Decluttering your home is a great feeling. But once you’ve sorted through cupboards, wardrobes, lofts or spare rooms, the next question you face is: where does everything go?
Whether you’re clearing out after a move, downsizing, renovating or simply trying to make better use of the space you have, Glasgow has a wide range of options for recycling and donating unwanted items, which this blog will explore.
Where should you start when decluttering your house?
Once you’ve identified items you no longer wish to have in your house, it’s worth sorting them into categories before loading them into the car. You could sort them into separate piles for:
- Recycling
- Donations for charity
- Textiles and clothing
- Glass bottles and jars
- Cardboard and packaging
- Items you want to keep but store elsewhere
Trust us – this makes the whole process much easier to manage and far less stressful!
Household waste recycling centres in Glasgow
For bigger decluttering jobs, household waste recycling centres are usually the best option. These are run by Glasgow City Council and there are a number located across the city.
They can take a wide range of materials, including cardboard, garden waste, wood, metals, electrical items and other household waste.
- Dawsholm Recycling Centre: 75 Dalsholm Road, Glasgow, G20 0TB
- Easter Queenslie Recycling Centre: 90 Easter Queenslie Road, Glasgow, G33 4UL
- Polmadie Recycling Centre: 425 Polmadie Road, Glasgow, G42 0PJ
- Shieldhall Recycling Centre: Renfrew Road, Glasgow, G51 4SL
At the time of writing, these are listed as open Monday to Sunday 8am to 6pm, with last entry at 5:45pm. It’s worth checking the council website before going, as opening times or vehicle restrictions can change.
For smaller jobs, there is a network of over 700 public recycling points across the city where you can recycle household materials including newspapers, magazines, plastic bottles, mixed cans and mixed glass bottles and jars.
How do you recycle cardboard in Glasgow?
Cardboard is a common type of household waste. For smaller amounts, this can go in your household recycling bin. In Glasgow, paper, card and cardboard go in blue bins.
For bigger amounts of cardboard, such as bulky packaging, household waste recycling centres or public recycling points mentioned in the section above are usually more practical. Before going, ensure you collapse boxes, remove excess plastic tape and keep cardboard dry to ensure it can be recycled properly.
How do you recycle glass bottles and jars in Glasgow?
You can’t put glass bottles and jars into the general waste. As mentioned earlier, the public recycling points across the city accept mixed glass bottles and jars. In addition, some households have access to purple glass recycling bins as part of their domestic recycling service.
When recycling glass, ensure you empty bottles and jars, give them a rinse out and remove lids where required. Avoid putting ceramics, mirrors or drinking glasses into bottle banks unless the site specifically accepts them.
How do you recycle textiles in Glasgow?
Textiles can’t go into household recycling bins. Zero Waste Scotland advises that clothing and textiles should be donated or deposited at specified textile recycling banks.
Charity shops
Good-quality clothing and shoes can be donated to charity shops. Take a look at our previous blog for a list of charity shops in Glasgow.
Textile recycling banks
These can be found in supermarket car parks and local community areas. Some high street shops such as Primark or River Island accept certain clothing items for recycling.
Recycling locators are helpful tools to use to find the nearest suitable bank.
Home collection services
Some organisations offer clothing collections to your front door in Glasgow, such as Collection 4 Clothes. This is an effective and simple way to recycle items of clothing you no longer wish to wear or store in your house, requiring minimal effort from you.
Donation points around Glasgow for reusable items
Not everything needs to be recycled. If items are still in good condition, donating them is often the better option as it gives them a new lease of life and someone else can enjoy them.
Homelessness charity, Emmaus Glasgow, accepts a range of donations, including furniture, electrical items, clothing, books, records, CDs, bric-a-brac, china, glassware and bicycles and can arrange collections for larger items.
For more unusual items, creative reuse organisations may also be worth exploring. Rags to Riches, is a circular reuse and skills hub in Govanhill focused on sustainability and community engagement.
Before donating, always check what each organisation currently accepts and ensure items are clean and in a useable condition.
How to make money from items you are looking to get rid of?
If you want to make some money from items you are looking to get rid of, apps and websites such as Facebook Marketplace, Gumtree and Vinted are good platforms to use. They allow you to list your item at a specified price and those who are interested can purchase.
Alternatively, if you have higher ticket items, such as sofas or good quality wardrobes, it might be worth taking them to an auction house for a valuation. In Glasgow, there are a few different auction houses including McTear’s and Great Western Auctions.
When is it best to recycle, donate, sell or store?
When decluttering, it’s easy to feel under pressure to get rid of everything at once. However, some items may not be ready for recycling or donation, especially if they have sentimental or seasonal value.
A useful rule to follow is:
- Recycle items that are damaged or no longer usable
- Donate or sell items that someone else could use
- Store items you may still need but don’t have space for at home
For those with limited storage space at home, secure self-storage can be a great alternative if you aren’t quite ready to part ways with something.
It provides the perfect middle-ground: your living space will be cleared, and you aren’t pressured into making rushed decisions about what you are and aren’t keeping.
Conclusion
There are plenty of ways to declutter responsibly in Glasgow, be that via recycling centres, your blue bins, glass recycling points or textile recycling banks. You may wish to give your items a new lease of life by donating or selling them. And of course, self-storage is always an option too for possessions that you aren’t quite ready to say goodbye to.
By sorting items properly and either recycling, donating, selling or storing them, you play your part in reducing waste, supporting charities and creating a calmer, more organised home.
To learn more about the various storage solutions GTW Storage offers, including personal storage, click here or get in touch with our team.