Ok, so you’ve decluttered. Congratulations! You have a big pile of stuff you’re willing to part with. You don’t want to dump it in a landfill, but…what do you do with all of it?
My last post covered how to sell the stuff you don’t want anymore. However, I actually don’t recommend that you try to sell most of your clutter. Because we live in a world where junk is plentiful and inexpensive, the majority of the items you’re removing from your home likely aren’t particularly valuable. Trying to sell them will take time and effort, and the thought of all that work could deter you from taking action when it comes to decluttering. Instead, you’ll want to donate a lot of these items.
(One exception here is clothes that are in good condition. You can use a fast and easy service like ThredUp to sell clothes with minimal effort.)
After decluttering, you’ll have 3 tiers of items in your “discard” pile:
- Valuable items in good condition: designer clothes, bags, and accessories, collectibles, jewelry, etc.
- Items in good condition that aren’t particularly valuable: clothes, shoes, household items, furniture, decor, pantry items, toys, etc.
- Items that are not in good condition: broken toys or household items, damaged clothes, expired pantry items, etc.
My previous article discussed #1 on this list. This article will cover #2. The third on this list – items that are not in good condition- will have to go in the trash or recycling, unfortunately. (I’ll write another post soon on where to recycle, though!)
Some Advice to Start Out
I want to start this article with some general guidance: Don’t try to donate stuff that is not in good condition. Based on my experience volunteering at community centers, I can tell you that donating things that are not in good condition only creates work for the staff and volunteers. When someone drops off their donations, staff sort through them to determine what is salvageable. Anything that’s in poor condition gets thrown in the trash anyway, and you’ll make the staff’s lives harder in the process. Remember that in a context where low-quality items are relatively cheap and abundant, even people in need don’t want stained clothes, broken appliances, or expired food. Even if it makes you feel wasteful, please throw things out yourself, as the donation center will end up throwing them out anyway.
Once you’ve sorted out what’s worth donating, here are 6 ideas for where you can give things away:
1. Your Local Buy Nothing Group
Two friends in Washington started the Buy Nothing Project in 2013 with a mission to strengthen communities while reducing waste. Neighborhood groups have sprung up around the world, creating “hyperlocal gift economies” where you can share items you no longer need with your community.
Often, people join Buy Nothing groups when they are doing “no buy” or “low buy” months and years. Minimalists who are decluttering and people doing “no/low buy” challenges can have a great symbiotic relationship. Your goal as a minimalist is to remove items from your space, and you can donate those to people in your neighborhood who are trying not to spend. These groups encourage sharing and sense of community spirit within your neighborhood.
In fact, a Buy Nothing group is also great for little day-to-day things to avoid waste. For example, last year I was using a meal service and forgot to choose my meals one week. I ended up with two meals focused on mushrooms, which everyone in my family hates. I asked my local Buy Nothing group if anyone wanted two free meals and got rid of them that afternoon.
How It Works
I’ve used Facebook to communicate with my neighborhood group, but there is also an app. You can post photos of what you want to donate and write a brief description starting with “TO GIVE.” Rather than giving to the first person who comments, many donors will let things “simmer” for about a day and then choose a random number to decide who to give the item to. This makes things fairer for community members who can’t be on their phones all day. Once you choose someone, message them directly to schedule a pickup. Then update the post to explain that the item was claimed.
Tips
- If you’re listing multiple things at once, you can say that you’ll give preference to anyone willing to take multiple or all items. That means you spend less time coordinating pickups.
- Don’t try to sell or trade items here – you could get banned!
- Unfortunately, some people ghost when asked to pick up the item they said they wanted. In my personal experience – an unscientific observation – the more someone begs and pleads about how much they want you to choose them, the more likely they are to flake. I don’t understand it, but it’s held true for me.
What Should I Use It For?
Just about anything –
- Clothes
- Kids’ toys and products
- Cosmetics
- Pet products
- Furniture
- Decor
- Books
- Appliances
- I’ve even rehomed houseplants this way!
2. Goodwill or Salvation Army
These are larger non-profits with missions dedicated to improving lives. Donations can be as diverse as clothes, furniture, appliances – even cars. Salvation Army is a Christian organization, whereas Goodwill is not religiously affiliated, if that makes a difference to you. The advantage of these organizations is that their donation centers make it easy to drop off a variety of items quickly and receive a receipt for tax deductions. On the other hand, both organizations have received criticism. I won’t get into that here, but you can research them and decide if you want to go this route. While they accept a variety of items, remember to sort through your stuff and discard anything they can’t resell. Those things will likely end up in a landfill anyway. That being said, as I understand it, both organizations recycle clothes they can’t sell.
How It Works
Just gather your items and either bring them to a donation center or schedule a pickup.
Here’s a link to find a donation center or schedule a pickup with Goodwill.
Here’s a link to find a donation center or schedule a pickup with the Salvation Army.
Tips
- Launder or clean your items before packing them up for donation, and test to make sure things like appliances and electronics are in working order.
- You can make the staff’s lives easier by organizing and labeling your items before dropping off.
- Make sure to mark any boxes containing fragile items clearly.
- I also recommend contacting your local branch before dropping off to see what they’re currently accepting.
What Should I Use It For?
- Clothes
- Electronics
- Appliances
- Household items
- Furniture
- Almost anything that is in good enough condition to resell
3. Your Local Food Bank
Many non-profits and churches manage food banks, which store food donations. They distribute these to food pantries, where people can go if they need food assistance. In general, these will accept donations of pantry items that are unopened, not expired, and don’t require refrigeration. This is a good option if you do a kitchen declutter and realize that you were overly optimistic about what canned foods, pastas, and grains your family would eat.
How It Works
Feeding America has a feature that will allow you to find a local food bank based on your zip code. Simply box up your pantry items and drop them off.
Tips
- Feeding America recommends that you contact your local food bank to ask what they need before donating.
- Check expiration dates on all items before donating.
- If you have unused refrigerated items you want to avoid wasting, I recommend that you offer them to your local Buy Nothing group instead.
What Should I Use It For?
- Pantry items
- Canned food
- Pasta
- Grains
- Peanut butter
- Spices
- Oils
- Some food banks will also accept unused personal care items
4. Your Local Animal Shelter
Animal shelters care for stray or abandoned animals and coordinate pet adoptions. Since they rely on donations and adoption fees to operate, they often appreciate material donations. If you have a pet, you may have extra food, litter, carriers, leashes, collars, toys, grooming products, or food bowls that you want to declutter. In addition to pet products, though, shelters can use things like towels, bedding, fabric from old t-shirts, plastic bags, cleaning products, and even office supplies. If you’re an animal lover, you may prefer to send your donations to a shelter than another type of donation center. I think these are a great option especially for things like old towels and sheets that wouldn’t make sense to resell.
How It Works
You can use a service like Petfinder to find an animal shelter near you. Call ahead to ask what they need and the best way to deliver your donation.
Tips
- Make sure any cleaning products you’re giving are unopened or, in the case of something like a mop and bucket, cleaned. The same goes for pet food.
- Toys should be washable fabric or non-porous plastic that can be sanitized.
What Should I Use It For?
- Pet supplies
- Cleaning products
- Towels
- Sheets
- Extra fabric
5. Clothing Donation Bins
Many non-profits have clothing donation bins where people can quickly and easily drop off clothes and shoes to donate. I’ve found a variety by simply using google Maps to search for “clothing drop boxes” near me. The advantage here is that you can quickly deposit a bag of unwanted clothes after a declutter while you’re running errands. The disadvantage would be that you may not receive a receipt for your taxes (if you’re looking for that) and you don’t really know what happens to your clothes after the drop-off. I recommend using this option if you’ve done a large closet cleanout and you just want all the bags out of your house fast.
How It Works
Launder the clothes you no longer want, fold them and place them in bags, and drop them into the bin.
Tips
- I recommend looking up the organization affiliated with the donation bin to find out what items are most in demand and if there’s anything they prefer you not include.
- Many drop boxes ask that you not use garbage bags to deliver your donations.
- As with all donations, make sure what you’re giving is in clean and undamaged.
What Should I Use It For?
- Clothes
- Accessories
- Shoes
- Winter gear
6. Little Free Libraries
Little Free Library is a nonprofit with a mission to build community, inspire readers, and expand access to books via a global network of volunteer-led book-exchange boxes. I have two Little Free Libraries in my neighborhood, and I’m obsessed with them! I love checking out what new books have appeared since I last passed by – often things I would never think to search for at the library or bookstore. And I love that I can easily drop off books after reading them instead of hoarding them forever in my home. It’s reshaped my approach to reading and allowed me to be more of a minimalist with books. Instead of hanging on to them in case I ever want to reread them, or using them to show off my diverse interests on a dusty shelf in my living room, I just read and release.
How It Works
You can see if your town has one using this Little Free Little Free Library World Map. Just place any books you no longer need on the shelf.
Tips
- Please only leave books at your Little Free Library. I sometimes see people leaving other things there – often random things like old charging cords, opened bags of food, or little gadgets that I assume they could not figure out where to donate. I totally understand the urge to get rid of something without throwing it in the trash or researching what to do with it! But I urge you not to be tempted – it only clutters the space, and it’s not what the library is intended for.
- If you don’t have a Little Free Library near you, you can try donating your old books to a used bookstore. Many of the coffee shops in my neighborhood also have free shelves where customers can leave and take books.
What Should I Use It For?
Books!
Conclusion
It can be overwhelming to think of what to do with your clutter after you’ve identified what you want to discard. The thought of finding new homes for all your stuff can even paralyze you to the point where you can’t get started on decluttering. I hope this list shows you that it’s not as hard as you might think, and you don’t need to throw everything away.
Have you found other places to donate things you no longer want? I’d love to hear your tips in the comments!