9 Things to Get Rid of and Ideas on Where to Donate Them

Often, we keep useless old things at home that take up a lot of space on shelves and in wardrobes. We explain what you can get rid of without regrets and how to do it with care for the environment.

Old clothes, shoes, and accessories

We've already told you how to sort through your wardrobe and understand which specific items you no longer need. But what to do with them afterwards?

• Give to friends. Gather all the items in a bag. Make sure they are clean and usable.
• Trade or sell. For example, on the website "Avito" or "From Hand to Hand".
• Donate to a store. At H&M near the checkout counters, there are special bins for collecting old clothes. You'll receive a 15% discount coupon — you can use it for future purchases. Or take the items to the charitable store "Store of Joy" — they accept both clothes and shoes.
• Donate. There are many companies that collect old items in good condition: "Dump", "Collector", "Good Things". You can drop off all unnecessary items at collection points or order a pickup directly from your home. Later, they will be handed over to charitable foundations or sold (and part of the proceeds will go to charity).

Important

Most services do not operate during quarantine, but some have the option for contactless pickup from your apartment. For this, you need to gather all items in bags and place them by the door.

Expired cosmetic products

When was the last time you checked the expiration dates on tubes and jars in your cabinet? According to Russian standards, the maximum storage period for cosmetic products is 36 months. However, it's important to pay attention to the expiration date of opened products. Usually, not more than 18 months should pass from the moment you open the packaging.

Some products need to be changed even more frequently. For example, if your mascara is older than three months, it's better to buy a new one. Tinted creams can be used for up to a year, and lipsticks — up to one and a half years.

Where to drop off tubes from cosmetic products? To special collection points for waste or cosmetic stores such as MAC, Kiehl's, Origins, and Lush. Important: they only accept packaging from their own production. Also, don't forget — the tubes must be empty and clean.

Boxes and bags

Check the warranty periods of all gadgets and household appliances — if they've expired, there's no need to keep the packaging. For example, cardboard boxes can be safely thrown away into the trash — they do not harm the environment. Just make sure to flatten them first so they don’t take up too much space in the container.

Packaging and plastic containers can be donated to special collection points. Currently, these services are not operating, so it's better to collect everything in one place and donate after the quarantine ends. You can quickly find the nearest point on the Recyclemap.

Old books

If your apartment has been home to several generations of a family, there are likely old books in the wardrobes. They take up a lot of space and gather dust, so it's time to sort through the copies and decide which ones you definitely won't read. But what to do with them next?

• Donate to a library. There are some challenges here — you need to call specific libraries and find out how many books they're willing to accept and in what condition. Of course, this is free.
• Sell. You can use services like "Avito" or bookstores like Alib.ru and Libex.ru (here it's better to sell rare editions one by one). You can also deliver books to a bookstore and haggle with the staff.
• Donate. For example, to children's homes. The easiest way is through the service "Collector".
• Donate for recycling. Book lovers may not like this option, but some books in poor condition can be donated to paper recycling centers. The Recyclemap will help again — just select the "paper" filter.

How to tell if a book is valuable?

Check whether it's sold on antiquarian websites and at what price. Evaluate the appearance of the book — are there any defects, scratches, or bends? The better the design (illustrations, cover), the more valuable the edition.

Pay attention to the publication year — anything published before 1940 is considered antiques. Also, consider the publisher: if it was short-lived, that’s a plus. The popularity of the author and the print run also matter — the smaller it is, the better.

Compact discs and cassettes

There are likely old CD and DVD disks, as well as tapes with movies, audiobooks, or personal recordings at home. You can digitize important data, but what about the media? You shouldn’t throw them away — they pollute the environment just as badly as plastic.

• List for sale. Some disks with films, music, or classic old games may be useful to others. However, you won’t get much money for them.
• Donate for recycling. For example, to the "Ecology Sphere" collection point or the same "Collector".

Unnecessary electronics

Unused cables, chargers, and batteries are found in almost every home. Usually, they are kept in boxes, wardrobes, or drawers and take up a lot of space. As you’ve probably already guessed, you shouldn’t throw them away either. What else can be done?

• Sell. You can sell unused chargers along with old phones. The easiest way is online, on the same "Avito".
• Trade-in. For example, an old laptop can be traded for a new one with a small additional payment. Nearly all electronics stores offer this option.
• Donate for recycling. In every "Vkusvill" store, there is a container for collecting old batteries — just take them with you when shopping. Old cables, chargers, and phones can be donated to "Collector" or nearby collection points.

Expired products

Go through your kitchen cabinets; there might be products left on the shelves that you haven’t thought about in years. It seems like sand cookies can’t go bad, but they actually shouldn't be kept for more than three months (in an open package). The same applies to candies and chocolates — over time, they lose their taste.

Grains should also be sorted and checked for bugs (therefore, it's better to immediately transfer them to sealed containers and label the expiration dates). By the way, here’s how long different grains can be stored:

• buckwheat can last up to 20 months;
• rice — up to one and a half years;
• semolina should not be kept for more than 14 months;
• millet — 4 months;
• oat flakes — 4–5 months.

Important

Check your freezer — any products stored there should not be kept for more than a year. Over time, they lose their taste and the number of bacteria can increase if the temperature is not set correctly.

The optimal storage temperature: -18 degrees Celsius or lower.

Empty jars and containers

Free up the shelves in your kitchen: if you don’t plan to make food preparations, you can get rid of old and bulky jars. As we said earlier, glass and plastic are accepted by special services and recycling centers — just find the nearest one to your home.

Old documents and discount cards

We’ve already explained how to properly sort documents into categories, but first choose what you definitely won't need anymore. Convert everything that’s needed into electronic form — the same applies to plastic discount cards you rarely use. You can add them to your digital wallet.

Before throwing away cards, cut them with scissors (especially if they contain personal information). Also, shred all paper or tear it into small pieces.