Osoji, in Japanese literally meaning “big cleaning”, traditionally happens by the end of December. As the old year comes to an end, in order to greet and invite the deities in for the new year, people engage in a deep clean by discarding anything old, unnecessary, or broke items that may have piled up in the past year. How exactly is cleaning linked to sustainability? Cleaning helps to get clarity on what you already own and appreciate every item you have, calming the need to buy the latest trendy gadget. Also consider the time and space you get to inform yourself when you are not looking for this mismatched pair of socks. I also truly think that cleaning your physical space helps a great deal with your mental one as well (take the word from a formerly messy person…). Here are some tips to do your very own Osoji. Create a vision for what you want your year to look like For the past few years, I have been a huge fan of vision boards. Take a white sheet of paper, write your goals and...

It’s the time of year when the weather is warming up, everything is fresh and new and everyone’s favorite activity comes to mind… Spring cleaning! Here are some quick tips on easy ways you can get rid of clutter, clean up and organize without creating waste. Purge Unused Items  Someone wise once said, “If you haven’t used it in 6 months, you don’t need it.” Maybe it was Oprah. Maybe not. Since we live in an extremely seasonal climate, I stretch this for a year. For me this is mostly a wardrobe purge but look in your closets and under your bed. Are you REALLY going to use that tennis racket that has been lying around for 2 years? Collect all your good but unloved stuff and bring them to the Dump and Run ! You may not be using the seashell adorned photo frame your aunt gave you for graduation but someone out there might just fall in love with it. Don’t forget to look through your cupboards and pantry. Lots of dry goods can keep for extended periods of time but often, if...