- Freecycle: Join a group in your area and list the items you have to give away. Other members of the group can contact you to claim your items. Depending on how active the group is, you may find that all of your extra items have new homes within a day or two. Some Freecycle groups hold an annual garage sale event where members bring items to give away and the public is invited to browse and take what they can use.
- Craigslist: Find your local Craigslist and create a free classified ad listing for each item you have to sell or give away. Do not post your email address or telephone number. Craigslist automatically generates an email forwarding address so your personal information is protected.
- Repurpose: Look carefully at an item before you throw it out. It may have another use. If you have young children, collect interesting odds and ends such as buttons, extra puzzle pieces, nuts and bolts, and broken crayons in a collage box. Next time they complain of boredom, pull out the box and a bottle of glue and challenge them to create a piece of artwork using only what they find in the box.
- Consignment: When you have valuable items that you simply do not need, consider taking them to a consignment shop. The consigner will place your items in the shop and pay you a percentage of the sale price. Clothing and baby gear are popular consignment items. Many parents groups, such as Mothers of Multiples, hold an annual consignment garage sale.
- Second Hand Shops: Shops run by Goodwill, Salvation Army, and hospitals are a fast, easy way to find a new home for things you no longer need. Most require that items be in good condition, although they will do some minor repairs and cleaning.
Finding new homes for your clutter may not be as easy as hauling it out to the curb on trash day, but consider it part of the experience. Next time you are out shopping, ask yourself what you will do with an item once you are finished with it. You may decide you don’t really need it after all, and you will cut off cycle of clutter before it begins.
What are your favorite ways to repurpose, recycle, or get rid of extra stuff – without sending it to the landfill?
I have a bunch of plastic bags from before I was using a reusable grocery bag. Any ideas about what to do with them?
I use plastic grocery bags to clean up when I walk the dog, but there are lots of other ways to make sure they do double-duty before throwing them away:
* If you have young children, keep a couple in the car or diaper bag for wet clothing
* Use them to line bathroom wastebaskets
* Use them as packing material to store holiday ornaments, china and crystal, and other breakables that spend most of the year in storage.
* Use them to line your reusable bags when you are buying frozen items, meats, or anything else that could leak.
* Hang a bag on a coat hook for hats, mittens, and scarves. This keeps smaller items from getting lost and keeps wet things from dripping on the floor.
* Recycle them – many grocery stores have collection bins just inside the front door. If yours doesn’t, call your local recycling or waste management center and ask how they recommend recycling plastic bags.
Good luck! If you come up with more creative ways to recycle or reuse plastic grocery bags, please share!