Reuse

Things that you no longer want may be of use to someone else. Before throwing them out consider:

• Which of your unwanted items can your local charity shops reuse? They may sell the items in their shops, or donate them to other families. Charities cannot take electrical goods for reasons of health and safety and all items donated must be in good enough condition to be reused. Some charities will collect large items free of charge.

• Find out if the freecycle organisation has a group in your area, to find a new home for your unwanted items.

• If you have furniture you don't want, ask family and friends if they know anyone who would like it, or ask your borough if they have a furniture project.

• You can often advertise unwanted articles free in local papers or papers such as Loot. Or why not put a notice in your local newsagent's window?

• If you are moving house or having a spring clean and have a lot of things to clear out, consider having a stall at a car boot sale or jumble sale. You may be amazed at the value of your unwanted items!

• Use old glass jam jars etc. for homemade jams and chutneys, spare change, buttons, pens and pencils and other odds and ends.

• If you buy magazines, give them to friends or donate them to doctors' surgeries or dentists once you’ve read them

• If you have children, grandchildren, nieces and nephews they can reuse all sort of materials in their school activities eg centres of loo rolls, cardboard boxes, egg boxes and plastic bottles.

• Reuse old sheets, shirts, etc for dusting and polishing cloths. But if the materials are in good condition, please donate them to charity rather than use them as rags.

• If you have good quality tools that you no longer need, see if they are on the list of tools that the charity Tools for Self Reliance will accept for reuse in poor communities in Africa.