The Post-Holiday Purge: What to Recycle After Christmas
How to clear out, clean up, and responsibly recycle after the busiest season of the year.
The holidays are full of joy, celebration, and, let’s be honest, a surprising amount of stuff. New electronics, upgraded appliances, fresh décor, and endless batteries all seem to multiply this time of year. Once the wrapping paper settles, many households find themselves staring at piles of old devices, tangled light strands, and broken decorations with no idea what to do with them. That’s where responsible, environmentally safe recycling makes all the difference.
At Responsible Recycling Services, we see a huge spike in recyclables every January. The good news? Most of the leftover clutter from Christmas can be recycled safely and affordably. The key is knowing what to bring, how to prepare it, and why responsible disposal matters for your home and your community.
Electronics Replaced by Holiday Gifts
How to clear out, clean up, and responsibly recycle after the busiest season of the year.
From laptops and tablets to gaming systems and smart home devices, a lot of electronics get replaced during the holidays. These old devices often still contain data, batteries, and valuable materials that should never go into the trash. Recycling them keeps harmful components out of landfills and ensures metals and plastics get reused instead of wasted.
Items you can bring: laptops, desktops, keyboards, printers, cables, tablets, phones, gaming systems, and more.
If you’ve been hanging onto outdated electronics “just in case,” the post-holiday season is the perfect time to finally let them go.
Old TVs and Monitors
Televisions, especially older CRT and flat-screen models, tend to get upgraded around Christmas. While these items can be recycled, they contain materials that require special handling. That’s why most reputable recyclers charge a small fee. It ensures that your TV is processed safely and responsibly rather than ending up in a landfill or shipped overseas. If you’re clearing space for a new 4K TV, set the old one aside and plan to recycle it properly.
Holiday Lights That Don’t Light Up Anymore
Every January, countless strands of lights end up in trash cans but they don’t belong there. Light strands contain copper, plastic, and sometimes small bulbs or components that can be recycled. Bring them to us instead of tossing them, and you’ll keep hazardous materials out of your home’s waste stream.
Leftover Decorations & Broken Items
If you’ve discovered cracked ornaments, damaged décor, or worn-out household items while packing everything away, don’t assume they must be thrown out. Many decorations include metals, wiring, or electronic parts that can be recycled. When in doubt, bring them to a recycling event and let experts sort them properly.
Batteries…The Silent Holiday Hazard
Between toys, remotes, gadgets, and gifts, the post-Christmas season is overflowing with batteries. Throwing them in the trash is dangerous because lithium-ion batteries can spark fires when crushed in garbage trucks or landfills.
Recycling batteries correctly is one of the most important things you can do after the holidays. Gather them all in a safe container and bring them to an upcoming RRS event or drop-off opportunity.
Appliances & Metal Items from Holiday Clean-Outs
Did the holidays bring a new air fryer, microwave, or kitchen upgrade? Many small appliances can be recycled for their metal value. Bonus: cleaning out old metal items frees up cabinet and garage space and often at no cost.
Stay Tuned: RRS Winter Recycling Events Are Coming Soon
January, February, and March are some of the best months to clean out your home. Fewer public recycling events happen during the winter, which makes RRS’s special seasonal events incredibly valuable for local residents.
We’re finalizing the details for our upcoming winter recycling events, all offering free recycling for almost all electronics, plus affordable fees for TVs and monitors. These events will be held at our Kutztown location and are the perfect opportunity to drop off everything from your holiday purge in one convenient visit.
Stay tuned for official dates, hours, and full event details. We’ll be posting them soon—along with direct links for location, accepted items, and event reminders.
Make Space, Recycle Responsibly, and Start the New Year Fresh
The post-holiday purge is more than just cleaning out clutter—it’s an opportunity to give your home a fresh start and keep harmful materials out of landfills. Whether it’s electronics, metals, appliances, lights, batteries, or outdated decorations, Responsible Recycling Services is here to help you dispose of it safely and responsibly.
If you’re ready to start the new year with a clean slate, gather up your items now and keep an eye out for our winter event announcements. We can’t wait to help you recycle smarter this season.