We tend to throw away a lot of clutter in October – everything from burnt-out candles to torn bed sheets. This month sees a lot of rubbish go to landfill as we switch over to our autumn wardrobes and clear the remains of summer.
But, before you toss these things, it’s worth seeing if they can be given a second life. To help, we’ve rounded up 6 things that can be upcycled and saved from landfill. Here’s what you need to keep rather than chuck.
Scratchy towels
Towels inevitably become hard and scratchy the more we run them through the wash. You might be able to restore them if you cut down on excess detergent or soften the water; see why your bathroom towels are hard and scratchy for more guidance. But if they’re past the point of saving, it’s time they moved on from the bathroom.
But don’t chuck them away just yet. Old towels are always handy to keep around the home for odd, messy jobs. They’re ideal to drape over the shoulders when you dye your hair, or to keep in the boot of the car for trips to the garden centre, or you could just keep a couple by the washing machine (they’re great agitators when something’s stained!). Failing all that, don’t just throw them away, opt to recycle at a local clothes bank instead.
Fallen leaves
Lots of leaves are dropping now that we’re into autumn, but they need not be destined for the garden waste bin! Fallen leaves can be shredded (use your mower for this) and added to your compost heap as brown waste, giving them a chance to enrich your garden soil. Just add the leaves gradually with your green waste to keep the heap balanced.
Alternatively, once shredded you can use them as a form of mulch across your beds.
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Holey bed sheets
Our bedding is thinned and torn throughout the year. But after the hot, sweaty and restless summer nights, now might be time you want to throw out what’s past its best.
However, like towels, old bed sheets can have all kinds of practical uses around the home. They’re handy as drop sheets and dust covers if you ever need to paint, or perhaps as a car cover if you’ve got something vintage in the garage. Failing that, they’re always good for padding out the washing machine when you need to balance the load and stop the machine shaking.
Animal shelters might happily take your old bed sheets off your hands to keep their clients warm and snug. Or there’s always the option of recycling it, too.
Rotting pumpkins
Halloween’s coming up and that means there will soon be carved pumpkins on display every which way. But when the day’s over and your pumpkin starts to soften and rot, don’t throw it out with your household waste.
Like your fallen leaves, pumpkins, too, can contribute to your compost heap. You will first need to remove any candles and smash it (again you want to add it gradually). Pumpkins are considered green waste, so this will go nicely with your fallen leaves. Although, unless you want pumpkins growing in your compost, we recommend scooping out the seeds first!
Silica gel sachets
You’ll find silica gel sachets in every new handbag and shoebox. They’re small packets of porous beads that help adsorb the moisture (different to absorb). While you might be throwing them away throughout the year, they make the list because they’re useful in high humidity – like we’re experiencing right now.
You can put them in any small space to help dehumidify. They’re ideally sized for jewellery boxes, gym bags and for photo albums – protecting as well as deodorising. You’ll find more uses here.
Burnt-out candles
Now that we’re in October, you’re likely burning the candle at both ends – literally. It’s easy for us to collect a mass of burnt candles over the autumn months, but rather than throwing these straight in the bin, you’ve got a few options here. Once cool and dry, you’re free to scrape out the last of the candle wax and throw that away with your household waste. Or if you’d rather, there are charities, such as The Recycled Candle Company, who are always looking for scrap wax.
As for the glass jar, once washed, that can have endless uses as a decorative container around the home. In the bathroom, it could hold cotton ear buds, or makeup brushes, or in the kitchen it might hold dry pantry goods (if it came with a sealed lid). You can remove the last of the label’s sticky residue with rubbing alcohol and apply your own!
