Moving house left me drowning in cardboard with no idea what to do, so I asked the waste experts and found out what councils won't always collect and what to do instead.
Recently, I tackled one of life's most nerve-wracking challenges. No, I didn't go through a divorce, but I did relocate to a new home. House moves are regularly cited as one of the three biggest sources of stress, yet having relocated four times in two years, I assumed I had it sussed.
What I hadn't anticipated, though, was how vastly different moving into a completely bare flat would be compared to my previous experiences. One aspect I'd overlooked was the enormous amount of cardboard that would accumulate, not just from transporting my own modest possessions but from ordering an entire set of new furniture.
Before long, it had invaded the bedroom, living room and home office. Everywhere I turned, cardboard was piling up, and I suddenly realised I hadn't a clue how to dispose of it.
What to do if your recycling isn't collected
The local authority wouldn't collect it as it couldn't fit into a bin with the lid properly shut. Without a vehicle to transport it to a recycling facility, and with an expired driving licence ruling out hiring one, I found myself in quite the predicament.
According to waste management specialists at Wheeldon Brothers, my dilemma is surprisingly widespread. A spokesperson explained: "After moving house, it's completely normal to be left with dozens of cardboard boxes. The problem is that many people assume bin crews will take everything in one go, but that's often not how collections work. Most councils have limits on how much recycling they'll collect, and large amounts of cardboard can quickly exceed those limits."
Having confirmed I'd gone over the limit, I was left with little choice but to throw money at the problem — no car meant no easy solution. In the end, I forked out £105 for a private contractor to collect my excess cardboard — and that was the most competitive quote I could get my hands on. Some firms were asking up to £150 for the removal, which was a stretch too far, even in my moment of desperation.
Lugging the boxes down four flights of stairs to leave outside for collection was no mean feat but by the afternoon, every last one had vanished and I could finally breathe a sigh of relief.
How to prevent a missed recycling bin collection
For those not quite drowning in cardboard to the same extent, a spokesperson for Wheeldon Brothers shared some handy tips on improving your chances of a council collection. They advised flattening all cardboard boxes and ensuring any polystyrene or soft plastics are removed beforehand.
They explained: "Flattening boxes isn't just about saving space in your wheelie bin. It helps maximise space in the collection vehicle too. If cardboard is left in large, bulky pieces, crews may have to leave it behind because there simply isn't enough room."
Forward planning is also strongly recommended. They added: "Moving house inevitably creates more waste than normal, but planning ahead makes a big difference. Flatten boxes, remove packaging materials and check your council's recycling guidance. If you've got far more cardboard than your bin can accommodate, a trip to the local recycling centre is often the quickest and easiest solution."
