As the summer holidays draw to an end this August, students are getting ready to head back to college and university. At Barna Recycling, we know that moving into rented student accommodation can be a tough task when faced with the disposing of old books, electronic waste disposal and other bulky items from previous years, which are no longer of use to you as you begin the new academic year, modules and subjects. When students break for summer, they often bring back unnecessary items and waste that will never be used again. It’s advisable to do a complete clear-out of your student accommodation before moving out day and before breaking for the summer season. If you did not tackle this task at the time, we definitely recommend sorting through the waste that you brought home at the end of the precious academic year before your upcoming ‘student moving in day’ to avoid more waste accumulation.
We understand that disposing of rubbish can be confusing, especially for a student who is unsure of the correct disposal methods. To be sure you are disposing of exam papers, disposing of study notes you no longer need and disposing of old books correctly can be daunting.
To make your next moving day hassle-free, we have compiled some top tips for students and parents. Barna’s moving day tips will not only help you dispose of your waste properly, but they will also make the process quicker and more efficient, ensuring that you are disposing of rubbish in an eco-friendly, stress-free manner.
What Moving Day Tips can I Refer to When Disposing of my Rubbish?
When clearing out your rubbish in preparation for moving day, it is difficult to know which waste items would go into your waste bins and what shouldn’t. Ensure you are only moving essential items into your student accommodation so that the task of moving out is made much easier months down the line. Check out our valuable tips for students and parents.
Barna’s Moving Day Tips For Students
Disposing of Clothes, Bedding & Mattresses: Any type of old clothing, footwear, textiles (including blankets in unusable condition) can be brought to your local civic amenity sites to be disposed of at a reduced rate. Alternatively, clothes that you no longer want but are still in usable condition, can be given to siblings and friends, brought to a charity shop, or brought to your nearest clothes bank… but do not ‘store’ them in your student accommodation – if you will not be wearing them, dispose of them!
Electronic Waste Disposal: Electrical waste, more commonly known as WEEE (Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment) may include unwanted items such as computers, monitors, mobile phones, game consoles, speakers, headphones… the list goes on for students! Thanks to the ease of access to local civic amenity sites, electronic waste disposal has never been made easier, and you can locate your nearest site HERE.
Disposing of old books & papers: If you have old college books in good condition, you can donate them to the college library or request the student’s union to sell them on your behalf. Alternatively, you can pass them on to someone who has signed up to do the same course/subject in the upcoming academic year. If the books can’t be reused, you can dispose of old books in your household recycling bin. For large volumes that cannot be reused, you can also dispose of old books & papers at your local civic amenity site, as recommended by MyWaste (2024).
Disposing of Old Books: When to Keep Them, When To Let Go
At the beginning of an academic year, you may be struggling to decide what books, papers and notes you should keep for the future, and which of these will no longer serve you purpose. Check out the diagram below from Life With Less Mess to help you understand if disposing of old books & papers is the best next course of action to take.
Moving Day Tips: How Parents Can Help?
Mum or dad – If you are charged with helping your child clear out their waste before beginning a new academic year and moving into their student accommodation on moving day, get ready to practise patience. You both share a common goal when tackling the moving day process…that is for it to be as stress-free as possible! Here’s some of Barna’s Moving day tips to ensure the move is made as easy and as eco-friendly as possible.
- Facilitate Decisions: Help them to decide what items they want to keep and what needs to be thrown out (referring back to the Life With Less Mess diagram above will be helpful).
- Separating Rubbish: Have a rubbish bag prepared for general waste and one for recycling.
- Get Strict: Clarify what your child wants to do with the bulky items first. Are they being dumped or recycled? Bulky items may include bed clothes, stereos, kettles and any other items that would otherwise take up lots of car space and/or space in the family home. This is the time to get strict!
- Think Green: Encourage your child to recycle or sell on any old books, notes, clothes, electronics or other useful items before the moving in date.
- Ask The Questions: Many charities often partner with colleges and universities to establish collection points or van pickups, so be sure to put on your parent cap and enquire about such services before beginning the moving day process.
Take Advantage of Your Local Civic Amenity Site for Electronic Waste Disposal and Other Bulky Waste
Barna Recycling’s purpose-built Civic Amenity Sites will assist you greatly when moving out of your family home and into your student home. We have seven civic amenity sites across Connacht for your convenience, where you can dispose of a large variety of non-hazardous and recyclable household waste at a reduced cost. Visit our website to find out where your nearest recycling centres might be located. Our civic amenity sites may be just what you are looking for if you are a student moving out of your family home and into new student accommodation, getting ready for the disposing of old books or wondering how you are going to manage your bulky electronic waste disposal.
Here are some of the benefits of using one of our civic amenity sites:
- They are cost-effective and cheap to use.
- Accept a wide range of items, including hazardous materials.
- They are clean, local, and easily accessible.
- Open on weekends to make them more accessible to all.
- They are well laid out and marked for each waste material.
- Cater for small and large deliveries in the exact location.
- Provide WEEE and Glass Bottle services free of charge.
- Cater for small and large deliveries in the exact location.
The items accepted will vary for each of our civic amenity sites. Please be sure to call us in advance or check our website for the complete list of items accepted at your nearest centre. The charges for the items you bring to the respective civic amenity centre will be based on the type of vehicle you have, not the quantity or weight of the waste items themselves.
Still Worrying About Waste Disposal on ‘Moving Day’?
Our Barna Recycling team are always on hand at our civic amenity sites to greet you on arrival, assist you with drop-offs, and provide you with advice and information about recycling and waste disposal.
Alternatively, you can choose to hire a skip, which also makes the disposing of rubbish much quicker and easier. At Barna Recycling, we have skips of all sizes for all purposes, so you can be sure we will have one to suit your needs and requirements – have a look at our helpful skip sizing guide here for more information.
Don’t let unnecessary waste and clutter bog you down during your new move. Let us help you make your moving day a breeze with our expert advice and guidance so that commencing your new academic year feels clean and green. If you would like more information on where to dispose of certain items or order a skip, give us a call today on 091 771619.
