It is all well and good me banging on about the virtues of buying second hand, but what about things you no longer want.
One thing is for sure, the bin (and ultimately land fill!) should be the last resort!
So, you have had a clear out. The wardrobe, the shed, the garage. It doesn't matter where! You now have a heap of stuff to 'move on'... Where can it go.
1. Charity Shops
I swear all my posts keep coming back to charity shops. But they really are amazing. Literally bag up what you have and drop it off. Easy peasy. Clothes should obviously be clean, and in a condition that you would be willing to buy them. They also take toys, books, general household stuff and some even take furniture. With furniture and household stuff it might be worth asking them if they have any guidelines first. Furniture normally needs a fire retardant label on it, and some don't take electrical items.
2. Charity Causes
Some items you would normally just drop at the charity shop can go even further and do even more than just raise funds. Shoes and underwear are brilliant examples of this, and are always needed by organisations like Sal's Shoes and Smalls For All (Sunday's blog post will focus on this and other fab organisations!)
3. Food Banks
Got in date dry/tinned goods that you don't want/won't use/don't like?
Don't just bin it! Food banks are always happy to take donations. Most also take unwanted cosmetics and toiletries as well.
4. Baby Banks
Old baby items (apart from car seats and mattresses) can be donated to your local baby bank. Brilliant if you want to say goodbye to all that bulky paraphernalia that babies seem to come with! (Looking at you Moses basket!)
5. The Rag Man
So you have a heap of threadbare old clothes that are fit for nothing? These can be donated to a charity shop still. Just make sure they are in a seperate bag marked rags. They sell these on for recycling. There are also organisations that collected fabric for recyling for a tiny donation for your time. Some shops like H&M also have a recycling point for old clothes that can no longer be worn.
6. Local Recycling Centre
Give your council a google and see where your local recycling centre is. You might be amazed at what they will take!! Our local centre has an area for old white goods to be recycled as well as fabric. They also have a 'shop' where old furniture can be donated then sold on at rock bottom prices.
7. Another man's treasure...
Just because you don't want something doesn't mean someone else won't! If you have the time it can be worth listing items for sale on Gumtree/Freecycle or Marketplace.
8. Upcycle It
This, again, is a whole blog post in itself. But just because an item has come to the end of it's life as one thing, doesn't mean it is ready for the bin. Upcycle, re-purpose, breathe some new life into it!
What do you do with items when you are ready to say goodbye to?