Do you need to own your own power washer? What about a steam cleaner for your carpets? It\u2019s spring, and soon, hardware shops and discount retailers with their \u201cmiddle aisle\u201d deals will try to convince you that buying one of these is how you need to get prepared for the season ahead. <\/p>\n
However, if you open up the garden sheds of Ireland, you\u2019ll spot much the same inventory. A lawnmower, a strimmer, a step ladder, and maybe a power washer and a steam cleaner too. <\/p>\n
You needed to buy the shed to store all the stuff. And with the constant stream of middle aisle deals, you\u2019ll soon need a bigger shed. You can probably buy that in the middle aisle too.<\/p>\n
But power washing a slippery patio and steam cleaning your carpets aren\u2019t jobs that need to be done often \u2013 maybe just once or twice a year. For the rest of the time, all this stuff is living rent-free in your shed, waiting for its once- or twice-a-year outing, while quietly depreciating. <\/p>\n
But there\u2019s another way of doing things that\u2019s better for your wallet and for the environment \u2013 and some residents of approved housing body Cl\u00faid<\/a> are part of a pilot scheme. <\/p>\n [\u00a0‘The neighbour is power-washing the patio again, he’s supposed to be, like, working from home?’Opens in new window<\/a>\u00a0]<\/p>\n Starting this year, and partnering with \u201ccircular living\u201d company Reloop, Cl\u00faid is helping residents to save money by offering a free lending service of infrequently used items.<\/p>\n Instead of the traditional \u201cbuy, use and throw away\u201d model, Reloop\u2019s mission is to keep products and materials in use for as long as possible through reusing, repairing, sharing and repurposing.<\/p>\n Using Reloop\u2019s online booking system, Cl\u00faid residents can get free access to high-quality household products they only need occasionally \u2013 such as steam cleaners and power washers.<\/p>\n Reloop will redistribute your items to charity partners including Oxfam and St Vincent de Paul, where they can be resold to support people in need<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n \u201cThe concept is based on a shift from product ownership to product access, reducing unnecessary purchases while supporting affordability and enabling more sustainable living,\u201d says Cl\u00faid. <\/p>\n Residents can use the system to borrow other things too \u2013 such as a hand trolley, so effective for moving furniture, or folding chairs and trestle tables for that one-off big family party you might be planning. <\/p>\n The pilot is running for three months in four Cl\u00faid-owned and -managed neighbourhoods in Dublin, covering 800 households, with the potential to expand the scheme.<\/p>\n Cl\u00faid residents can even borrow Meta VR goggles, a Sony PlayStation or a Microsoft Xbox through the scheme. <\/p>\n It\u2019s all about supporting people to live more sustainably, says Cl\u00faid.<\/p>\n Cl\u00faid residents can also book a free monthly doorstep collection of clean, good-quality second-hand clothes, shoes, bags and books. <\/p>\n Reloop will redistribute your items to charity partners including Oxfam and St Vincent de Paul, where they can be resold to support people in need. Some 63,000 tonnes of textiles end up in landfill annually in Ireland every year, says Reloop. <\/p>\n\n