Where to Donate Items After Decluttering a Home

Give Away Books, Magazines, Clothing & Furniture to Good Causes

Nov 12, 2009

Help those in need by donating items that are no longer used in the home.

When it’s time to declutter and organize, find a new home for items that are no longer needed. Donate books, magazines, clothing and furniture to a person or organization that can make use of them or get them to the people with the greatest need.

Donate Used Books

Local libraries will often accept used book donations. They will either add the book to their circulating collection or put it in a library book sale to raise funds for the library. While sorting books, make a commitment to donate some of them. It’s easy to fill a box with books and drop it at the library. If there is doubt about whether or not the local library accepts book donations, call ahead.

Donate Used Magazines

Magazines can generally be recycled, but why not donate them to someone else that can use them first? Senior centers, doctor’s offices and women’s shelters may accept magazine donations. Call ahead to be sure the organization is willing to accept the donation. Some people that donate magazines either remove or black out the address label to protect privacy.

Some groups would like magazines to use for craft projects. Preschools, elementary schools and day care centers may all appreciate this free craft supply that is great for making collages. Check with the school’s head teacher, principal or art teacher to see if there is a need.

Donate Used Clothing

Used clothing is quite easy to donate. There are collection boxes from Goodwill and the Salvation Army readily available at several locations in most municipalities. Be sure the clothing donations are in good condition. If it’s too stained or damaged to wear, then save it for the rag pile.

Children’s clothing of the appropriate sizes may be donated to a preschool or day care center. Women’s and children’s clothing could be donated to a shelter. Art teachers may appreciate donations of men’s button-up shirts to use as children’s smocks. Church-run thrift stores generally accept clothing donations.

Donate Used Furniture

Big items, like furniture and appliances, are a bit harder to donate. However, The Salvation Army will accept these donations. It’s even possible to have someone from The Salvation Army pick up the donated items. According to the Salvation Army website, pick ups need to be scheduled a week to two weeks ahead of time. Contact the local Salvation Army center for more information.

Don’t avoid decluttering and organizing because of uncertainty about what to do with all the things that are no longer used. Donate books, magazines, clothing and furniture to clean out the home and help someone else in need.

The copyright of the article Where to Donate Items After Decluttering a Home in Home Organization is owned by Barb Hacker. Permission to republish Where to Donate Items After Decluttering a Home in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.