Most Common Donations

When we clear out, we want to make sure the items we are discarding are going to places to be reused or recycled properly. With so many various kinds of things we are disposing, it can be hard to keep track of where everything should go and what to do with it. This month, we’ll look at some of the most common items we are trying to donate or discard from our home and what we can do with them.

Furniture

Furniture is a common item we want to dispose of, but it can also be the most complicated item to donate. If they are small furniture items, you may be able to schedule a pickup from any organization or drop them off. Larger items get more complicated because it needs more than one person to carry the item. Look for local organizations that accept furniture, and check out their current guidelines about what they will accept. Sometimes they will rotate what they will accept, or if they have an influx of one thing, like bookshelves, they won’t accept that item donation for awhile. 

If you are looking to try and sell these items, snap a photo and post them on Facebook or Craig’s List. Tip about doing this: set a deadline for getting rid of the item. Also remember that if you don’t sell it, you will discard it, so any amount you can make on the item is something. I recommend setting a deadline, because you can hold onto the item for much longer than you really wanted, and the deadline will help move the disposal forward. 

Electronics

Nowadays, new electronics are released daily. Cords are changing, old devices are being updated. What do we do with our electronic waste once we have upgraded our item, or more common, we don’t even know what the cord is for anymore. We have a few options. 

First, when you purchase a new item to upgrade your device, find out if they have a  recycling program for your old one. This is much more common than it used to be, and even better, they often give you a credit towards your new device. 

If you can’t trade in your old items, you can easily discard your electronic waste. Best buy will accept these items in small quantities. Also, check in with your local public works department, many of them have a separate disposal specifically for electronic waste. They will not come pick up the items, but the waste can be dropped off.  

What about TV’s? TV’s can sometimes be a challenge to donate. Since they are constantly updating, there is a large amount trying to be donated, but also they can be obsolete based on their age. Check with the organization first to see if they will take TV donations and if there are  any limitations on the items. If no organizations will take what you have, they can go to electronic waste. 

Clothes

Clothes can be considered the easiest item to discard. As long as the clothes are in good condition, you can do a variety of things with them. Most organizations will take regular clothing, pants, shirts, shorts, etc. You can drop them off in donation bins, at donation centers, or even schedule a pick up at your home. 

Think about the clothes you are donating before you bag them up, used undergarments and socks should be discarded completely, new packages can definitely be donated. In fact, some organizations even look for unopened packages. 

If you have some specialty items and you want them to go to a specific cause, here are some ideas. Fancy dresses, you may be able to find a local organization that collects dresses to give to young girls for prom or other occasions. Work suits, find a dress for success organization that collects suits for women to wear to job interviews. 

If they are not in good condition, consider using them as rags or disposing of them. 

Books

When donating books, you will need to separate books from reference books or textbooks. Unfortunately, many places will not take old reference books or textbooks. If you have a lot of reference books, see how old they are, if they are old, they may just need to be recycled. If they are newer, you may be able to add them to the donation pile or consider giving them to someone who might want them. 

Check with your local library, or libraries nearby, and see if they accept book donations. Many libraries will hold book sales as one of their fundraisers, and they need book donations. See if they will accept the donations year round or if you can only donate when the sale is coming near. Many of the organizations that you donate clothing items to, will also take books. Check out what items they will accept. Do you have a lot of children’s books? Consider checking with the local school or preschools if they would be interested in the donation.  

Office /Craft Supplies

The best thing to do with office and craft supplies is to reach out to local schools or people you know that work in schools. They will often spend their own money to purchase some items you may look to discard, so they are grateful to have things given to them, especially if you don’t need them. There are also some organizations that will specifically collect these items.

Look up the items you are looking to donate, or look to organizations you already support or admire for their work and check their accepted donations. If you don’t see what you are looking for, it never hurts to reach out, they may have additional resources for you in your area. People would rather see items donated than discarded and are always happy to help!

Are there other common items that you aren’t sure what to do with? Reach out, I want to hear and help!