Are you a secret thrower? Decluttering electricals

You’re living with a hoarder and secretly throwing out their old gadgets. Do you wish they would pitch in with the spring clean and recycle? We can help.

a pale skinned hand throwing someearbuds into a blue waste bin on a plain pink background

Recycling near me

Living with a hoarder

It’s rubbish. But help is on the way.

a close up of some christmas tree lights being held by a pale skinned hand on a plain background

Some of us are secret throwers

We get it – no one wants to look at their partner’s old clutter. So more than half of us (54%) secretly bin our partners’ old belongings.

A light skinned man holding a cardboard box full of electrical goods against a pink background.

Some of us are hoarders

And among the things we’re hoarding or secretly dumping are small old electricals that can be recycled and put to good use again.

a light skinned hand holding a plug in the air, dark skinned hand holding a battery up in the air a light skinned hand holding a mass of cables up in the air all on a pink background

But not all clutter is the same

So when having a Little Spring Clean – together or not – let’s remember that anything with a plug, battery or cable can be recycled.

donate & keep containers for recycling electricals made of wool against a pale pink background

It’s the electricals that should be separated

Get top tips on sorting and recycling electricals – from decluttering pro Nicola Lewis and personal money guru Paul Lewis.

 

Little Spring Clean

DID YOU KNOW?

The thing nobody’s talking about?

– the sheer volume and value of electricals we secretly dump.

Cables, games consoles, laptops, tablets. And they could all be recycled.

Find your electrical recycling point
Light skinned fashion designer Zandra Rhodes wearing pink with pink hair holding electrical tote bag she designed

Hold it all together

Show the hoarder in your life how much you care, with a Zandra Electrical Tote.

The waste-busting fashion icon has designed this ethically-traded organic cotton tote especially for you – and your partner – to recycle your electricals as part of the Little Spring Clean.

You might already have a bag at home that would do the job. But if you buy a Zandra Electrical Tote all profits go to Waste Aid, a charity working to beat poverty, pollution and climate change.

Buy the Zandra Electrical Tote

How to help a hoarder declutter

Recycling electricals has never been easier – or more stylish

Graphic of a question mark speech bubble surrounded by electrical items

A – ASK

Are there batteries or bulbs in those old devices? If so, remove them before recycling. Destroy personal data on smart devices and computers and take out memory cards.

Delete your data
Line drawing graphic of a of bag of electricals

B – BAG IT

Get hold of an exclusive Zandra Rhodes Electrical Tote to store those old electrical bits and pieces until you can go to the recycling centre – or until collection day, if you have one.

Buy a Zandra Rhodes bag
line drawing of a laptop with recycling locator icon

C – CHECK

Check our recycling locator to find your nearest repair, reuse or recycling point. Some councils collect from your home. Otherwise keep those electricals in your Zhandra Rhodes Tote until you can visit a drop-off point.

Find a recycling location

YOUR STORIES

“I want things gone, he wants to recycle, so now we do it together.”

From weird mix to happy medium.

Karen and Jim’s story

Frequently asked questions

Can I get help with hoarding disorder?

Hoarding disorder is a recognised condition. If you think you or someone you know is affected see this NHS page on hoarding disorder.