5 Ways to Donate Household Items When You Move

I’ve moved a lot. This has turned me into a true anti-hoarder, who relishes each move as an opportunity to get rid of as many things as possible that I don’t really need or want. I’m always shocked when I go to my friends’ houses or apartments and notice they still have closets full of clothes they haven’t worn in years, never mind the binders of now-useless notes from college courses (I should mention that most of these friends graduated from college nearly a decade ago).

College course notes aside, many of the things in your home that are no longer of any use to you are of use to someone else. And what better time than when you’re moving to sort through these things and make sure they find a new, better home?

There are quite a few options when you want to donate household items to people and organizations that can benefit from them. Deciding to donate your items is a really fantastic way to make a difference while keeping your unused items from the landfill or needlessly carrying them around from move to move. Here are 5 ways to do good with your move.

Donate furniture to charity

• The Furniture Bank Association of America: Provides gently used furniture and household items to struggling families. You can find a Furniture Bank in many cities throughout the United States, as well as in Canada.
• Donation Town: A database for finding local charities that will come pick up gently used furniture and household items. Just enter your zip code and you’ll get a list of participating charities so you can choose exactly who you’d like to receive your donations.
• Habitat for Humanity ReStore: Habitat ReStores accept a wide range of items, including furniture, household appliances and goods, and building materials and tools, which they use in the production of their homes. ReStores are located all over the U.S., and some locations will come pick up your items.
• Goodwill: Goodwill as an organization will accept pretty much everything, but check with the rules of your particular local store to ensure they’ll take large furniture. Some Goodwill location volunteers will also come pick up items from your home.

Donate household goods

• Vietnam Veterans of America will pick up basically anything in good condition that isn’t large furniture or mattresses. This includes books, electronics, home décor, and more. You can schedule a pick up for VVA donations through Pick Up Please.
• For bed sheets, blankets, and towels that you no longer need, consider dropping them off at a local animal shelter. Call first to make sure they are accepting them.
• Donate used books in good condition to a local school system or library. You can also send books to troops, veterans, and their families through an organization called Operation Paperback.

Donate clothes

• Dress for Success: Provides business professional clothes for unemployed, low-income women so they have something to wear to job interviews. They do not pick up donations, but have many drop off locations around the country.
• Career Gear: Similar to Dress for Success, but specializes in professional clothing and toiletries for unemployed men. Donations can be shipped to the organization directly, or dropped off if you live in New York City.
• Savers: Accepts clothing, as well as small household items, and then helps non-profits host clothing drives to raise funds. Enter your zip code to find a drop-off location near you.
• For baby clothes, consider Loved Twice, which distributes gently used clothes for babies 0-12 months to hospitals, shelters, and clinics. Through Newborns in Need you can donate gently used newborn clothes to agencies and hospitals that serve premature, ill, and impoverished newborns.