garage makeover: hard waste, it's easier than you think

I'm always surprised at how little I know of the services available to me through my local council, and how easily accessible they are. All it took was a quick search on my council's website and a phone call to book for the next hard waste collection in my area. Five minutes tops.

Kym and I have been ripping large items apart to fit in our regular waste bin for five years, and it took five minutes tops to organise a free hard waste removal. Apparently these pick ups happen every six months in our council area. This is a case where ignorance is not bliss.

It's not quite as exhilarating as the last time we made a 'local services discovery' and got an extra two green waste bins to meet our garden pruning needs (I'm not kidding when say that I am BEYOND excited when I hear the green rubbish truck stopping in front of our home), but the service has definitely helped make a major step in our garage makeover ('the clean out') far less stressful. 

Something I've noticed from the clean out process is just how much 'stuff' we keep, (including many broken 'things') in the name of saving money, saving waste, thrifting, mending, one-day-using. 

Here's my question... Where's the line? At what point is stuff just that, stuff? When does a dormant item become unnecessary? 

As an avid fan of the Art of Thrift, I need to know: How can be thrifty without becoming the Crazy Stuff Lady? 

Photos of garage progress to come following the next stage... Installing the pegboards!