A Guide to Responsible Disposal
Steps to Decluttering Sustainably:
- Return, Regift, or Resell: The most sustainable choice will always be extending an item’s life by taking care of it and using it as long as you can. Start by seeing if items can go back to their source, find a new home as a gift, or earn a second life through resale. Keep this local, if possible.
- Repurpose: Get creative! Old items can become raw materials for new projects. Worst case scenario, old towels and t-shirts make great cleaning rags! For creative upcycling ideas and DIYs, check out our Upcycling Pinterest board at the button below.
- Donate: Donating can be a great way to reduce the demand for new resources. If you can, donate niche items to specialized donation centers (like us! 😉) Keep in mind that only about 10-30% of second-hand donations to traditional charity shops are resold in store.
- Recycle: Recycling helps divert items from landfills, which is a crucial step in sustainable waste management! Just like donating, you might need to find specialized centers that can responsibly process these items. In some cases, shipping the item to someone who can recycle it properly may be less harmful than just throwing it out.
- Trash: As a last resort, dispose of what cannot be used, repurposed, or recycled following your local waste management guidelines.
