You don’t have to move everything in your current home to your new home. After all, the fewer items you move to the new place, the less you have to spend on moving costs.
But what should you do with all the stuff that you don’t feel like moving? If they’re no longer useful, you can send them off to be recycled. But if they’re still in good condition, the best thing to do is to donate them.
Why not sell them, you ask? Unless you really need the money, selling stuff just takes too much time and effort. Taking photos of the items, advertising or listing them, dealing with buyers and shipping them off is just too much of a hassle.
Why not try doing a good deed and donate your unwanted personal belongings instead? Here’s how:
Where to donate clothes
A simple rule of thumb for deciding whether or not to keep clothes is: if you haven’t worn it in a year, toss it. It’s highly likely you’ll never wear it again anyway.
As long as they are clean and in good condition, your pre-loved clothes will be blessings to the homeless. You can also drop off or ship your used clothing to charitable organizations like Dress for Success or Career Gear, which provide clothes for the unemployed and for low-income individuals who need business professional clothes to wear to job interviews.
You can also send your family’s clothes to Goodwill, the Salvation Army, or to Savers, which helps non-profit organizations hold clothing drives. Baby clothes can be sent to or dropped off at Loved Twice or Newborns In Need. These organizations distribute baby clothes to hospitals, clinics, and shelters.
Where to donate furniture
Donating your furniture lets you save on moving expenses and gives you the opportunity to start over in terms of interior design. This is also the best option if your current furniture doesn’t fit into your new place or if you are moving somewhere where bringing your own furniture is not an option.
Old but usable furniture and household goods are accepted at many charities and may even be picked up from your home for free. The Salvation Army, which helps families in times of need, accepts furniture, as does the Furniture Bank Association of North America, which helps struggling families.
If you have fitness equipment that you no longer use, you can send them to Fitness For Charity. Goodwill accepts most items, but call them first to make sure they have space for large furniture. You can also hire a moving company to help you with bigger items.
Where to donate other items
As long as they are in good working condition, you can donate toys, computers, phones, electronics, appliances, books, art supplies, musical instruments, and other surplus items. You can pack up and drop these items off at places like shelters, foster homes, hospitals, hospices, churches, day care centers, nursing homes, and orphanages. These may also be accepted at libraries, animal shelters, schools, and food banks.
If, after donating, you still have items left to dispose of, recycle them instead. Get in touch with organizations like Earth911 for advice on how to properly dispose of your unwanted items.
