Record-breaking dorm move-out rummage sale diverts thousands of pounds from landfills

For the first time since 2018, the University of Arizona's dorm move-out rummage sale returned this spring, giving unwanted items a second life while advancing the university's sustainability goals by donating approximately 421,000 pounds of material. 

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The sale, organized by Housing and Residential Life, was made possible through a new partnership with ACE Recycling, a Tucson-based recycling and resource center. The partnership expanded the types of materials the university can collect for donations. 

"I was so excited with how it went," said Jill Burchell, senior coordinator of sustainability operations and initiatives for Housing and Residential Life. "This is the first year we had capacity to do the rummage sale again, and so we wanted to bring it back." 

A record-setting year 

Students leaving residence halls were encouraged to donate furniture, household items, décor, clothing and other belongings.

"Because ACE Recycling recently expanded their ability to handle a wider range of materials, all of the headboards and organizers and heavy pieces of furniture that were being thrown away for years were able to be saved," Burchell said. 

The program's impact was significant. According to Burchell, Housing diverted approximately 300,000 pounds of furniture and 120,000 pounds of smaller items during this year's move-out effort – shattering the university's previous record of 100,000 pounds set during a 2019 donation event. 

Teaching sustainability year-round 

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Beyond reducing waste, the initiative reflects the sustainability habits that students learn while living on-campus throughout the academic year. 

"We do a lot in the beginning of the year around recycling, trying to teach our new Wildcats how we recycle on campus," Burchell said. 

As students begin preparing for life off campus, Housing encourages students to think critically about energy use, water conservation and consumption habits. 

Housing partnered with the Office of Sustainability during move-out to collect non-perishable food items donated by students for the Campus Pantry, a student-run program dedicated to improving food access by providing supplemental groceries to students, faculty, and staff.  

The rummage sale, which occured over two weekends in May, raised approximately $3,000 for the Dorm Assistance Award, a scholarship that helps low-income and first-generation students afford on-campus housing. 

Following the event's success, Housing hopes to make the rummage sale a regular tradition once again. 

"Yes, we very much want to keep this going," Burchell said. 

Creating community impact 

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Sustainability efforts extended beyond university residence halls this spring through the Office of Government and Community Relations' third annual Off-Campus Safety and Community Donation Drive. The program provides students living in off-campus apartments with an opportunity to donate gently used household items, furniture, clothing, nonperishable food and other goods as they move out.  

"This initiative helps reduce waste while supporting our community," said Nick Hilton, director of community relations. "This spring the Wildcats and our off-campus housing partners donated more than 3,000 pounds of items to help people in our community."  

Donations were collected through partnerships with local apartment communities and distributed to the Gospel Rescue Mission, a local nonprofit that provides food, shelter and support to people experiencing homelessness. 

By giving thousands of items a second chance, the rummage sale and the community donation drive kept those items out of landfills while creating lasting benefits for both the campus and the broader Tucson community.