How to Recycle Household Items

Many people think recycling means having items shipped off to a plant where they're melted down and made into something else. However, the easiest kind of recycling is reusing or re-purposing everyday household items. Instead of throwing unwanted goods into the trashcan, consider other ways to get rid of them like donating, selling or using them for a different purpose. Recycling household items is a great way to save money and help the environment.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

1. Gather all household items you no longer have a need for and hold a yard sale. What you view as trash someone else could find very valuable. If you don't want to go through the hassle of setting everything out and waiting for yard sale shoppers, consider selling your items at an online auction or a local consignment shop.

2. Donate any items you can't sell to charity. Take your used books to the library or a nursing home and clothing and furniture to a thrift store. Be sure to get the paperwork for a tax deduction.

3. Dispose of old paints, batteries, motor oil and any other hazardous materials at a local waste service center. These compounds can be dangerous to soil and groundwater if dumped, so it's important to dispose of them properly. Contact your town's waste management to arrange for an appointment to drop off these materials.

4. Save the Styrofoam packing peanuts you receive in packages throughout the year and recycle them at a local shipping and packing store; they'll reuse them instead of sending them to the landfills.

5. Re-purpose any item you can to give it a second life. Use cereal boxes as coloring sheets for kids, coffee cans as storage containers or old CDs as drink coasters. If you can't find a new job for an old item, do your best to get it to a recycling plant. If everyone worked together, we could significantly decrease the volume of recyclables clogging our landfills; do your part to save the planet.

Who Can Help Sponsored

• How to Lose 30+lbs Guaranteed. Try it Free.