Old electronics are an inevitability of living in the modern era. Not only are almost all households full of electronics that haven’t been touched in years, but this doesn’t stop at the door of our home offices.
If you’re considering getting rid of electronics but aren’t sure where or how to do it: these are the best options out there! Make sure you research your item if you’re unsure what powers it to take care of it safely.
Sell The Things You Can
Some items can be sold for an income! This is best for items like tablets, smartphones, laptops and any computer parts that you have laying around. The first thing you should do is look up the value of the item you have. This could mean looking at the model, brand, and year that it was made.
There are some items like floppy discs or blank CDs that won’t be worth anything: but you should check to see if they have any data on them before you dispose of them in any other way.
You can make a pretty good income from what you own while decluttering your office with many older devices. Ensure that before you post any photos of these for sale, you dust them off and clean them in ways that won’t damage them.
Donate What Can’t Be Sold
Donating what you can’t sell is an awesome way to ensure that they can still have use and function while allowing an organization to take it over without paying you for it. This is often great for a tax deduction and will enable you to get rid of many items at once without having to consider their value or try to haggle a good price.
Seek out an organization you care about or that does work you appreciate, and donating can feel even better!
Recycle Items That Allow It
Some items are simply not worth anything, even for donations. In these cases, recycling can help. This is best for old cell phones, whose screens can be scrapped, along with the minimal amounts of gold or copper they contain.
Although it can feel like you’re simply throwing it away: recycling helps ensure that as little trash gets into landfills as possible. Most large cities have tech recycling sites, but you can also find websites and companies online that are willing to take delivered recycling!
Trash What Items Aren’t Risky
Some items are risky to trash, but not all of them. Research the item and pay attention to your local laws. You shouldn’t throw away old TVs, computers, batteries, printers, VCRs, and even cellphones as a general rule of thumb. In states like California, it’s completely illegal to throw away many of these items because of the toxic components they leach into the water table. Instead, you’ll have to reevaluate and recycle them.
If you have an item that’s not considered E-waste, you can trash it: but make sure to thoroughly do your research before dragging it down to the curb.
