Remember that ghastly old table and chairs you ditched last kerbside collection day? Former steel industry worker Danielle McDonald has rescued dozens like it and created a thriving business renovating furniture and homewares destined for landfill.Since 2013 she's given the shabby chic treatment to around 500 items which she's sold to customers around Australia, via her Facebook page Joli Bluebird.A single mother of two and self-taught fixer-upper, Danielle, 37, picked up a paint brush three years ago to transform a "hideous" pink dressing table bought from eBay into a birthday present for her four-year-old daughter."That was my very first thing and when I did that I was like, 'I can do this'," Danielle says. "So then I started doing just a few pieces for around the house as a hobby because I don't like to have the same things that everyone else has… People were [saying], 'that's really good, you could sell that', so I just started a Facebook page and went from there."As well as putting a penny in their own pockets, second-hand sellers and rubbish rescuers such as Danielle help the environment and save the public money.
And for shoppers, buying second-hand is an ethical choice, but also a thrifty one.In 2007, the country dumped more than 21 million tonnes of waste in landfill, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics. A 2009 report commissioned by the Department of Environment, Heritage and the Arts puts the full cost of disposal at between $41 and $102 a tonne.The rise of the sharing economy has helped make people more aware of the benefits of shifting on, rather than discarding, unwanted items, according to James Chin Moody, founder of delivery start-up Sendle and the now defunct giveaway platform TuShare.The internet has also made it possible to establish mini-marketplaces that bring buyers and sellers, or donors and recipients, together more easily than in the classified advertising era."You get things cheaper, save the environment, you can even have a positive social experience – you can be sharing with your friends and neighbours and you can build your community," Dr Chin Moody says.
Three years on, the garage in Danielle's rented home in Bellbowrie in Brisbane's outer west is packed to the rafters with furniture that's been given away, salvaged from the kerb, or sold for a song by locals clearing out."A lot of the stuff that I get, it's covered in dust and…pretty gross when it gets here but then by the time I've finished with it, people are like, 'oh my god, I can't believe that's the same piece'," Danielle says.Post-rejuvenation, items sell as fast as she can list them – usually within 20 minutes of being posted online.Tables and chairs are typically priced at $500 to $600 and dressing tables and sideboards around $300."People always say to me, you can sell it for three times more but I want to be able to sell things to people who can't necessarily afford to go down to a boutique shop and buy something like that," Danielle says.Besides providing a comfortable income, the enterprise has helped teach her children about recycling and sustainability."I like that aspect of it, that you can do something that's good for the environment and it's saving on that landfill," Danielle says.
Don't want to trash your unwanted junk but not sure how to get it to someone who'll treasure it? Here are some ideas.* For items worth a few bob, eBay has established itself as a trusted selling platform – or if you're loath to incur selling costs, list for free on Gumtree.* Charities including Lifeline and St Vincent de Paul accept clothing, books, furniture, household items and bric-a-brac in saleable condition.* Want to see your goods go directly to someone in need? Givit links donors with charities seeking specific items, from vacuum cleaners to dinner suits, for clients.* Parting with clothes best suited to a scarecrow? Many charities recycle old threads in poor condition into industrial rags, insulation and stuffing.Home › Donate › Clothing And Goods Help the environment and your community by donating your quality used clothing, furniture and homewares to Salvos Stores. You'll introduce less waste into the environment and help raise money for our vital community projects.
But please be sure the goods you donate are quality. It costs The Salvation Army millions of dollars each year to remove rubbish that has been dumped outside Salvos Stores. Please note that in some instances, because of government regulations, we may be unable to accept white goods/electrical items and mattresses. Please call 13 SALVOS (13 72 58) to discuss with us if you are unsure. For all calls to 13 SALVOS (13 72 58) regarding donations of clothing or furniture, please select 'Salvos Stores' at the voice prompt. Our contact centre is open Monday to Friday 8am to 4pm AEST. Your information Title:-- Please Select -- -- Please Select -- For donors in NT, SA, TAS, VIC or WA please click here. Items to be picked up: The Salvation Army is committed to upholding the Australian Privacy Principles. Click here for more informationThe following website provides a forum for people to buy and sell second hand assistive technology and equipment. Free Australian classifieds for buying and selling used disability, aged care and rehabilitation equipment.
lity buy and sell general and e-bility buy and sell children's equipment e-Bility offers easy access to a wide range of information, resources, services and products of interest to people with disability, their families and carers, health professionals and service providers in the disability sector. If you require advice or assistance in choosing relevant AT products for your needs, please call our national ILC Infoline 1300 885 886. You will be connected to your local state/territory ILC for the cost of a local phone call. ** NT callers are automatically directed to the ILC in South Australia. Please select a Category Cars & Other Vehicles Food & Beverage Packaging Most furniture is resource-intensive to produce, and if dumped, takes up large amounts of landfill space. Buying quality furniture that will last or reusing, refurbishing or recycling are all more resource-efficient options. Search for businesses recycling Office Furniture in your area
Office furniture is a recyclable product and with minimal planning it can be reused, refurbished or deconstructed for recycling. This protects the environment by reducing demand for timber, metals and plastics, diverting large amounts of waste from landfill and reducing carbon emissions associated with manufacturing. Recycled office furniture can be much cheaper for businesses to purchase than new furniture. Reusing or recycling furniture is also a visible way to show that your businesses is serious about conservation and waste reduction. Many office furniture retailers and office liquidators will collect or buy used office furniture for refurbishing and resale. Some furniture suppliers offer a collection and recycling service for the furniture at the end of its lifetime (this may incur a fee). Some charitable organisations and opportunity shops will also accept and /or collect unwanted office furniture on a smaller scale. Furniture that is no longer wanted may be reused, refurbished or recycled, depending on its condition.