Hand-Me Downs: Recycling Unwanted Items

Cleaning out your garage, attic, basement, or your closet and don't know where to stuff the unwanted items besides the garbage can? Here are some tips and resources that should help you re-use and recycle all of your undesired objects. Whether through local organizations, online organizations, or family and friends someone will always be willing to take free stuff off of your hands.

Look for a local organization or non-profit agency that is willing to re-distrubute your items, such as Goodwill or the Salvation Army. These organizations are handy in unloading your personal items such as clothing, shoes, knick knacks, housewares, books, cd's, dvd's, movies, and even toys! Some Goodwill locations now a days are even excepting new-unopened personal care items such as lotion, cold medicine, toothpaste, and dish soaps. Most Salvation Army locations also except non-perishable food items. For more information as to what each of these awesome organizations are willing to accept visit their websites:

Goodwill:

http://www.goodwill.org/page/guest/about

The Salvation Army:

http://www.salvationarmyusa.org/usn/www_usn_2.nsf

While there are local organizations here are a few online organizations were you can advertise your junk online and get rid of it in the process or trade it for something else you have been yurning for. Search online for freecylce.org to find your local freecycle, were items are advertising everything on this site is 100% FREE!The only catch with Freecyle is that you have to pick up the items you apply for or arrange to have it dropped off to you. The offers you bid on are based on a first come, first serve basis. Also, craigslist.org is a useful site were you can post your items for free, or even try to sell them, but either way posting your ad is FREE!

Lastly, if all else fails, try family and friends, can they use that sweater you had planned on giving away? That crockpot that collects dust, maybe your elderly neighbor could use it? Clean it up and wrap it up, these are excellent ways to just say 'Hey I was thinking of you!'

Good luck in your recycling efforts!