By Annie Button

Studies show that UK households throw away an estimated 1.7 billion pieces of plastic every week, equating to a staggering 90 billion pieces a year. On a global scale, those figures are even higher, so it’s more critical than ever that we take stock of what we own and pay closer attention to how we dispose of it. 

With the New Year, many of us will be using this time to establish better habits and declutter for a fresh start—if that’s you, read on for how to declutter your home the sustainable way.

Tackle seasonal items first

Taking the Christmas decorations down is the perfect time to sort through and declutter any items that are broken or you don’t want any more. These can then either be repaired or donated, if they’re in good condition, or disposed of properly if not. Store the items you want to keep in clear, labelled boxes so you can see what you have and to keep them protected until next year.

Donate or sell what you no longer need

Go room by room and audit what you want to keep, what needs to be fixed, and what you want to get rid of. You can then break that last group down into items that need to be recycled, those that can be donated and items that you can sell. Donating or selling items are perfect forms of sustainable decluttering because you aren’t sending them to landfill—just because you don’t want them anymore doesn’t mean someone else won’t get many more years of use out of them.

Know what charity shops will and won’t take

Many of us feel like we’re being responsible when we give items to charity shops instead of taking them to the tip, and while it’s true that your local charities will be grateful for items to sell, they will have a list of pieces they won’t accept. Be aware that anything they can’t keep will wind up in landfill, so to be sure that what you’re donating can be sold on, do your research beforehand. Some of the common items that aren’t taken are electrical goods, gas appliances, toys that don’t have a CE mark, bikes or helmets, and pillows and duvets.

Check if it can be repaired

Often, we default to throwing items away when really all they need is repairing to be good as new again. Repairs aren’t always as complicated as they first seem, and you may learn a new skill in the process. From mending holes in clothes to repainting an old piece of furniture or adding new legs to a coffee table, there are various items you may ordinarily get rid of that can remain in your home with a bit of DIY attention. Don’t feel confident fixing them yourself? Check if your local area has a repair café where you can take your items to be fixed for free.

Handle e-waste carefully

It’s not just clothes and toys that pile up in our homes—digital waste, or e-waste, is a growing concern. But devices like laptops, phones, games consoles and external hard drives often have personal information on them like credit card numbers stored for ease or passwords. So, you need to wipe them completely before recycling or selling them. 

In some cases where the device doesn’t have removable or accessible storage media, you can reset the item to its factory settings. Alternatively, you may need to send the item to a dedicated company that will wipe the information for you. Just be sure none of your data is still on the device before it leaves your possession.

Upcycle or repurpose

Before throwing items out, consider if there are other ways to use them. Can that old t-shirt become cleaning rags for the garage or around the house? A dated piece of furniture could be given a new lease of life with a lick of paint or new hardware, and that dress you never wear could be cut down into a summer top. You’ll find a host of resources online for inspiration on how to upcycle items in new and innovative ways, and you could even uncover a new hobby repurposing items and selling them on for a profit.

Recycle and dispose responsibly

To truly declutter sustainably, you need to consider how you’ll throw items away when it’s necessary. First, check if the items in question can be recycled—you may need to take them apart if they’re made from different materials, such as if they contain batteries, and dispose of these materials appropriately.

Your local recycling centre may have programmes for recycling specific materials, or you might live in an area with dedicated kerbside recycling. If your belongings can’t be recycled, be sure to dispose of them safely to reduce the harm to the environment. This includes hazardous materials like paint or chemicals which can cause damage to waterways.

Sustainable decluttering is focused on reducing waste and keeping our possessions out of landfill wherever possible. You might choose to keep things you would usually throw away by repairing or repurposing them, you could give belongings away to friends and family who will enjoy them, or you could sell items in great condition to others and make a bit of extra cash in the process. There are countless ways to declutter without harming the planet—combined with mindful purchasing in the future, we can all do our part to reduce our waste and protect the environment.