to think “decluttering” isn’t actually that simple if you want to dispose responsibly?

Yes I could not agree more. I find it especially annoying that local charities set up Amazon wishlists when rehousing someone, rather than accept used but good condition household items that people offer. Also I never know what to do with old clothes which aren't good enough for a charity shop to re sell. I think we need to make more effort to buy less and repurpose items we already have.

I think things are harder than they need to be, but there's also a point we have to be realistic about what we can and can't do in terms of responsible disposal.

Our waste disposal sites will take electricals and clothes. Yes, it would probably be better if I could find exactly the right family who want the clothes we don't want, but life is busy, so sometimes it all goes in the clothes bin and I don't feel too bad about it. If I waited to dispose of everything perfectly, I'd never get through the decluttering.

Depending on your area there are groups like Anglodoorsteps that take it and sort it. Theyvtake a bit of a cut but make your life easier. I have used them before when I have just not been able to face the issues that you are talking about.

people with gardens and allotments use them for bird scarers

and yes I know this is an old thread

I agree aspects of it are not easy but it is simple. Not all rubbish goes to landfill and you can pay for clearance by a licensed refuse disposal company. I don't think anyone should feel ashamed. Either its an illness or you were that person who had more stuff than you needed and you aren't that person now. neither are a cause for shame. I am not saying "oh its easy, just stop feeling ashamed," its not turning off a tap but I do think that people shouldn't castigate themselves for making changes.

Very much agree. I am slowly decluttering, lots of kids things that they don’t use any more, and I try not to just bin things. H&M (and I’m sure others) will take bags of textiles, any brand or condition and recycle them. This works really well for
clothes and old sheets/towels/curtains. When I’ve tried to use local forums people say they will collect and then don’t turn up.
The worst for me is old CD’s and DVD’s we waited too long to get rid of them and now no one wants them.

At which point I'll fire it in the black bin and think no more of it.

Its stuff like that I really struggle with and stuff I think i should sell on.

Don't all our recycling plastics just end up floating in the Indian Ocean anyway?

It’s late I read that as BBQs and was amazed they had their own recycling solution!

Thats the hard bit because as polyester or nylon its a type of plastic so should be recyclable.

Really, there's just too much stuff in the world. Moving it somewhere else doesn't help, as can be seen with the stringent rules around drop offs, they don't want it either. Nobody wants it, or needs it, or can be bothered to take the time to figure out of they maybe might want it, because they're also drowning in things, so you might as well bin it.

Could you use it for storage? I have a couple storing cleaning products

Unfortunately nobody passes my house.

Another random bit of clutter i have, a strap for a yoga mat, I didn't really like it so bought a bag instead.
Does nylon actually get recycled or is it landfill fodder?

Our local tip has a container where you can put anything which is in a reasonable condition but doesn't go in any of the other designated bins and they sell it in a council charity shop. It was a blessing when we moved.

I run a library & we have recycling collection points for small electrical items & batteries. A charity collection point for yarn. We also take good condition books to sell & colouring books & puzzles to use.

I would put it at the bottom of my garden path or driveway for a passer by to take.

Last year I sold a lot on eBay- I don’t use the other sites. I got £70 for a PS4 with a handset in good condition but no leads. If you’re selling PS4 games, sell them in bundles. You won’t get a lot but I could shift 20 games for £15-20 pounds. I also got money for some of the collectible figures that go with them. Everything needs to be in pretty good condition though. I sold a boxed set of Dr Seuss books still in very condition and got £10. Also £10 for a tin of Roahld Dahl CDs. I set aside one morning, cleared a space on a plain floor and photographed everything carefully. A few minutes and some good pics helps to sell. The description needs to be clear and detailed and you need to keep a stack of Amazon boxes and bubble wrap, but if you’re organised you can often shift a fair bit in one day. I sold the PS4 and a lot of Skylanders figures within about 2 hours of listing them.

Yes, similar here in south Liverpool. I only take what is in very good condition to our large Barnardo’s shop, I.e. unwanted gifts. At the moment they’re not taking toys at all, and are sorting through donations while people wait because they’re being given too much tat which is costing them money to deal with.

Tesco takes books and The Salvation Army collection bin in Tesco gets clothes in very good condition that struggling families will actually wear.

I do sell on eBay, but only when I know I’ll get a decent price for good brands, eg Hobbs.

The rest goes to the tip. I separate batteries from electrical items which they ask people to do, and chuck them in the battery bin which is right next to small electrical items section. Non recyclable stuff eg pillows go in that section. The fabric section takes all worn clothes, tea towels etc.

Any broken kitchen utensils etc go in the hard plastic section, which is where PILs’ old Lego from the 70s went.

Baby basics are desperate for Moses baskets in good condition, without the mattress, if people have got them. I’m told that as people are now using Next to Me cribs there aren’t as many Moses baskets to hand on. If anyone has those in the loft please offer them to Baby basics as the chances are that your relatives don’t want them in the future. Our Baby basics will also take buggies, high chairs, stair gates.

I'd have thought a violin would be easy to sell.

I’d probably just put a post on my Facebook telling friends and family I’d bought the wrong size and it was going spare so did anyone want it. If they didn’t I’d stop off at a local school, RSPCA, vet, nursery or farmpark and ask them at random if they wanted it. It’s the kind of thing that anyone dealing with animals, running craft activities etc would easily have a use for.

I go to a lot of conferences and events and always end up with loads of water bottles and thermal cups, the local schools and outdoor pursuits centre love them because they always have kids forgetting to bring their water bottles or who don’t own one so having a few spare is helpful.

Someone would take that on Freecycle I’m sure.

What would you do with a plastic washing up basin?
Its in new condition but doesn't fit in my sink so its been in a cupboard but now I just want it gone.

I think its too new for bin.
But would anyone buy it in a charity shop

Oh god dont get me started on this. I started a thread, which I will update.

The faff of going through the stuff and trying to work out what is necessary and what isnt.

The update for me is that I finally got the boxes delivered in order to box up books to send to World of Books. It took ages and 2 rolls of selotape to make p the boxes.

Next step, taking them one by one to the corner shop, because they're heavy boxes and theres no where to park, into the tiny little shop, knocking over various stands of nuts and haribo and then trying to remember which email has the code for that box (I had 5 boxes)

That alone took 40 mins. Poor bloke behind the till.

Then a final box which did not have an option for drop off, it has to be collected by DPD which means a day waiting round.

I havent even finished the books yet, then I have plastic tubs, more clothes and shoes which the charity doesnt want, you can never drop off clothing these days.

The books that werent sellable I couldnt even take to the charity or the book bank because it was full, I had to put it in the paper and card recycling.