Unstuffing your home doesn’t mean that everything has to go in the trash. Many options for clothing and electronics recycling resources are available in Houston (and beyond) to give your things a new home or to recycle them if they have served their purpose.

Don’t throw worn, torn or stained clothing, towels, linens or old shoes in the trash.

• Green City Recycler in Houston accepts many textile items for reuse and recycling, including clothing, shoes, linens and blankets in all conditions. This is also a great option for recycling personalized school and work uniforms, jackets and coveralls instead of throwing them in the trash. Unusable items like torn jeans, etc. can be recycled into wiping rags and upholstery and automotive stuffing. Green City Recycler also accepts donations of usable textiles (clothing, shoes, belts, purses, hats and ties) and toys that are redistributed worldwide to help those in need. Locate a drop-off bin near you or contact Green City Recycler to schedule a free pickup.
  
  
• Another organization that offers bins for textile recycling is the American Textile Recycling Service. ATRS offers collection bins in several states, which makes it convenient to donate gently-used or previously-loved clothing, shoes, toys and accessories – while supporting local charities at the same time. Use their website to locate recycling bins near you.
  
  
• If you have an abundance of new or gently-used sheets, towels and blankets, consider donating them to a Houston-area animal rescue or shelter. One such animal rescue is Rescued Pets Movement near the Houston Heights area, and they always have a need for sheets, towels and blankets.
  
  
• Also, if more convenient, Gulf Coast Veterinary Services has a donation bin in their lobby to collect gently used blankets for their pet patients.
  
  

Clothing Donation Options:

• For clothing that is still in wearable condition, there are many charities that welcome these donations. If you would like to earn cash for your donations, Plato’s Closet buys and sells gently-used name brand clothing items, shoes and accessories. Certain brands like the Lululemon Like New program allow you to trade in gently-used apparel for gift cards.
  
  
• For clothing suitable for job interviews and the office, Dress for Success Houston is a great option for donating women’s clothing, closed-toe shoes, purses and other accessories. Additionally, Career Gear Greater Houston accepts men and women’s work attire, along with cufflinks, collar stays, office supplies and briefcases.
  
  
• When parting with wedding gowns, there are several charities nationwide that accept wedding gowns and other formal attire – including menswear – that are used to create gender-specific burial gowns that are provided to hospitals and funeral homes. There is usually a wait list to drop off or ship your gown. One such organization is the Emma and Evan Foundation.
  
  
• The Giving Gown Foundation in Houston accepts new and “like-new” gowns appropriate for Prom year-round. Your prom gowns can be dropped off at their office location or at any Houston-area Tide Dry Cleaners.
  
  

Don’t flush expired or unneeded medicine.

• Certain Walgreen’s locations offer kiosks for safe medication disposal. Use the Walgreen’s website to locate your nearest pharmacy kiosk to safely drop off your expired medications. You also can request DisposeRx packets to mix with water in the medication bottle so that it becomes unusable and safe for the environment.
  
  

Recycle small beauty product containers at Ulta!

• Ulta is partnering with Pact Collective, a nonprofit working to help end packaging waste, by collecting hard-to-recycle beauty empties to help less end up in landfills. The Beauty Dropoff™ is available at all Ulta Beauty locations.
  
  

Recycle at Target! Don’t throw away plastic bags and packaging.

• Most Target stores have guest recycling stations located in the front of each store that are available for customers to easily recycle bottles and cans, plastic bags and bubble wrap, and even small device electronics (such as GPS devices and ink cartridges).
  
  
• Target’s Car Seat Trade-in Event provides an annual opportunity to get rid of unwanted car seats in exchange for a 20% off coupon good toward a new car seat, stroller or other baby home gear. Materials from old car seats are recycled to create new products like pallets and plastic buckets.
  
  

Don’t put old computers and other technologies out by the curb!

• CompuCycle located at 8019 Kempwood Drive in Houston offers free residential drop-off during business hours to make it easy to recycle old or broken electronics in an environmentally friendly way – while ensuring your data remains secure. This is a great option for safely and conveniently disposing of laptops, tablets, iPads, desktop computers and monitors, mobile phones, printers, scanners, smartwatches, fitness trackers, USB flash drives, TVs, DVD players, gaming consoles, speakers, digital cameras and camcorders, power cords and so much more. Visit the website for drop-off instructions and a list of accepted items.
  
  
• Another option for recycling electronics in Houston is The Westpark Consumer Recycling Center. This facility also accepts plastic, glass and aluminum recyclables, along with scrap metal, televisions, compact fluorescent bulbs, tires, batteries, oil, latex paint, antifreeze and even old toasters. Be sure to check the website for restrictions and policy changes.
  
  

Home Restoration Donations

• If you are completing a renovation project, consider the Houston Habitat for Humanity ReStore as a donation option. This non-profit home improvement store and donation center sells new and gently-used furniture, appliances and other home accessories for a fraction of the retail price. Some of the items accepted for donation include doors, cabinets, fans, tubs, flooring, light fixtures, hardware, plywood, lumber, mirrors, glass, sinks, toilets, tools, electronics and even materials from demolition projects.
  
  

I’m done and I want someone to pick up my stuff today!

• If you are ready for everything to go at once, consider investing in a haul-away donation service. One such option is College Hunks Hauling Junk. They pick up and donate your usable items to organizations like Goodwill and Habitat for Humanity and recycle those items at the end of their use. Items that can be hauled away include appliances, carpeting, old electronics, exercise equipment, household and outdoor furniture, hot tubs, pianos, mattresses, paint and more!
  
  

Be sure to share your suggestions for recycling resources in the comments section!