PASS IT ON

You may have items that you no longer need but that still work and other people would be interested in.

That old chest of drawers or dining chair might be just what your neighbour is looking for.

You can use sites like Freecycle, Upcycle or local Facebook groups and find people in your area who might be interested in taking items you were planning to throw away.

This will save you money and also reduces waste. Make sure the process is contact free during the lockdown period!

https://www.thetelegraphandargus.co.uk/news/18408342.6-tips-deal-lockdown-rubbish-mountain/

7. Arrange Seed and Plant Swaps

Sharing is caring as they say and arranging seed and plant swaps is a great way to expand and diversify your plant stocks whilst supporting fellow gardeners. Whilst in-person gatherings are currently off-limits, you can take it online. You can use existing sites like freecycle and local community pages on social media or set up a new group dedicated to local plant swaps where members can post their plant requests and offers. And of course, you can keep it simple, doing a few swaps with friends and neighbours, collecting or delivering as part of your daily exercise.

https://www.netweather.tv/weather-forecasts/news/10191-how-to-be-a-thrifty-gardener-10-tips-for-gardening-during-lockdown

Jessica Lewis-Tatton, who is originally from Nottingham, completed a degree in Fashion Design in 2017 and has now launched her business 237interiors.

The business specialises in reupholstering chairs and other small furnishings with bespoke prints using sustainably sourced yarn.

Jess said: “I’ve always enjoyed knitting and crochet and at first I just wanted to do something for my own home. When I saw the end product, I realised it was something other people might be interested in.”

She added: “I use yarns that are sustainably sourced. There is a yarn shop in Bury that sources yarns from factories that will just go onto landfill. I also use GOTS (Global Organic Textile Standard) certified cotton yarn.

“I work with the customer directly to design a print that is bespoke to them and in the colours that matches their house.”

Jess hopes that by providing an opportunity for people to purchase bespoke reupholstered furniture it will encourage people to be more sustainable with the furniture choices.

She added: “I furnished my flat with all second-hand furniture. I managed to find a brand-new mirror by the bins and it just made me think about how I can help encourage other people to buy sustainably for their home, considering that so much goes to landfill each year.

“People can bring pieces that they’ve found to me, or I get the furniture from freecycle or Gum Tree. It saves things from ending up in the bin and ultimately going to landfill.”

https://aboutmanchester.co.uk/furniture-upcycling-firm-open-for-business/

Freecycle: As the name suggests, everything listed on this website is completely free – the idea being that sellers want to find new homes for their unwanted goods. It stocks everything from furniture to clothes but you must live near the seller so you can pick the item up.

https://www.thescottishsun.co.uk/money/5295152/savvy-shopper-turns-30-shelving-unit-into-stunning-gin-table-with-just-a-bit-of-paint/

Here, I reveal how we can cause less waste, less pollution — and save money at the same time.
1) Learn to sail past the sales: We all want to bag a bargain in the New Year sales. There might be some-thing you’ve had your eye on for months. But think first. Do you really need it? If you do, check that you can’t get it on a “pre-loved” website even cheaper first — look at freecycle.org, gumtree.com and craigslist.org. It all comes down to TV nature guru David Attenborough’s top tip: Stop wasting stuff.

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TTL has also been backed by the Letchworth Heritage Foundation, which has provided a grant to fund a small shed, tools and raised beds. The project team are using freecycle – a non-profit network of reusable goods within local communities – and are asking for any unwanted garden tools in a bid to keep as low a carbon footprint as possible.

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Now the pad is worthy of an interiors magazine thanks to 16-months of hard work – with much of her furniture sourced from second-hand shops, Gumtree and Freecycle, while she used accessories from stores such as Wilko to give furniture pieces an expensive finish.

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Here the organisers of the show give three tips on upcycling.

• Check out charity or secondhand furniture shops, such as the Loop @ Grahame Park, for items you can upcycle. Alternatively have a look online on Freecycle or the free section on Gumtree.

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5. Be penny-wise, seek out free pickings – go to sites like Freecycle for free furniture, kitchenware and bicycles.

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