Furniture & non-electricals
These are discarded from households and businesses everyday. Read on to find ways to reduce, reuse and recycle this waste stream.
To donate for reuse:
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They do free collections. Check out the store in Mitcham. There are other stores nearby as well.
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The local charity collect furniture for redistribution to those in need. Click here to visit their website.
Bicycles
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You can donate old bicycles to the Bike Project . They refurbish donated bikes and give them to refugees and asylum seekers.
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Check out Dr Bike to organize free bike checks for your group. Contact Merton council to see when the next session will be held locally.
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Carpets & offcuts - the carpet must be in a reasonable state
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Cork
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Costume jewellry (even broken ones)
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Ceramic tiles (small quantities) - these may also be accepted by reclaimed material vendors. Check out this directory's construction waste page.
Paint
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Work & Play Scrapstore, as long as there is more than an inch or so of paint in the bottom of the tin.
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You can also offer them on website called community repaint.
Metal hangers
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Return these to your local dry cleaners – confirm with them first.
Cutlery
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Any high street charity shop or via social media
Old yoga mats
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If you are looking for a new yoga mat, Evergreenyogi seem to accept your old ones to help others in need.
Tools
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Workaid is a charity that collects unwanted tools and equipment from across the UK.
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Charity shops (maybe not all, so worth checking). Even rusty ones - although you could try cleaning them up beforehand, e.g. with Coca cola) will be accepted by some charity shops .
Old nails
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Local scrap yard.
Books
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Charity shops, school book fairs, community centres, Morden Hall Park (National Trust) second hand bookstore.
Tennis balls
(No directory in Merton (home to Wimbledon) is complete without Tennis!)
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You can donate them to local dog charit or send them to recycle tennis who will do that for you
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Recycaball will buy used tennis balls that are in good condition for up to 20p will either re-pressurize them to give them a new lease of life, or pass them on to charities
To recycle:
Pens (working & used)
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Rymans - have a tub usually at the front of the shop where you can drop off (some maybe in conjunction with Terracycle).
Spectacles
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Any Specsavers
Brita water filter
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At most Argos, Robert Dyas and Homebase provide boxes for the collection of used filters.
Brands like Ikea have take back schemes.
Dunelm now has a scheme called Pass it on where they collect preloved textiles, kitchenware & decor, electricals, furniture & mattresses to be re-used, donated or recycled into something new (scheme runs only in specific stores- check their website beforehand).
Have you thought about borrowing books again from the local library like before instead of buying one?
Check out preloved.co.uk for their huge selection of everyday preloved items
Bee Creative Arts - local small business which can also do upcycling.
Daniel’s upholstery - get your furniture upholstered or re-upholstered locally.
If you are looking for office furniture - Check out the local second hand office furniture store on Kingston road (no website).