Get Rid of it Already: The Listings

RECYCLING

Battery Exchange

Portland's four Battery Exchange locations (and several others in the metro area) are a quick and easy place to recycle old car batteries. If you're there to get a new battery, they'll take the old one out and make sure it gets recycled. If you have an old one (or two) laying around, just drop 'em off.

Metro Transfer Stations (Recycle)

Metro's two transfer stations are an excellent place to start recycling. In addition to the old paper, aluminum and glass standbys, the stations will recycle such things as household appliances, copper and motor oil! Call ahead or check their website for a full rundown of what's recyclable. While you're out there, take advantage of the hazardous waste facilities, where you can drop off your toxic materials that shouldn't get thrown in the garbage (see Trash listings). Finally, Metro collects latex paint, processes it, and resells it at the MetroPaint store on Swan Island.

Recycled Gardens

Have some perfectly good plants and trees but no more room in your garden or yard? This Hillsboro nursery accepts several kinds of plant and flower life, as well as other gardening items such as rock, gravel, bricks and tomato cages. Check the nursery's website to see what plants are being accepted. All proceeds from resale of plants at the volunteer-run nursery benefit Pet Over-Population Prevention Advocates Inc., or POPPA, a nonprofit working to reduce the number of homeless animals in Oregon.

Total Reclaim

Upgrading to that new high-definition, flat screen, plasma-fueled television you've had your eye on and looking for a place to unload your worthless old set from the pre-digital stone age? Seattle-based Total Reclaim's Portland location will take it and recycle it, along with other electronics like cell phones and stereo equipment, all kinds of batteries and fluorescent lights. Its Portland headquarters is on Northeast Columbia Boulevard, but it has several partner drop-off locations in town that accept some or all of these things—check out the website to find the closest location. There is a small fee for most items.

REUSE

Community Warehouse

Clean, usable furniture and other household items can find a great second life through North Interstate Avenue's Community Warehouse. It accepts furniture, smaller appliances and basic household items like bedding, vacuum cleaners and TVs, and works with local nonprofit and social-service agencies to match the goods with homes in need. Recipients include victims of domestic violence, people with disabilities, and refugees from all over the world. It also operates an Estate Store, in which antiques and kitsch are sold to raise money to help local families. Donations can be brought directly to the warehouse or pick-up of larger items can be arranged for a $10 fee.

Community Cycling Center

Looking for a good home for that old bicycle that's been sitting untouched in the garage for months? Look no further. Northeast Alberta Street's Community Cycling Center will take it off your hands, and make sure it gets pedaled away by someone who really needs it. The CCC operates programs like the adult Create-a-Commuter program and youth after-school Bike Clubs, where low-income folks of all ages can earn a complete bike-commuting setup. The CCC also puts on an annual Holiday Bike Drive through which hundreds of low-income 3-to-9-year-olds are given bikes, helmets and safety training. As for the donated bikes and parts that are beyond hope of refurbishing and getting back on the road? They're recycled responsibly.

Habitat ReStore

Another great option for reusing building materials—and making Jimmy Carter proud—is the Portland Habitat for Humanity ReStore. Housed under the Morrison Street Bridge, the ReStore accepts donations of all sorts of used building materials. Sales of these materials benefit local Habitat for Humanity affiliates, which work to provide new, affordable housing for low-income people in the Portland area. Bring donations by the store if possible, or call to schedule a pick-up.

SCRAP!

North Portland's School Community Reuse Action Project offers all kinds of materials a chance at a second life as art and other creative projects. It's difficult to walk down the aisles of SCRAP's store and not get the creative bug: The nonprofit accepts donations of all sorts of materials to get the juices flowing, like paints, paper, fabrics and frames, along with fun items like fake flowers, wine corks and bubble wrap. It also accepts many school and office supplies—call ahead with any questions about what the project is currently taking.

CLEANING SERVICES

GR Scrub

For some of us, it's not necessarily about cleanliness but enjoying the cleaning process. At least that's true for Glenn Recchia, owner of GR Scrub, Portland's premier outlet for groovy cleaning supplies. Not necessarily janitorial products, but actual fun stuff: pretty brushes, brooms and mops, Dr. Bronner's organic cleaning soaps, Vaska biodegradable unscented cleaning products and even Beaverton's Mystic Maid microfiber cloths—and that's just scratching the surface. So when it comes to spring cleaning (or spring-tease cleaning), Glenn advises we "open the windows and dust, then clean afterward."

Rent-A-Wife

For four years now, three gals in their early 30s have been running Rent-A-Wife, a cleaning and organization service. Owners Kendra, Keta and Heidi are just a gaggle of type-A gals dedicated to housecleaning and organizing. "Every job is different," says Kendra. "But we're different because we're not a huge corporation. We're a team, and we do everything from housecleaning to organizing closets, storage rooms, garages and offices."

Toria’s Housekeeping

Instead of employing housekeepers, Toria's is simply a referral agency for independent contractors. What does that mean to you? Set cleaning standards, insurance against theft, and the ability to find someone who works with your personality. In other words, if the housekeeper's just not working, Toria's will find someone who will. Toria's staff is willing do go the extra mile, like doing laundry, unpacking or even helping staff a party. Someone who cleans

deals with poopy undies? Sweet.

Zaba Home

Zaba Home places emphasis on environmentally responsible home cleaning; no toxins here. All Zaba employees are insured, a checklist of services are provided after every visit, and the home office will give a shout-out every month for quality assurance. It's spendy—up to $145 for a weekly cleaning—but all prices are based fairly on the size of the home. Warning: Employees wear uniforms, which, based on your preferences, can be either totally insufferable or totally sexy. Your call.

DONATE

Dress for Success

With spring closet cleaning just around the corner, all you ladies have a destination for work clothes that are no longer needed. Dress for Success helps low-income women enter the workforce by providing professional clothing for job interviews and the workplace. The Portland location, inside the old 7-Up building on Northeast 37th Avenue, is a great place to take women's clothing like suits, skirts, blazers, dresses and shoes, as well as accessories like jewelry and scarves. All donations must be in excellent condition, on hangers and in a current style.

Helping Hands Community Store

Another worthy clothing drop-off spot is the Helping Hands Community Store run by local nonprofit group Human Solutions. The store is run by Portlanders hoping to build employment experience and training in preparation for sustainable employment with the help of job coaches and trainers. Helping Hands provides free clothing for needy members of the community, and is the only local spot that distributes free professional men's clothing for job interviews and employment. The store accepts donations of clothing for men, women and children of all ages.

Oregon Food Bank

If your cupboards are packed with unwanted food items from long-lost roommates, diets or parental visits, the Oregon Food Bank may be able to help. Local Food Bank warehouses, which are responsible for distributing to some 20 regional food banks that in turn provide food for the hungry all over the state, accept donations of nonperishable food items. The food bank cannot accept opened items, homemade foods or alcohol, but will happily take many canned foods, as well as pasta, cereal and 100-percent fruit juices. Make sure to call before you make the trip out to see what current needs are.

Schoolhouse Supplies

This project, created to provide free school supplies of all kinds to kids in Portland Public Schools, has distributed almost $9 million worth of supplies since opening in 2000. Local public school teachers come into the free store and pick up all sorts of supplies for their low-income students. So bring those stacks of new or gently used paper, binders, staplers, scissors and rulers by the store, and imagine all the learnin' you'll be responsible for! The project also accepts games, puzzles, kids books, and art supplies.

TRASH

Drop Boxes

Another option for eliminating large amounts of garbage from your home without making a trip to a transfer station is a drop box service. Several local companies will bring a large dumpster to your home or office that you can toss all sorts of refuse in to be hauled away and, in many cases, sorted for recoverable materials.

The Dump

Metro's two transfer stations are the place to start for unloading things for which you can't find a recyclable, donatable or sellable destination. Minimum fees are $17 for a covered load up to 240 pounds and $20 for an uncovered load. If you have a massive amount of waste to deal with, fees are $71.14 per ton for covered loads, plus an $8.50 service fee, or $96.14 per ton for uncovered loads, plus the service fee. The transfer stations are equipped to deal with all sorts of hazardous waste, from gasoline, paint and fluorescent lamps to batteries, household cleaners and pesticides. Bring these items out in a sturdy box you can leave behind, and label what you can. Don't mix them together. Metro will do the rest—hazardous items that can be recycled will be, and those that can't are placed in a special landfill.

SHREDDING

Environmental Fibers International

No time or energy to put your sensitive documents in boxes? Stuff 'em in your car in any form and take a drive down to Swan Island, where EFI charges by the pound, rather than by the box. Also a full-service paper recycler, EFI charges 20 cents a pound for secure shredding, with a $20 minimum charge. If you have too much to carry, they'll come to you—call ahead for an estimate.

Paper Chase Shredding and Recycling

Locally owned Paper Chase has been in the "confidential document destruction" business for 20 years. Individuals with smaller amounts of documents can bring them directly to the office for shredding. Charges start at $5 for a paper box or $10 for a legal-size box. Those with larger shredding needs can schedule a pick-up for $35, plus shredding costs. All shredded materials are taken directly to a mill to be repulped. Paper Chase can also help out with recycling bulky paper products like phone books and magazines.

Shred-It Portland

If you're south of Portland and need those documents shredded in a hurry, take them down to Shred-It's Tualatin office. It offers document shredding for $10 per box when you bring it in, with a $20 minimum fee. For larger amounts, they'll bring the shredder to you for a $95 minimum fee.

APPAREL

Buffalo Exchange

Beyond being known as the Place Where You Can Take Your Red Light Rejects, the Buffalo Exchange's rep is that of a genuinely lovely vintage store with some fantastic, original finds. As with the Red Light, all a seller needs to do is walk up to the designated trading counter and go through his clothes with the store's buyer. So what's the difference between the Red Light and the Buffalo Exchange? Not much, except the fact that the Buffalo Exchange's lighting scheme is stronger than the glaring bulb at our gynecologist's office. Oh, and, unlike the Northwest-born Red Light, they're a national chain. Weird.

Hoot-n-Annie

If there's one thing we've noticed about kids, it's that those little fuckers grow like weeds. Why, you buy 'em a cute little AB/CD shirt that mimics the AC/DC logo and two weeks later they're practically ready to start shaving. Lame. Fortunately, that's why Hoot-n-Annie exists (again with the puns…jeez!). It's a children's exchange store—bring in clean kiddie duds and you'll get store credit. It has duds for newborns through 8-year-olds, so you parents won't go into debt before they start third grade. There's also the benefit of reusing items and instilling positive environmental behavior in the minds of babes, but of course you already knew that.

Piccolina

All right. You've had your baby. She has grown out of a few sizes of clothing already, not to mention a crib or two, and isn't interested in the toys she played with for those first couple of years. And along with this giant pile, you still have a closet full of maternity clothes. This Southeast Clinton Street store will take all these things off your hands, and might be able to help offset the cost of your kid's new wardrobe. Piccolina accepts maternity wear, children's clothing, furniture and other accessories for cash or store credit, or you can sell items on consignment. Call ahead before bringing items in.

The Red Light Clothing Exchange

Portland and vintage threads go hand in hand. Some of the best thrift shopping in the nation can be had in this here town, and the Red Light Clothing Exchange is the granddaddy of them all. The store is a massive, well-merchandised mall of secondhand clothes and accessories, and it takes the "Exchange" bit seriously—the Red Light is all about selling or trading used items. Getting rid of your closet rejects here can be tricky, though; your wares are subject to picky hipsters with an uncanny knack for predicting which decade of fashion will be rocking the Urban Outfitters store windows next week. That's OK, though—usually you can just cross Hawthorne and drop off the rest of the loot at Buffalo Exchange. As for you west-siders, the Red Light recently took over the old Car Toys space at West Burnside Street and Southwest 10th Avenue. Conveniently, the west-side Buffalo Exchange is right down the street.

Seams to Fit

We love Seams to Fit so much, we were selfishly hesitant to share its wonders with you. Family-run, this store is the women's equivalent of Well Suited (what's with all these puns? Come on, people). And like Well Suited, it takes a little extra effort to do business with this consignment shop. But, like anything that requires going above and beyond the call of duty, it's worth it. First and foremost, the garment has to be of the current season. According to its website, "Spring items can be brought after March 1st, summer items after June 1st, and fall items are accepted after September 1st." And of course, no suspicious odors are accepted, so people who pursue a deodorant-free lifestyle will not get far here. Finally, the store keeps the garment or accessory for three months, at the end of which the consignee is paid 50 percent of the selling price (there are two markdown periods).

Well Suited

An unassuming corner of Northeast Broadway is home to Well Suited, a consignment shop geared toward—you guessed it—men. A rare gem, this store only sells high-end brands like Armani or Prada at up to 80 percent off, so if the wedding tuxedo you spent $4,000 on fits more like a sausage casing than a glove, bring it to Well Suited. Here's how it works: Bring in a suit (no vintage stuff—only contemporary, please, and it's got to be in good condition), Well Suited will keep it for 90 days and you'll get 40 percent of the proceeds. If you're strapped for cash, it's probably not a great deal, but if you're looking to free up some closet space for the latest from Hedi Slimane, it's the way to go.

FURNITURE

The Good Mod

A question for readers on the bleeding edge of fashion: Are you over your "midcentury modern" phase yet? You know, the overdesigned housewares from the '50s and '60s? The rest of Portland sure isn't, but if you are, capitalize on that shit! Our favorite resource for modern design is the Good Mod, found at both Hawthorne Vintage (4722 SE Hawthorne Blvd.) and Portland Modern (2109 NW Irving St.). The team at The Good Mod is looking to buy your fashionable furniture or even consign, but beware: It carries a well-edited selection, so no scratches, people.

Hippo Hardware&Trading Co.

The reason to care about Hippo Hardware, besides the time a guy from the

movie took a public dump on one of the salvaged toilets, is that it buys and trades antique and recycled plumbing, lighting, fixtures, hardware and architectural goodies every day. The place is insanely disorganized, packed to the ceiling with ancient (we're talking mid-19th-century, man) items, but the stuff has to come from somewhere. Generally, items must be brought to the store to be examined, but the Hippo may come to you if you're sitting on a big enough pile of salvage.

ReFind Vintage Home&Garden

Five years ago, Kimberly Shults started ReFind Vintage as a sincere attempt to reuse items. "There's enough stuff out there that you really don't need to make more. Also, things just aren't as well made as they used to be," she says. The attempt worked, and one name change and relocation later, Kimberly's St. Johns business is flourishing. The store's vibe is shabby chic, but don't let that fool you: Kimberly is looking for unique items from all eras. Got something you think she'd dig? Simply call her up or send her a picture via email. "I go by appointment to clients' homes," says Kimberly. There's no guarantee she'll buy it, but she's always looking.

Second Chance

Second Chance is the thrift outlet of Central City Concern, an agency dedicated to helping the homeless transition from street living to self-sufficient independence. The little pink store on Hawthorne carries everything for the home—all kinds of furniture, lamps, rugs, kitchen items, and assorted bric-a-brac—and is open to either plain old donation or consignment. All the store asks is that you call ahead to arrange the drop-off, so that it can arrange for some brute strength to be available when the items arrive. Second Chance will come to you if you want to donate an entire estate.

Upscale Consignment

We're serious. That's the name of the store. You can imagine what goes on here: all consignment, all the time. Now, if you've ever attempted consigning furniture, one thing is certain: It's a huge pain in the ass. At Upscale Consignment, though, the process is simple. Even better news: The approval process is done either over the phone or online. Better still: It's likely what you consign will actually sell, as the outlet is located in a high-traffic area of Gladstone and also sells online.

Village Merchants

Another fun place to try and earn some money or trade credit for your leftover goodies is Southeast Division Street's Village Merchants. Here you can sell your furniture, toys, clothing or other items for cash (30 percent of the sale price), or you can trade the items for store credit or sell them in the store on consignment (both for 40 percent of the item's sale price). Call ahead the day you're thinking of coming down to let the Merchants know what you've got.

MISCELLANEOUS

Boneyard NW

This clever website hooks up builders and buyers with salvaged commercial building materials. A user can donate or sell anything that can be used commercially: We're talking sand, dirt, workstations, sod or any salvaged plants—even lampposts. All you need to do is sign up for an account. It's what marketers call a "free online marketplace." We call it "Craigslist for construction." Either way, you need to be careful about what you're selling: Nothing containing asbestos, mercury or other toxic materials is accepted.

Free Geek

Electronic gadgetry is so cool. Especially when you're the first on the block to own it. But the lame thing about gadgets is that they become obsolete practically overnight, leaving us with towering heaps of motherboards, plastic doodads and titanium cases. So what to do with your 1987 Mac II? Bring it to Free Geek, where the self-described nerds will either rehab and resell your items or recycle them (for a small donation). It's a unique nonprofit program that not only deals with the overflow of techie trash, but also uses its rehabbed computers to train and educate folks in exchange for community service. The system works so well that Portland's Free Geek been used as a model for other Free Geeks across the nation. We're so proud.

Goodwill Industries

The granddaddy of 'em all, Goodwill offers more than 75 drop-off locations in northwest Oregon and southwest Washington, including one of the biggest, located in Southeast Portland (1943 SE 6th Ave., 238-6100, and many other locations). Most of them accept donations of clothing, household items, sporting goods, books, and even cars and boats. Not only that, Goodwill provides job opportunities in their stores for those with barriers to finding employment, so you can feel good about where money from the sale of your stuff is going. You may just be responsible for one of those magic moments when your donation becomes someone's special treasure at the bins. It's about tax deductions. Our favorite Goodwill-related pastime is hunting down the company's special secret drive-thru donation drop-off locations. Sure, you could look them up on meetgoodwill.com, but we've done the work for you: There's one at Northeast 23rd Avenue and Northeast Sandy Boulevard; Southeast Tacoma Street and Southeast 17th Avenue; Northeast 102nd Avenue and Northeast Glisan Street; Northeast Division Street and Northeast 143rd Avenue; Southwest Canyon Road and Southwest 87th Avenue; and on Highway 99W before Southwest 13th Avenue. Don't forget to ask for a receipt.

ReBuilding Center

If you're slinging sledgehammers in a DIY kitchen-remodeling project, consider this: Instead of dumping the crappy '70s cabinets, donate them to the ReBuilding center, an outlet that benefits Our United Villages, a nonprofit dedicated to community-building. It's truly an amazing sight: The building on North Mississippi Avenue houses everything you'll need to build a house from scratch, including lumber, cabinets, lighting, plumbing, doors, windows, sinks, tubs, carpets and even furnaces. Things like lead paint, asbestos or any other harmful toxins are a no-go, though, so be sure to call ahead before you drag in siding covered in lead paint.

Rerun

If you'd like your spring-cleaning binge to result in a little extra cash, see how some of your items fare on the racks at Rerun, the "neighborhood resale store." This lovable green storefront began selling items on consignment in late 2005 and immediately drew a following of folks looking for high-quality, funky clothing, furniture, books and other gems. You can become one of the more than 2,400 people who have set up accounts to sell items at Rerun by calling ahead or stopping in to schedule an appointment to check out your items. If they make the cut, you'll get 50 percent of the sale price (if they sell) of items up to $100, and 60 percent of the price of handmade items and items over $100.

YARD DEBRIS

If your gardening, pruning, mowing and weeding leaves you with more yard debris than your garbage hauler will take on their bi-weekly pickup days, there are several places in town that will accept larger loads. The granddaddy of all local dumps,

accepts most types of debris and is a good place to start.

also accepts all sorts of debris and wood for recycling, composting and fill dirt purposes.

Pacific Land Clearing and Recycling (6400 SE 101st Ave.; 4044 N Suttle Road, 285-8777) has two locations in Portland and accepts several types of debris, wood and stumps.

If you don't feel like hauling all that debris yourself, give Annie Haul (477-4941 ) a try. This women-owned business will come over and take your excess material (and basically anything else you want to get rid of) to be disposed of properly.

And don't forget to compost! If you need a bin to get started, Metro sells the Earth Machine Home Composter for a discounted rate of $35 from its Swan Island latex paint facility (4825 N Basin Ave.).

WWeek 2015