Saw this!

[Robert Lewis]

Retail giants like Best Buy and Staples have turned into the unofficial dump sites for the digital age. You can literally walk in with a dead PC or an ancient inkjet and hand it over for free-no questions asked, regardless of where you originally bought it. Some of these stores will even toss you a gift card or a discount on new gear just for clearing out your clutter. It's a win-win: You get your storage space back, and they keep heavy metals out of the local landfill.

Before you drop them off, just make sure you aren't handing over your entire digital identity along with the hardware. A quick factory reset or a specialized "drive wipe" takes 10 minutes and ensures your old tax returns don't end up in the wrong hands. Stop hoarding the ghosts of technology past and let these retailers handle the dirty work of breaking them down for parts.

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