Your Ultimate Guide to Donating Used Items

Kohl's Photography
POPSUGAR Photography | Kohl's Photography
POPSUGAR Photography | Kohl's Photography

Whether you're looking to get rid of stuff or you want to help others in need, there are so many ways to donate anything you own. We have created the ultimate list of places you can donate and what kinds of items they accept. Check them all out and help someone who could really use your unwanted possessions.

  1. Goodwill: Clothes, toys, housewares, electronics — Goodwill takes a wide variety of items as long as they are in decent condition. You can drop them in the donation bins at your location. If you're donating a lot of items, certain locations have pick-up services that will come and get them for you. Call your nearest Goodwill to find out what's available in your area.
  2. Operation Give: FedEx any items you'd like to donate to Operation Give's warehouse in Utah. You get free shipping for sending in your stuff!
  3. Salvation Army: You can donate just about anything at Salvation Army, too. They will even take cars and furniture. Your items are then sold at the family stores where proceeds are used to fund their Adult Rehabilitation Centers, where those in the grip of addiction find help.
  4. Dress For Success: Donate any business-appropriate clothes and shoes to your local Dress For Success location. They also accept unused makeup or jewelry. They provide these items to low-income women all over the world.
  5. Books For Africa: Mail in any lightly used books to Books For Africa and help end the book famine in the continent.
  6. World Computer Exchange: You can donate computers, keyboards, laptops, printers, hard drives, or software to World Computer Exchange and it will be sent to developing countries that need the equipment. You can drop it off at a chapter near you or mail it in.
  7. The Glass Slipper Project: You can donate formal dresses, shoes, jewelry, and makeup to The Glass Slipper Project by mailing it in to its headquarters.
  8. Soles 4 Souls: Drop off any lightly worn shoes to your local Soles 4 Souls location or one of their partner locations.
  9. Pickup Please: Donate used clothes, shoes, appliances, and other items you're not using to Pickup Please by scheduling a day and time you'd like to have a pickup. Then leave your donations outside your home and they will be taken to Vietnam Veterans of America, a support service for veterans.
  10. Volunteers of America: If you have a car just sitting in your driveway and you no longer need it, you can donate it to Volunteers of America and the organization will pick it up for you. Don't forget — big donations like this serve as tax deductions.
  11. Planet Aid: The great thing about Planet Aid is that they take clothes in any condition, even stained or holey items. They do this because they want to save all textiles from the landfill. Find a donation bin bear you.
  12. Electronic Access Foundation: Donate any laptops, phones, tablets, computers, or monitors to the Electronic Access Foundation and they will pick up your items for you from your home. They then distribute your items to other qualified charitable organizations in need.
  13. Operation Paperback: Create an account on Operation Paperback's website and they will provide you with addresses where you can send your books. These addresses go directly to American troops overseas and military families here at home.
  14. One Warm Coat: Donate a coat to those in need by using One Warm Coat's coat drive locator to find the closest place to drop off your jackets.