7 ways to stop your unwanted goods going to landfill

Whether you’ve moved house or had a much-needed declutter, being left with a pile of belongings you no longer want doesn’t have to mean a visit to the tip.

Luckily there are many places to sell, swap or donate your pre-loved pieces. 

1. eBay

If you fancy making some pocket money with your secondhand stash, eBay is a great place to start. The platform is well-suited to both domestic and international sales – especially clothing and easy-to-post items – and while eBay and PayPal both take a fee, this comes with added security around payment and delivery.

Sellers can list wares at a “Buy it Now” price or an auction – either way it pays to include as many details and images as possible to entice potential buyers. It is also worth considering the time your auction will end – Sunday evenings are optimal as most buyers are at home.

2. Gumtree

As far as breadth of products goes, Gumtree is leading the way with hundreds of product categories – here you’ll find everything from electronics and furniture to cars and real estate.

The classifieds site has a very active community, with more than seven million Australian visitors every month. Listing an ad is free, however as with eBay you can choose paid options to boost visibility. Gumtree is aimed at Australian buyers and isn’t designed for international sales – perfect for finding a secondhand fridge within 15 minutes’ drive of your house.

3. Garage sales

If you have a front yard (or a driveway) and don’t mind face-to-face interaction, holding a garage sale allows you to offload lots of items in one go. Rope in neighbours who also have preloved goods to sell, and be open to some friendly haggling (if you don’t plan to pack up leftovers at the end of the day).

This is an ideal option for larger items you’re unlikely send in the post, such as furniture and sporting gear. Check out Garage Sale Trail, held annually in October, which sees more than 400,000 bargain-hunting Australians right across the country shopping and selling pre-loved wares.

4. Book exchanges

Think twice before tossing those books to the kerb. There are plenty of bookstores with a secondhand section that will gladly accept used books in good condition, especially those of the hardcover, coffee table variety.

While not every store will offer money as payment, they’ll almost always provide an exchange, meaning you can offload your old books and stock up on some new reading material at the same time.

5. Facebook Marketplace

Much like Facebook’s other local pages, this fee-free option appeals to those wanting a quick sale and local pick-up. Parents’ groups are particularly active here, so if it’s kids’ items such as toys, cots and clothing that you’re trying to rehome then this should be your first port of call.

Facebook isn’t involved in payment or delivery, which are decided on between the buyer and seller, so keep this in mind if you’re dealing with valuable goods.

6. Charity stores

If you’re less concerned with making money, donate to your local Lifeline, Vinnies, Red Cross or nearest charity bin. Clothing, footwear and toys should be clean and in good condition, homewares and bric-a-brac are also accepted.

Phone ahead as some smaller stores do not take furniture or white goods and, for larger items, many offer home collections.

7. The tip shop

A last resort for keeping your unused goods from becoming landfill is the faithful old tip shop. A treasure trove for orphan chairs, mismatched mugs and superseded appliances, be warned that you might not leave empty-handed.

Check your local government website to see if your nearest waste management centre has one and be sure to separate usable items from rubbish before your drop-off.