Most homes across the UK are filled with things that haven’t been used in years, cluttering up space and gathering dust. But your old stuff could be doing so much more – find out how your trash could turn into a charity’s treasure.
As the skies brighten and the temperature rises, people tend to look at their homes with fresh eyes and find it is time for a clear out. “One man’s trash is another man’s treasure” is one of those things people say without really thinking about it, but those old things you don’t want anymore can actually make a real difference.
And so begins the annual Spring Clean.
As we go through our possessions and try to decide what it’s time to let go of, we throw them into bags and we get ready to get purge. But these old books, surplus clothes, and spare furnishings don’t need to end up in a box under the bed, hidden away up in the attic, or, worse, in a black bag left on the side of the road. They can still serve a purpose for someone else.
After you have gone through your home and decided what you no longer need in your life, consider which of your unwanted items can go to charity. Charity shops across the country survive on donations of clothes, home wares, and books. In fact a 2011 article in the Guardian even went to the lengths of tracking where someone’s box of donations ended up, with some surprising results. One bag of clothes ended up in eastern Europe, others on Oxfam store’s shelves helping to raise funds for the charity – which just goes to show that the stuff you consider to be surplus can continue to make an impact on the lives of others long after it’s outstayed its welcome in your house.
Clothes and other textiles can also be recycled in certain areas, or given to Traid, who partner with supermarkets and have their collection bins in car parks across the country - so you could even donate your additional apparel when you do your weekly shop.
Most places in the UK will also have regular clothing appeals from local charities, and will even pick them up from outside your house, saving you a trip (but be careful to ensure that the collection is legitimate).
Charity shops sometimes also take larger items, but another option if you have useful furniture or electrical gear is to donate directly to a charity which can use it in their day to day work. Homeless shelters are often grateful for televisions, armchairs and other home comforts for people without homes of their own. Animal shelters are always in need of bedding and towels. And local community groups could need anything from sporting equipment to tea cups. If you aren’t sure which charity to offer your things to, you can always list them on the Goods notice board on the Charity Choice site, where charities can browse your donations to see if there is anything they could use to help others.
Whether your unwanted things help to raise money so that charities can continue to do their great work, or go directly towards helping people in need, it is a great feeling to know your superfluous stuff can play such a big part in helping others – and with the bonus of a lovely clear home for yourself.
