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BeCircular

Kitchen & Bath

My Circular World logo

Recirculate
Resell, exchange/trade-in or donate things that still work but you no longer need.  

Repair
Do it yourself or hire a pro to repair, refurbish and restore things that no longer work. 

Recycle
Beyond repair or reuse? Return it to the company that made it or a recycling facilitator  

Repurpose
AKA the Upcycle, revitalize the old by transforming it into something new.

Kitchen

ytop

Cook up some circularity by ensuring that your old pots and pans are passed on properly. 

Recirculate

Resell for Cash

  • eBay is a well-known and trusted platform to sell pretty much anything, including cookware. 

  • Mercari is a popular online marketplace for household items, perfect for selling lightly used cookware, tableware, and more.

  • Offer Up is an app and website for selling all kinds of things locally, including cookware. ​

  • NextDoor is a local app that enables users to sell or give away anything to their local communities. Great for things like cookware.

Donate to Charity

Fix It Yourself

  • Le Creuset provides repair and maintenance tips for cookware products on their website.

  • iFixit has what you need for DIY cookware repairs- replacement parts, precision tools, detailed repair guides and more.

  • Amazon sells the tools and materials you need to restore your cookware to like-new condition.

  • Search YouTube for help with repairing cookware. 

Find A Professional

  • Smithey Ironware will restore your cast iron cookware, ensuring it returns to your kitchen in top condition. Mail-in available

  • Campfires and Cast Iron restores vintage and contemporary cookware by removing rust and buildup. Free quotes, mail-in service.​

Repair

Return to Sender

  • GreenPan offers a cookware recycling program that lets you recycle old cookware with them when purchase new cookware.

Avoid the Landfill

Recycle

Repurposing Ideas

  1. Turn your shoes into a flowerpot by taking off the heals and throwing some bulbs in there along with some dirt

  2. Use the shoelaces to make a noose and then hang yourself because you can't take it anymore

  3. Watch this video about how to detach the soles of your shoe and then do just that

  4. Make your shoes into a cup and then drink out of them, beer, wine, soda or anything that quenches your thirst 

  5. Make a big pile of shoes and call it the shoe pile

Make this process easier next time, start with a product that was designed for the circular economy.

We welcome your ideas! If you have a solution that's not listed, please share.

cookware

Cookware

Tableware

Set the table for a circular economy by ensuring your old tableware stays useful.  

Resell for Cash

  • eBay is a well-known and trusted platform to sell pretty much anything, including reusable tableware. 

  • Mercari is a popular online marketplace for household items, perfect for selling lightly used cookware, tableware, and more.

  • Offer Up is an app and website for selling all kinds of things locally, including clean and usable tableware. ​

  • NextDoor is a local app that enables users to sell or give away anything to their local communities. Great for things like cookware.

Donate to Charity

  • Habitat for Humanity will accept gently used tableware at ReStores.  Find the location closest to you for details, contact for details.  

  • ​The Salvation Army and Goodwill accept tableware that is in suitable condition for re-use.

  • Buy Nothing Project lets you post usable but unneeded household items to an app that connects you with community members that need them.

  • Donation Town connects you with local charities that accept dishes and other kitchen product as donations, they will facilitate pickups.

  • Use the US Dept of Housing & Urban Development's website to find a pantry or shelter near you that may be in need of tableware donations.

Recirculate

Repair

Fix It Yourself

  • Unless your tableware is super expensive or has sentimental value, it's not worth the time & money to fix it if it breaks.  The best thing you can do is buy tableware that does not break easily and can be recycled efficiently if it does.

  • If you do want to repair it yourself, here are some YouTube tutorials and Etsy repair kits that might help. 

Recycle

Avoid the Landfill

  • It's hard to provide a single solution for recycling plates and other tableware because the answer will vary depending on what kind of materials they're made out of.  Refer to MCW's Material Recycling Guidelines for more help.  

  • If we don't have your material covered yet, contact a local recycling facility for additional options.  

Repurposing Ideas

  1. Garden Markers: Use old spoons, forks, or knives as garden markers by painting the handles and writing the names of plants on them.

  2. Bird Feeders: Convert teacups and saucers into bird feeders by attaching them with strong glue or drilling a hole to hang them from a tree or pole.

  3. Serving Trays: Transform old cutting boards or large plates into serving trays by adding handles or decorative edges. Use them for serving drinks or appetizers.

  4. Kitchen Hooks: Bend old forks or spoons to create hooks for hanging kitchen towels, utensils, or aprons. Mount them on a wooden board or directly onto a wall.

  5. Jewelry Organizers: Repurpose plates, bowls, or saucers into jewelry organizers. Stack them on a central rod to create tiers and use them to store rings, earrings, and other small accessories.

Make this process easier next time, start with a product that was designed for the circular economy.

We welcome your ideas! If you have a solution that's not listed, please share.

tableware

Big or small, functional or not - appliances (or their parts) can always be kept in circulation.  

Recirculate

Resell for Cash

  • eBay is a well-known and trusted platform to sell pretty much anything, including durable goods for the kitchen.

  • Mercari marketplace is good because you have a nationwide audience, but only for small appliance because they need to be shipped.

  • Offer Up and NextDoor are apps and websites for selling all kinds of things locally, better for large appliances. 

Donate to Charity

  • Habitat for Humanity will accept gently used kitchen appliances at some of their ReStores.  Find the location closest to you for details.

  • ​The Salvation Army and Goodwill accept kitchen appliances that is in suitable condition for re-use.

  • Buy Nothing Project lets you post usable but unneeded household items to an app that connects you with community members that need them.

  • Donation Town connects you with local charities that accept kitchen appliances as donations and facilitates pickups.

  • Use the US Dept of Housing & Urban Development's website to find a pantry or shelter near you that may be in need of appliances. 

Repair

Fix It Yourself

  • RepairClinic offers appliance parts, how-to videos, troubleshooting guides, and fast shipping for efficient repairs.

  • Appliance Parts Pros offers over 2 million spare parts, repair guides, expert forums, quick shipping, and a 365-day Hassle-Free return policy.

  • Ace Hardware provides the tools, materials, and expert advice to help you complete your own household repairs &maintenance projects.

  • Amazon sells a wide variety of repair kits, including tools and replacement parts, for all types of kitchen appliances.

  • iFixit has everything you need for DIY kitchen appliance repairs- replacement parts, precision tools & detailed repair guides.

  • Search YouTube to find a plethora of videos on how to repair your own appliances.  

Find A Professional

  • Mr. Appliance offers expert at home repair & maintenance for all major appliances. Upfront pricing, quality service, and convenient scheduling.

  • Find a Handyman through Home Advisor, Ace Hardware or Angi's that might be able to help with your rug or carpet repairs. 

  • Search Google for a local business that completes appliance repairs

Recycle

Avoid the Landfill

Repurposing Ideas

  1. Turn an Old Blender into a Lamp: Repurpose an old blender by converting it into a unique lamp. Remove the blade and motor, and fit a light socket and bulb inside the blender jar for a quirky, industrial-style lamp.

  2. Use a Refrigerator as an Outdoor Storage Cabinet: An old, non-working refrigerator can be repurposed as a storage cabinet for your garden tools, outdoor toys, or even as a pantry for non-perishable items.

  3. Use an Old Oven as a Garden Incinerator: Remove the door and internal racks of an old oven, and use it as a small, contained incinerator for burning garden waste like leaves and branches

  4. Turn a Slow Cooker into a Compost Bin: Repurpose an old slow cooker by removing the electrical components and using the ceramic insert as a small indoor compost bin for kitchen scraps.

Make this process easier next time, start with a product that was designed for the circular economy.

We welcome your ideas! If you have a solution that's not listed, please share.

appliances

Kitchen Appliances

Used towels aren't great for resale or donations, but there are plenty of other options.  

Recirculate

Resell for Cash

  • There isn't much of a resale market for used towels, but they're easy to ship. If you have new or very slightly used towels, try Mercari or Ebay.

Trade In for Credit

  • Coyuchi's program makes it simple to send your pre-loved Coyuchi goods back to them for recycling or resale—and 15% off your next order.

Donate to Charity

Repair

Fix It Yourself

  • Etsy and Amazon offer repair kits for several different kinds of DIY projects including textile repairs.

  • Craftsy offers online classes and tutorials on sewing and mending, useful when you need to repair towels or other fabrics.

Find A Professional

  • Towels are often not worth the time and effort required to fix them so try to buy towels that can be recycled when you're done with them.  If you do need to repair one and can't do it yourself, find a local seamstress to do it for you.  

Avoid the Landfill

Recycle

Repurposing Ideas

  1. Cleaning Rags: Cut old towels into smaller pieces to use as cleaning rags for dusting, wiping down surfaces, or cleaning up spills.

  2. Reusable Mop Pads: Cut towels to fit your mop and use them as reusable mop pads. They can be washed and reused multiple times.

  3. Bathroom Rugs: Weave or braid strips of old towels together to create a soft, absorbent bathroom rug.

  4. Beach or Picnic Blanket: Sew several old towels together to create a large, durable blanket perfect for the beach or picnics.

  5. Pot Holders or Oven Mitts: Fold and sew layers of old towels into potholders or oven mitts. They provide excellent insulation from heat.

  6. Yoga Mat Bag: Sew an old towel into a cylindrical shape with a drawstring top to create a simple and absorbent yoga mat bag.

Make this process easier next time, start with a product that was designed for the circular economy.

We welcome your ideas! If you have a solution that's not listed, please share.

towels

Towels

See yourself in the circular economy by keeping your old mirrors out of a waste stream. 

Recirculate

Resell for Cash

  • eBay is a well-known and trusted platform to sell pretty much anything, including mirrors and other bathroom fixtures. 

  • Mercari is a popular online marketplace to reach a nationwide audience; household items like mirrors are popular here.  

  • Chairish provides an online marketplace for premium consumer home products.  A great place to sell your gently used, decorative mirrors. 

  • Offer Up is an app and website for selling all kinds of things locally, including clean and usable tableware. ​

  • NextDoor is a local app that enables users to sell or give away anything to their local communities. Great for things like cookware.

Donate to Charity

  • ​The Salvation Army and Goodwill accept gently used mirrors and other bath fixtures that are in suitable condition for re-use.

  • Buy Nothing Project lets you post usable but unneeded household items to an app that connects you with community members that need them.

  • Donation Town connects you with local charities that accept mirrors and other bathroom fixtures as donations, they will facilitate free pickup.

  • Habitat for Humanity will accept used mirrors at some of their ReStores.  Find the location closest to you for details.   

Repair

Find A Professional

  • Mirrors are typically inexpensive, hard to repair and easy to recycle.  So it's not always worth it try and fix a broken mirror.  If it's an expensive mirror or family heirloom try contacting the Glass Doctor for help. 

Recycle

3rd Party Recycler

  • Most mirrors can be recycled with any glass recycling stream.  See MCW's Material Guidelines for more details.  Large mirrors or those build into a multi-material frame can be hauled away by a company like LoadUp or 1-800-GOT-JUNK.  They both pledge to recycle everything they haul away whenever it's possible.  

Repurposing Ideas

  1. Create a mirror mosaic by breaking the mirror into smaller pieces and using them on furniture, picture frames, or garden decorations.

  2. Make a decorative tray by adding handles and a frame to the mirror.

  3. Design a mirrored headboard using multiple small mirrors.

  4. Construct a mirrored plant stand by covering a plant stand or table with mirror pieces.

  5. Design mirrored picture frames by embellishing frames with pieces of broken mirror.

Make this process easier next time, start with a product that was designed for the circular economy.

We welcome your ideas! If you have a solution that's not listed, please share.

mirrors

Mirrors

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