by Élyse Gamache-Bélisle
A move is a good time to get rid of an impressive amount of unnecessary stuff that has been "stashed" in the four corners of your apartment since your last move ... more than 10 years ago! However, throwing away all of this stuff is NOT the solution. Before putting your superfluous things in the trash, remember that there are several more logical, ecological, altruistic and even, economic solutions! [image credit: iStock]
L’Accueil Bonneau is an organization that welcomes homeless people and helps them find their way back by offering them multi-level support. One of their services is to provide their customers with a cloakroom where they distribute over 60,000 items of clothing and other refurbished items. Think again if you think your clothes can no longer be useful and go immediately to L’Accueil Bonneau.
Renaissance recovers goods of all kinds (clothing, furniture, bedding, etc.) and brings them back to life so they can find a new home. Also remember that once you complete your own move, Renaissance is the perfect place to find the items missing in your new pad for a nominal price! Multiple donation boxes are found throughout the island of Montreal to facilitate the act of getting rid of excess items.
Montreal is full of thrift stores that will welcome your clothes with open arms – no matter the year, even the century, when they were bought. Eva B, Empire Exchange and Retromania are the must-sees of thrift stores. You may not make pizza money from your move, but at least you will have small change for the movers!
Are you feeling "stuck" with your old furniture or small and large appliances? Be aware that when they are usable, the majority of donation centres or resale stores will take them and resell them as is. Important: Verify that the retailer you choose for your fridge is certified by the program FrigoResponsable – Mother Earth will thank you!
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OTHER GOOD IDEAS:
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If you haven't managed to dispose of construction and renovation waste, hazardous household waste and/or reusable items, ecocentres are there for that. Moreover, it is possible to find several ecocentre locations on the island of Montreal. Important: To deposit material there, you must present proof of residence in Montreal. Annually, ecocentres allow an impressive amount of waste material to be diverted from landfills. Participate in the project!
Finally, think about it: it is definitely much more advantageous in terms of time, money and effort to get rid of all your useless things BEFORE moving rather than after. So when you’re packing, make sure to put together some boxes destined for the places mentioned on this list!
