Waste not, want not

One woman’s trash is someone else’s treasure – so here’s where you can pass on your bulky belongings like furniture, old crockery and even appliances. BY JO UPCRAFT

Portrait of Tammy Strobel

One woman’s trash is someone else’s treasure – so here’s where you can pass on your bulky belongings like furniture, old crockery and even appliances. BY JO UPCRAFT

Photos 123RF.com
Photos 123RF.com

DONATE IT
Pass It On www.passiton.org.sg  
Started by the Central Singapore Community Development Council and managed by welfare organisation The Helping Hand, the site matches items that people want to donate to the wish list of the needy.
How it works: Post a picture of what you want to give away (furniture, electrical goods, mobility aids, you name it) together with a short description of it on the website – your item should still work. Then, wait for someone to accept your donation.
Social workers from 285 voluntary welfare organisations are participants in the initiative – they, too, will post requests for items that families under their charge need. They do not have storage space, so your item goes directly to the needy. You can deliver it to them or pay a fee for it to be picked up from your home.
Ne w2U Thrift Shop 96 Waterloo Street, tel: 6837-0611. Open Mon-Fri, 10.30am-2.30pm 
Volunteers at the Singapore Council of Women’s Organisations (SCWO) run this thrift shop, which accepts clothes, books, toys, bags and utensils that are then sold there. Proceeds go towards Star Shelter – a temporary refuge for women and children who are victims of violence – as well as other SCWO initiatives. To donate, indicate “Donation for New2U” on your giveaway bags and drop them off at the thrift shop.
• Sgfreecycle www.sgfreecycle.org, www.facebook.com/groups/sgfreecycle 
Free is the keyword here. Post what you want to give away in a chat box on the website and if there is someone who is looking for your donation, it’s a done deal. Most givers and receivers liaise through the Facebook page, where you can upload photos of your item.

SELL IT
• Hock Siong & Co 153 Kampong Ampat, tel: 6281-8338. Open daily, 9.30am-5.50pm
Started eight years ago with two ex-karung guni on board (the founder and his grandmother), they’ve got an eye for treasure. They specialise in restoring old Chinese-style and classic furniture and homeware, like sideboards, chairs, tables vases and crockery – so if you have any traditional items in fairly good condition, give them a call.
They might ask for a photograph of the items to assess them before they arrange for collection and pay for your offerings. They like to buy in bulk, so it is perfect if you are moving house or upgrading your dining room.
• Second Charm #05-165 Mapletree Industrial Building, 21 Kallang Avenue, tel: 6294-2919. Open Tue-Sat, 11am-5.30pm; Sun, noon-5pm
The team at Second Charm gives unwanted retro furniture a new lease of life by transforming, then selling them. They are selective about what they take – only items with vintage value and the potential to be remade into a stylish piece of furniture make the mark.
Faded armchairs, coffee tables, study desks and timber cabinets are cleaned, mended and reupholstered or given a new coat of paint. They will pay for your items, depending on the condition.

My Reading Room

JUST LOVE IT TOO MUCH?
You might not need to part with that two-legged chair after all… You can learn how to repair it at Repair Kopitiam, a gathering held every last Sunday of the month. Hosted by a team of volunteer experts who can dismantle, stitch, re-wire, drill holes, fix a broken pot handle and the like, you can give your beloved goods a new lease of life. Check for updates of the next session on their Facebook page at  www.facebook.com/repairkopitiam.
Repair Kopitiam is held at Blk 425 Jurong West Ave 1 and Blk 819 Tampines Street 81, 9am-3pm.

Removal Services with a Difference
If you really can’t find a home for your unwanted (but still usable) items, try these removal services that donate such items to charities in their network. Tattered and run-down pieces, however, will be thrown away.

Double Win Bulky Waste Removal
Tel: 9357-7333 www.bulkywasteremoval.com.sg 
Large furniture, or the likes of old kitchen sets and pots and pans, could go to old folks’ homes that need them; books, toys and clothes could be sent to childrens’ homes. Collection rates start from $50.
• On Track Sg
Tel: 9079-3797 www.ontracksg.com 
Whether you need to dispose of many items or just one, Amro has the plan for you. He is in touch with several charities like Lotus Light Charity Society, to which he passes on goods that they might need. Rates start from $35 for pickup service (if you are able to move your stuff into his van and do not need any movers’ help) and $60 for moving service.