How to offload unwanted junk in Islington

Are you planning a move, or just looking to de-junk your home prior to the natural 'nesting season' that is autumn? If so, you'll be looking for ways to offload your unwanted nick-nacks with as little mess left behind as possible, and this intention can be easier said than done. Read on for some tips from someone who's done it very recently!

Charity Shops

Islington isn't well known for its charity shops, at least not for actual shoppnig purposes! 'Over-priced' and 'uninspiring' are words I've heard used on the subject. However, it does have a few that are perfectly good for the  offloading unwanted items, but I'm yet to find a 'chazza shozza' that adequately serves my cheap, second-hand fashion fix. Do let me know if you've found one that's worth a browse.

If all you need is a place to take your old books, CDs and clothes in the hope that they'll do their bit for good causes while finding a new home, I can recommend the Marie Curie shop at Highbury Corner, which is big enough to take a wide range of items, and has a large team of volunteers sorting and pricing donations at any given time. They didn't seem to mind too much when I rocked up with half the contents of my bookshelf last week...

The Recycling Centre

The gigantic, blinking spaceship of a building that is the Household Reuse and Recycling Centre will become your second home if you're planning a large-scale clearout or move. I've yet to discover a single item that these guys won't take off my hands to dispose of cleanly and responsibly. I've taken old electrical items, bits of furniture, textiles, shoes - you name it.

Don't be put off by the building if you are not a driver: I was initially told that I couldn't enter the compound off cottage road on foot, but it's actually not a problem at all: you simply need to press a buzzer and you can walk in. The centre is even open on most bank holidays, which really comes in handy when the tidying bug hits on long weekends!

Bright Sparks

Another solution to household e-waste is the Bright Sparks repair and re-use shop. For those who want to be as green as possible, this is an even better solution to recycling, as all electrical items cause some pollution when broken down. The shop has an in-house team of electricians who will repair your old items, which you can either leave with them to sell, or take back with a new lease of life. This is also a great way to get repairs done cheaply, and avoid the 'throwaway' culture that has developed in electricals.

What's more, the repairs are carried out at a new workshop that has created training and volunteering opportunities for the unemployed, helping the local economy.