Think before you throw away

Before recycling – think before you throw – can that be reused? Carrier bags, clothes, glass jars, books, mobile phones and furniture can all be reused. Even if you have finished with something, someone else might be able to use it.

Craigavon Borough Council is encouraging residents to reuse those items that are in almost pristine condition before bringing them to the recycling centres.

Local charity shops are grateful for any unwanted objects such as books, clothes and ornaments; some are even willing to collect. Or perhaps when purchasing a new washing machine for example ask the retailer if they would recycle the old one.

Check out websites such as Freecycle and Freegle, where people can give, swap or receive unwanted items, everything on offer is free and people are often willing to collect.

Before getting rid of unwanted belongings why not try;

Ask friends or family if they have a use for your sofa or spare bed, or ask them to put a mention it on their social networking pages such as Facebook. Consider donating to a charity shop or local community project. Some community projects established in recent years take in larger household items such as furniture or electrical equipment repair and refurbish them for sale at a low cost to those on low incomes.

In these financial hard times, making a little extra from selling your old unwanted possessions could help towards the cost of something new. There are various mediums today from the tried and tested methods of the local newspaper and car boot sale to the online marketplace. Websites such as Ebay, where you only pay for the listing if the item sells, or Gumtree, where the listing is free and the purchaser often collects, are very popular for larger items. Smaller items such as CDs and DVDs could be listed with the likes of Amazon, or just traded directly for cash on websites like Music Magpie.

If you are a little more creative why not try:

Upcycling – giving an old item a new lease of life i.e. recovering old sofas or repainting old furniture.

Swishing – usually by means of a party, guests bring along their unwanted glad rags and swap them for new ones.