to want to recycle or donate rather than just throw away?

[OwlinaTree]

Me and DH bought new plates etc today. We finally have things that match!

We now have a large pile of dinner plates of varying sizes, bowls and side plates from about 5 different services. There is also an assortment of novelty mugs (including one that sings!)

I want to recycle these by donating them somewhere, but DH is convinced nowhere will take them. They are all pretty used, but not chipped or cracked. Basically serviceable enough.

Does anyone know of a service/charity that might take them, or is DH right and the only place for them is the bin?

Of course you shouldn't chuck them away. Give to the charity shop or Freecycle.

My cat has an eclectic cereal bowl collection for his food all courtesy of the chazza...

Hummm, I guess if no one ever had second hand to give away or sell, people who wanted second hand would always be wanting.

Although there was a thread on here the other day about charity shops overcharging...

I understand what wheredo is saying.
We need to reduce, reuse recycle but all anyone hears is recycle
That's not going to save the planet.

Surely donating stuff to a charity or free cycling is more about reusing than recycling?

Yes it is reusing and not recycling. The waste hierarchy has prevention at the top. Don't create as much waste in the first place.
waste hierarchy

I've already said I am guilty of it; we all are in our society. But for me, the waste hierarchy is a consideration when I am shopping.

This is the message we try to spread to all. I am appalled that someone on this thread has told me that this attitude stinks. They should be ashamed of themselves.

Whoops, wrong link en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Waste_hierarchy

We have an active FB local page, I would just put them on there for free, someone will take them.

Wheredo it was me and I am not ashamed. Recycling by passing things on to other people is perfectly fine. What stinks is the idea that we should keep everything and never buy anything new. I really disagree with that.

I find your attitude appalling, ArgyMargy, as I said above.

I would try freecycle or do you know anyone going to university or moving into a house for the first time? I had my mum's old stuff until I got married 2 years ago. We then passed them on to a student who is still using them.

If you work somewhere with a staff room or staff kitchen, would they be glad of them in there?

Truth be told, Wheredo is right - what happened to 'make do and mend'?

Ah yes, we moved on financially and socially so darning a sock is harder than going out and buying a new pair from somewhere. Sewing up a torn dress is beyond us so we chuck it in the bin and buy another one.

Totally usable plates that don't match each other are seen as redundant. Why, what's wrong with them? They may not be as aesthetically pleasing or match our decor but they are what they are - functional pieces.

I'm guilty of this too at times but (hopefully) on a relatively minor scale. I'm happy to wander around with sewn up clothes and tatty looking, but functional, shoes - judge me on it, go on I dare ya

On a more extreme scale I was once asked to rehome a couple of family pets because their cage didn't fit in with the new colour scheme in the front room.

It quite annoys me when I go to charity shops that they only sell matching sets of plates & saucers & so on. I often just one or 2 little plates (for biscuits) and don't need a whole set, don't care about matchingness, either.
From what OP says most charity shops would have her cast-off crockery.

I've bought new plates too and have a similar dilema, some will go with my ds to uni eventually. mine are ok but don't match etc

I'm with wheredo on this.

mine are ok but don't match etc

This is why we have a 'First World problems' thread

Who actually cares other than judgey shites who come to a dinner party and mark your hosting skills according to your crockery? A plate is a plate, it holds food - that is what it was designed for. If people are concentrating the matchy-matchy then you need to up your cookery game or find new friends.

Woodhill please accept a disclaimer, I'm not having a pop at you personally just using this as an example

The plates are pretty old flight. If I wanted to replace them just cos they didn't match I'd have done so years ago.

I do agree with you about a throwaway society, but the sock darning eg is ridiculous! No one darns socks because it would be cheaper to buy new and socks are hardly an item one gets attached to. Mending a dress is much more realistic. Do you seriously darn your socks? Just ordinary everyday socks?

don't worry fight you make a valid point but my plates have been through the dishwasher and they get that grey scratch marks on them. I really love my new plates x 6.

if I have people over I have at least another 12 posh plates.

I keep things for years' and my lovely mum repairs my clothes. I do try not to keep buying.

Do you seriously darn your socks? Just ordinary everyday socks?

No, I wear them with the holes in them until it gets so bad I have to chuck them out (that's the minor scale I was referring to ).

I actually wear odd socks where one has been thrown away due to having a hole. I "pair" them up with similar socks. I once had the misfortune of wearing odd socks with a small hole in one of them when I had to take my shoes off when visiting someone in their own home

I am currently sporting a black sock with pink toes and a rather dashing purple and blue stripy one. I have no very little shame

I do sew up torn dresses, not always with great success, but try to pretend that the asymmetric look is still en vogue.

I don't think I've been embarrassed about stuff not matching when people have come round, but I have been a bit embarrassed when I've had to use dinner plates for some of the puddings because we've not got enough bowls!!

I like your socks finding a new partner flight. I chuck holey ones away but their partner just ends up lonely in the drawer!

I think wheredo has a very valid general point. However, given OP's specific question, most charity shops love a novelty mug. The plates etc are worth freecycling.

Owlina Please embrace the odd socks, they deserve to be loved and worn too.

People do think it's a bit eccentric if they see me wearing them but (a) they keep my feet just as warm as a matching pair would and (b) I have blue hair so I guess nobody is really surprised by my odd socks in the grand scheme of things.

Just to up my eco-friendly game, all my (odd) socks are cast offs from my youngest son. I haven't actually bought a pair for myself in years.

The blue and purple stripy one belonged to an ex girlfriend of his who must have left it here - I found it under his bed long after they split up.

The black with pink toes was part of a multipack I bought him ages ago.

Health visitor pulled me up on my 6 month olds non matching socks at baby weighing!