Before Fall Arrives: A Late-Summer Cleanup Guide for Stanwood & Camano Island

Local tips and resources for yard waste, recycling, garage cleanouts and household disposal before fall arrives.

As summer winds down, attention starts to turn toward getting the house and yard ready for fall. There are the usual jobs—cleaning up garden beds, dealing with yard debris, clearing out the garage and getting rid of things that have accumulated over the summer.

For Stanwood and Camano Island residents, there are several local options for recycling, yard waste and household disposal, although the resources are a little different depending on where you live

Where Can You Take Yard Waste?

Late summer is a good time to clean up garden beds, trim back overgrown areas and take care of branches and other yard debris before fall arrives.

Island County and Snohomish County transfer stations do not accept yard waste. For both Camano Island and Stanwood residents, the closest yard-waste collection facility is Lenz Enterprises in Stanwood, located at 5210 State Highway 532. Lenz accepts a variety of yard materials, including grass clippings, leaves, branches, brush, and other clean yard debris.

Check current hours, accepted materials and fees before making a trip, since requirements can change.

Another option is curbside yard-waste collection through Waste Management, which can be included with garbage service or provided as yard-waste-only service.

Cleaning Out the Garage and Recycling

By late summer, the garage can start to collect a little bit of everything—cardboard from deliveries, cans and bottles from summer gatherings, paper from home projects and other items that have accumulated over the past few months.

If you're doing a little cleanup before fall, there are several ways to recycle those everyday household items.

For Camano Island residents, Island County recycling parks accept clean mixed paper, cardboard, tin and aluminum food and beverage containers, #1 and #2 plastic bottles, jugs and jars, and glass bottles and jars. These household recyclables can be dropped off free of charge at the Camano Island Transfer Station. Curbside recycling is also available through Waste Management.

In Stanwood, the Snohomish County Recycling & Transfer Stations and Drop Boxes have designated recycling areas for accepted household materials. Recycling is free for residential customers, and Waste Management also offers curbside recycling collection.

For anyone new to the area, knowing which county handles your waste services—and where to take the things that can't go in the regular garbage—can be helpful when you're getting settled into a new home.

Since the accepted materials aren't the same in both counties, it's worth checking the current guidelines if you're unsure about an item before putting it in the recycling or making a trip.

Where Can You Take Hazardous Waste?

A garage or storage area cleanup can turn up more than cardboard and household recyclables. Old paint, pesticides, cleaning products, automotive fluids, batteries, and other household chemicals may need to be handled differently.

Both Island County and Snohomish County have programs for household hazardous waste and other materials that require special handling. If you're sorting through the garage this time of year, it's a good opportunity to separate those items and check the current guidelines for your area before deciding where they should go.

Give Usable Items Another Home

Fall cleanup can also be a good time to sort through things you no longer use but someone else might.

Clothing, furniture, household goods, tools, and other usable items can often be donated or sold rather than thrown away. If you're already making a trip to donate items or preparing for a garage sale, setting those things aside as you clean can make the process easier.

A Simple Late Summer Cleanup

You don't have to tackle everything at once. Pick a few things to take care of before fall:

Clean out the garage or shed.
Clear branches and other yard debris.
Finish cleaning up the garden.
Break down cardboard and recycle it.
Set aside batteries and electronics for proper recycling.
Separate old paint and household chemicals for proper disposal.
Set aside clothing, furniture and other usable items for donation or resale.
Recycle what you can rather than putting everything in the garbage.

A little cleanup now can make the transition to fall easier. Whether it's a trip to the recycling center, a load of yard waste or simply clearing out a corner of the garage, taking care of a few things now means less to deal with when the weather turns and we're spending more time indoors.

Local Resources

Island County Solid Waste
Recycling, garbage, household hazardous waste, and disposal information for Camano Island residents.

Snohomish County Solid Waste
Recycling, transfer station, drop-off, and disposal information for Stanwood-area residents.

Lenz Enterprises
Yard-debris recycling and composting in Stanwood.

Note: Waste-management rules, accepted materials, hours and fees can change, so check current information before making a trip.

Written By Windermere Staff