Each week is assigned a colour from a cycle of 4 colours, for example: Blue, Green, Orange and Pink. There are 4 shelves, each coloured with one of the 4 colours. Next to the shelves is a poster which changes based on which colour the week is (see below). Newly donated items are put on the "new donations" shelf (the same as the week's colour).
Blue: new donations (evaluate for So Make It)
Green: teardown if possible/take for free
Orange/Pink: take for a donation
Green: new donations (evaluate for So Make It)
Orange: teardown if possible/take for free
Pink/Blue: take for a donation
Orange: new donations (evaluate for So Make It)
Pink: teardown if possible/take for free
Blue/Green: take for a donation
Pink: new donations (evaluate for So Make It)
Blue: teardown if possible/take for free
Green/Orange: take for a donation
We go in a 4 week Monday-Sunday cycle - first week any donations go on the Blue shelf, second week they go on the Green shelf, third Orange, fourth Pink, fifth Blue, Green, Orange, etc.
Anything on the next colour's shelf (e.g. things on the Orange shelf when the week is Green) is soon to be junk so can be torn down, hacked or taken away without guilt.
Anything on the other two shelves (e.g. things on the Orange/Pink shelves when the week is Green) is available for a donation.
Each week someone should change the poster to reflect the current week's colour and remove all items on that coloured shelf (e.g. the Green shelf when the week is Green) ready to be disposed of.
Many donations should be turned away - particularly:
- Large/bulky items
- Items that require special disposal (batteries, items containing asbestos, ...)
- Items that don't look useful
- Illegal, illicit or items of unknown origin
- Chemicals unless they've been previous approved by a Trustee - chemicals should never be placed on the donations shelves - they must be handled separately for H&S/COSHH reasons