131 - The Junk Drawer Series - Batteries

Summary

In this episode of Decluttering Untangled, Heather Tingle guides listeners through the process of organising and properly disposing of batteries found in junk drawers. She emphasises the importance of not throwing batteries in the regular waste bin due to fire hazards and provides practical steps for gathering, testing, and storing batteries. Heather also encourages listeners to create a routine for recycling batteries, making the process easier and more efficient. The episode is filled with actionable tips to help listeners declutter their homes and manage their battery storage effectively.

Chapters

00:00
Introduction to Decluttering the Junk Drawer

02:49
The Importance of Proper Battery Disposal

06:05
Organising and Storing Batteries Effectively

08:51
Creating a Routine for Battery Recycling

Battery Testers (UK) (affiliate link)

Battery storage cases (UK) (affiliate link)

Mentioned in the podcast: Recycle Now website

Transcript

Heather Tingle (00:01.026)
Hello, Untanglers, and welcome back to another episode of Decluttering Untangled with me, your host, Heather Tingle. So this week, we are back in your junk drawer. So if you caught last week's episode, which was part one, you'll know that I'm working through a junk drawer category by category because sort the junk drawer out is a task that is basically meaningless. So it's too big, it's too vague.

your brain will find a million other things to do instead. And what will just happen is you'll just rummage around in it and it'll be a disaster. So we're gonna pick one thing from the junk drawer each week over the next few weeks so that you've got a task to concentrate on, which is small and practical and doable. And eventually you will sort this junk drawer out because I think it's really important that we don't want to demonize having a junk drawer because I have one.

They are great as long as you know exactly what's in them. Everything in there makes sense and you can go to it and know the thing that you want to be in there is actually in there. So that is what I would like for you. And that's what this series is about. So today we're tackling something that is probably rattling around in there right now. And it's probably in a few other places too because when I go to clients homes, I come home with pockets full of these things and that is batteries. So.

Most of the stuff in your junk drawer probably just needs sorting, rehoming or binning. Batteries are a little different and I want to talk to you about why and this is where I put my serious face on because the exit strategy here for batteries really matters. Batteries must not go in your regular bin. Trash can, waste bin, whatever you call it, wherever you are. The dead ones, the ones that leaked, the ones that are definitely empty.

you cannot put them in your general waste because they can cause fires. So what happens is waste lorries compact things as they go and a damaged or punctured battery can cause fires. And you do not want that happening. And you also don't want it happening in your house either. And if I'm honest, the things that I have seen ruined by leaked and crusty old batteries happens more often than you would realize. So wonderful.

Heather Tingle (02:22.526)
old tech that is now vintage, that you've really attached to, that you really love, has been ruined because the battery has gone and leaked and now it's totally unusable. And I guess also, so that South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue do not hate me, and that is my local fire authority, this is the one time where you do need to do things properly even if it makes it harder for you for the exit. Okay.

So before we do anything else, I just wanna plant that in your head. I don't wanna terrify you, but we are not binning batteries today in our waste bins. By the end of this episode though, I really want you to have a proper plan for them and I hope I can help you create that. So first things first, as always, when we declutter in, we're gathering them all together. So batteries are not just unfortunately in the junk drawer in most people's homes.

They're in old remote controls that you've given up on in the spare room. They're in the gadget drawer in the kitchen, the kids toy box, the bedside table will not go into there while they're there. The random packet in your bag from the time you bought some and didn't want to lose them by the side of the TV, down the sofa, a million different places they could possibly be. So go find them. I want you to go on a battery hunt and get them all in one place. You will almost certainly have more than you think.

The next thing is to test them. So a battery tester cost a few pounds and it is absolutely worth having. I will put the link in the comments for one I've got in my kit because it takes the guesswork out of it completely. You just pop the battery in and it tells you if it's okay or not. So with the battery testers, I would have that in my junk drawer if it wasn't in my kit because it is very, very useful.

If you haven't got one yet, that's okay. What you can do is Google the bounce method. I have tried it with varying degrees of success, which is why I bought a battery tester. So it's not foolproof, it's not totally accurate, but it might help you just confirm that the batteries that you thought were dead actually are dead. And what I'd like you to do then is to sort them into three piles, working, dead, no clue.

Heather Tingle (04:42.923)
and be really honest with yourself. So a battery that's been limping along is probably not worth putting back in your remote control. Also, if you find your remote control is not working very well and you've got to press it or you've got to press the buttons in a weird light way to actually make it work, it might be that your battery is gone. So get some new batteries. So batteries need a proper home, not just chucked back in a drawer. So I find that a small box or tin works really well or...

and this is something I have seen in loads of clients' homes that I am very proud of, is a custom battery storage case. Again, I'll put a link in the show notes for ones that I've seen in the untangled homes and ones that I've recommended in the past. And what you want to do is group them by size, AA, AAA, those big chunky ones I can never remember if they're a C or a D. The smoke alarm batteries, little reminder, check your smoke alarms and get some night bulb batteries for them if they are not mains wired.

And those little ones for like hearing aids or remotes or key locks, whatever you've got, keep like with like. That way, if something needs a battery, it's silly o'clock in the morning on Christmas day when you're trying to get things sorted for your child or laughing at night and everyone's absolutely knackered and grumpy and you just need to find the right one that works. You don't have to upend an entire draw and rummage through to try and find one that actually works. It's also really useful because you can physically see how many you've got of that type.

and then you'll know how many you need. So for example, I now know I need some for my cat's feeding trays and I know I don't have enough for when they die. So I will buy some, keep them in there and then next time I replace them, I can then replace the ones that are in the storage space. Hopefully that makes sense. And I would also like you to get, and you don't need to buy this, an old reused one is great for this.

a separate tin or a box with a lid, but specifically use it for dead batteries. I really like little tins because they are metal and if something is happening fire-wise, it's gonna contain it a little bit. So label it something along the lines of to recycle or dead batteries. So it's really obvious what it is for. And this is your buffer zone between them being chucked straight back in the drawer.

Heather Tingle (07:01.353)
or in your handbag to drive around in the car until you next remember them in like three months time that you should have dropped them off. So this is your little buffer zone. So it stops that dead ones going straight in the bin by mistake or back in the drawer, which is mega easy to do when you're in a rush and not thinking about it and think about where you're gonna keep it. So you can keep it next to the live batteries, the ones that work because then you are going to the

live battery space with the dead battery. If it's next to it, it's easier to put it in that space. The other one that does really work, the other place, is having it, and I was gonna say by the door, because that is what I've done in the past. But actually, near an exit point probably isn't ideal, especially like if you've got a window and heat and all that kind of stuff. So consider fire safety reasons. So instead, think about where you keep your bags, your reusable shopping bags, your coat.

whatever you grab on the way out. So it might be a shelf nearby or a drawer in that area. Ideally not a drawer, if I'm honest, simply because you'll probably forget it's there. So on top of a cupboard that you walk past regularly, somewhere visible, somewhere on your natural route out of the house, but not blocking an exit. So the goal is that when you see it, you remember to take it with you when it's full.

Most big supermarkets these days have got battery recycling points near the entrance. So often for me, it's near the door or near a customer service desk. You've probably walked past it a dozen times without noticing it. So look out for those spaces. And when your tin is full, when you're heading out for a big shop, you grab it and you empty the tin into the battery drop-off zone, job done. Now, if you're not sure where your nearest recycling point is, if you are in the UK, recyclenow.com has a postcode search.

or your local council website will tell you. They always have them at recycling centers or what we call a tip. And it takes about two minutes to find out. So once you know, you know. So make it a habit if you can in that when you go to get a new battery, the old one goes in the tin. When the tin is full, the tin goes out in the bag or even if it's not full, just get it into a routine of every time you go to the place where the drop off is, take them with you if there is any in there, job done.

Heather Tingle (09:23.137)
And I am gonna give you an HSIO because I am aware that we do beat ourselves up about not doing things properly. So you're gonna get a Heather says it's okay moment now. If you have been in batteries up until now, most people have, nobody taught us this stuff. It's not exactly on the curriculum. Well, I don't think it is. It definitely wasn't when I was at school. You didn't know or you forgot, we did it on autopilot. If you put something in the bin, it is okay. You know now.

And that's the bit that matters. So moving forward, you're not going to just come in a bin. You're going to get them in your little tin or in your little box, and you're going to go and get them exited. So your one task from this episode is go and find your batteries, just that, gather them up, test what you've got and get a tin ready for dead ones. So that sounds like a lot. So it might be that today listening to this, you gather them up. Next week, you test what you've got.

The third week you get a tin and put all the dead ones together and the fourth week you take them to the drop-off zone. That is okay. Tiny action, but real progress which lasts and you're creating an organisational system that will work for you in the future and make life for your future self so much easier. Now, if you found this helpful, share it with someone who might need it. If you are in any Facebook groups, for example, tell people about our podcast.

If you are enjoying this junk draw series and have random things in your junk drawer, tell me what is in there and you may get them featured on the next pod or hop over to the Untangled Facebook group and tell me all about your junk drawer because I really do love hearing from you. Also very exciting news, I am now able to reply to your fan mail through the Buzzsprout. So...

If you are now sending me a message through the podcast, I can now reply to you. Now, I can't guarantee I'm gonna be able to give you a detailed one-to-one reply, but I will definitely be able to say hello. So that's exciting. So there you go. Until next time, remember you're not alone. Be kind to yourself and keep untangling.