I hate waste

[money2009]

What's the general rule I've heard in the past. If you haven't touched it in over a year throw it away?

I used to be a compulsive hoarder, but to be honest I almost feel a sense of relief when I get rid of stuff anymore. Too much clutter isn't good.

[disneysteve]

Seriously, DisneySteve. . .the forum sort of all knows me a little by now and I try to use some humor to make my points.

Let your office manager throw out the pens and sticky note pads from the drug reps cluttering up your office and closets.

No offense taken. Trust me. I am not easily offended.

As I've said many times, I work in a very poor area. Periodically, when we have an abundance of stuff we simply don't need, we have put a box of stuff in the waiting room with a FREE sign on it. It is usually all gone in a day. To give the school kids a few pens is a big deal to them. One less thing they need to buy. I'd much rather do that than throw things out. We do the same with the cartons of skin creams we get. Everybody loves being able to take some free moisturizer.

A few times, I have taken a bag of pens over to my post office. They are always in need of them because customers walk off with them. Since I used to go regularly when I was doing ebay, they were very appreciative. I've also donated pens to a couple of other places when we were overflowing with them.

I think there are many, many better options than the trash bin.

[rob62521]

Hey, DisneySteve! Any chance you could have the same office manager maybe call a local school and offer these items? Our students are always in need of pens, pencils, papers, and we use sticky notes for reading...kids use them to mark places in the story looking for specifics things. Maybe if she saw these items leaving the office, but still being used for good, she's be less likely to pitch them. I have a friend at a local credit union that often offers me things for school like pens and pads of paper and I go and pick them up for the kids to use.

[disneysteve]

Hey, DisneySteve! Any chance you could have the same office manager maybe call a local school and offer these items? Our students are always in need of pens, pencils, papers, and we use sticky notes for reading...kids use them to mark places in the story looking for specifics things. Maybe if she saw these items leaving the office, but still being used for good, she's be less likely to pitch them. I have a friend at a local credit union that often offers me things for school like pens and pads of paper and I go and pick them up for the kids to use.

rob, if I was the boss, these things wouldn't happen. I am not, however, so I really have no control over this person other than to make the occasional comment about maybe doing something differently. Heck, if I was the boss, this person wouldn't be an employee, but that's a whole other conversation.

[rob62521]

I hear you on the fact your hands are tied, Disneysteve.

[scfr]

it does seem sad to waste perfectly good resources when someone else could use them. Why not just put the things she doesn't want in a box and write "free" on it to see if someone can put it to use?

In my old office building, several offices on our floor used to put things out in the hallway for others to take if they liked.

[marvholly]

The computer I am currently using was a "dumpster dive" in 2001. It was 1-2 y/o back then. My late hubby "rescuced" it , intstalled a new hard drive ($30) and programmer SIL has updated the operating system a couple times.

It still works pretty good.

Last time my work cleaned out the files they put the file folders & pentaflex dividers in a BIG box in the lunch room. Took nearly a week but the stuff all found new homes.

Another thing we have BUNCHES of regularly is 1 lb, 5 lb and 25 lb empty heavy duty plastic containers. I have trouble finding new homes for these except my own adult kids and they generally do not want the 1 lb. I brought some home last week & will use to store rice, lentils & dry beans.

[pjmama]

I think my biggest pet peeve is the amount of food thrown away at a restaurant! It's amazing to me how many people leave sometimes over half of thier meal on thier plate and I have to throw it away. Why couldn't they take it home? And I'm not talking about things that go bad either, but also things like goldfish crackers (which come with all the sandwiches at my restaurant). Garnishes and things also to me seem incredibly wasteful... but people want thier food to look pretty and all... ugh.

[irmanator]

A lot of people in my town will put out a free box in the front yard a couple days before the trash pickup. That gives people an opportunity to get it before it goes. My volunteers of America thrift store is very high priced too. I don't like to donate there unless absolutly no one i know wants whatever it is.