Moving house in Tema without filling a skip

Moving is when good things get thrown away. Not because anyone wants to waste them, but because the van is outside and the extra dining chairs will not fit.

The decision is made under time pressure

Nobody plans to bin a working microwave. It happens at the end of a long day when the alternative is another trip.

"We were moving from Community 25 and had two weeks' notice. I listed the wardrobe, the curtains and a gas cooker. All three went before the van came." — Kwesi, Tema

What actually helps

• Start the week you get notice, not the night before
• List the awkward things first — wardrobes and beds take longest to find a taker
• Say what floor you are on. A third-floor pickup with no lift is a different job, and people would rather know

Tema, Spintex and Community 25 have constant turnover — leases end, people move for work. That churn is exactly where the most usable furniture is lost.