Clean up your Closet, Consciously
Have you ever been to a thrift shop and noticed overflowing donation bins? This is the reality for a lot of second-hand stores or donation drop-off locations. Though donating preloved items diverts waste from the landfill and extends the life of your goods, it's only effective if we're doing it responsibly.
Why Donate?
If you look around your home, there are likely items you no longer need, have a purpose for, or get joy from. But who's to say somebody else won't? Donating items such as decor, clothing, and accessories is a green step towards reducing your waste. By donating, you help to:
Divert items from the landfill
Extend the life of a product
Support small shops, charities, and non-profits
Create jobs in your community
Declutter your space
It's natural to feel guilty if we throw something away while being on a zero-waste journey, but you don't have to be too hard on yourself! If you've already used an item to its fullest extent, you've done your part to make to the most of it. Place it in the garbage, recycling, or compost as appropriate, and only donate items that are in fair condition.
What to Donate?
Everything from clothing, home decor, and construction materials can be donated - so long as it's in fair condition and taken to the right drop-off location. Items you can consider donating include:
Clothing, Fabric, Textiles
Decor, Furniture, Housewares
Construction Materials
Shoes, Bags, Luggage, Accessories
Games, Toys, Sporting Goods
Books, Movies, Audio
Electronics, Small Appliances
Don’t Just “Donate to Donate”
If an item isn't in "like new" condition, ask yourself if any damage is easily repairable. If it's not repairable, or if the item is broken, poor quality, or unusable, it's better to dispose of it in the appropriate waste stream.
A good rule of thumb is to consider if you would buy that item second-hand for yourself, or gift it to a friend in that condition.
Donating broken items can be dangerous, and donating items that are in poor condition places the burden on someone else. If you've used an item to its fullest extent, you've done your part to make the most of it.
Don’t just donate to donate!
Other Options for Minimizing
I don’t know about you, but sometimes when I’m cleaning out my closet, I find items that I feel would be lost on a thrift-store rack. Perhaps it was a more expensive item that doesn’t fit anymore, or you don’t get much use from. Great alternatives to donating include swapping and selling them! What better way to discard than to re-home your items and make a little bit of money at the same time? Consider selling your items on Facebook's Marketplace, through platforms like Poshmark or thredUP, at consignment shops, or even by hosting a garage sale or clothing swap (like the one Global Shapers is hosting on November 5th)!
Having the urge to purge can be a great thing, but we also want to remember to donate or dispose of our unwanted items in a way that is responsible and sustainable. By being more mindful of what we're taking to a second-hand store, it helps to make sure we aren't passing on the burden to someone else. And of course, take these conscious practices with you when you’re out shopping for new or new-to-you items. To help, we’re sharing this handy checklist to help you combat low-waste shopping like a pro!
Kayla Bruce
