Whether you're still on the Marie Kondo buzz of 2018, or you're just trying to live a little more eco-consciously, it can be tough to know what to do with all your household junk when you no longer want it.
If you're anything like me, an overwhelming monthly desire to clean out your house and wardrobe leaves you with bags full of rubbish. I mostly end up throwing these into my red bin with gritted teeth, racked with guilt at my contribution to the world's waste.
But as the old saying goes, one man's trash is another man's treasure, and Kiwi companies are jumping on board with reusing and recycling efforts. If you're looking for ways to clear your house of unwanted goods without chucking it on another landfill pile, here are some initiatives you can get behind.
Shoe store Merchant 1948 is opening a permanent cobbler in Westfield Newmarket this month, in an attempt to promote longevity in shoes.
Merchant owner Shane Anselmi says any shoes can be brought to the cobbler, with prices starting from $20 for a basic repair.
"The fashion industry is one of the biggest polluters in the world and we're committed to doing our piece," he says. "The next area we're tackling is packaging and we are trialling a take-back scheme in our 277 store, where unwanted shoes can be passed forward to those in need."
If you want to shop and wear more sustainably, local brands like Kowtow, Maggie Marilyn and Kate Sylvester are getting in on the trend. Kowtow's repair program offers complimentary repairs for minor damage and Japanese patching technique Sashiko for larger rips. At KS, any leftover fabric scraps are recycled - this year going to local primary schools, or to become beeswax food wraps, or reusable shopping bags.
At MM the philosophy is "No waste, no incineration and no landfills". The oulet's Somewhere collection has been designed with the ability to be recycled, and the material is planned to be used again and again.
"This means that if over the years, your love for a garment ends, we can take it back and give it a brand new life," the site reads.
Meanwhile, if you have kid's toys, appliances or even some cushions that no longer suit your home's aesthetic, you can list them on new Kiwi site Free For All, which organiser Dee Glenttowrth describes as "like Trade Me but with no cost".
You can list items to give away for free in an attempt to reduce landfill and help out those who're strapped for cash.
Glentworth told RNZ that Free For All's catchphrase online is "don't bin it, share it".
"Free for All is not about if you can afford stuff or not. This is about sharing our resources and keeping usable items out of landfill."
So if you want to make some small reductions to your impact on the earth, don't throw that bin bag into the trash. Instead, see what can be donated, recycled or even repaired.
