This blog post is about donating household items. It is a guide that will help you decide where and how to give household items such as clothing, toys, or even large items like furniture. Need to donate books? I have another blog post about that here. Also, start here if you need motivation for decluttering.
Free Donation Pick Up
Who will pick up donations for free?
Below is a list of companies that will pick up donations for free. Pickups can be reserved on their website. Decluttering with kids? Here are some ways to do it stress-free.
- Veteran donation Pickup/Drop Off – pickupplease.org
- Lupus Foundation Donation Pickup – Click here to schedule a pickup
- Habitat Restore Donation Pickup – https://www.habitat.org/stories/does-habitat-offer-furniture-donation-pickup
- Salvation Army Donation Pickup – https://satruck.org/donate/choose
- Goodwill Donation Pickup – https://goodwillnynj.org/donate-goods
Donating Household Items to Veterans
Accepts:
- Glasses
- Plates
- Utensils
- Bedding
- Curtains
- Rugs
- Kitchen Appliances
- Jewelry/cosmetics
- Clothing
- Toys
- Exercise and sporting equipment
- Tools
- Electric tools/electric lawnmower/no fuel
- Musical Instruments
- DVDs and CDs
- Bikes
Donating Household Items to the Woman’s Shelter
Call your local woman’s shelter and ask – for a search to find woman’s shelters wish lists in your area – https://www.domesticshelters.org/fundraisers/wish-lists?q=07871
Accepts:
- Bedding
- Clothes
- Strollers
- Housewares
- Electronics
- Shoes
Donating Household Items to the Habitat Restore
Accepts:
- Appliances
- Furniture
- Household goods
- Building materials such as kitchen cabinets
- Offers furniture pickup – call to see what else the location closest to you will accept.
Donating Household Items to Goodwill
Contributing household items to Goodwill is very easy. You can drop items off at the store, at a Goodwill DonationXpress Center, or in a drop box close to you. However, Goodwill does sell your donation items in the store.
Accepts:
- Cars, boats, trailers, even snowmobiles as long as the title is clear and in your name.
- Clothing
- Jewelry
- Accessories such as sunglasses.
- Plates
- Glassware
- Cooking Pots and Pans
- Antiques
- Collectibles
- New Cosmetics
- New Underwear in Packaging
- Craft Supplies
- Toys
- Wall Art
- Lighting
- Electronics
- Small Kitchen Appliances
- Medical Equipment such as wheelchairs and canes
- New Diapers
- Bicycles
Moving? Here is another blog post you might be interested in.
Donating Household Items to the Salvation Army
Donating Household Items to the Lupus Foundation
Based out of Maryland, you can schedule a pickup online. The Lupus Foundation has multiple stores in Maryland. Go to their website for more information.
Accepts everything except large furniture:
- All women’s, men’s and kids clothing
- All shoes
- Sheets and bedding
- Curtains
- Plates/bowls/glassware
- Jewelry
- Cosmetics
- Toys
- Kitchen Appliances
- Tools
Places to Donate Used Toys
- Thrift Store Donation Pickup
- Church Mouse Thrift Shops Donation
- Local Preschools
Do Thrift Stores Pick Up Donations?
Thrift stores can pick up donations if they can. However, I would always call the thrift store you would like to donate to to find out if you can schedule a pickup. Some thrift stores are privately owned and do not have the transportation or the manpower to pick up donations.
Church Mouse Thrift Shops
Church Mouse thrift shops are my favorite place to donate household items and shop for items to resell online. Usually, the workers who run the church mouse thrift shops are volunteers and are always so grateful for the donations. They are so happy to help their church and community. It feels great to know someone else really appreciates your donation.
If you are wondering if you can schedule a church mouse thrift shop donation pickup from your house, call the shop to inquire. Since most of them are run by volunteers, they may not have a truck or the manpower to pick up large items.
Donating Toys to Preschools
I love donating toys to preschools and daycares because the toys will be used and well-loved. The schools appreciate the “new” toys for the kids, and again, it feels great to give to places that appreciate the items. Most preschools or daycares will accept toys in good condition, but it is okay if there is a piece missing or if there are some crayons or stickers on them. Toys get used and abused daily by the kids, and preschools usually welcome toy donations. It would be advisable to contact them and request information regarding their drop-off schedule. Alternatively, you can also inquire if they provide pick-up services for your belongings. Confirming these details beforehand is always better to avoid any inconvenience or confusion.
Tax Deductions
irs.gov to look up tax deductions for your state or contact a tax specialist in your area.
Here are some other blog posts related to donating household goods that might interest you:
7 Tips of How to Sell on Poshmark FAST
Tips for Selling on Poshmark for a Beginner
How to Easily Determine Consignment Pricing with 5 Questions