Removing items from your home you can no longer use or want, you have the option of donating them or disposing of them. Donating usable items extends their lifespan, supports local charities when you donate the items there and keeps materials out of the landfill as much as possible. However, dropping of heavily stained, broken or unusable goods simply shifts the disposal burden to charities. Make sure what you donate, can actually be used by another individual and not thrown into the landfill.
If you choose to donate gently used items, are usually sorted into one of three piles.
- Retail floor: items in ready-to-sell condition are placed on the sales floor to fund community programs.
- Salvage & bailing: clothing and textiles that are out-of-season or have minor flaws are often sold in bulk to textile recyclers or shipped to global markets.
- Responsible disposal: items deemed unsellable due to heavy stains, tears or broken parts are sent to regional recycling facilities or legally discarded by the charity.
If traditional thrift stores do not accept your goods, or you simply prefer a localized approach, you can consider alternatives like:
- Buy nothing groups: neighbors trade usable goods directly on platforms like Facebook, ensuring items find local homes without commercial sorting.
- Specialty charities: animal shelters accept old towels and blankets, while local public schools or women’s shelters may take specific gently used books or household items.
- Habitat for Humanity ReStore: for usable furniture and building materials and resell them to fund the build of local homes for local families.
Directly disposing of items means they bypass charity sorting and go straight into the landfill. Depending on where you live in the KC area, this impacts the environment and your local community in different ways.
- Municipal waste: disposed items are taken to local transfer stations and ultimately end up in regional landfills
- Specialized recycling: many trash items can be broken down, including electronics, while appliances are scrapped to prevent toxic chemicals like mercury and lead from leaching into the soil.
Cleaning your home out can be easy and rewarding if you simply set your mind to it. Just sort items into these two types of groups to see what you have you can donate and what may need to end up being disposed of.
If you have questions or need help with cleaning your home out, call Sirna Brothers. We are a licensed contractor. We are the Kansas City professionals that focus on getting the job done professionally, quickly, cost effectively and environmentally friendly. Sirna Brothers guarantees to separate and recycle until only the minimal amount of junk is put into the landfill. Contact us today to see how we can help you declutter! We offer free, no obligation estimates and always let you know up front what the charge will be with no surprises.
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