I am with you, I strive to not throw anything away. I have become reluctant to even put stuff in the recycle bin till I am absolutely sure I am not going to find a use for it. I have a bin for compost from food and garden waste and another bin for paper products, cotton fabric and yard waste. I have some like minded friends and we each have certain things we collect to reuse.

Right now I am saving used tubes, aluminum cans, any kind of wood and unwanted clothes, certain types of plastics, and backpacks/bags. I reuse the fabrics and tubes for sewing, I reuse the buckles and zippers for the stuff I make sewing. The aluminum cans are for a non-electric solar powered heater. I have one friend who collects tires, spokes and bike chains belts and jewlery. Another friend collects any and all kinds of wiring, cords or cables for various electrical tinkering projects.

Compared to my neighbors, I have about a fourth of the garbage they have in a month.