RID & RECYCLE

Where to ditch the unwanted stuff

Every spring when we emerge from our winter hibernation, it seems there's more personal junk to offload than ever before. While some of the usual suspects—hello, Dearborn or Ballard Goodwills—often have long lines these days, you can take advantage of lesser-known resources to clear the way. And for heaven's sakes, try not to get in line at Goodwill on a Saturday!

Reuse Resources

• Habitat for Humanity Restore - New and gently used building materials, appliances, furnishings and hardware.
• Second Use - Higher-value items like old cabinets, tables/chairs, unused building materials, etc.
• TexGreen - Textiles (single socks, torn pillowcases, old clothes, etc.).
• Goodwill via College Hunks.
• Seattle Public Utilities - Remember that you can arrange for a pickup of foam, small gas canisters, batteries, small appliances/electronics, and even mattresses.
• Give and get stuff for free, with Freecycle and your local Buy Nothing group

Extra Food

Seattleites know it's actually illegal to toss food scraps in the garbage! Besides staying on the right side of the law, separating your food scraps is good for the planet (in landfills, scraps can release lots of methane) and you can keep the nutrients benefiting your own soil and garden if you have your own composting bin; here are some tips for getting it right.

And get those non-perishables where they can do some good fighting food insecurity:

• Seattle food bank sites
• Northwest Harvest public drop sites

Disposal Resources

• Quick reference to the city's "Where Does it Go?" page
• Ridwell comes to you, and takes all sorts of odd and hard-to-recycle stuff

If you just have TOO MUCH to deal with, I've been very happy with services from Happy Hauler or 1-800-Got-Junk; they charge by truck volume and are very helpful when removing heavy items. Good luck!