Tips to Keep Your Old Stuff Out of the Landfill
Spring cleaning aligns nicely with Earth Day on April 22 (was that intentional?), and that’s the perfect reason to think about what to do with all the clutter you’ve cleared. It’s easy to dump your items into a donation bin in a parking lot or thrift store and assume they will find a happy new home. But they may just be taking a rest stop before heading to the landfill.
Consider this:
What’s a clutter buster to do?
Don’t panic. Donating is still a good option if you do it the right way, and there are other ways to keep your former treasures out of the present trash.
Does Anyone Want This?
The first step to getting that pile out of the house is determining which items are usable as-is. For clothing, this means clean and free of stains, rips, broken zippers, missing buttons, etc. Furniture with some wear and tear is fine, but a table that’s missing a leg or a couch with ripped upholstery isn’t going to be in high demand. And a jigsaw puzzle that’s missing a piece? Just no.
Not sure how to rate the status of an item? Ask yourself, “If I needed this item, would I buy it in this condition?” If the answer is yes, donation is an option, but you need to do some homework before heading out the door.
Where Should I Take it?
Once you’ve cleared the hurdle of “I don’t want it, but someone else may,” check out the places you can donate to and see if you can find the right match. Ask (or look online) to find out:
What happens to the items that don’t sell? If they don’t have a system for recycling or reselling unsold merchandise to keep it out of the waste stream, look for an organization that does.
What donations are accepted? Heavy jackets may not be a good fit for an organization collecting goods for people in Africa, but they will be welcomed by a Coats for Kids program.
Are out-of-season items welcomed? Most charities don’t have warehouse space to store donations for months before selling, but there may be exceptions.
Can you accept a broken or nonworking item? Sometimes the answer is yes! For example, a thrift store may be able to refurbish and resell a computer or other electronic device, or recycle its parts. If the organization doesn’t have that type of program, they may be able to refer you somewhere else.
If an organization ticks all the right boxes, then take one last step before loading up your car: Make sure your items are sales-floor ready and take a few extra minutes to package your donations neatly. If the item is sellable, the charity may need to accept it, price it, and move it straight to the sales floor.
Retail Take-Back Programs
If you can’t find an organization that meets your needs or accepts what you have, look into retail take-back programs. Some fashion retailers will accept clothes, textiles, or shoes, and a few will give you store vouchers or coupons. (But if you then buy more clothes or shoes you don’t need, you’ll be starting the cycle all over.) Best Buy accepts a wide variety of electronics for safe recycling or disposal, keeping hazardous materials out of landfills and groundwater. Check online for programs in your area and their terms.
Note: As with donation centers, you’ll need to do a little homework with each of these to learn what the organization will do with your items and how they do it. For example, a retail store that accepts clothing may send it for recycling locally (or at least in the U.S.), ship it overseas for recycling, or sell it to a for-profit company (which in turn resells items internationally). If the clothing is sent for resale internationally, it may just travel halfway around the world to end up in another country’s landfill. Don’t be fooled by generic wording that tugs at the heartstrings … get a full understanding of what their intentions are.
Specialized Recycling and Reuse Programs
If none of these are options, your best bet is to check your area for specialized recycling programs that go beyond the usual items of paper, glass, and plastic. Look for a textile recycling center or program for clothing that is unwearable, or really any fabric item that isn’t usable. Threadbare sheets, soiled towels, stained curtains … if it’s made of fabric, see if a recycler will take it!
Additionally, most areas have programs for recycling everything from broken kitchen appliances to electronics to hazardous materials like bug spray or weed killer. Many appliances and electronics contain inner parts that could leach toxins into landfills, so disposing of them responsibly is key to keeping your local water, air, and land safe. Before going, though, check ahead for residency limitations (some require an ID to prove you live in the area) and costs, as some places charge fees to offset heavy operating expenses associated with disposing of hazardous waste.
Avoiding the Clutter Trap
Of course, there is a money-conscious, environmentally-friendly way to avoid worrying about what to do with old items: Buy less stuff. Consider a motto that shaped everyone who lived through the Great Depression: “Use it up, wear it out, make it do, or do without.”
You can lengthen the time from purchase to “wear it out” state by investing in high-quality items that will stand the test of time. Usually this means spending a bit more, but if you’re buying less, your budget shouldn’t take a hit. “Make it do” might mean learning to mend or upcycle items into new looks or uses. And it won’t be as painful to “do without” purchases if you focus on what you can do with the money you save, like paying down debt, saving up for a new home or renovation, investing for retirement, or traveling.
