Why do people waste so much or is it me being unreasonable

The system in Germany (Sperrmüll - bulky waste) is not as you have described. The council designates a date (it used to be twice a year) when they will come round and collect goods too large to go in the dustbin. So everyone put out their discarded furniture and larger stuff on the one day.

The council workers then collect the stuff and take it to the tip. (Anyone is welcome to take their own stuff to the tip when they want, if they have transport.) Electrical and chemical rubbish (batteries, old paint) will not be collected, and collecting points are announced on a separate day.

However, these collecting days are being phased out, as people would roam the streets - sometimes in vans - scavenging and scattering the neatly stackd goods all over the street. The goods are for collecting and those who come along the evening before, and start rummaging around in it are considered vandals.

In our area, they have now stopped the communal "Sperrmüll" altogether. Everyone still has the right to two such collections a year, but they must arrange the pickups with the council themselves. Other areas may be doing the same. This way, you do not get unsavoury types roaming the streets at night, scattering mattresses and broken bicycles all over the place because there is no public warning about when collections are due.

When there are threads on this subject I am always very jealous of your charity shops. They are few and far between here, and I have several dozen dustbin liners of clothes and toys in my loft, waiting for an opportunity to give them away or sell. This would involve either getting up very early at the weekends for a car boot sale (also a dying institution) - and I am NOT an early riser! - or opening an e-bay-account and ridding myself of the stuff in dribs and drabs.

There are clothes collecting banks, but I fear that the clothes that are deposited there are put straight through a shredder.

My parents furnished our bedrooms with 'orange boxes'. sturdy with with a shelf, and a wee curtain to look posh.

Those who shop regularly keep the economy afloat, easy come, easy go, their choice

When my daughter moved in with me lots of furniture was surplus to requirements so she put stuff outside our house with a note saying it was free to take. It all went very quickly! Once I’ve read books they go to a charity shop or passed on to friends. Clothes go to charity shops too so why do we still have clutter?

We’re a “recycle if at all possible” family - we’ve all got things that used to belong to somebody else! And often have stuff for charity shops/collections. And definitely not too proud to shop on eBay!

I try to alter change re use clothes. Granddaughters dresses that have got too tight all get turned into skirts easily so can by used for another year. Trousers too , if too short get cut off for shorts. If hubby sees kids bikes at the tip he asked if he can have them. With two young granddaughters he tides them up, repairs if necessary and several have been used already by the children ( with a couple waiting for them to grow into. Bicycles are really expensive for my daughter (now a single parent) to purchase. My list could go on as I hate throwing things away.

We have a friend who does car boot sales so have given some things to him rather than throw them out and also have donated furniture to the British Heart Foundation. However we too have a huge solid oak dining suite and not even charity shops can take it. I generally bag clothes up and take them to the local vets who give them to the Blue Cross. When my youngest son lived in London they used to put items outside the gate and it was always gone in an hour - unfortunately someone obviously fell foul one day. The night before my DIL had been to an award ceremony and was rather worse for wear - my son had gone to collect her in a cab and she threw up in a plastic container. Not thinking he just left it out the front meaning to dispose of it next morning - when he went to get it it was gone!!

Another way of getting rid of stuff is on the local Facebook selling pages...most areas have them,,
Love Freegle too-- have got rid of lots of our ''rubbish'' on there that my hubby wanted to take to the tip... I always tell him if it hasnt gone in 2 days he can take it--he has never needed to go yet...

My aunt had to move into a care home. We tried really hard to give furniture to a charity, they didn't want to know.

We have a scrap man who collects any type of metal for free then he sells it to be recycled. I get annoyed ay the amount of food waste. My dc laugh because if there is one portion of something left after dinner I insist on freezing it to eat for lunch another day. I am certain by amount of eye rolling they would just throw it away if I was not there.

123 if it’s older furniture without safety tags charity shops are not allowed to sell it it’s not that they are not bothered or ‘don’t want to know’ they can’t
There is a lot we can’t sell, for instance baby pushchairs, prams, high chairs, bikes, duvets, pillows sleeping bags nor children fancy dress

I was getting rid f a dark wood wall unit and dining set so offered them free locally. Someone took the wall unit to house lizards. Eventually someone took the table and chairs but took a while. I think sometimes the problem is with transport. I have heard of charities refusing furniture if it is out of fashion and nobody wants it.

Ethelbags1 I could not agree more! Here in the states it's unbelievable what people waste.
They even do it on TV programs where they destroy perfectly nearly brand new kitchens because they don't like the color or style!

I have morphed into owning nearly everything second hand, even my dog Tula!

And I am not too proud to gather someone's trash and use it for myself or get it to a charity that can put it to good use.

persistentdonor we must live in the same area. I re-cycle wherever I can. Yesterday I had a new boiler fitted, my old one is going to Saltash College for the Students studying for Gas Safety Certificate to practice on (young lady who was part of the team fitting the boiler ask if it was ok, great way to re-cycle I thought)

Local re-cycling centre removes re-usable items rather than sending them to Landfill, these items are then sold on where possible,

I take books to charity shop or give to friends. Clothes to charity shop.

My DD & her OH are good at using car boot sales, e-bay & facebook. DD also buys lots of (good quality) items for DGSs. For DGS2 who is 9 months old she buys (usually "pre-loved") when she wants something & sells on when he no longer needs it (he's growing very fast).

When I moved here there was a chest of drawers left in the bedroom, DD & her OH took it & decoupaged it with "superhero" wrapping paper & put new knobs on it, looks superb & DGS1 loves it. Not all the younger generation are wasteful

Think part of the problem is electrical item that are told it’s not worth the cost of repair. I rent our tv same as my parents used to,remember when it went wrong a man would come round with a big bag of tools and took the back of,sometimes very quick other times took ages but he would always get it to work and tv would last years and years but recently I had to call up because mine had gone wrong and man just walks in with a tv under his arm,picks mine up and put the new one in,asked him if it would swap back again after being repaired and was told no,cost to repair doesn’t make it worth it

I cannot bear throwing anything away. I have just given away a printer, a shopping trolley and some car jacks on "Freecycle".

Our local Tesco has a book shelf near the tills and the Bookswap is very popular.

Our council tips have a ‘shop’ where the men sell ornaments, kids bikes and anything whole and decent for a few pence. Not sure who gets the money though!

Our town (and neighbouring ones) has a Facebook car boot page. You take a picture, post it with the price (or free) and anyone interested sents a private message to arrange a sale and collection.

We put stuff out by our gate on market day and it’s usually gone by lunchtime. The only things which didn’t were a cot mattress and baby car seats? Also on market day the church puts trestles over the pews and sells donations in aid of local causes. That’s all in addition to the charity shops. There really is no need to dump good stuff.

I always either put our unwanted clothes in a charity bag we have through our door or take to a charity shop. I agree with BlueBelle when I worked in a charity shop we had to refuse books as no one seems to read anymore. I love a good book so when I have finished with mine I take them to the local hospital who sell them on I also buy some from them.

We always send stuff to charity shop. Furniture gets passed around the family until no longer wanted, then adapted into something else (a workbench in the garage).

Nothing gets dumped unless it has tried to be recycled, upscaled, reused, charity shopped.

I offered a complete set of hardback books on Learning to Knit, in immaculate condition to a charity shop some years ago.
They refused them because they were a few years old !

Yes menopaws I’m in Perth and it’s a great idea we call it “bring out your dead” ?

No Baggs. I take baby stuff from DD clothes from me and lots of books which have been passed around. Therefore my clothes only go about once a month and being a charity shop lover i usually buy stuff when im there. In the north east the charity shops love books. Our hospice shop sells paperbacks for 75p and they are there the best sellers.

It makes me sick when the charity shops refuse good stuff. In birmingham my relative took several sheets all new and still in plastic bags sealed. They were refused. Yet ive seen bedding and undies in other charity shops. One shop refused coat hangers i was really puzzled.

I buy all my clothes, except underwear, in charity shops. Some of them still have the original label and have obviously never been worn.

I also buy books and DVDS from shops and donate them again after use.

My flat is furnished with items people have put outside their houses with a"please take" note.

I never have to throw out any food and I buy most of my vegetables when they have been reduced for quick sale.

Can I ask , of no-one in particular and everyone in general why you do this?
Is it because you need to for financial reasons or is it purely because you hate waste.
In my early days and early married life it was definitely the former. Now it is ingrained in me and I feel I can't change, even if I don't really need to.

I see, ethelt. Thanks for explaining