Minimize what you take in.
There’s a couple of things that you can do to minimize your waste output, by not getting unrecyclable materials in your house to begin with.
When you go shopping, bring your own sturdy bags. This saves only a little bit of plastic at a time, but it does add up if you realize how many bags you accept without giving it a second thought a week or a month. Most people think of groceries here, but consider clothing and gadget shopping too!
If you do find yourself in a supermarket without a bag, see if they have boxes or crates (like the type used for fruit) that you can use. They’re going to throw them out (usually without recycling), but you can use them at home to collect paper or glass that you can recycle later.
When you can’t find a box or crate, or if you have to travel in such a way that you can’t use one. Get the tougher type of grocery bag. You can use it as a garbage bag, or fold it up and keep it in your bag/coat pocket/purse so that you can use it again.
Be selective in what you buy, see if you can buy fresh rather than canned. A lot more healthy, almost always better tasting, and more of an incentive to make something out of it before it goes bad.
Don’t go shopping hungry and make a list before you go to the store.
That way you don’t have to throw out as much food that you didn’t eat (and usually you buy less junkfood, and more stuff that is good for you).
Instead of shopping in a supermarket, try to plan one trip a week to a (farmer’s) market. There you can just take most veggies without a bag around them, and most fruits with paper bags. Also, when you buy eggs there, bring the old egg carton from home and have that filled up.
I probably don’t even have to mention that supermarkets have produce that is usually more expensive, and not as high a quality as that from a market stand.
Invest in some good containers. By a relatively small investment (and some re-use of take-out containers) you can make your food last a lot longer with less effort. Try cooking a few servings more than you’ll need, it will take about the same amount of time, but you can keep the extra servings in the fridge or freezer as a quick meal when you’re in a hurry.
This is also very wise when you are on a tight budget!
Then there’s the more passive intake of junk. Mail.
Most people get some magazines in the post (mine used to end up in the recycle bin without even having been read). Index what you have coming in, and cancel any subscriptions that you don’t actively read.
It can also really pay off to prevent flyers and discount folders from coming in by stating that you don’t want them on your mailbox.
By now you can find most of those online, and they usually only encourage you to buy things you don’t need at that moment.
Recycle where and what you can, but remember, it’s much more efficient to not have to recycle a glass jar around green beans or carrots if you could have bought them fresh at the market.
And finally, be creative with the waste that you do accumulate. The insides of toiletpaper rolls are a very hot item for kindergartens, a charity near you might collect old paper or cans to raise funds etc.