Getting rid of exercise equipment could be a pretty daunting task- it is pretty large and often really heavy. I think lots of people have a treadmill or exercise bike collecting dust in their home, but it is worth it to get it out, because someone could be getting use out of it. 

We had a treadmill we definitely weren't using sitting in our guest room for almost 2 years. It mostly got use as a hook for guests to hang their clothes on, but it also took up a big chunk of the room. We finally came to terms with the fact we were never going to use it again. I have also bought myself running shoes before, sure I was going to start running, and then I remembered running is terrible, and never really used them.  Does that make you think of something in your house?

It can be hard to let go of something you know still works, but better to give it away now so someone can use it. Whether big or small, our unused exercise gear can be helping someone instead of taunting us. We have to own that if we aren't using, odds are good we won't, so maybe it's time to donate. 

Believe it or not, your sad cobweb treadmill could still have a whole new life ahead of it. And you could get a corner back! Here are some options- 

Offer it up on Buy Nothing- We put our treadmill up and got LOTS of interest. It took a couple of tries to figure the logistics of pick up out, but mostly the receiver figured it out and I just had to be there. Such an easy way to get rid of things, because you don't have to figure out how to load it and move it. Check the Buy Nothing Project for a group near you OR consider starting one!

You can also try freecycle. 

Check with Local Gyms- There are lots of local charities that will take old exercise equipment and redistribute it, and maybe a local gym would have good information on ones near you. Here is one in Bozeman, Montata, but it has a pretty significant loading fee. There are also places like Fitness 4 Charity, but honestly, the founder calls himself "The Wizard of Youth" and looks like a tool, and I don't see a ton of evidence of what they have actually done, so I am skeptical. 

Check with Local High Schools and YMCA's- Schools or organizations like the Y or Boys and Girls Club might be able to use what you have. The only challenge will be to disassemble and move it yourself, but if you aren't intimidated by the job, this is a big way to do a lot of good. 

Donate your Bike to Bikes for the World- This organization ill take old bikes and bike parts (not plastic or rusted out, but otherwise) and gives them to people in third world countries who need access to transportation. How awesome is that! You could be seriously changing someone's life. 

Donate  your tennis shoes to Soles 4 Souls- This awesome organization takes donations of gently used shoes and redistributes them around the world so more people have a good pair of shoes. They have given over 30 million pairs of shoes. I also love that they offer group donations, so you could encourage your coworkers of church friends to join in and help people all over the world.  One World Running also accepts running shoes, often from large drives. You can see a map of their drop off sites on the link. 

Donate to Salvation Army- Salvation Army does specifically express an interest in your exercise gear. If you can pack it up and take it there, SA is a good route to go. 

Can't move it yourself? Check out Pick Up Please or HopePickup- This site takes donations and you can schedule for someone to come and get it. Their proceeds go to Vietnam Veterans, so you are helping your garage get a little space and helping our veterans who we all know can use more support. 

Gift to Sportsgift.com- This Christian ministry sends sports equipment to kids all over the world. Not sure a treadmill would make sense, but you may have other smaller things that work perfectly.

So many people could use that sporty stuff- why hang on to something you will never use?



The Great Donate is on! Can you donate, gift, or recycle 2,000 items out of your house this year? The average American household has 300,000 items in it- who needs that much? No one, but there are lots of people who could use what you have sitting collecting dust.

Check out the Great Donate main page for more suggestions on what to donate and where. You will save money (by knowing what you actually have), free up space, and save so much from going into a landfill.

Want to make your home greener? No matter the size or location, you can limit your waste and make your house have a more positive impact on the environment. Check out the Green Home Page for thousands of ideas on how to do it.