Donating your unwanted items feels good too!
It’s not news that there are 3 ways to get rid of your items once you’ve cleaned out a room and decided that an item is no longer worth keeping – trash/recycle, donate or sell. Items that do not add value to your life should not be in your life! Last week I wrote about prepping your items for re-sale so you can earn top dollar. But often a book, a toy or a jacket is not worth selling so you’re left with two options – trash or donate. If you’re only going to earn a few dollars for an item, it might not be worth selling because the time and energy you put into prepping it for sale.
Once you decide to donate your unwanted items there are still steps to ensure your items are prepped for donation.
- Clean your items. Donated items should be in good used condition or better.
- Choose a reputable charity.
- Get a receipt stamped with the charity’s name. You can then write off your donation on your next tax return.
Here are a few reputable charities to consider when deciding where to donate:
Dress for Success offers professional clothing and employment assistance to disadvantaged women across the US. Here are the guidelines of the clothes they can accept.
Society of St. Vincent de Paul is a charitable organization that fosters the spiritual development of its participants. St. VdeP runs thrift stores across the country where you can donate items. This link will take you to the St. Vincent de Paul site where you can search for a thrift store near you.
The Vietnam Veterans Association will come to your house to pick up clothing and household goods, these items are then sold to privately owned thrift shops. The proceeds are used to support Vietnam veterans and their families. Visit clothingdonations.org to call to make an appointment for a pickup (this is very convenient)!
For used books, check out this previous post on Organizing your Home Library for suggested places to donate unwanted books.
What is your favorite charitable organization to donate?
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