Are you moving across the country or planning on moving interstate, and looking to find out where you can donate furniture? You’ve come to the right place. We’ll help you decide where you can give away those pieces that you don’t want to take with you to a new home.
Every relocation is an excellent opportunity for decluttering, especially long distance moves. Whether you’re moving for love and the sofa you have isn’t big enough for both of you watching Netflix, or you’re re-thinking the things you need for your first apartment, there’s always some piece of furniture that you won’t be relocating to a new home. Before looking up how to change your address, make a list of things you no longer want. There are always people who need them, so take a look at the best charities where you can give away your household items.
Why Is It a Good Decision to Donate Furniture?
Every donation is an act of kindness because you’re helping someone in need. It can be someone you know personally or a person that needs help you’ve heard of. Whatever may be the case, it’s always useful to know What is the best charity to donate furniture or where can you donate clothes for the homeless.
But the good feeling of helping someone isn’t the only benefit of being charitable. Deciding to give away your things before relocating can also leave more money in your moving budget. As you downsize, you might as well find the cheapest way to move out of state. Cleaning your home and putting aside everything that has become redundant is one of the most important moving hacks because you’ll be left with fewer things to pack, move, and unpack. Furniture donation is great for that reason exactly – big sofas or bookshelves will take a lot of space in the transportation truck, and they will take time to disassemble and properly protect. The more furniture pieces you want to take, the more expensive the move will be, even if you choose the best time of the year to move. So, if you have any furniture that you do not need anymore, check out and learn how to donate furniture.
There’s Another Reason to Donate Furniture and Not to Sell It to Make Money
Selling your stuff online on Craigslist or eBay could be an excellent way to get rid of unwanted items, but only if you have time and will for such a thing. There are probably already too many tasks on your moving to-do list, so taking photos of the household items, posting them online, and waiting for someone to buy them can be pretty demanding.
On the other hand, donating furniture is not only an act of generosity, but it also brings you good things. Charitable giving allows you to deduct the value you donated from your taxes. You just need to make a list of what you’re giving away, see the value of used items you gave away and write that value on the organization’s preprinted receipts with the name, address, and date of the donation.
Know What Can You Give Away
Charities don’t accept everything – there are certain conditions you should meet. You can call or visit the organization’s website and see what they need right now, but the same requirements apply for all items.
- They should be gently used – Most charitable organizations take items from people who don’t need them and sell them in their stores. No one will want to buy something that has any kind of damage or tears. That also applies to any damage that your pet made.
- They should be clean – If there are some stains on the furniture’s fabric, try to remove them. If they can’t be washed, there’s no much use of trying to give that item away to an organization.
- Look up what the organization doesn’t accept – That’s usually mattresses, box springs, hazardous items, or those huge ones.
If your possessions are free from all of these flaws, you can start searching for used furniture donations.
Why Is It Important to Know Who Will Pick up Donated Items for Free?
Most people want to give away their stuff to charities, but the one thing that can make them have second thoughts is whether it will be simple and convenient. That is why most people ask themselves: What organization picks up furniture or Who picks up furniture donations in my area. Larger pieces such as couches or many dining chairs aren’t easy to transport to a charity, especially if you drive a small car. That is why it’s essential that the organization which will take your things also comes to pick them up for free.
What Charities Are the Best Choice for Donation?
Choosing which charity you will donate used furniture to depends mostly on your preferences and what causes you support in your community. There are outstanding organizations that cover the whole or a significant part of the nation. Those are:
- Goodwill
- Salvation Army
- Habitat for Humanity
- The Arc
- Furniture Banks
- Donation Town
- GreenDrop
You Can Also Donate Your Couch and Chairs Locally
Another way of helping your community is to give your things away to local organizations that take care of the poor or the homeless. Those are usually the churches, local thrift shops, homeless shelters, or even theaters. You could also spread the word that you have some stuff you’d want to give away for free or to post on your social media.
A Few Words for Each of the National Organizations – Goodwill, Habitat for Humanity…
To make it easier for you to pick, we wanted to explain each organization’s goals and values and list all the info that could be of help: what do they do, how they work, and what is their ultimate goal.
Goodwill Stands for the Power of Work
You know this name for sure – Goodwill is a non-profit organization that helps people build their skills, find a job, and keep it. Choosing to donate to them is a great idea, especially if you have their store somewhere nearby. Some stores don’t accept furniture while some do, and they will come to your home for pick-up: go to their website, type in your zip code, and find the nearest store. Then, contact them and ask whether they take furniture donations. If they do, schedule the pick-up and wait for the crew to arrive.
Do You Plan to Donate Sofas? Salvation Army Will Help
The Salvation Army focuses on helping those who fight poverty and hunger, but it also helps people with their rehabilitation from drugs and alcohol. They have rehabilitation centers, and donating to them means helping those in need. Donating large furniture is possible with the Salvation Army, but call them just in case to check if they’ll take what you have. They also provide a pick-up service.
Why Is Habitat for Humanity a Good Idea for Donations?
This charitable organization uses the money they earn from selling used or new things to make houses for families that need them. This charitable organization will accept your household items, and they will pick up your sofas, chairs, dining room tables, bookshelves, and much more.
What Is the Arc and How They Work?
This nation-wide organization’s goal is helping people with intellectual or developmental disabilities. By selling things in thrift stores, they support their programs and actively work on the full inclusion of people with disabilities. Schedule a pick-up with them and donate furniture you don’t need.
Furniture Banks Is a Great Option
This is a fantastic organization helping battered women and children who left hostile situations, poverty or abuse. They also help the homeless and will take your gently-used pieces of furniture. They aren’t in every state, so check which is the one nearest and contact them for free pick-up.
Donation Town Offers Fast and Free Help
In just a few minutes, you can arrange the team from Donation Town to come at your address and take the pieces you no longer want, but that can make a huge difference for those not so fortunate in your community.
They accept almost everything – office pieces, cribs, mattresses, armoires, and chest of drawers. Whatever you don’t want anymore, they will take and forward it to other charities, so their primary purpose is to connect charities and donors.
GreenDrop Is the Best Option If You’re on East Coast
This charity works with the Red Cross, the Society of St. Vincent de Paul, National Federation of Blind, and the Military Order of the Purple Heart, so the stuff they take from you will be sold at thrift shops, and the money will go to these organizations. They also offer another great (and free) service called Home Clean-Out. It will help you sort and give away clothing and household items, which is great, especially before the move you’re planning.
Don’t Forget to Hire a Reputable Relocation Company After You Make a Donation
Once you’re done with donating old furniture to the organization you chose, it’s time for a moving away party and hiring an experienced company that can provide you with both local moving and long-distance moving.
If you’re planning on interstate moving, you might not require car shipping, but moving state to state definitely asks for that service. It’s crucial to avoid moving scams and to choose someone who does business transparently. Don’t trust quotes that sound too good to be true, and don’t forget to get all the info: are there any hidden fees, how much does the packing cost, and what are storage expenses.
How to Find the Best Relocation Company in 2020
This year has impacted all businesses, and the same applies to the moving industry. Yet, professional companies found their way to stay on the market. If you’re looking for someone you can trust in these times of pandemic, it’s crucial to check whether the movers wear gloves, masks and is their equipment is disinfected. Only the company that cares about its clients and employees’ health should be good enough for you to hire them. Don’t risk with new unknown names – go on Yelp, Facebook, and Better Business Bureau and see which company has the best reviews from previous customers.
Eva Johnson
Digital nomad born in New York but currently living online, Eva knows everything there is to know about packing and moving.
