We’ve all had the best intentions to find the perfect place to donate your unused and unwanted items. And then it never fails that a box of stuff sits in your basement or garage for months. Or you drive around with boxes in the back of your car for weeks on end. Out of sight, out of mind, right? Just like I mentioned last month in my recycling blog, it’s easy to donate the clothes your kids have outgrown to the nearest Goodwill. What about the more uncommon items that you no longer need but that still have useful life in them? Furniture, toys, musical instruments, and more… there is always a program to donate these types of things to. You just have to know where to go!

As promised, here is part two of this blog series. This is my full list of the best places to donate the items that you no longer need or use. All links and programs have been verified as of the date of this post.

Appliances, furniture, household items, building materials, etc.

Books

  • Better World Books — Find a location near you to donate your books. All books in good condition are welcome.
  • Little Free Library — Look for book-sharing boxes near you to donate your books for others to enjoy.
  • Also, check with your local library to find out how to donate used books.

Children’s Clothing & Toys

  • Cradles to Crayons — Accepts a wide variety of children’s clothes, baby supplies, and books. Check their updated donation guidelines online for more information.

Clothing, Scrubs & Accessories

  • Wings for Success — Donate your women’s clothing and accessories to help women prepare for interviews and employment. Check their website to see current needs and set up an appointment for donation drop-off.
  • Dress For Success — Donate women’s clothes to this program that supplies female clients with professional attire that will help them land a new job.
  • Planet Aid — Donate clothes that are in good condition and recycle clothes with holes or tears.

Dolls, Doll Clothes, Accessories & Furniture (American Girl or Pleasant Company Dolls)

  • GirlAGain — Donate dolls and accessories to the American Girl Resale Boutique. Check their website for instructions and any Covid related requirements.

Glasses

  • MOM’s Organic Market — Donated glasses will be recycled by the Lions Club or Alaffia. They are then distributed in places like Africa and among low and middle-income families.
  • Lions Club — Check with your local Lions Club to see if they have a Lions Eye partner that accepts eyeglass donations.

Infant & Maternity Supplies

  • Mothers’ Home — Due to Covid, they are not currently accepting donations of used items, but they are accepting donations of unopened formula, diapers, and new clothing.
  • Birthright International — Donations of maternity and baby items are accepted. Use the Locations tab to find a Birthright near you and learn more about their needs.

Full-Service Pickup

  • 1-800-GOT-JUNK? — Book online for a pick-up at your home where their team will take a look at your items and provide a price for junk removal.
  • Junk Rescue — Get a free quote on their website for junk removal.
  • College Hunks Hauling Junk — Book online for junk removal or donation pickup and receive a free estimate.

Greeting Cards (New & Used)

Legos

  • Give Back Box — Mail in your unused Legos to be shared with children who will benefit by learning from play.

Mascara Wands

  • Wands for Wildlife (program is currently paused due to Covid, but check back soon) — Donate your cleaned mascara wands to be used to clean the fur and feathers of wild animals.

Medical Equipment & Supplies

  • Goodwill Home Medical Equipment — Donate your unused medical equipment and help local residents with disabilities.
  • Samaritan’s Purse — Your medical equipment and supplies are sent to mission hospitals all around the world.
  • Med-Eq — Your donated items will be put to use at various non-profit agencies.

Musical Instruments

  • Musicopia — Donated instruments are placed with students who wish to play but cannot afford to rent or purchase one.
  • Hungry for Music — Donate your instrument in any condition.

Online Exchange Groups

  • Buy Nothing Project — Find the Buy Nothing Project Facebook group in your area to give and receive as needed.
  • The Hum Sum — An online exchange where you can post gifts or wishes as needed.
  • Freecycle — Keep items out of landfills by joining your local group to give unwanted items to people in need in your community.

Shoes

  • Soles 4 Souls — Donate your gently worn shoes to help people in developing countries.

Trophies, Plaques, Medals, etc.

  • Awards Mall — Donate your unused trophies to be used by non-profits.
  • Medals 4 Mettle — Donate your old medals to be given to children.

Wedding Gowns

  • NICU Helping Hands — Join the waitlist to be contacted on an as-needed basis for your gown donation.
  • Brides Across America — Donate your gown and support a military or first responder bride.

Prom Dresses, Flower Girl Dresses, etc.

  • Every Girls Dream (not accepting donations currently due to Covid, but check back soon) — Donate your wedding, prom, or flower girl dresses.

Stuffed Animals

  • Glad Dogs Nation — Donate your kid’s old stuffed animals to be turned into dog toys.
  • Stuffed Animals For Emergencies — Find a location near you to donate your new and gently used stuffed animals. They also accept donations of blankets, books, and more.

Miscellaneous:

  • Domestic Abuse Project of Delaware County — Check online to view the current needs of the Safe House and help domestic violence victims rebuild.
  • DonationTown — Plug in your zip code to find a list of non-profits near you that will pick up your items for donation.
  • Give Back Box — Mail in your donations that will be routed to the nearest participating organization.
  • Goodwill — Drop off your donations at a Goodwill center or donation bin near you.
  • Salvation Army — Accepts clothes, household items, and more. Drop off your donations at a location near you or schedule a free pickup online.
  • Green Drop — Find a drop-off location near you or schedule a pickup. They accept a wide variety of items such as clothing, household items, sporting goods, and electronics.
  • Pickup Please — Use their online portal to schedule a pickup of your clothing, electronics, and household items to help support America’s veterans.

I hope that you find some great programs to reach out to on this list to help your items move on and get more use somewhere else. There are so many resources out there that need your unwanted items. If you have other resources that you’ve used to donate used and unwanted items, let me know so we can add them to the list! If you’re ready to tackle your organizing project and need help sorting through what to keep and what to donate, please let me know. You can reach me at (267) 970-0769 or dawn@dgorganizing.com.

If you missed part one of this series, check out How To Recycle Practically Anything Just In Time For Earth Day for my list of recycling resources.

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