Comments on: Ask Unclutterer: Specific donation locations

By: Never too early to think about spring cleaning « The World According to Lawgirl

Tue, 22 Dec 2009 13:22:14 +0000

[...] I loved this suggestion from The Unclutterer: [...]

By: Ginger

Ginger — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 21:35:55 +0000

I know in New Zealand that Op Shops (Thrift Stores) are always looking for plastic supermarket bags.

By: Mels

Mels — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 19:01:46 +0000

Great list! But I work at a hospital and we’ve recently pulled all our magazines from waiting areas because of the H1N1 virus. It’s a great idea, but you might want to check with your local hospital first, before leaving anything in common areas.

By: chrisck

chrisck — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 16:06:19 +0000

There are many kinds of things the Salvation Army and Good Will won’t take (in part because they just don’t have room or staff to deal with it). They will reject furniture that comes from homes with pets, and anything not in truly excellent condition. Other organizations will find a place for useable furniture that might be scratched or a bit shabby.
Same is true for “oddball” items–the Good Will isn’t going to sell balls of yarn or small hygiene products or lots of pads of paper, all of which I’ve donated to places that can use such things. Yes, it takes a little more time and thought, but it’s worth it (to me) to make sure useable items don’t go to waste.

By: Amanda

Amanda — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 14:12:51 +0000

I’m utterly thrilled to see so many great places to pass along items that are no longer being used in my home! I typically rely on Salvation Army for a one-stop drop-off, as it saves me from running around town on my already busy weekends. If it doesn’t become an excuse not to get it to it’s destination, then I may try and customize my donation recipients a bit more…

I do make every effort to donate my used books to the local libraries for their Friends of the Library book sales – have been doing it since I was a child, and always feel great supporting such an important place of learning and development!

By: Bee

Bee — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 10:59:22 +0000

We donate blankets to the local veterinary surgery. The animals can recuperate from their operations on a soft blanket instead of the cold steel or metal bars.

Magazines can also be taken to local aged care facilities.

By: CC

CC — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 00:22:21 +0000

our local junior high art department is always looking for cleaned cottage cheese & yogurt containers if they have the lids for storing supplies. also magazines & catalogs (no matter how old) for collages & projects. They took all kinds of crayons for a melt down project too …

our local animal shelter (besides the towels & linens) does take stuffed toys for the dogs & cats (as toys or as a companion for the smaller dogs/cats), office supplies of all kinds (paper, staples, clips, etc.) as keeping their overhead low allows them to spend more money on the dogs (medications, vaccinations & food).

By: Beverly D

Beverly D — Sun, 20 Dec 2009 17:30:09 +0000

Hospices will use clean stuffed animals. They go to people not just children who need to hold something. You’d be amazed.

By: Shandos Cleaver

Shandos Cleaver — Sun, 20 Dec 2009 03:55:25 +0000

Sara – what about swapping toys with other friend’s that have children, or organising a swap meet through your play group?

By: Sara

Sara — Sat, 19 Dec 2009 22:38:19 +0000

Does anyone know a place that will accept clean, but used stuffed animals? I hate to throw them out, but so many places will not accept stuffed animals at all – no matter how clean.

By: gypsy packer

gypsy packer — Sat, 19 Dec 2009 20:24:24 +0000

Battered womens’ shelters and addiction treatment centers often will accept furniture and other household items for those starting a new life.
Also, check with American Red Cross and fire departments for families whose houses have burned and who need replacements for everything they lost.

By: Sharon

Sharon — Sat, 19 Dec 2009 20:10:13 +0000

Our Habitat for Humanity thrift stores take all kinds of donations (except for clothes). In fact, we shop there often. They take household goods, furniture, outdoor stuff, used and new building supplies, books, etc. When we enclosed our garage to make a great room (with full kitchen) and guest bedroom, we bought new & used supplies there such as a kitchen sink with Delta faucett ($25), closet doors ($10@), doorknobs and cabinet handles, light fixtures, etc.

By: Jenn

Jenn — Sat, 19 Dec 2009 17:52:59 +0000

We organized a giveway table at our office. People bring in their lightly used items (no clothes) – everything from decorations, to candles, to unopened makeup to storage tubs, kitchen items and computer equipment. Almost everything finds a new home! Truly one person’s trash/clutter is another person’s treasure!

By: Jennifer Lachman

Jennifer Lachman — Sat, 19 Dec 2009 16:38:18 +0000

I found that my local salvation army is the best place to bring all my donations at once because they sell evry thing from cloths to furniture and dishes and even old electronics.

I do enter a large amount of blog giveaways so I have a few brand new things that I never get around to using and they usualy go to the local Victims Intervention program where they give the items to women and family’s trying to start over.

By: Susanne

Susanne — Sat, 19 Dec 2009 07:42:49 +0000

Before I moved away for college, I brought a some of my old toys to the local kindergarden. The teacher asked me to bring them directly to class, so the children could see who they came from and I could see the children who would play with them.