Charities That Offer Free Donation Pick Up
Moving is oftentimes the perfect opportunity to go through your belongings and donate items you no longer need. In addition to helping you get rid of items you no longer need before you move, you can help others in need and may qualify for a charitable deduction come tax time. To aid in the ease of donating household items, many charitable organizations will come to you to collect your donations. Here are a few charitable organizations that make it simple for you to donate items to be repurposed or sold to those who need them.
Salvation Army
The Salvation Army has become synonymous with donation collection and giving back over the years–and for good reason. They were established in 1865 and have a presence in over 130 countries. The items they collect are both given directly to those in need and also sold at one of their over 8,000 locations across the globe. One of the best things about them is that you can arrange a furniture pickup (among other items) so you don’t have to take a trip to your local store to drop off. They accept a variety of items including:
- Furniture
- Mattresses
- Electronics
- Books
- Household items
- Clothing
Schedule a pickup with the Salvation Army by visiting their website.
Habitat For Humanity
Founded in 1976, Habitat For Humanity’s goal is to provide decent and affordable housing to those in need across the globe. A large part of their funding comes from items sold at their Habitat ReStores that sell donated items at discounted prices. They accept a variety of items including:
- Furniture
- Building Materials
- Appliances
- Household items
Schedule a pickup with Habitat For Humanity by visiting their website.
Pickup Please
Pickup Please is an organization that was originally founded to help benefit the Vietnam Veterans of America and has now expanded its efforts to support veterans from all U.S. wars and of all ages. In addition, they are committed to issues that specifically impact women and minority veterans. While they note they will pick up almost anything, they specialize in smaller items easily lifted by one individual such as:
- Clothing
- Toys
- Electronics
- Tools
- Sporting equipment
- Small home furnishings
- Books
Schedule a pickup with Pickup Please by visiting their website.
Some things to keep in mind when organizing your items for a donation pickup:
- Know what to donate and what to throw away. Most charities that offer donation pickup still require that the items be in good, working condition. Clothing should be clean and stain-free and household items should be operable.
- Dispose responsibly. When disposing of items that you are not going to donate, dispose of them responsibly. For example, there are multiple organizations that will collect unwearable clothing to repurpose the textiles into other things.
- Prep your items. Even if you are having a donation pickup at your home, ensure that all items are bagged or boxed up in a neat orderly manner so that it’s easy for the organization to pick up your items. And avoid overfilling boxes so that nothing is too heavy for the volunteers to pick up.
- Schedule your pickup. Don’t wait until moving day to try and get a charity to pick up items at your home. Schedule your pickup in advance so that you are able to secure a pickup date that works for you and avoid adding stress to your move.
