Declutter Now: Lose That Old Sports Equipment
Make more room in your closets and give your home a fresh start the eco-friendly way
It's a new year, and for many that means it's time to clean out the closets and toss out some of the clutter clogging up your home. It's a great feeling to just throw things away that have long been unused — and an even better one to start getting rid of things the eco-friendly way. If you're like most people, you'll find some old skis, soccer balls, running shoes, or other sports and fitness equipment in the back of a closet or two. Don't just throw it away. Use it or lose it — without sending it into a landfill.
Recycle it. Not many pieces of sports equipment are recyclable — you'd be hard pressed to find many things you can just throw into a recycling bin. But several specialty recycling facilities do process specific types of sports goods. You usually need to replace ski equipment every few years — especially if you have growing children — so try to get rid of your old equipment in an eco-friendly way. SnowSports Industries America has a Snow Sports Recycling Program that processes snowboards, ski boots, snowboard boots and helmets into composite lumber and blocks and rocks for landscaping. Skichair, Green Mountain Ski Furniture and Reeski all make fun indoor and outdoor equipment out of old skis and snowboards.
Athletic shoes also need to be replaced often. Try looking into the Nike Reuse-A-Shoe project. Their site lists locations where you can drop off any brand of used athletic shoe to be completely recycled. Nike sorts through the shoe materials and uses the scraps to create new shoes, athletic clothing and surface materials. If you don't have a drop-off location near you, try the Recycled Runners directory or ask your local running store if they offer a program where they can recycle old shoes.
Sell it. If your equipment is still usable — that is, it doesn't need any major repairs — try selling it online to nab some extra cash. Put up a listing on Craigslist, eBay, Amazon or OutdoorClassifieds. If you're trying to clear out some serious clutter, sell your goods at a garage sale or swap meet.
Sell it. If your equipment is still usable — that is, it doesn't need any major repairs — try selling it online to nab some extra cash. Put up a listing on Craigslist, eBay, Amazon or OutdoorClassifieds. If you're trying to clear out some serious clutter, sell your goods at a garage sale or swap meet.
Donate it. A great thing to do with usable sports equipment is to donate it to someone who really needs it. The YMCA, school sports programs, churches, local clubs, the Boys & Girls Clubs of America and your local Special Olympics chapter are just a few ideas of places that would love to have your old soccer balls, footballs or roller hockey equipment.
Other organizations to donate to include:
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Other organizations to donate to include:
- I Love Schools: Public elementary, middle and high schools are always in need of random sports equipment for their teams and P.E. programs. Post a DonorOffer and teachers will contact you if you have what they're looking for.
- SportsGift: Become a collection leader with SportsGift, and organize a community drive to send gently used sports equipment to impoverished children around the world.
- Rebounces: Has your old tennis ball lost its bounce? Send it to Rebounces for free and they'll put the bounce back in your balls for a price — or recycle them for free.
- Recycle Your Mat: If you're an avid yogi, odds are you've gone through at least a mat or two. Instead of throwing it away, donate it to Recycle Your Mat and they'll recycle it, upcycle it or donate it.
- Joni and Friends: This organization will gladly take donated orthotics, crutches and anything else that may have helped you come back from a sports related injury.
- Soles 4 Souls: Find a Soles 4 Souls drop-off location or organize a shoe drive with them to provide shoes for children and adults around the world.
- Fitness 4 Charity: Fill out a donation form on Fitness 4 Charity's site to donate your old weights, treadmill, exercise bike or other gym machine to this Los Angeles-based charity.
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How to Get Rid of Old Keys
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What to Do With Leftover Building Materials
Some sports stores also have buyback programs. Callaway Golf will buy back any of their clubs (bought within a certain time period) for a fixed, in-store credit. Most Golfsmith stores will also accept old golf clubs purchased through them, and put it towards a credit of new golf clubs. Play It Again Sports is a great store that allows you to trade in old equipment to buy new at a discount.