If moving house is a chance to throw out, the following companies/services can help.

Charity shops: variously take clothes, books, ornaments, some electrical equipment and small furniture items but phone in advance. Ask Society of St Vincent de Paul furniture collections, Ozanam Centre, Tolka Quay, Dublin 1, telephone 01-8550022.

Recycling centres: take textiles, phone books, batteries, books, electrical and computers. Contact your local authority.

Auction rooms: hold weekly/monthly auctions of house contents from the valuable to the job lot. Try Herman & Wilkinson, Rathmines, Dublin 6, telephone 01-4972245/4966019, www.hermanwilkinson.ie; Adams Blackrock, Furniture & Fine Art, Blackrock, Co Dublin, telephone 01-2865146, email info@adamsblackrock.com; Denis Drum, Malahide and Dún Laoghaire, Co Dublin, telephone 01-8452819/2020500; Tom Maher & Co Ltd, Tallaght, Dublin 24, telephone 01-4515622, www.tommaher.ie.