Reuse
Photo by Aakruti Liva
A commitment to reusing instead of buying new will not only reduce the amount of garbage sent to landfills but may also save you money, contribute to the budding circular economy, and help others in need.
Questions to Consider
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Before tossing an item in the garbage, such as a plastic cup, a torn shirt, or a broken chair...
Ask: “Can this be used again in some way?”
Many items can be reused or repurposed after being cleaned, repaired, repainted, etc. If you don’t know how to fix a particular item, consider a repair service.
Scroll down for some local options.
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Before purchasing something new, such as a table, coat, pressure washer, or plate set...​
Ask: “Can I buy this used? Or rent it for a one-time use?
If you are handy, you might also ask: “Can I make the item myself, perhaps with used or recycled materials?”
The La Grange area has a number of stores and events where you can buy gently used and rehabbed items, as well as rent equipment.
Scroll down for some options. You can also consult the La Grange Business Association.
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Before buying or accepting so-called single-use items (e.g., plastic water bottles, paper napkins)...
Ask: Can I replace this with something that I can reuse over and over again?
Examples include substituting cloth rags for paper towels and replacing small plastic water bottles that are typically only used once with a refillable 5-gallon water bottle.
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When you no longer need those shoes, lawnmower, couch, or other item that could be used by someone else or possibly recycled into something else...
Ask: Where can I donate, recycle, or sell this for someone to use or repurpose? That someone else might be homeless or trying to make ends meet.
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See our Recycle page for local options.
Local Resources: Where to Repair, Rent, and Buy Used
Below are some resources around the La Grange area that can help residents commit to reusing and repurposing items, as well as buying preowned items. Go Green Greater La Grange is not endorsing any of the following services, just passing along information on available local resources.
If you know of other local resources, please contact Go Green Greater La Grange at info@gogreenglg.org.
Sections
Recently added or updated:
​June 2024:
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Furniture and Household Items (ReStore)
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Furniture and Household Items (Technique Leather)
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Building Materials – (ReStore)
May 2024:
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Pillows-Feather
Index of Sections on this Page
Appliances
Repair services
When home appliances break down, review your warranty, if applicable, and check with the manufacturer. If that route doesn’t help you get the appliance repaired, consider hiring an appliance repair service. There are many that serve the LaGrange area. Forbes Home offers some advice on how to pick a service. If you can recommend a local repair service, let Go Green Greater La Grange know at info@gogreenglg.org.
If you need a particular part to fix an appliance, consider CoreCentric Solutions. Call 866-737-2244 or email cs@corecentricusa.com to see if CoreCentric manufactures the missing part. They may be able rescue that Hoover vacuum or Westinghouse washing machine.
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Buy used
You may be able to find a toaster oven, coffee maker, or other small appliance at Goodwill.
ReStore, which is Habitat for Humanity’s resale store, sells large appliances like stoves and refrigerators. There are locations in Chicago, Arlington Heights, and Elgin. Proceeds help fund Habitat for Humanity’s mission.
Bikes
Repair services
The Wheel Thing, in La Grange Park, and Terry’s Bicycles, in Countryside, offer bike repair services.
Cycle Brookfield, a nonprofit advocacy group, typically offers an annual bike tune-up event along with regularly scheduled rides and other happenings.
Buy used
Terry’s carries used bikes for sale. You might also try Craigslist, Facebook Marketplace, NextDoor, or online police auctions such as PropertyRoom.com.
See Also:
Recycle for how to donate old bikes to people who need them.
Books, CDs, DVDs, Etc.
Buy used
Locally, Half Price Books in Countryside and Goodwill stores in Westchester and Willowbrook carry used books, movies, records, video games, and comics. These stores also have an online presence.
SCARCE, in Addison, also sells used books, records, CDs, and DVDs.
If you are willing to drive further east, you’ll find more used bookstores and record stores in Oak Park and Chicago. One used bookstore is the nonprofit Open Books, which devotes 100% of proceeds to literacy efforts for children and adults.
Building Materials – Cabinets, Flooring, Bathroom Fixtures, Architectural Artifacts, Etc.
Buy used
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ReStore (Habitat for Humanity) - check website for locations.
Caps and Gowns from LTHS
Each year approximately 1,000 students at LTHS buy a new disposable cap and gown that they either save forever or throw away after graduation. The school doesn't advertise this, but students can wear caps and gowns passed down to them from family, friends, or neighbors who graduated in previous years. Who cares if the color doesn't match perfectly?
The least the school can do is to encourage seniors to save their caps and gowns and pass them on to 9th, 10th, and 11th graders they know. It's a small ask for such a big impact!
Clothing and Jewelry
DIY
The Idea Studio in La Grange offers classes in knitting and crocheting so you can make your own hats, mittens, and sweaters. The store also teaches jewelry making.
Local libraries, including the Indian Prairie Public Library (Darien) and the Linda Sokol Francis Brookfield Library, have “Maker Studios” where you can reserve sewing and embroidery machines, as well as take classes on how to hem pants, embroider, and learn other needle crafts.
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Free
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For children and expectant mothers:
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Children’s Community Closet of LaGrange Park offers clothing in sizes newborn to 16 years, maternity clothing, and children’s shoes. CCC has ‘Open Hours’ 2 days/month for the public to select FREE clothing and shoes. You can make the most of the items you choose by donating them back to CCC so that another child may enjoy them. It’s a wonderful way to make the most of an article of clothing. Volunteers are needed weekly to help sort donated items. If interested in volunteering or have any other questions, please email: cccoflgp@gmail.com for more information.
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Buy used
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For children:
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For adults:
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Hope Chest, La Grange
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Closest Closet, La Grange
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Kelsey Resale Boutique, Hinsdale
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Jackson Square Mall carries some clothes, La Grange
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Goodwill stores in Westchester and Willowbrook also carry clothes for both adults and children.
Corks
Repurpose
Turn corks into to art. Build yourself a family of critters using corks. Corks, pushpins, straight pins, paperclips, and scrap paper are all you need to create a cheerful crowd of critters.
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See Also:
Recycle natural (not plastic) corks that you don’t need for art projects.
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Furniture and Household Items
Repair and reupholstering
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La Grange Upholstery, La Grange
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Brookfield Upholstery, Brookfield
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Technique Leather - serving Chicago and surrounding suburbs.
Buy used
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Jackson Square Mall, La Grange
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La Grange Park Antique Store, La Grange Park
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Goodwill stores in Westchester and Willowbrook also carry furniture and household items.
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ReStore (Habitat for Humanity) - check website for locations.
(Note: A new location is scheduled to open July, 2024, in the Midway Airport area.)
Knives and Scissors (Sharpening)
You can sharpen knives and scissors yourself with a knife sharpening tool.
Alternatively, Village True Value Hardware in Western Springs, John’s Sharpening Service and Cutlery World in Westmont, and Repair Cafe in Countryside, sharpen knives and scissors.
Medical Equipment
If you need and cannot afford medical equipment, check out the Medical Lending Closet in Downers Grove Township. Sooner or later, everybody has a hip or sports injury and needs help for a while.
Musical Instruments
Repairs, rent, or buy used
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Chicago Piano Services, in Westmont, repairs and retunes pianos
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Danche Guitars, in Forest Park, repairs guitars and amps
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Kagan & Gaines Music Co., Inc., in Forest Park, repairs and rents instruments.
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Sound Education, in Brookfield, repairs guitars and may be able to arrange for other types of instruments to get repaired. It also rents and sell used instruments.
Pillows – Feather
Take your feather pillows to Breen's to be reticked. Over time, pillows tend to become flat, or lose their bounce. Most people who have allergies tend to think it is the feathers in the pillow that irritates them, but actually it is this dust. Pillow cleaning and reticking returns the bounce to your pillows. The process sifts the dust out, cleans the filling and returns the bounce to your pillows.
Designed specifically for pillow renovating, the cleaning process uses an ozone-emitting germicidal light to kill bacteria, sanitize, and deodorize the filling. The old pillow is cut open and emptied into a tumble chamber which has rotating brushes that expose everything to the germicidal lights while breaking up clumps that have formed, fluffs up the down clusters and sifts out the dust that has been trapped in the pillow. With down pillows you can add more feathers to bring it back to the density of a new pillow. At the end of the cycle the entire filling is blown back into a 100% cotton down proof ticking.
Shoes and Boots
Repairs
Anthony’s Shoe Repair in LaGrange (13 W. Hillgrove; 708-352-7171).
Buy used
See Clothing and Jewelry above for some possible local resources.
Sports Equipment
Buy used
If your kid needs new hockey skates, soccer cleats, tennis racket, you may find what you need a Play It Again Sports in Westmont.
Tools & Equipment
Repairs
Home Depot and Horton’s Ace Hardware repairs lawn mowers, handheld electrical tools, chainsaws, and other tools.
Rent or buy used
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Village True Value Hardware in Western Springs and Hortons Ace Hardware in La Grange rent carpet cleaners.
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Some local libraries sponsor a “Library of Things,” or collection of various tools, equipment, as well as games and other items that you can check out. See the Library of Things at Indian Prairie Public Library in Darien and at La Grange Park Library.
Window Screens and Glass
Seek repairs
Village True Value Hardware in Western Springs and Horton’s Ace Hardware in La Grange fix window screens and windows.