Tag: recycle

IKEA wants to buy back your old furniture in Sydney

Post author By Phoebe Bates
Post date June 25, 2018
No Comments on IKEA wants to buy back your old furniture in Sydney

If you’re looking to part ways with the MALM bed frame you bought for your first apartment or update the wall of BILLY bookcases in your living room, IKEA has found a way to help out with the launch of their furniture take-back program.

In a new initiative to help reduce waste, encourage upcycling and create a more sustainable future, the Swedish furniture giant is allowing Sydneysiders to give their old IKEA furniture a second life by returning it in exchange for a voucher. The returned furniture will then be sold on to new customers at the IKEA Tempe store.

The announcement follows new findings from IKEA Australia’s annual People & Planet Positive Report 2018, which reveals that it’s possible Australians have thrown away 13.5 million pieces of furniture that could have been recycled, reused and repaired. In a first for Australia, the new scheme aims to reduce the amount of furniture ending up in landfill and is part of IKEA’s goal to be 100% circular and climate positive by 2030.

In a win-win situation, this initiative will benefit those who are looking to score some affordable IKEA products for their homes. And, unlike the unpredictability of quality when it comes to buying secondhand from Facebook or Gumtree, this service will ensure that all items are in good knick before being resold again.

If the news has got your inner eco-warrior itching, you’ll be pleased to hear the process is pretty simple!

First, fill out an online form and email photos of your old IKEA furniture which will then be assessed by the IKEA team. If your furniture qualifies for the service you’ll have 14 days to bring your furniture to IKEA Temple where you will also receive your voucher. The furniture will then be put up for sale at the same value as the voucher given to you.

Although this take-back service is only being piloted at the IKEA Sydney Tempe store, if the program proves to be successful the company will look to roll out the service nationally.

To celebrate the launch of the take-back service, IKEA Tempe is unveiling its first ever Circular Living Pop-up Store, which will be open for eight weeks. The pop-up store will give consumers an in-depth look at the recyclable and renewable materials that make up their favourite IKEA products.

From turning plastic PET Bottles into KUNGSBACKA kitchen cabinetry, to left over glass into the IKEA PS 2017 Vase, the pop-up will showcase the stories behind the products while educating customers on the importance and value of the circular economy through sustainability workshops.

“IKEA is focused on ensuring all our products are designed from the very beginning with the intention to be repaired, reused, resold and eventually recycled, ” says Kate Ringvall, Sustainability Manager at IKEA Australia. “60% of our range is currently based on renewable materials. Our utmost priority is to generate as little waste as possible.”

“With the launch of our Circular Living Pop-up Store and IKEA Tempe Take-Back Service, we want to make it easier than ever for Australians to live the sustainable life they desire.”

More about the IKEA Tempe take-back service

Tags affordable furniture, bargain, environmentally friendly, ikea australia, recycle, sustainability

Design RENO ADDICT

How to: Reduce, reuse and recycle when you renovate

Post author By Lauren Ellis
Post date November 15, 2016
No Comments on How to: Reduce, reuse and recycle when you renovate

By Laney Clancy

At the heart of sustainability is the mantra ‘reduce, reuse and recycle’. Here’s how to renovate with these sustainable practices in mind.

Reduce waste

Renovating rather than building from scratch can be seen as the ultimate way to reduce waste. You are using some or all of the existing fabric of the building, and this reduces the need for materials, cuts down landfill, and keeps the overall embodied energy in your home lower than if you started from scratch.

A good way to reduce waste is to aim for longevity and the best way to do this is to buy quality materials, fixtures, fittings and appliances, and then maintain them well. Don’t buy cheap materials as they will break before too long, which creates waste, not only when you remove the material but financially when you purchase a new item and hire a tradesperson to install it again.

For example, if a roof is looked after (e.g. regularly checking it and cleaning your gutters) it can last 20-25 years. We see a lot of hot water systems that last around half the length of time that they would if they were simply serviced. And a good bathroom will last 10-15 years if you invest in the best solutions and great tradespeople – but don’t forget you must look after it!

Reuse material

One man’s trash can absolutely be another man’s treasure when renovating. Advertise some of the items you don’t want any more on eBay, Gumtree or a local Facebook group. Even if you give them away for free, for example through networks like Freecycle, you don’t have to pay for removal, you reduce landfill, and your piece gets a new life elsewhere. Old bricks, hard wood timber floor boards, period features and quality 1950s light fittings are in great demand and can be quite pricey, so never throw them in the skip.

You can also mine these networks for materials and fittings that you may want to use in your renovation. When renovating you should absolutely work with your trades to salvage any interesting items or reusable materials before demolition.

Also, if you can remember when you last had something maintained, installed or repaired, you can then make an informed decision of whether some of your own existing items can be reused. For example, some problem fixtures should be replaced due to their age because even if repaired now they will cause new issues in the near future. But other issues can be repaired under warranty.

Your choice of material may dictate the aesthetic of your renovation or vice versa, but fortunately there’s a big enough range to fit into a lot of different themes. Reclaimed pieces can be used for retro chic, rustic or industrial looks, for example, or it can shake things up in a very modern home.

Recycle

If you can’t reuse something, consider how you might recycle it responsibly. Glass and metal are prime candidates for recycling and many recycling plants take some kinds of plastic as well. Items such as carpet can be turned into insulation materials so don’t think of it as landfill just yet.

By mindful of recyclability when you purchase new materials and fittings as well. Ask yourself: is it made of material that can be recycled? Once you use this as criteria it will help your renovation become more sustainable.

There are a number of ways in which you can make your renovation sustainable but in many cases it comes down to the three standard principles of reduce (usage and waste), reuse (material, fixtures and fittings), and recycle (both using recycled items and recycling your unwanted items). Good luck with your sustainable reno!

Laney Clancy is the Marketing and Finance Manager at Pipe Perfection Plumbers in Sydney. She gets to talk to plumbers about plumbing and home maintenance a lot, and loves a good bathroom makeover.

Tags design, home reno, recycle, reduce, reno, renovating, reuse, sustainable

Expert Tips

8 ways to declutter your home

Post author By Guest Poster
Post date June 5, 2015
3 Comments on 8 ways to declutter your home

By Misha Saul

Our homes are getting smaller and more expensive, but at the same time, our lives have never been busier! Simplifying your home clears the mind. It reduces waste, brings comfort, and allows you to focus on what is meaningful to you. So here are eight ways to declutter your home without breaking the bank.

1. Donate

The best way to declutter and make space is to get rid of what you no longer need. The best way to do that is to donate rather than contribute to waste. Whether it’s food, nursery items, work or casual clothes there are people in need who will benefit from your used or unwanted items. Ensure to check with your selected charity that they’re able to rehome or distribute your donation. Various charities have drop points around town or if you are unable to reach one, they may have volunteers who can collect your items from you.

2. Double duty

Your furniture can double as storage, and it doesn’t need to be modern or expensive. Trunks can double as coffee tables, book stands as bike stands, or vintage filing cabinets as end tables. You can buy or build a ‘zoo’, a basic wooden barred crate for the kids’ fluffy toys to live in.

3. Replace, don’t grow

Fix the items you have in your wardrobe. When you buy a new item, donate or discard the item it’s replacing. Be ruthless with this one – you don’t need more! This will also force you to go through your wardrobe and make the most of the items and space you have.

4. Fill a garbage bag

See how quickly you can fill a garbage bag with things to discard or donate. This applies equally to cleaning out your pantry or your wardrobe. Soon enough this is one trick that’ll run out of steam, but it’s a favourite to get things going.

5. Make every piece count

Your place won’t get bigger or cuter by filling it with furniture you don’t use. Ensure each item is fulfilling a purpose. Scale is crucial – each piece should be in proportion to one another. Lighter colours will make the space feel larger. Distinct pieces will confer character, so be selective!

6. Light, mirrors and windows

DSC_8667 copy — Photo credit: My Lovely Things

Natural light will make a space feel more open. Let light in through larger windows and use elegant mirrors to bounce light around. Furniture can help here too. For example, use a glass coffee tables instead of a wooden one. This also applies to the bathroom: choose a clear glass shower screen over a frosted-glass one.

7. Don’t turn your garage into a junkyard

Your garage can be used to maximise your home space for rotating seasonal clothes and decorations, recreational equipment and occasionally used items like snow and camping gear. Install overhead ceiling racks to hold these. And discard all the outdated and broken furniture and appliances that have collected over the years!

8. On-demand storage

Boxly collects, stores and redelivers your things. You can keep track of your belongings in your online account with photos and a written inventory. When you schedule a pick up, Boxly can also collect donated nursery items for St Kilda Mums or food and household items for Foodbank Victoria.

— Misha Saul is a co-founder of Boxly, a Melbourne based on-demand storage start-up helping people make space in their lives.