New year, new you - cleaning out your closet in an environmentally friendly way

If ever there was a year to shed a bit of the old, this is certainly the one!

It's said that Aussies are dumping 6,000kg of clothing in landfill every 10 minutes, so as that pile of belongings (amassed during your lockdown clean-out!) begins to glare at you from the corner, it's certainly worth considering options for disposing of your pre-loved goods in a responsible way.

To help reduce the waste we send to landfill, we need to switch from a 'linear' economy (produce, consume, dispose) to a more 'circular' one. So rather than adding to the growing landfill problem in Australia, there are a range of options for disposing of your pre-loved goods in a responsible way - here are some of our favourite tips to get you started.

1. Resell it

Ready to pass on some valuable goods? If you're decluttering, looking to give new life to something you no longer want, and make a little money, this is your first port of call.

Whilst eBay and Gumtree are certainly still options, over the past few years Facebook Marketplace has taken the top spot for avid buyers and sellers of pre-loved belongings, from clothing, to toys, furniture and even plants.

2. Pay it forward

A big 2020 clear-out can also be a great opportunity to pay it forward. Being an active member of your local Good Karma or Buy Nothing Facebook page is another great way to ensure your pre-loved items continue to be loved and useful, for as long as possible!

This is where local communities essentially form 'gift economies', paying items forward for free. It's an excellent way to declutter, rather than sending goods straight to landfill, and you’ll probably come across some great finds too - after all, one person’s trash is another person’s treasure!

3. Donate it

Donating items to charity not only keeps unnecessary items out of landfill, it can just be a nice way to help someone else out. It extends the life of the products, and can also generate money for social welfare programs.

And when it comes to donating, it's important to consider quality - if you wouldn't give it to a friend, you probably shouldn't give it to charity. We also strongly recommend doing a quick search online to check what your local shop accepts before heading in.

Additionally, where possible your pre-loved items should be donated within the charity shops themselves, or within a donation bin. It's important to avoid leaving goods piled up outside charities/bins, as this causes problems for the organisation, and can lead to the need to landfill dumped items. 

4. Recycle it

Recycling is a great last resort for items that are unable to be reused by someone else. If you're unsure of where exactly to take your goods for recycling, we've compiled a great list of resources here.