Ho-Ho-Hold Your Horses! Rutland Bin Collections Change Over the Holidays. What to do with those unwanted Christmas Gifts and Decorations

Ho-Ho-Hold Your Horses! Rutland Bin Collections Change Over the Holidays

It's the most wonderful time of the year, but even amidst the jingle bells and turkey leftovers, Rutland residents need to stay mindful of bin collection changes over Christmas and New Year. Fear not, festive friends, this handy guide will navigate you through the altered schedule and remind you where everything goes, helping you avoid overflowing bins and grumpy neighbours.

Know Your Bins:

Black Bin: This naughty little fellow gets all your general household waste: food scraps, packaging, old socks, anything that wouldn't be welcome at a Santa's Grotto.

Grey Bin: Recycle, recycle, recycle! Paper, cardboard, plastic bottles and tins all belong in this eco-conscious champion. Keep it clean and avoid wish lists and wrapping paper.

Green Bin: Garden trimmings, grass clippings, those fallen Christmas tree needles – they all find their home in this leafy haven. But hold the mince pie crusts and leftover sprouts, please!

Don't Waste the Waste:

Give it away: Facebook groups like are perfect for clearing out unwanted Christmas decorations, old toys, or clothes that didn't quite spark joy.

Sell it on eBay: Turn those unwanted gifts into cash on eBay. Christmas jumpers in pristine condition, anyone?

Donate to charity: Charity shops are always grateful for good-quality donations, especially after the festive season. Give those unwanted gifts a second life and support a good cause.

Remember: Reducing waste is the ultimate green gift. Compost those veggie scraps, reuse leftover wrapping paper, and get creative with repurposing old decorations. Let's make this a Merry and Waste-Free Christmas in Rutland!

Christmas Overload:

Imagine the deluge of festive paraphernalia that floods charity shops in the weeks after Christmas. Mountains of baubles, reindeer sweaters, and unwanted Santa's all vie for limited shelf space. This abundance often means:

Limited Selection: With so much Christmas cheer, shops prioritise displaying fresh donations. Your once-loved Santa mug might get buried under a pile of newer Santas, reducing its chances of finding a new home.

Storage Woes: Charity shops have limited storage space, and Christmas items are notoriously bulky. Overflowing stockrooms make it difficult to accept new donations and manage existing ones effectively.

Post-Christmas Blues: Let's face it, the festive spirit tends to dwindle after December. Donating Christmas items in January or February might not resonate with potential buyers, leading to longer wait times or reduced selling prices.

So, what can you do with your unwanted Christmas treasures?

Hold onto them: Consider storing your Christmas items carefully and donating them closer to next December. This gives the shops ample time to prepare for the festive season and ensures your donations stand out amidst the influx.

Get creative: Upcycle old decorations or clothing into something new and unique. Transform a Christmas jumper into a cosy scarf or give a vintage bauble a fresh coat of paint. Not only will you be giving an item a second life, but you'll also create something special and sustainable.

Sell online: Platforms like eBay or Facebook Marketplace offer great opportunities to sell unwanted Christmas items directly to interested buyers. This gives you more control over the price and ensures your goodies find a loving new home.

Remember, charity shops are valuable resources that support good causes. By being mindful of what and when you donate, you can help them operate more efficiently and make the most of your generous contributions.

Here are some additional tips for responsible donating:

Check the shop's donation guidelines: Some shops have specific restrictions on what they can accept.

Donate items in good condition: Only donate items that are clean, functional, and in good repair.

 Broken or unusable items will likely be thrown away, adding to landfill waste. as seen in the photo above.

Think about the shop's clientele: Consider what types of items the shop's customers are likely to buy. Trendy clothes or vintage treasures might do better at a different shop than gently used household items.

By following these tips, you can ensure your unwanted Christmas items have a positive impact and contribute to a more sustainable holiday season. Let's give them a second chance to spread cheer, rather than adding to the post-Christmas clutter!

Here is a list of items and what bins they should be placed in: 

Aerosols Grey bin, as long as they're empty

Aluminium foil Grey bin if clean, black bin if not

Animal and pet waste Black bin

Ash When the ash is cool, bag it and put in your black bin

Baby wipes Black bin

Biscuit tins (metal or plastic) Grey bin

Black plastic packaging Black bin

Blister packs for pills Black bin

Bottles (glass and plastic) If empty, clean and rinsed dry - grey bin

Branches Green bin

Bread bags Grey bin

Brown paper Grey bin

Bubble wrap Black bin 

Cable ties Black bin

Cans If empty, clean and rinsed - in your grey bin

Cardboard and corrugated boxes Grey bin - make sure you break them up so they fit in the bin

Cardboard tubes Grey bin

Cat litter Black bin

Catalogues Grey bin

Cereal boxes Grey bin, if the box is empty

Chocolate advent calendars Grey bin - both the cardboard and inners

Chocolate plastic and tin boxes Grey bin

Christmas cards Grey bin - but if they have lots of glitter on, they'll need to go in your black bin

Cling film Black bin

Coffee pods Grey bin, as long as the pods are empty

Compostable packaging This doesn't break down quick enough to go to our composting sites - if you don't have a home compost bin, this packaging can go in your black bin

Corks Black bin

Cotton buds Black bin

Disposable razors Black bin

Dog food pouches Black bin

Drinks cartons Fully empty paper-based cartons (like the ones used for juice and milk) can go in your grey bin

Egg boxes Grey bin 

Envelopes Grey bin (including window envelopes)

Flowers You can put old flowers in your green bin. You can put very small amounts of cut flowers in your black bin, if you don't subscribe to have your green bin collected

Flower / plant pots black bin

Foil If clean and dry, this can go in your grey bin. If it's dirty, put it in your black bin

Food  black bin

Food nets Black bin

Food tins If clean and dry, your grey bin 

Glass bottles and jars Grey bin, if they are empty, clean and rinsed dry

Greeting cards Grey bin, unless the card is covered in glitter

Gift wrap Grey bin, unless the paper is covered in glitter

Greaseproof paper Black bin

Hard plastics Items like old toys or buckets, black bin

Hay and straw Small quantities of animal bedding can go in your black bin

Hoover bags Black bin

Ice cream tubs Grey bin, if the tub is empty, clean and dry

Incontinence pads They should be securely bagged and put in your black bin.

Jars and lids Grey bin, if they're empty, clean and dry

Jiffy bags and envelopes Black bin

Juice cartons Grey bin, if they're empty, clean and dry

Junk mail Grey bin - please separate and plastic packaging first (this can also go in your grey bin)

Kitchen towel Black bin

Knives Black bin

Leftover food  black bin

Lids from bottles Grey bin - both plastic and metal lids

Lightbulbs black bin

Magazines Grey bin

Margarine tubs Grey bin, if the tub is empty, clean and dry 

Meat trays Grey bin, if the tray is empty, clean and dry. Remember - no black plastics in your grey bin, please 

Nappies Any disposable nappies need to be securely bagged and put in your black bin

Netting Black bin

Newspapers Grey bin

Nutshells Black bin

Office paper  Grey bin

Paper Grey bin

Party poppers  Black bin

Pet food pouches Black bin

Phone directories Grey bin 

Plastic carrier bags  grey bin 

Plastic bottles Grey bin, if they are empty, clean and dry

Plastic film Grey bin, if clean and dry 

Plastic packaging Grey bin, if the packaging is empty, clean and dry. Remember - please don't put any black packaging in your grey bin 

Polystyrene Black bin

Pyrex black bin

Razor blades  Black bin

Ring binders Black bin

Sanitary products All sanitary products should be securely bagged and put in your black bin 

Saucepans black bin 

Satsuma peel black bin

Sellotape Black bin

Shoes black bin

Shredded paper Grey bin - please don't bag shredded paper up, put it in your bin loose and make sure it's weighted down by heavier items

Sponges Black bin

Straw You can bag small amounts of animal bedding and put in your black bin

String  Black bin

Tablet packets Put the blister pack in your black bin and the cardboard packet in your grey bin 

Tea bags Black bin

Tetra bags Grey bin, if the pack is empty, clean and dry

Textiles black bin 

Tins Grey bin, if the tin is empty, clean and dry

Tinsel Black bin

Tissues Black bin

Toothpaste tubes  Black bin

Toys black bin

Trays (plastic food trays, not the reusable kind)  Grey bin, if tray is empty, clean and dry - remember, no black plastics in your grey bin please

Turkey carcass Black bin

Tupperware  black bin

Vegetable peelings  If you don't have a home compost bin, put in your black bin 

Wallpaper Black bin

Washing up bottles  Grey bin, if the bottle is empty, clean and dry

Water filter cartridges Black bin

Wet wipes Black bin

Wood black bin 

Wrapping paper Most wrapping paper can go in your grey bin. Metallic paper will need to go in your black bin

Whipping cream tubs and lids  Grey bin, if the tub and lid are empty, clean and dry

Yellow pages  Grey bin

Yoghurt pots Grey bin, if empty, clean and dry

Changes to Rutland Bin Collection Days Over Christmas and New Year

Usual collection day	New collection day
Monday 25 December	Saturday 23 December
Tuesday 26 December	Wednesday 27 December
Wednesday 27 December	Thursday 28 December
Thursday 28 December	Friday 29 December
Friday 29 December	Saturday 30 December
Monday 1 January	Tuesday 2 January
Tuesday 2 January	Wednesday 3 January
Wednesday 3 January	Thursday 4 January
Thursday 4 January	Friday 5 January
Friday 5 January	Saturday 6 January