Reusable Items

Reusable items can be put back to use for others. Please make the proper arrangements to donate items to nonprofit organizations in Northeast WI such as Goodwill Industries, St. Vincent DePaul, or New Beginnings Store.

The Oconto County New Beginnings Store is located at 239 Van Buren Street, Oconto Falls (no personal computer [PC]-related items). Contact the store at 920-846-0349 to confirm your items are acceptable.

Suggestions for Reusable Items

  • Plastic Bag - Carrier bags and twist ties. Carrier bags can be reused in the shops or as bin bags around the house. Paper bags make useful wrapping paper and twist ties can be used to secure loose items together, such as computer wires. View the WI Department of Natural Resources (WIDNR) site for options.
  • Mail Envelopes - By sticking labels over the address you can reuse envelopes. Alternatively, old envelopes can be used as scrap paper to make notes on.
  • Jars and pots - By cleaning glass jars and small pots, you can use them as small containers to store odds and ends.
  • Newspaper, cardboard and bubble wrap make useful packing material when moving into a new house or to store items.
  • Old Clothes can be made into other textile items such as cushion covers or teapot cozies.
  • Packaging such as foil and egg cartons can be donated to schools and nurseries, where they can be used in art and craft projects.
  • Scrap Paper - Can be used to make notes and sketches. Don't forget to recycle it when you no longer need it.
  • Used Wood - Can be used in woodcrafts for making objects such as a spice rack or a birdhouse. Alternatively, it could be used as firewood.
  • Old clothes and Books - Donate Old Clothes and Books. Other people can reuse your unwanted clothes and books when you donate them to charity shops.
  • Compost Bin - Build a Compost Bin. You can reuse many waste items, such as eggshells and old tea bags, using a compost bin. This waste then degrades and turns into compost that can be used to help your garden grow.
  • Grass Clippings - After mowing your lawn, instead of throwing the grass cuttings away, leave them in your garden. The nutrients from the cuttings go back into the soil and act as a fertilizer.

So if your junk still has some reusable life in it, don't throw it out with the rubbish: someone somewhere can probably find a use for it. Simple and easy to use, all you have to do is visit websites promoting reuse of items. It is a great way to get involved in your local community, and keep good, usable stuff out of landfills, which means less new stuff being manufactured and a happier planet.