These Are the Best Places To Donate Your Gently-Used Furniture and Household Items
Maybe you've been inspired by the KonMari method to part ways with some of those kitschy trinkets collecting dust on your shelves. Or perhaps you're moving and can only take so much along with you. Before you toss your old items to the curb, consider passing them along to those in need. Here's everything you need to know about donating your unwanted furniture and home goods.
What to donate
Every charity is different and has its own list of acceptable items. But generally speaking, furniture, home goods, bedding, appliances, clothes, books, toys, and more should easily be accepted — assuming they're gently used and clean.
Where to donate your used furniture and home goods
Goodwill
When you donate your new and gently used items to Goodwill, the organization will be able to sell them in stores or on shopgoodwill.com. Proceeds made from the sales of your donations will then be put towards valuable employment training and job placement services for people in your community. Pretty cool, huh?
The Vietnam Veterans of America
The Vietnam Veterans of America sells donated items to fund their programs for veterans. The charity accepts furniture and most other household items. You can locate a drop-off center in your area or arrange to have the donations picked up from your house here.
The Salvation Army
Much like Goodwill, donations to the Salvation Army may be sent to one of its resale stores, where proceeds will go towards its Adult Rehabilitation Centers. The charity may also use your furniture donations to furnish their homeless shelters.
Donation Town
Even if you have a Goodwill or Salvation Army center in your area, Donation Town is a good resource to help you explore other charities in your community that may be accepting donations. When visiting the Donation Town website, you can enter your zip code to see a list of organizations looking currently accepting donations. Once you've picked your charity of choice. Then, you can schedule a free donation pick up.
Freecycle
Freecycle is an online recycling and reuse network that focuses on keeping useable home items out of landfills. By joining a local chapter in your area, you can list your stuff online for others in your community to take. All items listed on Freecycle are free with no strings attached. The network strives to reduce waste and saves precious resources.
Local places around your neighborhood
Always check around your local community for any places looking for donations. In New York, for example, Housing Works accepts donations to its secondhand stores, where profits benefit programs for those living with HIV and AIDS. Besides shops, there are plenty of outlets in your town that might want donations. A few to consider:
Churches, temples, and other places of worship: These organizations may collect furniture to distribute or to outfit their own spaces.
Homeless shelters of youth centers which may need refreshing of their own spaces.
Theaters or arts centers might be able to use furniture in productions or for community spaces.
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