Taylor Tait and Alicia Hart - Rid It Right

Sometimes you think you’re going down one path and it leads you somewhere else. That’s what happened to Taylor Tait and Alicia Hart. As Professional Organizers they met for coffee to network and share stories. They agreed that each time they de-cluttered a client’s home they’d end up with a car-load of items ranging from sheets and towels to exercise equipment, old tvs to computers. As it was their job to help dispose of these items, they were often faced with the challenge of what to do with the stuff and how to dispose of it the right way so that they didn’t become regulars at the local landfill. Conservationists at heart, the two came up with a plan. They began to research local non-profits and area organizations that need regular donations of gently used items, and recycling centers and programs for the non-reusable and toxic items. They then decided to share their research with everyone, and Rid It Right was born.

The two moms believe reducing, reusing and recycling are simple choices we can make that affect how much waste ends up in our landfills. They believe unwanted things can be repaired, resold, recycled or donated rather than adding to the carbon footprint. The site will offer all of these solutions as well as provide news and education on these topics. For example, the fact that old tvs have lead in them or the toxic nature of computers and cell phone batteries and how these things impact the environment. So not only will users learn what needs to be recycled, they’ll learn how and why to do it right.

Taylor and Alicia love the idea of making an emotional connection with what you are donating. So if you know that Grieving Children of Stamford needs sheets and blankets, you can make sure that your things get to them. With this in mind, donation stories will be shared on the site, like the man who donated his bicycle to the man who needed it to ride to work. Contributors feel more vested when they know their things are helping others.

The web site will provide a directory of non-profit and charitable organizations, youth groups and troops, schools and religious organizations and recycling centers where users can donate or recycle unwanted things. Rid It Right is designed to help you get those items in the hands of people in need and keep usable items out of landfills. In addition to a list of places for donations, there will be a Wish List for groups to make requests for immediate needs. So if you are a Brownie Troop looking for coats for kids, a food pantry in need of canned food, or even a teacher looking for school supplies, you can enter your request on a Wish List for others to see. Taylor and Alicia are starting with Fairfield County but plan to grow the site nation-wide. Taylor is busy with three boys, 7, 10 and 12, and Alicia has four kids, 18, 16, 13, and 11 so they work on their project in the snippets of time when not on mom duty. Developing the web site has proven to take longer and be more involved than originally thought and the two women are looking for assistance in the form of capital, angel sponsors or product sponsors. With the current trend towards recycling and being green, they should have no trouble finding supporters.