I’m having a clear out....with everything closed what should I do with my unwanted stuff?

[Jolie12345]

No charity shops open, I’m a bit rural for the likes of Olio, eBay is more hard work than I can deal with right now. Any idea what I can do with unwanted clothes, shoes, homeware, toys etc? The skip on the driveway is calling but it’s so wasteful

No idea! We've just had the same, we're having an extension built so have had to have a major clear out, we've had to put so much in the skip because there's nowhere to donate it. It does feel really wasteful but i also think charity shops must be snowed under with stock at the moment as everyone is doing the same, and they can't sell anything at the moment either!
We've listed stuff for free on marketplace, left it on the driveway and advertised it for collection on local neighbourhood sites, but most of it ended up in the skip as we just don't have the room to store it for selling or donating in the future.

Sell it.
Give it away.
Hold it until the charity shops re-open.

Please do not dump it in a skip. Yes, it is very wasteful and selfish. It is very unkind to the environment and will end up in landfill. Surely you can box it up and wait a few months?

Facebook market place?

What about the council tip? Lots of things there are sorted and recycled and pre covid was sold.

Are you on a main road or a place where people walk past. I often leave things outside that are in good condition with a big sign saying free to take. I have also put a sign out saying take me and leave £x in the letterbox for higher value items. They always go and amazingly everyone leaves money when I have asked for it.

If you live on a street, put it outside with a 'free' label. Stick pictures on local Facebook groups inviting people to help themselves.

I just took some stuff to our council dump/ recycling centre that has clothing banks and a charity shop area inside it.

Freecycle toys in good condition or offer to a friend.
Clothes and shoes can go in clothing banks at the dump or shopping centre, also CDs and DVDs. Can also sell books, CDs and DVDs to Music Magpie, Ziffit etc.

If you got a lot of stuff some charity shops will collect from your house. British Heart Foundation do I think?

I’ve chucked some stuff in the loft labelled for when things reopen. The psychological work is done. I’ve also put stuff on gumtree -list it free people will take it & you don’t have to have any contact.

Facebook is the way to go. We have a local giveaway site. Also with clothing I go to the recycling bank clothes section.

Same issue.

I just don’t have anywhere to keep it all in boxes. The only area we had for storage is being converted so it’s got to go out of the house

I’m not on Facebook

Local preschools/nurseries may take donations of toys and childtens clothes to use as spares.

We moved house just before christmas and i advertised everything we had cleared out on our local facebook pagr as a job lot of bootfair items, i had loads of interest and it was all gone within 30mins of placing the ad

This is my eternal dilemma ....how to responsibly dispose of all my stuff 😖

A hired SKIP

I'd say Facebook marketplace, listed for free but if you aren't on there Id put it in the skip. You'll be turning yourself our trying to sort it otherwise. Give yourself a break, take the task off your to do list and let it go in the skip.

I have been selling stuff on facebook as I have I clearing out kids clothes. No cash, just money transferred on banking app, and the items are left in the middle of my driveway when the person is coming to collect them so no contact at the door.

I use this app to give stuff away for free, can leave it outside and they can collect from there.

Facebook pass it on pages. You don’t need to be an avid Facebook user, just join, get rid of stuff then deactivate.

I have just done this. I bit the bullet and skipped everything. Who knows when places will reopen?

I felt guilty, but bloody hell it feels good now to be rid of it all.

I recently used icollectclothes.com they donate everything to charity - clothes,dvds, toys etc. Was really impressed & would use again.

Even if you give toys or shoes or homewares to another person to use for a while they're still going to end up in landfill at the end of their life. Unless they're recyclable materials.

Maybe see if there is a clothing bank or something near you. There are sometimes clothes recycling containers like the ones for glass at supermarkets or other places.

The big sainsburys usually have donation bins for everything in the car park. Ours has 2 or 3 for clothes, one for books, one for toys and homewards, and then the standard glass etc recycling.

Sorry its icollectclothes.co.uk easy to click through & book :-)

This looks promising! I’ve requested a collection, will report back on success :)

Sainsbury’s recycling banks could be a good shout. I didn’t know they took toys etc! I’ve tried leaving a box outside my house today but footfall is minimal