To throw away stuff I had planned to donate to charity.

[safariboot]

Because hardly any of the charity shops are open (understandably so) and the ones that are might not even be taking any more donations. Our house is cluttered from years of hoarding, I'd say a 4 to 5 on the "clutter image ratings", and I'm trying to do something about it though progress is slow at the best of times. There's a pretty big bag, mostly clothes, waiting to go.

YANBU - Bin it.

YABU - Keep it until it can be donated.

Does your normal recycling collection take fabric? Ours does.

See if women’s shelters want anything or local hostels.

cash4clothes - 40p a kilo. There are loads of similar places and they are open. I got £15 for mine

We havr a random acts of kindness facebook site
There is always people wanting things on there.

@DDIJ

The parents do not get into my house. It's the children being used to courier the stuff in. The only way is to lock the children out.

Then ban the kids from seeing your parents, they have literally ruined all your lives, when are you going to take back control? You are burning things in your sink? Seriously, burn bridges with your parents. YOU are responsible for what comes into your house.

The local clothes container near me are all taped off so you can't use them at the moment. I'm not sure about everywhere else.

@Destroyedpeople

Charity shops are opening this week. If you can't find one take it to a recycling spot where there's a clothes container. There is no excuse for putting good clothes into landfill other than laziness.

Yes. Ffs. Putting things in a landfill unnecessarily...

Don’t most tips these days have recycling containers for different types of goods, including clothing?

Some councils also offering free bulky item collections once a year. The items are usually recycled.

The charity shops in Northern Ire land are starting to re open, I asked in the hospice shop beside my work yesterday had they room for donations and was asked what I had.(books and DVDs) told ok but they aren't taking clothes at the minute.

None in our area are open and we are shielding anyway. We had done a massive clear out and then I was told to shield in early March. We don’t have the space for all this stuff so I think we are going to put outside with a “free, please help yourself” sign x

safariboot Our Local charity shop opened up yesterday, and are accepting clothes donations etc.

We have a waste exchange site on Facebook you can offer free too collect or swap for cat treats can of coke anything

See if someone has anything local like that

British Heart Foundation have set up that you can post a 10kg bag to them for free and their collections service should be back up and running by mid July

OP, I have a dear friend whom I love but she has been "sorting" for 12 years. It's really slowed down by "wanting things to go to a good home" or every kind of thing (cat food sachets stick in my mind) stacked up to be taken to some special recycling place. Also her thrifty idea of what might be useful is probably not in line with charity shop standards. This kind of concern for things is a luxury you can't afford at the moment.

I'm really concerned about the environment, but if you have a hoarding problem (or one developing) you have a free pass IMO to just clear your space and look after your health and home first. If any environmental warriors have a problem with that perhaps they can take the stuff away and sort it out for you?

Round here the tips have queues right down the road, the charity shops and bins are overwhelmed, it's very hard. As a last resort you could bag up, TAPE SHUT and label for textile/paper etc recycling so when you get a chance you (or a friend) could run them to the tip. I'd leave charity shops out of it. Donate a few £ to the charity if you want to support them.

Facebook selling can be a lot of hassle, I find there are 5 timewasters for everyone who actually comes to pick stuff up. And again it's more time and trouble you don't need wasting.

@Rhubarbandcustard thank you so much for that link - I have built up quite a few bags whilst having a clear out and was waiting for the charity shops to open. I've booked and will all be gone next week!

YANBU I've binned loads over lockdown. Sheds full and didn't have anywhere to store the bags so binned them.

PS: Thanks all for the other suggestions. I'll try and remember them for next time I have a bag full of stuff.

I appreciate that stuff donated to charity should be actually sellable. Obviously I've only got my own judgement, but only stuff in good condition and clean goes to the charity shop. Anything damaged or broken goes in the bin or the recycling.

And DDIJ, your situation is obviously a thousand times worse than mine. I hope you're able to get some proper support.

@WorraLiberty

I am totally against waste and am very careful not to just throw things away but if you've taken the massive leap to organise your clutter, the best thing to do is to get rid so there is no going back.

But what difference does it make if she places the bags of stuff in her bin or on her driveway for someone to collect?

Because if they sit on the driveway for a couple of days and nobody takes them, they'll end up back in the house.

I think there is a lack of understanding on this thread. Sorting things for charity, posting them on selling sites etc. just prolongs the process of getting rid and usually results in the unwanted stuff ending up back amongst the clutter.

If there are recycling points which are accessible then of course, use those but if not just get rid.

For what its worth, since clearing my hoard, my carbon footprint is significantly smaller now that I'm not fighting with piles of crap in order to live - buying meals in plastic boxes ready to eat because my kitchen was unusable, endlessly replacing items I already owned because I couldn't find them amongst the mountains of rubbish, washing the same load of clothes three times in a row because there was nowhere to hang it to dry and it was left in the machine to stink.

My improved way of life far outweighs anything that went to landfill and my mental load is significantly lighter too.

The collection service doesn't apply to Scotland. Just had my collection cancelled. Back to climbing over boxes until the charity shops open up here. 😕

My improved way of life far outweighs anything that went to landfill and my mental load is significantly lighter too.

I'm alright jack.

I know a lot of charities and schools are running clothing collections at the moment. I’d post on a local FB group to see if anyone wants any bits for something similar. I’m currently collecting clothes from lots of people locally who can’t get to the charity shops.

I've been doing this gradually since March. My garage is a useless hoard that's been there so long, it has to move.
I find it hard, and have had to structure or it overwhelms me.
WFH and during lunch time, or either side of my work day I am picking at least one box/large item to look at.
I have a "free" box at the end of the drive which is working well, and have also put items on my local freecycle group.

DDIJ
You are in control of your kids or should be so you should have said years ago to stop bringing it in and not allow it. Especially before it became a pattern with them.

You say the same thing for years now. Why did you not stop them bringing it in years ago?

What's the point posting the same thing for years on end?

When they go to school get rid of bags and bags each day and don't let too back in, you always say about living in your car but surely it would be better to fill the car up each time and take as much as possible away. You literally could have transformed your life in all these years even with just removing one bag per day.

You just seem so beaten down and frozen. But you don't seem to take the advice offered to you for years now. So what is the point of you posting?

And to those on the thread saying bin it, so lazy and irresponsible. To the pp saying primark, new look is rags after a few weeks, what utter nonsense! Both can last years just like M&S. Often made in same factories with different labels, it's only peoples mindset that treat them differently. M&S and so called better brands may not last either depending on fabric and how the item was treated, ie those who regularly tumble dry clothing make their clothing have a shorter life span.

Anyway op you have had good suggestions, I put out the bags for collection, also freecycle, Facebook, ebay etc. Thanks to those who posted those links.

Even half used tins paint can go on freecycle, it can really brighten someone's room when they can't afford paint. I gave away pva builders glue last week had 15 people wanting it. Only proper rubbish should go to landfill.