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Whether you are a veteran organizer or this is something you are just getting into, you may have a lot of plastic bins. Cheap clear plastic storage bins have a lot of uses, but there may come a point where you are worried about accumulating too many. What are you going to do with all these large plastic storage containers? Can you recycle them? Upcycle them?

While in plastic bins are quite convenient in most respects, unfortunately they are not easy to recycle. There are a couple of reasons for this:

• Plastic bin storage containers are often too large and unwieldy to fit into the actual recycling bin that you put out at the side of the curb.

• Many recycling programs simply will not accept plastic bins. They are only interested in smaller items like bottles. If you find this to be the case and you still are intent on recycling your unwanted plastic bins, there are a few options you can try:

• Check with your county government to see if they have any places you can drive to and pay to recycle your plastic bins (yes, you may need to pay a fee).

• Contact private companies that recycle in your area to see if any of them will take the bins.

• Take them to the thrift store. Sometimes other people can use your plastic bins. If the thrift store accepts them, you can rest assured that you have done your part to keep the planet green. The plastic does not necessarily have to be recycled to make something new—sometimes a bin can find new life in a new home!

• If the thrift store will not take your tote bins with lids, keep asking around. There may be other local organizations that will accept them. Check in with charities, senior centers, and schools.

Upcycle Plastic Bins in Your Own Home

If you still cannot find anyone to take the extra bins, consider whether you can use them for some other purpose in your home. You would be surprised just how many uses there are for plastic bins, even outside of storage! Plastic storage containers can even be used in your garden as planters or worm composting bins. So even bins that are in rough shape can serve a purpose.

The next time you go shopping for organizing supplies, the best thing you can do is take a careful inventory of the items you need to store in advance. Do your best to estimate exactly how many bins you will need and what sizes they should be. That way you are less likely to purchase more than you need.

Of course, that is yet another reason to consider keeping around the bins you have now. You may not envision a purpose for them anytime soon, but you might well be surprised. It seems like there is always some new organizational project looming up on the horizon. And this time, you will be ready with the bins you need!