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It's that time of year again! If you're a student or live in a college town, you know that soon there will be a mass exodus as students move from the dorms/student housing and on to summer. Once finals are done, it's summer internships, jobs at the beach and maybe even crashing with mom and dad.
But, students, before you move on to sunnier pastures, think about where your stuff will go when after you move from your dorm. Even if you've been subletting a house off-campus, chances are you can't take all your stuff home with you. But that's no reason to send it packing to the landfill.
Check out these resources for reusing or recycling your dorm stuff.
The Trash
Obviously, this is a no-no unless your furniture, house wares, or other items can't be reused or recycled. Unfortunately, this is where a lot of things end up.
The bright side: If you are sticking around for the summer/winter, or if you live in the area, this is a great season for dumpster diving. And you won't have to actually dive into any dumpsters. These great items will be waiting for you on the curb. You can pick up desks, couches, chairs and even computers once their owners are long gone.
Freecycle
Freecycle is not just about getting stuff you want, it's about giving too. Join your local Freecyle group to get good free stuff during the semester. Then re-offer it to others when you no longer need it. Everybody wins! Find a Freecycle group near you.
Craigslist
You can re-sell your items on Craigslist, or if you just want to get rid of it, there's a free section too. If you'll be too busy moving to deal with arranging a meeting, you can just announce what you have to offer and where it will be for pickup. As a student, you probably already know the Craiglist website well.
Yard Sale
If you can't take it with you, why not make some money off of it. You can rent a table at a local flea market. If don't have enough stuff to hold a yard sale of your own, join up with some friends to make it worthwhile. By re-selling your items you'll have some more cash in your pocket for your beach vacation or road trip. To find yard sales in your area, or list your own, check out Yard Sale Search.com
Recycle
Hopefully, your university has an excellent recycling program. If so, make sure this is where your broken or non-reusable stuff goes. If your university's recycling program is limited, you can take advantage of local recycling programs. To find out more about local recycling options, check out these U.S. recycling options (compiled as part of a University of Maryland University College project), or try Earth911.
Most items can find a new home, whether you make a buck from it or donate it for reuse. All it takes is a little extra effort to make sure your unwanted items don't land in the landfill.
Related Content
How to Go Green: Dorms
Green Your Move
Quick Tips for Green Moving
Planet Green: Moving
Real Dumpster Diving and Skip-dipping
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