If you've been home for more than a year, you might have taken the opportunity to browse through all that tech, books, old clothes, and other trash that's accumulated over the years . Or maybe you recently upgraded a bunch of your belongings and suddenly realized you didn't have room for the things you replaced.
ContentsTechClothingBooksEverything ElseWhatever the reason, if you have tech bags, clothing, books, and other things that you need to dispose of, you want to dispose of them responsibly. Where do you go from here?
As you should know by now, dumping is not an option. The reuse and recycling of old and unnecessary objects has become an important aspect of the desire to preserve the global environment. Many states and city areas mandate the recycling of technology, metals, paper goods, or other substances, but even if you live in an area where the law doesn't require it, you probably won't want to add any. more waste to the world.
The problem is how and where you can dispose of your stuff with the greatest benefit to you and the least damage to the environment. This may have been more difficult than usual for the last year or so, as many resources for recycling have been suspended during the pandemic, and they may take time to return. However, there are still a number of services online that can help you figure out how to dispose of things responsibly – and possibly earn some money in the process.
Here are some sites to check out, depending on what you want to get rid of and how you want to do it.
Are you planning to buy a new phone or laptop? Before you buy, check out all the manufacturer trade-in offers available for your Macs, Pixels, and other devices.
If you don't like the seller's offer, you can sell your technology. There are online sellers who will take away your used device and give you something. Decluttr, for example, will give you a tentative quote on your phone or technology. (It also takes CDs, DVDs, games, books, and Legos.) You can also sell through a service like Swappa, which charges the buyer, not the seller (but the seller has to pay the fees). PayPal transaction fees). Amazon also has an exchange program, although payment is in the form of a gift card.
You can also donate it to charity. There are several programs that donate computers to people or organizations that need them. For example, Computers with Causes gets technology to the people who need it; Global Computer Exchange sends refurbished desktop and laptop computers to schools, libraries, community centers and universities in developing countries; and Globes lets you choose who gets your refurbished laptop using online descriptions (or you can just donate your tech and let Globetops decide). As with any charity, it's a good idea to check them out before donating. (There are several charity news sites online.)
If you have technology so old that no one wants it, then it's time to get rid of it – in an environmentally friendly way, of course. In fact, if you just throw away your computer or TV, you might be breaking the law, depending on where you live. According to a 2018 article written for the National Council of State Legislature, “25 states and the District of Columbia have enacted legislation establishing a statewide e-waste or e-waste recycling program. »
If you live in an urban area, chances are there is some sort of (or even mandatory) recycling program. In many cases, stores that sell electronics will also offer recycling (sometimes for a fee); all you have to do is bring your stuff to the store. Or you can try Terre911 to find the nearest recycling center. However, always check directly with the center or store before going there; many recycling programs may still be on hold due to the pandemic.
Disposing of batteries safely can be a pain. Appel2Recycler can help you figure out where to put that bag of batteries you've accumulated. If there are no facilities within reach of your home or office, BigGreenBox will arrange them for you, but not for free. Prices start at $36 for a box that holds up to 10 pounds of batteries (includes shipping and handling).
Finally, if you still keep your parents' old BlackBerry PDA or Commodore 64, you might want to see if you can donate it to a museum. There aren't as many tech museums that take contributions as they used to, but if you have something old and/or unusual, it's worth the tax breaks. Both the MIT Museum and the Museum of Computing History have forms you can fill out.
You can divide clothing sites into three categories:those that handle the latest in stylish and expensive clothing and jewelry, those that handle big mid-tier brands, and stockists of traditional discount leftovers.
At the high end are consignment companies that serve as intermediaries for those who want to sell designer clothes, jewelry and other valuables, and those who want to buy them . Most of them like TheRealReal, Rebag and Vestiaire Collective authenticate all products that are sold through them and will only take recent fashions so they are not where you go to get rid of that jacket that lying around in your closet. for 10 years. However, if you're the type of shopper who buys the latest styles every season, this might be where you want to sell and buy.
Note:if you have work clothes that you no longer wear, there are several organizations that accept office clothes in good condition for job seekers. Most of them are locally based; for example, in the New York area, there's Bottomless Closet for women and Career Gear for men. The best way to find an organization in your area is to try charity guides such as Charity Navigator or GuideStar.
For less high-end clothing, sites like Tradesy deal with both high-end and mid-range clothing, shoes and jewelry. Tradesy takes a simple commission from the seller, although it checks if there is any doubt about the authenticity of the label. You can also try sites like ThredUp, which handles thousands of top brands; you send your gently used clothes directly to the service, and if they accept (and sell) your clothes, you can choose between cash or credit from ThredUp or an associated retailer.
If you want to get rid of your old clothes, you might find it a bit more difficult than before. Many charities that used to accept used or dated clothes have become more difficult, in part because the business of reselling old clothes overseas is in decline. Additionally, savvy consumers are wary of the ubiquitous garment bins, as many of them are actually owned by for-profit companies.
If you can't get to your local Goodwill store, one place to try is Vietnam America Veterans. Its website will allow you to schedule a pickup (assuming it serves your area). GiveBackBox encourages you to use the box your new clothes were shipped in to send your old items (it asks you to send five or more items) to charity; the site provides a prepaid shipping label.
Photo by Andrew Liptak / I/O Means
Books made of paper rather than pixels are still around, and if the piles get too high for your home, you'll probably want to get rid of at least some of them.
One solution is to sell your books on a site such as Amazon, although this can get complicated. As an individual (as opposed to a business), you must create a seller account and pay Amazon 99 cents per book. And your chances of actually selling may be slim to none; there are many professional booksellers who use Amazon to get rid of their extra inventory, so they will sell their books for the 99 cents plus shipping, making it hard for individuals to compete.
You can also try popular resellers such as Powell or AbeBooks. You give them the ISBN and condition of the book(s), and they'll give you a quote. Then you send them the books and collect your reward.
If you have textbooks you no longer need – and we all know how expensive they can be – you can try AbeBooks, Bookbyte or GoManuels. BookScouter will show you the prices offered by a variety of booksellers, as well as user ratings, and you can choose who to sell to.
If you just want to get rid of your books and aren't afraid to get paid, there are sites like Better World Books, a for-profit company with drop boxes across the country, which uses a percentage of its income to promote literacy. There are also specialist organizations online that help you send books to people who need them, such as Books for Soldiers.
You can also go locally. Used libraries and bookstores have traditionally been good ways for people to offload books they no longer want. Many libraries are still taking books that they can add to their collections, sell or donate. However, it's a good idea to go online and check with your library's website to make sure they accept donations. (You can also go old-fashioned and call them.) Used bookstores usually accept books for a small payment or for book credit. The best way to find out if there are any in your area is to go to Google Maps and search for "used bookstores".
Finally, you can create your own library. The Little Free Library site provides all the information you need to start a little book lending program right outside your home (or how to find the nearest one). And if one of your neighbors has already started one, you may be able to donate to them!
Photo by James Bareham / I/O Means
When you want to sell your stuff, one of the places people still think of is eBay. And with good reason:this is where a lot of buyers go when looking for a deal. People who sell on eBay range from casual people to professional retailers. Here's how it works:
(Note that eBay also has different fees for people who have what are called "managed payments" and for different levels of professional sellers.)
Selling on eBay takes time, effort and patience, but it can be worth it. The best way to start is to do a quick search and see the price range your item (or a similar item) sells for.
There are other places where you can sell your stuff. If you're on Facebook, you can sell things using its Marketplace. It's easier to sell locally, where you can meet the buyer to make the trade or arrange a deposit. You can also arrange for your item to be shipped; if so, there are a number of rules to follow. Other sites that help you sell or donate items locally include NextDoor and that old standby, Craigslist.
For freebies only, Cycle libre is a service that introduces locals who have stuff to other locals who want that stuff. Once you find your Freecycle community on the main site, you are instructed on how to advertise what you offer. Freecycle sends your email to all its subscribers and anyone who wants the subject line to respond. Their email is forwarded to your personal email, and after that, it's up to you to contact the person and arrange the giveaway. And you've made two people happy:you and the lucky recipient.
