Donate to those in need
TCL is a charity that re-sells good quality furniture and white goods to support Teen Challenge London, an outreach & rehabilitation centre.
Book a free collection for items that are in good condition.
Furniture Reuse CIC is a not-for-profit social enterprise, that aims to divert good quality household furniture away from landfill. They also accept smaller items like bric-a-brac if they are collected with furniture. Book a free collection for Furniture Reuse
Globechain is aimed mainly at charities and businesses but can also be used by individuals. Globechain allows you to advertise unwanted items so that other individuals, businesses or charities can offer to take them from you - often by collecting them. https://globechain.com/
Alternatively, you can find your closest charity shop on the charityretail.org website so you can donate your items. Several charities offer free collections of unwanted clothing and other items straight from your door - for example British Heart Foundation.
If your furniture items no longer have the fire safety labels attached, then you may not be able to donate them for reuse.
TRAID. will accept donations of clean, wearable clothes, shoes, accessories, sheets and household linen (excluding duvets and pillows) and they will collect them free. Find out more information about TRAID.
Donate your unwanted items to the community
You can list most items on websites like Streetbank, Freegle and the Newham Freecycle group.
You can organise a Give and Take day or Swap Shop - find tips on the East London Waste Website.
Make some money from your unwanted items
Items can also be sold on Facebook Marketplace or local swap groups and websites such as ebay and gumtree (link to ebay and gumtree).
Repair, Upcycle and take back schemes
Take Back: Some shops and websites – like AO.Com or IKEA – will take away old bulky items upon request when they deliver new replacements. Sometimes this is free, or costs a small amount, and it means you save time as the old item is gone the same day the new one arrives. If you’re replacing something then try this option.
You can find information on repairing electronic items on the east london waste authority website.
Use a Council service if your item cannot be donated, upcycled or repaired
If your items are not in good enough condition to be donated you can use the Council’s bulky waste service.
You can find a textile recycling bank on our recycling banks page.
You can also take lots of items to Jenkins Lane Reuse and Recycling Centre to be recycled.