It’s renovating and remodelling season! If you have decided to refurbish and declutter your home, you are likely to be disposing of items you no longer need. However, you can’t just throw away your unwanted belongings. As the importance of recycling and reusing grows, learning to properly dispose of items is vital. Don’t forget, when in doubt, check council regulations for your area. For example, each area has different rules and fees around council clean-ups.

Clean Up Australia, a non-profit organisation that focuses on environmental conservation, reports that the average Australian produces 1.5 tonnes of waste annually.  The same report says that every year, landfills throughout the country accumulate enough waste to cover the State of Victoria.  Being aware of the magnitude of this problem is a step towards undertaking responsible waste disposal.

To help you dispose of unwanted items, consider the following suggestions:

Waste Disposal Tip #1: Sort and assess your things

Do this from room to room. There may be items that you no longer need but are still in your cabinets, closets, wardrobes, attic and basement. Give your old clothes away to friends or sell them to thrift and second-hand shops.  You can also donate them to charitable institutions.

Waste Disposal Tip #2: Make an inventory of what is in your pantry 

You may find canned goods, dry products, and other ingredients that are beyond their best before dates. Prioritise consumption of food items that are near expiration dates and dispose of old, stale items, and those that you think are no longer safe for human consumption. 

Waste Disposal Tip #3: When disposing of kitchen utensils, segregate them properly

Separate recyclable and reusable items such as bottles, glasses, and cans. You can either sell them to recycling plants or reuse them for other purposes.

Waste Disposal Tip #4: Properly dispose of cleaning solution containers

Containers of bleaching solutions, detergents, and other chemicals that are used as cleaners should be disposed of properly.  Don’t just throw them away in your trash bins, as remaining contents and residue may seep in and contaminate the soil.

Waste Disposal Tip #5: Check your electronic appliances

You may want to want to update and replace your electronic appliances with the latest models.  If you have items that are still working, you can offer to resell them at second-hand stores. You may also find charitable organisations that accept old appliances as donations. Check out their policies and coordinate with them.

If your electronics, including computer and phone units, are defective, you cannot just throw them away into dumpsters or let the garbage man haul them out to landfills.  Ask around or browse online for recyclers in your area.  They may accept your old units and take care of recycling the usable parts and disposing of the unsalvageable materials.

Waste Disposal Tip #6: Find new homes for your old furniture

Old furniture and other bulky items which may not fit in your new home can be disposed of by selling them or offering them to friends and neighbours. Sites such as Gumtree or Facebook Marketplace can help you to find a loving new home for the pieces you no longer want.

Waste Disposal Tip #7: Sell your old books

 Sell your old books at second hand-bookstores.  You can also donate them to public libraries and other institutions that may still find them useful.

Bonus Waste Disposal Tip #8: Hold a garage sale

Put all your unwanted stuff on display and offer them at low prices.  You might be surprised to find that a lot of people are enthusiastic to acquire pre-loved items, especially if these are offered at bargain prices. Check out our 15 Garage Sale Tips To Ensure A Sell-out for our top advice for holding a successful garage sale.

It does not matter whether you live in a tiny apartment, a luxurious condo, or a multi-room, sprawling property.  You can make your home the best place to live in by keeping it tidy and cosy.  Every member of your family would look forward to coming back home whenever they are away as long as it exudes comfort and warmth.

There may be old items that you do not want to dispose of and are saving for future use. Maybe you want to keep them for sentimental reasons.  In this case, put them in storage. If you do not have enough space to keep them at home, you can rent temporary storage.

Check out Spacer and find a location that is near and accessible to you. They have a lot of available storage spaces you can choose from, and surely, you can find one which would match your preference.  Do not worry about the safety of your items as Spacer provides well secured and monitored storage spaces. Visit Spacer today!