What does everyone do with their old electronics?

I save them up to make a broth for soups

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)

I'm a big fan of taking old electroics, taking them apart, and then organizing them neatly in a frame, like this example.

If you are going to keep electronics however, I definitely recommend removing the battery and recycling it. Phones aren't fire hazards but batteries definitely are, especially the ones in the old iPods.

Keep them in a drawer because "I'll need them some day"(I don't think I'll actually need them)

Check your local recycling centers to see if they take it. My local one takes ewaste for free (as well as water-based paint, motor oil, cardboard, paper, metal, and probably others). The local garbage company takes old batteries for free, you just need to put them in a Ziplock bag on top of the bin on collection day.

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.

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

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

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.

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 keep a few old phones as spares but if I don’t use them, they get recycled. I have a ton of electronics that aren’t used, but could still be for the right project. It’s nice to have parts whenever you need them.

You may be able to find scrapping places around you (e.g. metal scrappers) - my local scrapping place also takes circuit boards. Which gets me ~$1/lb or so. But they also just take misc. electronics for like $0.10/lb, phones are like $5/lb, etc. there’s prices for it all. Best part is, this way you can actually get paid for your trash, instead of doing it the other way around.

If you have old batteries or something like a UPS that is mostly a battery you can (and should) take it to a battery recycling center. A general recycling center near me does that, but also some stores like Best Buy will collect and recycle them too. Years ago I dropped off a non-functioning UPS there and it was super simple. I would have felt terrible throwing that away in the trash.

It really depends on the type of waste and possible usefulness. I generally do a cellphone trade-in when getting a new device. I like to tinker so, for other devices, I will tend to hold onto them to disassemble for future project components. For lithium ion batteries, generally, you need to bring them to a household hazardous waste facility or, some electronics stores, like Best Buy, may offer collection.

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

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

I would perform exploratory surgery before discarding it.

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 sometimes light it on fire. Whatever floats your boat!

Put it in a corner like the hoarder I am.

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