A Comprehensive Guide to Donating Almost Anything Around Your Home

Donating items you no longer need is a great way to declutter, minimize waste, and assist others. However, figuring out where or how to donate various items can be tricky. This guide helps you donate almost anything you own, from gently worn shoes to outdated electronics. Additionally, we provide suggestions for charitable organizations that are most likely to accept specific items and even offer tax receipts for your donation’s value.

Apparel and Accessories

Clothing for all ages and sizes can be recycled or reimagined. This also applies to accessories like shoes, bags, and hats. If you wish to donate directly to individuals in your community, consider local shelters, religious institutions, and outreach centers as great places to start. Non-profit organizations such as Goodwill Industries and The Salvation Army accept clothes and accessories for resale in their thrift stores, using the proceeds to support their missions, including Goodwill’s career training programs. Both organizations provide tax receipts when donations are made in person, but donations left in drop-off bins or overnight boxes are not eligible for tax receipts.

The Vietnam Veterans of America will pick up donations like clothing, appliances, furniture, kitchen items, and more directly from your doorstep and leave a tax-deductible receipt behind.

For gently used professional attire such as suits, blouses, blazers, and skirts, donate to organizations like Dress for Success, which provides these clothes to women in need for job interviews, or Save A Suit, which does the same for veterans of any gender.

If you have prom dresses that have only been worn once or lightly used formal dresses, consider donating them to organizations like Becca's Closet, which gifts them to girls who cannot afford them. Soles4Souls also accepts new or gently used shoes and redistributes them to people in need.

Household Furniture and Appliances

This category includes items such as tables, chairs, sofas, beds, dressers, office chairs, desks, and more. Local startups, shelters, and even daycare centers might welcome furniture donations. It's a good idea to contact them beforehand to check if they're open to receiving your items. In addition to the previously mentioned organizations, Habitat for Humanity ReStore, The Arc, and Furniture Bank Network also accept furniture donations. These organizations also accept kitchenware and small appliances, including pots, pans, plates, cups, blenders, and toasters. Habitat for Humanity ReStore generally offers tax receipts. Other organizations may or may not provide tax receipts, so it’s wise to ask about it before dropping off your donation.

Electronics

This category includes many items such as computers, cell phones, tablets, and various small appliances. If your devices are still functional, local schools, community centers, or shelters are often willing to accept them. For electronics that are slightly damaged or outdated, you may need to explore a few different donation options.

Consider donating your old cell phone to organizations like Secure the Call, which provides emergency-only cell phones to domestic violence centers, senior citizen centers, and police and sheriff departments. Cell Phones for Soldiers accepts cell phone donations, resells them, and uses the funds to buy calling cards for soldiers overseas and provide emergency assistance to veterans.

For devices that no longer function but still contain personal information you want to protect, you can take them to the Apple Store for Mac products or Best Buy for other devices. Both companies offer to wipe the data and recycle the devices for future refurbishment. Alternatively, if you know someone interested in tinkering, consider gifting your old devices for them to disassemble and repurpose. Many tech enthusiasts begin by learning to fix and build devices through working on old, unused ones.

Children's Toys and Games

Beloved children's toys often carry sentimental value but also contribute to clutter. It's easy to part with them knowing they’ll be appreciated and cherished by others. Consider donating directly through your local buy-nothing groups or the Next Door App.

Gently used toys, stuffed animals, and baby items make wonderful donations for organizations like Stuffed Animals for Emergencies, which distributes them to hospitals, emergency services, and homeless shelters. Second Chance Toys collects plastic toys to prevent them from ending up in landfills, instead giving them to children in need.

Certain items, such as car seats and cribs, may not be accepted by some organizations due to evolving safety regulations and recalls.

While many consider old video games, cassettes, CDs, and DVDs as clutter, they might be highly valued by collectors. Instead of discarding them, think about donating them to thrift stores or trading them in at gaming stores for credit.

Books and Magazines

School libraries and community centers are often happy to accept gently used books and reading materials. While public libraries typically cannot add donated books to their collection for borrowing, many host regular book sales to fund their programs. If you have books in other languages, consider reaching out to language schools, cultural centers, or even foreign embassies and consulates to see if they would be interested in accepting them. Art schools and senior centers often appreciate donations of old books and magazines for use in scrapbooking, crafts, or other leisure activities.

Food and Canned Goods

Excess food can quickly fill up your kitchen cabinets. To prevent perfectly good, unexpired food from going to waste, donate it to food pantries or local shelters. You can also check out Feeding America, Meals on Wheels, and other USDA recommended sites for donation opportunities. If you have surplus catered food or run a home-based food business, you might need to explore different donation options, such as Food Rescue or GoodR.

Linens, Bedding, Towels, and Rugs

In addition to thrift stores and shelters, these items can still serve a meaningful purpose long after their initial use. Animal shelters and humane societies often appreciate donations like these to provide comfort for the animals in their care. Reach out to your local ASPCA, Humane Society, or small-animal rescue organization to see if they can put your items to good use.

Eyeglasses and Hearing Aids

Donating your old prescription glasses or hearing aids can make a big difference in the lives of those who lack access to eye and ear care. Lions Club International is one organization that accepts usable eyewear and hearing aids. For glasses, check out ReSpectacle or OneSight for drop-off locations or mail-in options. The Hearing Aid Project takes hearing aids, along with their batteries and accessories. Refurbishing these items can improve the quality of life for individuals who truly need them.

Sporting Goods and Gym Equipment

Do you have bikes, exercise machines, weights, sports equipment, or outdoor gear you no longer use? Many local gyms might be willing to take in newer items. You could also contact your town’s mayor’s office of sports and recreation, as they may accept donations for redistribution to community centers and charities. Other potential recipients include local schools, Boys and Girls Clubs, YMCA, after-school programs, sports teams, and senior centers. Additionally, consider donating bicycles to Bikes for the World, where they can be sent to communities in need of transportation worldwide.

Tools and Hardware

Unused hand tools, power tools, and various items gathering dust in your garage could find new life with those who will put them to good use. The Men's Shed is a national charity offering creative projects and work opportunities for retired individuals, relying on donations to keep their programs running.

Across the country, tool libraries are popping up, functioning much like book libraries but for tools. These libraries provide free access to tools for entire communities. If your town has one, consider donating. Alternatively, contact administrators at technical schools, teachers, or school board members to see if there are workshops, car repair, or woodworking courses that could benefit from your tools.