I save them up to make a broth for soups

Keep them in a drawer because “I’ll need them some day”(I don’t think I’ll actually need them)

Most of mine are old computer components. I’ve taken some of them and made a home server, and the rest I keep around for builds for friends and family. Everything else I put in a bin for future projects

deleted by creator

In a bag. Under the stairs. Know as the tech graveyard

Most places that sell Electronics in my country will take ewaste and recycle them for you for free

I recall official (not 3rd party) Verizon stores having a receptacle for old phone disposal. Even try AT&T or T Mobile as old electronic disposal is quite routine for all three.

Recently I’ve found a place called ‘Free Geek’ that is pretty much a tech-specific thrift shop/non-profit aiming to help eliminate digital divides.

When I first started learning I would go to a lot of second hand stores and just buy old systems to take them apart and see what could be made for a few bucks each, now that I have plenty of my own it’s time to give back to such places.

I try to repurpose as much of my old electronics as I can.

One old laptop and an old iMac are now Pi-Holes running Ubuntu Core, blocking ads and ensuring that if one of them goes down, the other will be there to take requests.

I have a couple old desktop PCs running stuff, too. I have turned one into a basic NAS with TrueNAS and have another for testing various setups before moving them to “production.”

I have an old SteamLink still kicking and still using it as a SteamLink, works great.

Old phones I turned into webcams placed in numerous places so I can have the camera’s “follow” me throughout my place during a video-chat.

I turned an RCA Cambio tablet into a “television” for my tiny kitchen, mounted on the wall and always connected to my Plex server.

Sooooooooo many electronics still work when they’re past useful as a “daily driver.” I try my best to find places for them, and I hold on to extra parts that still work and sometimes build PCs for people who can’t afford one. That way they can have something relatively recent and functioning. With older hardware, you can still get modern operating systems on there with the likes of Xubuntu and Lubuntu, both which run pretty well on older/underpowered hardware (Lubuntu for real old low end stuff).

There used to be a great local electronics recycler here that I would drop off stuff that was officially End of Life in that it stopped working, but they went out of business during COVID and I haven’t found a proper replacement yet. Best Buy only takes limited items and only a limited amount.

Here in France, most of the hardware stores have bins to drop old/defected/unused elecronics and batteries (and if bins are not available to the customers, simply ask the main helpdesk usualy they will take your old stuff). I imagine there is some kind of repurposing/recycling organization (usually it’s the store itself to earn a bit of material sell, and for the rest, some non profit org. based sorting and recycling centers)

Depending on generation the iPod touch sells for $60-300 on EBay. I always check first if I can sell on EBay or Craigslist. I just sold an ancient Toshiba laptop for $100.

If these items still work, there’s lots of people in homeless shelters who’d be grateful. Maybe dump small box in front of shelter during day, or ask staff if any of their clients could use them

When my laptops die, I take them apart to find the hard drive, which I then turn to an external drive. Just put it inside an enclosure, good to go.

Try checking out laptop repair stores, not big chains. The mom n pop ones. Often they can use parts.

And, cuz I’m weird, sometimes I disassemble, turn them into art, as part of larger mixed media projects.

Where I live, there’s a nonprofit that takes old electronics and laptops, has volunteers repair them, who get work experience. Worthy cause

I know that there’s a place at UCLA where you can drop them on certain days, run by the LA Sanitation Department, but I tried googling and it was buried under listings that, like you said, charge a fee and cater to businesses. (They’re interested in 20 computers, not your meager hoard.) So maybe your city does have something but it’s listed under Hazardous Waste. If you already know where to drop old solvents and meds, it might be there or they might know.

I have a bunch of old microwaves so sometimes I but batteries and other stuff and see what happens. If it’s a full pc, I save it until I need to relieve some stress and beat it to pieces with a shovel in my shop. After that I sometimea light it on fire. Whatever floats your boat!

you could gift/sell them, maybe you’ll find some interested collector