One of the most important aspects of the decluttering journey is to responsibly find ways to dispose of unwanted items through recycling and donation. Over the years I’ve collected the following list of resources (many local) that can assist you with determining how to go about the recycling and donation process. I am also able to take your items for recycling and donation with me after our session for a small fee.
Preserving Sentimental Items
Nostalgic Media: I can’t recommend this service enough. They have done a beautiful job digitizing my family’s cassette tapes, reel-to-reel audio, Beta/VHS/Hi8 tapes, old newspapers, and sooooo many photos!
Donation
- Atlanta Habitat for Humanity ReStore: appliances, building materials, furniture, tools
- Atlanta Humane Society: clean newspapers (not magazines – they shred the newspaper for bedding in the puppy room) and pet supplies
- Cathedral Thrift House: most clothing and household items
- Friends of the Library: books, movies, magazines, video games, and other media
- Furniture Bank of Metro Atlanta: furniture and mattresses
- Georgia Public Broadcasting: phones, laptops, tablets, smartwatches, desktop computers
- Gift of Music Foundation: musical instruments
- GreenDrop: pickup at your home for clothing and household items
- Lost-n-Found Youth Thrift and Consignment: most clothing and household items
- Project Beauty Share (not local, mail only): new and gently used makeup, skincare, and hair products
- re:loom: clean fabric (no upholstery fabric), storage bins, scissors, and sewing supplies
- Scraplanta: new and gently used art, classroom, party, and office supplies
- Wellspring Living: gently used women’s workwear, new clothing for high-school youth, hygiene items
Recycling
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- BatteriesPlus+: batteries and light bulbs
- Center for Hard to Recycle Materials (CHaRM): paint, household chemicals, electronics, mattresses, plastics, and MUCH more
- Dry Cleaners: Local dry cleaners are usually able to take hangers.
- Fulton Metals Recycling (Alpharetta, College Park, Lithonia): Scrap metal recycling, including appliances, Christmas lights, grills, electronics and cords, lawn mowers, and more.
- GreenDisk (not local, mail only): difficult to recycle obsolete technology, including cassette & video tapes
- Terracycle (not local, mail only): Search for how to recycle specific product packaging on Terracycle’s website! Food wrappers, beauty products, storage containers, and more.
- UPS Store: extra packing materials (bubble wrap, air bubbles from Amazon packages, etc.)
- Walgreens: expired medications
- Whole Foods: plastic bags, #5 plastic (Preserve bins), natural cork (bin is usually in wine section)
- Paid Services I Personally Use (referral links)
- CompostNow composting pick-up service, add-on service available for glass and hard-to-recycle household items
- PaperKarma opt-out of catalogs, junk mail, local mailers, and more
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Ridwell recycling and reuse pick-up/mail-in service that collects hard-to-recycle household items
Not sure what is recyclable in the City of Atlanta? Check out the Atlanta Solid Waste Services app for Apple or Google Play, or use the Waste Wizard on the public works website.
