We all find ourselves at messy workstations from time to time, whether the culprit is an overstuffed drawer of paper, a tangled mess of wires and cables, or pens and office supplies in abundance. Sometimes, our workspaces can become quite overwhelming and it can be tricky to determine where to begin the decluttering process. A good angle to approach the daunting task of getting organized is to begin with a list.

Here is a breakdown of ways you can make your workspace more organized, accessible, and ready for action.

How to deal with cables and wires

Sometimes, cables and wires can get quite out of hand. Have you ever had that experience of finding a cable and not remembering what it is for? Or maybe the tangled mess of cables takes up too much space in your desk.

Use elastic bands and masking tape to separate your cables and label them. 

An easy way to combat these problems in a short amount of time involves two relatively inexpensive office supplies which you may be lucky enough to already have in your cluttered workspace: masking tape and elastic bands.

Use three fingers as a guide to wrap your cables and wires into loops, then use an elastic band to hold those loops together. The finishing touch involves the masking tape. Wrap the masking tape around one end of the wire and leave enough excess material to fold it over and make a tag. Now you can label your wires and store them in a tidy fashion.

How to manage all that paperwork

This task takes puts another common office supply to good use—sticky notes. Sticky notes are very useful for their obvious applications such as writing reminders and marking book pages, but they can also be used to organize loose paperwork.

If you can find a designated spot on or in your desk, use the sticky notes to tab the piles. Use categories such as personal, work, taxes, other, and to sort.

Using sticky notes doesn’t have to mean clutter on your desk – you can organize your notes into categories and pile them on your desk.

By keeping a to sort category, you can get to some of that paperwork later and maintain organization by dedicating 15 minutes at the beginning or end of each week to make sure that stack is dealt with.

The endorphins released by accomplishing this simple task will not only aid in habit-forming but also provide you with a sense of accomplishment each time.

What to do with all those pens, markers, and pencils

Every once in a while, the big clean happens. There are pencils, pens, markers, and highlighters everywhere. Which ones are new and which ones are old and dried out? When you go to test your writing tools to see if they are still useful, there is an instinct to throw out anything that can no longer write.

This is the easy answer, but did you know there is a more sustainable answer?

Chain department stores such as Staples provide bins where you can deposit old pens and more for recycling. 

Many office supply locations offer recycling programs. Chains such as Staples provide bins at their locations where you can deposit old pens, highlighters, and even trickier items such as printer ink cartridges. If you are unsure if your local office supply store offers these services, check their website. It just takes a few easy clicks to see what exactly, Staples’ TerraCycle program accepts.

Keeping your desk organized

Now that your desk is decluttered, find a way to keep it organized. Sometimes you may need to discover multi-functionality in other household items. Useful desk organizers can be found in items such as old mugs that are collecting dust in the cupboard, as well as a desk drawer essential: cutlery trays.

Organizing your office drawers can be as easy as using kitchen cutlery trays for sorting. 

These organizers do not need to be a ‘kitchen only” tool. In fact, many models have compartments in a variety of sizes. These can provide space for rulers, writing utensils, business cards, staples, and thumbtacks. If you can pair these repurposed tools with the above tips and tricks, there is no workspace you cannot conquer.

Happy decluttering!

Canadian Mattress Recycing Inc. is Metro Vancouver’s leading mattress recycler. Since opening our doors eight years ago, we have recycled over 25 million lbs of mattresses and upholstered furniture. We dismantle, recycle, and reuse 100% of all items we receive. We are proud environmental leaders, paving the way for a more sustainable, climate-smart future.

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Getting rid of appliances appropriately can be a massive headache. They can be too heavy to carry or fit into a car. But when your washing machine breaks down, how do you get rid of it responsibly?

Here are six ways to dispose appliances in Vancouver:

• Hire a service: get a junk removal company to take the appliance away
• Recycle it: let a recycler take your old appliance
• Ask around: ask your neighbours or strata for help
• Drop it off: some retailers accept old appliances for recycling
• Sell it: fix your appliance and sell it on an online marketplace
• Get help: contact your city’s waste disposal department for assistance

Option One: Hire an appliance removal service

The best hands-off way to dispose of an old washing machine or stove is to hire a junk removal service to pick it up for you. Some services will landfill the appliance. Others will recycle it.

Option Two: Recycle The Appliance

Alternatively, you can always find the nearest recycling depot to take your old appliances.

Here’s some recycling resources to get you started:

City of Vancouver – Recycling Page

Check out the City of Vancouver recycling page. Appliances can be difficult to recycle or dispose of, but the Waste Wizard exists to help you find out what goes where.

Regional Recycling

Regional Recycling takes residential appliances such as fridges and stoves. Bring your old appliances to a Regional Recycling location.

ElectroRecycle Program

The ElectroRecycle program accepts small appliances, power tools, and even exercise machines for recycling. With over 200 collection sites across BC, you can easily find somewhere to drop off your old appliances.

Recycling Council of British Columbia

Finally, the Recycling Council of British Columbia has a Recycling Hotline that you can call to inquire about how to recycle specific appliances. They can also answer questions. You could also find depots that accept specific appliances through their website.

Option Three: Ask Your Neighbours or Strata Council

If these resources still draw a blank for you, we suggest asking a neighbour or strata.

They can recommend you a solution for your appliance disposal needs. They may also let you know about upcoming events to help you dispose of the items.

Some stratas will hire a big bin several times a year for its residents to dispose of appliances and large furniture, free of cost. You never know what is available through your strata unless you ask!

Option Four: Recycle the appliance through a business

Check your recycling options in your city. You may be able to recycle old appliances at a local retailer, such as a Best Buy, London Drugs, or Staples.  Give the stores a call, or visit their website for more information.

Did you know: London Drugs will take back appliances purchased from their store, such as toasters, coffee makers, and other electronics.

Option Five: Fix your appliance and sell it online

Test your luck by selling your old appliance online. Fix it, give it a polish, and you never know who may be interested in buying it! Sites like kajiji, craiglist, Facebook marketplace, and used.ca can be great sites to post your item.

Option Six: Contact your city’s waste disposal department

Many residents don’t know cities are often the best resource! Visit your city’s waste disposal department website or give them a call. Many of their staff are educated, and can help you find a place to dispose of your old appliances.

Resource: Junk Removal Services in Vancouver that take Appliances

Not sure where to start your research? We’ve put together a list of Metro Vancouver junk removal businesses. Note that listing these companies do not mean we endorse them. Please do your research to see if they are the right fit for your needs.

1. JustJunk.com

Just Junk is a local company that removes appliances if you live in Vancouver and the Lower Mainland. They take dishwashers, toasters, fridges, and more. When you book with them, they charge based on volume depending on how much space your items take up in their trucks.

2. Ronald’s Rubbish

Another junk removal company that takes appliances is Ronald’s Rubbish. They have a crew of insured and uniformed laborers, and they offer same day service.

They are based in Vancouver and the Lower Mainland, so contact them to see how much it costs to remove your appliance.

3. Russel’s Rubbish Removal

Another company you can check out to remove appliances is Russell’s Rubbish Removal. They have been around since 1997 and serve White Rock, South Surrey, Surrey and Langley areas. They take electronics too, so be sure to check out their site.

4. Junk Removal Express

Finally, another company you can check out is Junk Removal Express. They can remove appliances and also larger items like hot tubs and other items that are difficult to discard. They service Surrey BC but you can still give them a call or check their website if they serve Vancouver.

5. Canadian Mattress Recycling

Yes, we’re going to mention our own company. In addition to the mattresses we take, like our name suggests, we also do residential pickups for any appliance other than fridges. Give our office a call during our hours to inquire what appliances we accept for recycling.

This blog post is written to help Metro Vancouver residents dispose of their old appliances responsibly. Together we can reduce illegal dumping in our streets, and find a sustainable disposal method to get rid of old washing machines, fridges, and more.

Canadian Mattress Recycling is Metro Vancouver’s leading mattress recycler. Our recycling facility accepts appliances (except for fridges). Check our recycling rates and visit our facility today!