How to Beautify Your Community this Spring

There it is. Can you feel it? Spring. It’s finally here, officially. And after what has seemed like the Winter of our Discontent (We learned — a couple of times — to know and fear the Polar Vortex), it’s probably safe to say that most people are ready for it.

But are you ready for that other thing that comes this time of year? No, not allergies.

Spring cleaning.

With the warm weather comes an insatiable need for many of us to rid our homes of all the junk that piled up while we were keeping cozy under layers of blankets.

Fortunately, many cities and towns across the country have plans in place to make spring cleaning as easy as possible for community members, like free appliance and electronics disposal. But this time of year isn’t just about keeping your home clean. Check out some of these city initiatives we came across that make it easier for people to keep their communities clean and connected too.

CITYWIDE CLEANUP EFFORTS

St. Paul, Minn., started a neighborhood cleanup program to help minimize the amount of litter in their community. Groups and individuals can sign up to clean their neighborhood, or people can participate in the Citywide Spring Cleanup event in April.

Every spring and fall, Longview, Texas, holds a Trash Bash for residents. Volunteers are invited to come out for cookies, community and cleanup as part of the city’s commitment to keeping Longview beautiful.

CITYWIDE GARAGE SALE

Community-wide garage sales draw such a crowd in Austin that they don’t just happen every April. Eight times a year residents clean out their closets and rummage through each others’ discarded clutter looking for treasures.

Bonner Springs, Kan., is hosting a similar citywide sale in April. People from all over the Kansas City metro area come to town twice a year for the event. Just like any good garage sale, the one in Bonner Springs brings people together to reuse rather than throw away.

ALWAYS IMPROVING

The topic of springtime community beautification is a popular one among communities engaging with their residents using MindMixer, including in Breckenridge and Wichita. These conversations prove that the best way to keep a town beautiful is by inviting people to not only pitch in to clean up trash, but also to pitch in to find better ways to do it.

Originally published on 3/21/14 at http://mindmixer.com/2014/03/how-to-beautify-your-community-this-spring/