This content was archived on 8th July 2017

In your community

There are so many ways in which you and your local community can benefit by making sure you save your unwanted items from the bin.

You may no longer want your old clothes, furniture, books or that long forgotten exercise bike, but that doesn’t mean someone else doesn’t!

Below is a selection of simple actions you can take to cut down on the amount of stuff you throw out and save it from landfill.

Give your old items a new lease of life by selling or giving them away. There are many examples of exchange websites where you can give away or sell your unwanted items. These include the Freecycle network, Freegle, Gumtree, and ebay. There are also various ‘free ads’ websites and local newspapers where you can exchange unwanted items.
Why not try to earn yourself a few pounds by holding a stall at a local car boot or jumble sale and sell your unwanted items?
Be a good Samaritan - take unwanted household items to a charity shop.
Your old furniture can be put to good use by donating it to community re-housing projects, homeless charities and any householders who want to buy second-hand rather than new. So, before you bin that old wardrobe, why not contact a local furniture reuse charity?
In the same way that furniture can be reused by community organisations and charities so too can some unwanted electrical items such as washing machines, music systems and television sets. These can be safety tested and refurbished by trained staff and given away or sold on to members of the community.

Swap your unwanted items – why not hold a swap party with your friends and family, also known as "Swishing": http://swishing.com – swap and share your old baby clothes, shoes, sports kit, dresses and school uniforms…. the list is endless!
Take a look through your wardrobe and pass on any items of clothing that you’re never going to wear again. You can donate good quality, usable clothes and shoes to your local charity shop, take them to a jumble sale or visit your nearest clothes recycling bank.
There are now a number of boutique sites exclusively devoted to the resale of unwanted designer clothing e.g. https://www.facebook.com/WorldWideWardrobe
Buy second-hand clothes – you can find a real gem in your local charity shop and often pick up some unusual period pieces. Remember, it’s not just your wardrobe you’ll be benefiting if you buy from a charity shop – you will also be doing your bit for a good cause.
Recycle even non-wearable items of clothing, these can be put to good use as filling materials, wiper cloths or the fibres are reclaimed and respun. Use your local clothing bank to do this at your nearest recycling centre.

Share page