Though trendy, unused mobile phones sometimes suffer the fate of being lost in some drawer at home or, even worse, thrown in the bin and ending up in landfills causing eventual environmental damage and possible health hazards.

Nowadays, you can easily sell your old mobile phone and feel good knowing that it will end up reused rather than wasted. The benefits are too numerous to list here, although the environmentally friendly aspect is assured, helping to minimize the negative affects of manufacturing mobiles phone, which requires a number of materials, including gold, silver and lead. In the long run, mining for these materials will be reduced, thus safeguarding the environment. Indirect benefits include a lesser amount of chemicals used in mining and treating these materials, and of greenhouse gases caused by transporting said materials.

Recycling schemes have been on the up and up; phone companies are buying our unused mobiles that may be old and even broken. Materials are extracted from the older handsets, since mobile phones contain precious items such as gold and silver, which are melted to reuse in other products such as electronic boards.

A large number of websites specializing in buying and recycling old mobiles even give potential sellers the option to check the prices for their older handsets. One such website, www.love2recycle.com, sends checks for old mobile phones. While all similar in methodology, the main purpose behind all of these schemes is to help make the environment safer for us, subsequently reducing the amount of resources needed to manufacturer new mobile phones. Moreover, some extra cash just for doing the right thing by recycling never hurt anybody, and it doesnt require any effort either!

To sell your old phone, simply visit one of the many recycling websites and enter the model of the phone to be recycled. Next, pick the exact phone where a quoted price will be shown for how much that particular site will pay for the handset. Once the phone has been entered into the system, a freepost address will be provided to which you can send your old phone. Then just sit back and wait for the most cash for your mobile available online.

Before hanging wallpaper: prepare the wall

Before hanging any paper the walls must be prepared. This involves cleaning the walls with soapy water and removing any old paper using a stripping knife. It is also a good time to fill in any cracks or small holes and sand the walls – this will lead to a smoother and more professional finish.

Wallpaper Paste

Glue size should be applied to the clean and dry walls. This makes the walls more adhesive and also allows for the paper to be slid across them when hanging. Glue size can either be bought ready made or the paste which is planned to be used in the hanging can be used in diluted form. It should be applied to the entire wall removing any excess with a sponge.

Preparing and cutting the wallpaper

The paper can now be measured and cut to length. Before this is done it is advised to check which way any pattern may go and which way up the paper hangs. It is a good idea to mark the back of the wallpaper with a ‘T’ for the top. Measure the length of the wall using a tape measure and then measure, pencil mark and cut the wallpaper, adding a surplus 10cm to both the top and bottom for trimming and tidying.

Apply the wallpaper paste

You are now ready to paste and apply the paper. Facing it down on a wipe clean table apply the paste (which can be bought either ready made or in flakes which need mixing) to the back using a soft paste brush. It is important to keep the brush as clean from dirt as possible. When applying the paste start at the top of the roll and work outwards from the centre trying to ensure an even spread. The paper should then be lightly folded in to the middle form the top and bottom and left to soak as per manufacturers’ instructions – although this may appear time consuming it will help eradicate the problem of blisters.

Placing the wallpaper on the wall

A straight line should be faintly drawn on the wall using a spirit level or plumb line so that the paper hangs vertically. Hang the paper from the top using a soft brush lightly pressing the paper against the wall. Remember to allow the 10cm overlap at the top and bottom.

The paper should now lie perfectly in position, if it doesn’t you should find that the glue size applied earlier lets you gently slide the paper in position. Any bubbles can be removing by brushing gently from top to bottom.

Trim the top and bottom of the wallpaper

All that is left to do is trim the top against the wall and the bottom against the skirting using either scissors or a stanley knife giving a sharp edge and clean finish.

When tidying you may some excess paste, don’t worry, just use a clean damp sponge to dab away and enjoy your new room!