Take the mess out of trash

Everyone has trash. It can be paper intense, bulky, sticky, greasy, smelly and/ or liquidy. Why not organize it? This way it will not be so unpleasant to deal with.

It used to be, many had simple trash and not that much. Trash would be food byproducts, metal, glass and maybe some plastic. Today, most trash is synthetic, made up of disposables — plastics, wrappings, paper products, styrofoam, etc. There is so much more of it today. Further, there is no organization to trash. Food scrapes are mixed with paper, mixed with grease, and mixed with liquids.

Seniors need to minimize the amount of trash, so it is best to organize the trash. Trash takes up too much space due to lack of compression.

Smashing the trash down in the container is a first step. Step 2 is to break down all bulk.

Crush plastic containers, tear up boxes and flatten paper before placing it in the trash receptacle. Make the item as small as possible. Step 3 is to maximize the garbage disposal.

If you are an extreme organizer, you go even further. Set up multipurpose trash containers — recyclable trash, rectangular paper/plastic trash, round trash container for bottles, jars and other circular items, freezer container for smelly perishables (chicken bones, onion skins, banana peel, pits).

Little critters follow the smell and spoil. If you must place something messy in the trash can, grab one of the many small plastic bags we seem to accumulate and put the messy item in the small bag, seal it and then trash it.

Make sure similar trash is kept together. Reducing trash to its smallest dimension eliminates multiple trips outside to the trash container.

To keep your living quarters as sterile and fresh as possible, start giving your trash some thought before disposing.

Maria Ward has been a lifelong organizer applying techniques to personal life, business and learning. She worked as a professional organizer and was a member of the Houston professional organizers group. Now retired, she offers organizing classes at Lone Star College’s Academy for Lifelong Learning Program. Email: mariacward@gmail.com.