Being Green – Reuse

The ultimate of being green is to reuse rather than trash. Here are some activities that have worked for me and I’d love to hear about ones that have worked for you:

• Re-purpose. Think of a new use from an item that you would have previously trashed or recycled. Some examples:
  • I have some plastic trays that were used by a caterer that would not go through the dishwasher well…but worked great under pots on the deck to catch the water run off.
  • The candles that come in a glass container with a lid made wonderful canisters. I use mine to hold tea bags and packets of sweetener. To clean out the wax, set them in a shallow pan of boiling water until all the bits of wax melt and can be poured out. Wipe clean with a paper towel. Soak in water to get the labels off then put through the dishwasher.

• Thrift stores. There is no consistency in thrift stores – but it is often worthwhile to at least check out the ones near you. Yes – the selection is totally unpredictable and there will be times you will not find anything you can use. But when you do….it is usually a terrific bargain and the reuse is just an added positive.
• Donate. When you clean out closets or otherwise identify things you no longer need…decide if some of them can be easily donated to a charity. Some charities will even pick up from your porch!
• Freecycle. Post items that you want to give away …or pick up something someone else is giving away. To find a group near you – check out http://www.freecycle.org/ and let the reuse begin! I have gotten rid of a partial package of roofing shingles, an old ice cream freezer, and a box of art project supplies!
• Bring your own Bag - Use canvas or reinforced paper/plastic bags from conferences or received as gifts for charitable donations when you go shopping rather than using the stores plastic bags.

Shopping Thrift Stores - Rules of Thumb

The offerings of thrift stores range from trash to fabulous bargains; I’ve been in several recently where the range was toward the ‘fabulous bargains’ end of the spectrum so I am offering some rules of thumb for getting the most from thrift store shopping.

• Find a thrift store that is near middle to upper income bracket neighborhoods. If the store has a donation center, the quality of the offerings will reflect what has been donated. Some stores are focused almost exclusively on clothes; some or more toward the antique furniture end of the spectrum; others seem to have only very worn out clothes (this is a store that should be marked off your list unless you are looking for clothes for painting!).
• Know the general price range of new items so you’ll recognize a bargain - or something overpriced.
• Some thrift stores have half-price or sale days. Try to go on those days but realize it will likely be more crowded.
• Clothes
  • Be prepared to go several times if you are building up your wardrobe. Offerings in thrift stores usually turn over pretty rapidly. Sometimes you may find nothing at all.
  • Be able to decide quickly what is truly useful to you. A bargain on a formal gown is wonderful only if it is something you will actually wear. A basic wardrobe strategy makes it easier to make quick decisions (like - black is my basic color, red and turquoise are my highlight colors, everything needs to match into this scheme)
  • Check for care labels on clothes. Many times a new looking item is ‘dry clean only’ and that will add to its cost to you over the long haul.
  • Check buttons, zippers, seams. Hold it up and look for stains or snags. You don’t want to get home and discover the garment is not wearable because of a flaw you didn’t notice.
  • Try on clothes if there is a dressing room. Remember that sizes vary widely and clothes do stretch if they have been hanging in a closet for a long time.
  • Launder all clothes purchased before you wear them.
• Jewelry
  • Clean/soak in alcohol any jewelry you buy at a thrift store.
• Household items
  • Wash dishes, glasses, or pans in hot soapy water before using.
  • Be open to re-purpose items. You may buy a bargain picture in a large frame for the frame alone. An old beat up pan may turn into a pot for seedlings.
  • Transporting furniture or exercise equipment may be a challenge so plan ahead if you are buying. It may take ongoing trips to the thrift store to find an acceptable piece or it may be serendipity.

Feel good about shopping at a thrift store. You are usually 1) contributing to a good cause, 2) reusing (rather than buying something new) is a good thing for the environment, and 3) you get something you need for a bargain price.