer space, specify shallow drawers so utensils can be stored one deep for easy viewing.
 
9. Choose full-extension pullouts. Drawers and trays that extend fully make it possible to use the back corners without having to awkwardly reach deep into cabinets to retrieve a pot or small appliance. You may prefer drawers because they save the motion of having to first open a set of doors.
 
10. Attach tacks to the inside of cabinet doors to boost storage options. Be sure to allow enough clearance within your cabinets for racks that tidily stow paper products.
 
11. Adjust shelves to fit specific contents. Choose adjustable shelves that can be as widely or closely spaced as necessary. Professional organizers recommend measuring your stacked dishes to determine the exact shelf heights your dishware requires.
 
12. Make the most of between-shelf spaces. Wire baskets that hang from shelves let you fill unclaimed "air space" with more food items, dishware, or linens.
 
13. Retrofit cabinets with tray dividers, slide-out bins, and plate stackers. Bins are especially useful for containing and organizing small items, such as tea bags, spice packets, and gelatin boxes.
 
14. Avoid stacking or nesting items that don't fit together well, such as cups with handles. Use cup hooks that attach to the bottom of an upper shelf and pull out for access.
 
15. Store shallow items, such as cutting boards and platters, upright. Even narrow spaces next to your range or your sink can be used in this manner. Use dividers to separate items for easier retrieval.


                            Pots hanging from pot rack

16. Keep things conveniently out in the open. Pot racks make use of space above an island. Keep in mind that pots displayed on a rack look picture-perfect only when they do not get much use.
 
17. Put unused space to work. Incorporate shallow drawers into the toe-kick space below lower cabinets to hold a folding step stool, dustpan, or newspapers for recycling.
 
18. Fill in the space under a cooktop with a tilt-out tray for spices and roll-out trays for pots and pans. Or, slide in a movable cart with shelves that can accommodate cooking equipment.
 
19. Wrap storage around plumbing lines and ductwork. A wire unit fits around the water lines and drain pipe under a sink, a handy spot for cleaning supplies. (Avoid storing food items in areas that may get too warm.)
 
20. Add shelves or niches to the end of a cabinet run. The side of an island or cabinet is a prime spot for storing cookbooks and displaying kitchen collectibles.
 
21. Combine open and closed storage for visual interest and accessibility. An arrangement of pantry, wine cubbies, and open shelves makes use of often-wasted space around a refrigerator.

22. Keep dish towels in a cubbyhole close to the cleanup zone. Use a pullout towel rack with more than one bar to air-dry and store towels.
 
23. Round up your recycling. A four-bin unit lets you sort recyclables, then conceal them behind doors. The most convenient location for such a unit is next to the sink so that cans and bottles can go straight from a rinse into the appropriate bin. Or, choose a location near the door through which you exit the house to limit how far you must lug the bins.
 
24. Free up counter space with built-in and mounted appliances. Mount a can opener beneath an upper cabinet, a knife holder inside a cabinet door, and a television high on the wall.
 
25. Group items by size. "This is the best way to use space more efficiently," says organization consultant Alice Winner of Hummelstown, Pennsylvania, especially when you size shelves to fit the groupings. Keep in mind, however, that grouping similarly sized items that serve different functions, such as tall cereal boxes and a blender, may cause more steps when you're searching for something.
 
26. Move kitchen items you don't use every day into other rooms. "An empty chest or armoire in your living room can store extra dishware," says productivity and organization consultant Lynn Meyer of All About Time in Chicago.

27. Set up a streamlined household communications center. Conceal a message board or calendar on the back of a closet or cabinet door. Use baskets or cubbyholes, one for each family member, in a closet or cabinet to sort mail and stash pens and notepaper.
 
28. Group items by task, then stash the groupings near work zones. In this beverage preparation zone, stemware and glasses are stashed next to a wine cooler.
 
29. Get creative when designing custom storage. Next to this pullout pantry, stemware hangs from slots above a pass-through, and cubbyholes near the ceiling house wine bottles.
 
30. Designate a temporary clutter-holding zone. A basket, for example, can house odds and ends that belong in other rooms until you have time to return them to their rightful places. Make sure you sort and return the items in the basket daily, however, or you'll simply have a clutter catcher rather than a solution.

30 Ways to Store More in Your Bath
 

Baths suffer a double whammy when it comes to storage—not much space and a lot of stuff. Small items, such as cosmetics and medicine containers, seem to clone themselves. Bulky towels and paper products need to stay dry yet handy. To wash away such storage woes, try these clever products, design ideas, and organizing tips.
 
1. Use furniture for best-dressed storage options. Turn a dresser into a vanity. Be sure to protect the wood from possible water damage with polyurethane. Keep in mind that you'll lose some storage room inside the piece to plumbing; recess pipes and use a wall-mount faucet to gain space.
 
2. Select units that triple up on types of storage. Based on water-resistant steel laboratory cabinets, a stainless-steel rack features open shelves, drawers, and locking doors. Make sure wheeled units come equipped with a locking brake for stability.
 
3. Scale the walls with open shelves. Walls that do not interfere with traffic flow, doors, or fixtures can host shelves. Attractive containers that match your decor can sit on the shelves to hold items that need to be out of sight. For decorative or less-used items, productivity and organization consultant Meyer uses shelves near the ceiling.
 
4. Add extra shelves inside medicine cabinets. To make use of space inside existing cabinets, install extra brackets to hold glass shelves, which can be cut to fit at most hardware stores.
 
5. Mount storage accessories without damaging your walls. Try containers and racks that attach to nonporous surfaces with suction cups. Their holes and hooks provide perches for razors and washcloths. Tension-pole shelves are another no-nails-required option.
 
6. Look down for untapped storage potential. A mirrored console unit takes the place of a traditional vanity. Doors that flank the wall-mount sink open to reveal shelves. With cabinets mounted low to the floor, within easy reach of children, avoid stowing prescription drugs or cleaning supplies unless you lock the doors.
 
7. Use stackable bins within cabinets or drawers for flexibility. Rarely used items can occupy bins underneath or behind those that hold contents you use more frequently. In addition to corralling items, the bins also help contain leaks from cosmetics or cleaning supplies.
 
8. Put dirty-clothes disposal where you need it. Look for built-in hamper designs that allow you to easily remove the hamper—whether wire, plastic, or fabric—for toting to your washer and dryer.
 
9. Label containers and bins. "Labeling cuts down on overbuying and the subsequent problem of where to store necessary purchases," says organization consultant Winner. To help preschool-age children identify contents, Winner uses pictures to label bins.
 
10. Add storage to doors. Hooks, racks, and towel bars can occupy doors, including the inside of cabinet doors, instead of precious wall space. Make sure such accessories don't interfere with closing the door.
 
11. Try over-the-toilet options. Cabinets and shelves can occupy space over the toilet without interfering with the use of the fixture. Make sure that shelves and wall-mount cabinets allow enough clearance should you need to remove the tank lid to repair the toilet.
 
12. Design room dividers that do double duty. This divider has nooks near the toilet for towels, supplies, and a phone. On the other side, near a treadmill, the divider houses a combination TV-VCR unit.
 
13. Expand into nooks and crannies. Especially in rooms as tight as this three-quarters bath, niches provide much-needed storage space without invading elbowroom. Partial walls that enclose plumbing and the space between wall studs are prime candidates for a niche or two.
 
14. Give each family member a personal plastic tote. For a bathroom shared by a family, Winner recommends that each member store bathroom basics in a personal tote, which can be stored in a bedroom after daily ablutions.
 
15. Hide clutter and reflect light with mirrored doors. Stash your toothpaste and shaving cream behind vanity cabinet doors with mirror inserts to create an unobstructed view of your reflection and handsome cabinetry. These tall cabinets nearly reach the ceiling, making smart use of vertical space.
 
16. Combine under-sink storage with the airy effect of a pedestal sink. These two pedestal sinks enjoy extra landing space with splash protection thanks to the tile-top built-in with drawers and doors and a backsplash ledge.
 
17. Employ wall-mount storage. Storage cubes feature removable bins so you can bring stored items to your level. The vanity, with a door and two towel bars, fits most wall-mount sinks.
 
18. Put items within easy reach with waist-level storage. A row of above-counter storage drawers can form a ledge for displaying perfume bottles and family photos. Make sure open drawers clear the faucet and sink rim.
 
19. Keep countertops clutter-free. When not in use, stow items in containers that can tuck inside drawers, behind cabinet doors, or on shelves. This will make even small countertops feel more spacious, and you won't have to shuffle supplies to find landing space.
 
20. Learn to say goodbye to outdated cosmetics, medicines, and cleaners. "Clients seem to stash a lot of products in the bathroom that they have a hard time parting with because of the cost of those items," Winner says. "I try to get them to think about the safety issues in keeping chemicals that are not going to be used and may be dangerous to them, children, or pets, and that may not be effective if kept too long."
 
21. Claim shallow spaces. This slim closet between a door and a vanity creates a storage tower. When its door is closed, its full-length mirror provides a reflection and the illusion of more space.
 
22. Don't cut corners. Make use of awkward angles with corner shelves, such as a glass-and-stainless-steel unit. Because clear-glass shelves are see-through, they help your space look more open.
 
23. Build in a step stool. The toe-kick of your vanity can house a slide-out platform to help children reach the sink. When not in use, the platform tucks back underneath the vanity.
 
24. Transform a decorative panel into tilt-out storage. New cabinetry often offers such built-in features, or use a kit complete with hinges and a bin to modify an existing vanity. Include a hidden electrical outlet for extra convenience. Make sure all outlets in your bath are ground fault circuit interrupted for safety.
 
25. Create storage near a console sink. A niche above the console top and a decorative corner etagere add storage options in this narrow bath while maintaining room to maneuver.
 
26. Let windows lighten the storage load. Transparent glass shelves span this textured-glass window to create display space without blocking too much light.

27. Tackle toys. Use a corner stand, shelves, or a net that drips into the tub to hold rubber duckies and other bath toys. It's best to store toys near the floor so children don't risk a fall by reaching or climbing high.
 
28. Make the most of vertical space behind closed doors. You may have more storage options than you realize when you employ additional shelves, racks, and hanging baskets inside an existing vanity or closet. "There are so many products that can stack and hang," Meyer says, including units designed to fit around undersink plumbing. "Use all of the space and it [seemingly] triples, if not more."
 
29. Exile items you don't use every day. "We tend to crowd medicines we don't use every day, like cough medicine, in with medicines we take daily," Meyer says. Adhesive bandages and other first-aid supplies are also culprits. These items can be stored elsewhere in your house, perhaps in a linen closet near the bathroom, to save valuable space for things you use daily.
 
30. Boost the storage potential of nontraditional vanities. This airy custom vanity boasts a towel bar convenient to the sink and a shelf beneath for folded towels. A nearby niche with shelves keeps toiletries tidy.

 

Creative Closet Storage Solutions


Better Homes & Gardens logo


Looking up - Sometimes the space you seek may be right over your head. Combining two closets with a shallow attic can create a dressing room that literally reaches for the rafters, like the one shown. Vaulting the ceiling can make room for a third tier of hanging space for out-of-season clothing, plus shelving for shoes, hats, and other items. Down below, the his-and-her closet has a drawer-lined peninsula dividing the two areas.
Ties and belts are easy to find in carefully organized drawers; the ones shown were custom-built to fit not only the space but also the contents.
 
Space savvy - A good way to carve out space for a dressing room is to "borrow" from the bedroom. Located along an outer wall in the master suite, the inside wall of the dressing area shown here consists of built-in his-and-her bureaus and cabinets; they stop short of the ceiling to promote cross-ventilation into the sleeping area. This "corridor" also connects the suite with the master bath.
On the outer wall of the same space, two banks of shelves are enclosed by clear plastic doors. Because everything can be seen at a glance, the owners don't have to waste time rummaging around for clothing or accessories. Between the shelving units, a window seat provides a comfy spot to put on socks and shoes, and has a bank of storage underneath. Good lighting helps the owners mix and match color choices.
Special Spaces - The owners of this home knew they wanted his-and-her dressing rooms—but not identical. Both rooms do have center islands that provide drawer storage and a place to fold clothes or pack a suitcase. Each closet's fixtures are covered in white laminate, and the lighting that simulates daylight makes colors easy to see.
What's different? His dressing room has tiered rods for suits and shirts, plus shelving for sweaters. Uniquely his are the stair-stepped rods that make choosing a necktie a cinch.
For her, an additional cedar-lined closet branches off her everyday closet to hold her large collection of clothing from India. Shelves hold silk saris, tops, and skirts, and special-occasion dresses and matching pants are neatly aligned on hangers.

How To Make A Small Room Look Larger

To make a room look larger many tricks can be applied
to any room:

For the illusion of a larger room, use a color scheme
that is light rather than bright or dark. Pastels,
neutrals and white are all color possibilities.

Use a monochromatic color scheme on the furniture,
rugs and walls. Select different shades and textures
of your single color.

A torchiere bounces light off the ceiling to increase
the look of space. 
Lighting is a key element in opening up a space.
Recessed spot lighting is visually appealing and is
perfect for a small space. A torchiere light is great
for bouncing light off of the ceiling and back down on
the room. Skylights and solar tubes are natural
alternatives for adding light to a room.

Limit the number of accessories to avoid the cluttered
feeling.

The floor and the ceiling are the fifth and sixth
walls of every room. A light-colored flooring such as
light oak or a light-colored carpet will make the room
appear brighter and more open. The same applies to the
ceiling—use a light color or white to "open up" the
space above.

A large mirror can double the appearance of the room.
Increase the appearance of the size of the room by
adding wall mirrors. They not only reflect images,
they reflect light and color. Be a little daring! Use
mirror tiles to mirror an entire wall. Your room will
appear to double in size.

Don't place too many pieces of furniture in a small
space.
Add paintings or prints to the walls. One large
painting works better than a group of small paintings.

A glass table a feeling of open space.
The visual balance of a room is also important. A
large, brightly colored element can overwhelm a room
and decrease the appearance of space.

A glass table, whether it is a dining, coffee or end
table, will keep keep the appearance of a open and
free space.

Increase Your Space with a Loft
When you need more space and can't build out the only
thing left to do is build up.

One of the quickest and easiest ways to increase your
space is with a loft. Once you have your bed up and
out of the way you can add a closet rod to create over
six extra feet of closet space, add shelves for
storing books and research materials or the classic —
place your desk under the loft. Regardless of which
space-saving technique you choose, you're sure to
appreciate the 18 or so square feet of extra elbow
room.

Lowe's can help you with lofts.

Courtesy of Lowe's.

HOUSEHOLD HAZARDOUS WASTE WHAT YOU CAN DO IN MISSOURI

The first option for any hazardous material is to use it up, in the manner in which it was intended.  Share it with family, friends, neighbors, churches, schools, community organizations, or anyone you know who might need such material.

Hazardous materials, such as flammables (e.g., oil-or lead-based paint, paint thinner, polyurethane, etc.), must be disposed of as household hazardous waste (HHW).  City of St. Louis residents can dispose of HHW at special collections events hosted by the Metropolitan St. Louis Sewer
District (MSD).  Until then, we advise that residents store these materials while awaiting disposal. 
Once a year (usually in October), MSD and the Public/Private Partnership in Pollution Prevention (5P), which includes the
City of St. Louis, hold a Household Hazardous Waste Collection Day Fair. Each event is held in one of five target areas in the City of St. Louis or St. Louis County, within the boundaries of MSD's service area.  To check on the next event, please contact MSD's Household Hazardous Waste Information
and Message Center by phone at 314.768.2727 (MSD will post updates as the event approaches) or visit http://www.msd.st
louis.mo.us/CommOutReach/HHWaste/Faqs.htm.  For future reference, a helpful web site about what to do with different materials is MSD's Household Hazardous Waste Disposal Chart at http://www.msd.stlouis.mo.us/CommOutReach/HHWaste/DispChart/Default.htm.

City residents can recycle Batteries, Oil, Appliances, and Tires (B.O.A.T.) by placing them out for once per month collection with bulky materials.  Check the sticker on your dumpster or rollcart for your regular Bulky/B.O.A.T. collection week.  Bulky/B.O.A.T. must be placed out (not in
or next to your general trash) by 6:00 a.m. on the Monday of your regularly scheduled collection week.  Once per month, City of St. Louis residents, with identification, may drop off B.O.A.T. items at the North or South Transfer Station, Monday through Friday 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. 
Additionally, antifreeze, automotive batteries, or used oil can be recycled at many auto parts stores, service stations, or auto service centers/retailers.

Please note that the Refuse Division can also provide flyers and brochures with information on where to recycle non-alkaline household batteries or consumer electronics, as well as information on landscaping and gardening with plants that are native to Missouri (which reduces the need for
synthetic herbicides, pesticides, fertilizers, etc.).