Re-home your Christmas clutter
12 January 2007
The general apathy and stodginess that many of us feel after Christmas is made worse by the problem of having too much stuff around the house. The amount of waste we produce at this time of year as a nation is astounding - a massive 3 million tonnes of rubbish for the UK alone.
Unwanted presents are one of the biggest taboos of the festive season but according to WHICH Magazine, more than a third of us receive them. Such things are ultimately destined for the bin, even if they spend a couple of years at the back of a cupboard beforehand. Just as problematic, especially for people like me who hate throwing things away, are the things we no longer need because they have been replaced by the newest model, for example old cameras, clock radios, and videos replaced by DVDs. Happily though, there are a number of ways you can de-clutter your house without sending it all straight to the poor Bubbenhall landfill site.
The internet has become a powerful force for re-homing unwanted goods. Localised ‘swap shops’ in the form of websites and e-mail lists are available to people who wish to give away and receive goods. The general principle is that goods must be offered free of charge, users make contact with each other via e-mail and arrange delivery between themselves. Action 21 runs one such website for people in Coventry and Warwickshire called communityfreebay.co.uk. If you prefer an e-mail network then Freecycle has localised e-groups based on a similar principle. See freecycle.org.
If you’re not online, then why not give your unwanted things a new life by donating them to a charity or second hand shop? Action 21’s Recycle Warehouse, based at Princes Drive Recycling Centre in Leamington accepts, renovates and sells on second hand furniture, bicycles, household goods and good quality electrical items. Proceeds generated are used to fund a range of environmental and community projects in the local area. The shop is let to us by Warwickshire County Council and reusing unwanted items helps reduce the costs we all have to pay for the disposal of the waste that we produce.