Questions to Consider

• 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.
• 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 LaGrange Business Association.
• 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.
• 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.
  
  
  See our Recycle page for local options.

Local Resources: Where to Repair, Rent, and Buy Used

Below are some resources around the LaGrange area that can help residents commit to reusing and repurposing items, as well as buying preowned items. Go Green LaGrange 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 LaGrange at [email protected].

Sections

• Appliances
• Corks
• Bikes
• Books, CDs, CVDs, Etc.
• Caps and Gowns from LTHS
• Clothing and Jewelry
• Furniture and Household Items
• Knives and Scissors (Sharpening)
• Medical Equipment
• Musical Instruments
• Shoes
• Sports Equipment
• Tools and Equipment
• Window Screens and Glass

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 LaGrange know at [email protected].

If you need a particular part to fix an appliance, consider CoreCentric Solutions. Call (866-737-2244) or email ([email protected]) to see if CoreCentric manufactures the missing part. They may be able rescue that Hoover vacuum or Westinghouse washing machine.

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.

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.

See Also:

Recycle natural (not plastic) corks that you don’t need for art projects.

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.

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.

Free

• For children and expectant mothers:
  • 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: [email protected] for more information.

Buy used

• For children:
  • The Cossitt Clothing Sale
• For adults:
  • Hope Chest, La Grange
  • Kelsey Resale Boutique, Hinsdale
  • Jackson Square Mall carries some clothes, La Grange

Goodwill stores in Westchester and Willowbrook also carry clothes for both adults and children.

Furniture and Household Items

Repair and reupholstering

• LaGrange Upholstery, La Grange
• Brookfield Upholstery, Brookfield

Buy used

• Jackson Square Mall, La Grange
• LaGrange Park Antique Store, La Grange Park
• Goodwill stores in Westchester and Willowbrook also carry furniture and household items.

Knives and Scissors (Sharpening)

You can sharpen knives and scissors yourself with a knife sharpening tool.

Alternatively, Village True Value Hardware, in Western Springs, and John’s Sharpening Service and Cutlery World, in Westmont, sharpens knives and scissors.

Medical Equipment

If you need and cannot afford medical equipment, check out the Mending Lending Closet of Holy Guardian Angels Church (formerly St. Barbara’s) in Brookfield. Sooner or later, everybody has a hip or sports injury and needs help for a while.

Musical Instruments

Repairs, rent, or buy used

• Chicago Piano Services, in Westmont, repairs and retunes pianos
• Danche Guitars, in Forest Park, repairs guitars and amps
• Kagan & Gaines Music Co., Inc., in Forest Park, repairs and rents instruments.
• 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.

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

• Village True Value Hardware in Western Springs and Hortons Ace Hardware in LaGrange rent carpet cleaners.
• 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 LaGrange Park Library.

Window Screens and Glass

Seek repairs

Village True Value Hardware in Western Springs and Horton’s Ace Hardware in LaGrange fixes window screens and windows.