Feel the joys of spring!

When you get a new phone or device, there’s a temptation to just slip the old one into a drawer or storage box and leave it there. They don’t take up much room after all – that’s the beauty of them! – and you’re sure you read something once about how electronics shouldn’t go in the bin. That’s the approach that has led to, according to our research, almost 15 MILLION phones sitting unused in homes around the UK.

We also found that that average UK home contains over £200 worth of old phones, and the reasons people gave for not disposing of them included, “in case the new one breaks” and “I might get it fixed”. Well, sure… but in our experience, not one single person has ever gone back to an old phone. Have you? Wouldn’t you rather have that sweet, sweet cash?

We know we would. And at this time of year, when the world is going through its annual renewal and coming out of a long winter all green and fresh, it’s the perfect time to get recycling and turn all those neglected hunks of tech into something new and useful. O2 Recycle is the perfect service for you. But even if you don’t have an old phone begging to be recycled, there are ways to renew and revitalise your phone and your life this spring. Read on to find out more.

Head for the O2 Recycle website, search for the phone you want to recycle, add to the basket, and place your order via checkout. Then back up any personal data you need to, remove the SIM and any memory cards, and post it off to us. It’s that simple.

Almost every phone we receive will be reused, repaired or recycled for parts (and even if we receive one we can’t use, we have a zero landfill policy), which reduces the environmental impact of making new phones. We also accept tablets, wireless earbuds and wearable electronic devices such as smartwatches – and it’s open to everyone, so if you have family and friends who aren’t O2 customers, they can get in on the scheme too.

The amount we pay for a device depends on the model and condition – which means we’ll still take it if it’s a bit battered. We can credit your account or use the money to lower your monthly payments to O2 (just choose Device Plan Credit in the payment options). One caveat is that we can’t recycle devices with no resale value, so if your device isn’t listed, you’ll need to find out how to dispose of it responsibly.

Wondering if it’s time for a new smartphone? Instead, try optimising your phone’s performance – it won’t take much to declutter it and have it running as good as new. It’s probably full of photos, which take up loads of space, so back them up to the cloud (on an Android phone, go to the Photo app and choose “Free up space”; on an iOS device, it’s in iCloud > Photos) and then you can delete them. Just double-check they’re backed up first. In fact, triple-check.

Scroll through your apps and if you find anything you haven’t used in the past year, bin it. Of the apps that are left, check if any are hammering your battery by sending loads of notifications or taking up storage space, and alter your settings appropriately. And refreshing your security can help too. Go into Settings and update all your saved passwords (making sure to use a different one for each app), and you can also check which apps you’ve given access to your data and see if you still need to allow that.

If you decide your old phone simply doesn’t cut the mustard anymore, but are worried about the cost or environmental impact of upgrading, our Like New phones could be for you. These refurbished phones are as good as new – each one goes through a 40-point quality check – and based on your selected Plan, come with all the benefits of having a phone with O2, including Extras, Priority rewards and more. See here for more details.

Inspired by streamlining your digital devices? Maybe it’s time to attack that drawer full of half-remembered trinkets and junk, or have a thorough clear-out of the clothes in your wardrobe. The extra space will be welcome but just the act of getting rid of unwanted and unused items can be cathartic and improve your mood. And your phone can help you here too: you can make a little more cash by posting your clothes on pre-loved reselling apps, or various social media sites have reselling sections. Or search which local charities are accepting donations if that’s the way you’d rather go.

^{Priority: Open to O2 customers and Virgin Media broadband customers only. Priority is an O2 service. 16+. UK residents. Internet access and registration required. Offers subject to eligibility criteria and availability. Terms apply, see the Priority app or o2.co.uk/terms}

^{O2 Recycle: Your device must pass our checklist. The value of your trade in will depend on the model and condition. Terms apply see https://www.o2.co.uk/termsandconditions/mobile/o2-recycle}

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