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Furniture Donation Pick Up — Where to Donate Your Furniture
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Moving and don’t have space for that oak wardrobe? Simply schedule a furniture donation pick up and help out someone in need. If you aren’t sure where to donate your furniture, we’re here to help. From choosing an organization to scheduling a pick up, we’ve compiled the most important things to know about furniture donation and deciding where to donate furniture.
We’ll cover:
- The Benefits of Donating Furniture
- Furniture Donation Pick-Up Requirements
- How to Schedule a Pick Up for Your Furniture Donation
- How to Valuate Your Furniture for Donation
Get ready to feel good about purging your valuables!
The Benefits of Donating Furniture
Choosing to donate your furniture benefits both you and the environment. Americans added 9.7 million tons of furniture to landfills in 2015 alone. If you’re interested in keeping your furniture out of the landfills, donation is the way to go — consider donating your furniture a form of recycling. Want more to feel good about? You’re also helping someone decorate their home and the sale of your furniture can even help others overcome larger obstacles than home décor. What’s not to love?
You can even get a little money for your contribution. As long as you keep the receipt, you can claim your furniture donation on your tax return. Plus, donating also avoids the risk of any fines associated with leaving your unwanted furniture on the curb. And, added bonus, it lightens your moving load.
Where to Donate Furniture
1. The Salvation Army
When you donate to The Salvation Army, your furniture is sold at their Family Stores across the country. The proceeds from these stores are then used to fund The Salvation Army’s Adult Rehabilitation Centers for those struggling with addiction.
Want to know how or where to donate furniture to The Salvation Army? Their website is easy to navigate so you can find a drop off center near your home or quickly schedule a pick up online for your furniture donation. If you’re more of a phone person, you can also call for this information: 1-800-SA-TRUCK (1-800-728-7825).
2. Habitat for Humanity ReStore
These stores resell donated furniture, building materials, appliances, and household goods. The money from these sales then helps Habitat for Humanity build comfortable, affordable homes for families across the U.S.
If you’d like to schedule a pick up online for your furniture donation with Habitat for Humanity ReStore, you can do everything online — including a search for your nearest store. Be sure to give them a call to confirm their hours since they vary from store to store. Just make sure to call 1-2 weeks before your move date to get your donation picked up on time.
3. Goodwill
If you want somewhere to donate furniture that also stimulates the economy, Goodwill does an amazing job. Not only does the revenue from furniture donation pick-ups and drop-offs fund employment training opportunities, but it also helps support job placement services for people in communities across the United States.
With over 3.2 thousand stores in the U.S. alone, you’re bound to find a location close to home with the help of their Goodwill Locator. Once you do, give them a call to confirm whether they offer pick-up service for furniture donation of large items or if you should pack up your things and drop them off at one of their donation sites.
4. Vietnam Veterans of America (VVA)
This group advocates for veterans of the Vietnam War from every angle. Between offering vets financial advising and job placement, to providing outreach programs and optimizing access to benefits, the VVA does it all. They use the furniture, clothing, and household goods from their donation pick ups to provide Vietnam War veterans and their families services they need.
Finding out where to donate furniture to the VVA is easy. Simply visit their website, select your state from the interactive map or by entering your zip code, and schedule a pick up or drop off of your furniture donation.
5. The National Furniture Bank Association of North America (FBANA)
If you’re looking for help discovering where to donate your furniture, FBANA connects your furniture donation to the furniture bank nearest you. Search for a nonprofit by location — and even check out their charitable stats. Want to know how many people they serve? FBANA has the lowdown. It’s a helpful tool for seeking out smaller, local organizations that need donations.
FBANA essentially serves as a database. Once you find the right furniture donation pick-up or drop-off center for you, FBANA will direct you to finalize your donation through the organization’s website.
6. Donation Town
Much like FBANA, Donation Town finds local places for you to request a pick up of your furniture donation based on your zip code. They specialize in charities and organizations that offer donation pick-up services, and you can schedule it right there on the Donation Town website.
Who Will Donate Furniture for You
7. Pick Up My Donation
Another company dedicated to keeping the furniture donation process as hassle-free as possible is Pick Up My Donation. After you enter your zip code, choose where to donate your furniture, pick a few time slots for pick up, and sit back. Pick Up My Donation has got you covered.
You should know that there’s a donation minimum in place to keep costs low for partnering nonprofits. If you don’t quite meet the minimum, don’t stress. Simply refer back to their collection of organizations that offer furniture donation pick up near you and select another from the list. Seamless furniture donation is one click away!
8. Donation Nation
The crew at Donation Nation really knows how to take the extra labor out of donating your furniture. Their furniture donation pick-up service is easy to use, and they come backed by excellent reviews. Simply select the date and hour that works best for your pick up, estimate the size of truck you’ll need, and they’ll do the rest.
The added convenience does come at a price, however, since you have to pay for the truck and removal service to pick up your donations. The good news is that it’s tax deductible (along with your donation).
Where to Donate Furniture Locally
9. Community theaters
Ever wonder where amateur theater groups get the furniture they use on stage? Their sets are often donated by fellow community members. So, if you’re wondering where to donate your lightly-used furniture and want to support your local arts, check your town/city’s website for local theater groups. You can usually contact them online or over the phone to discuss your donation.
10. Homeless shelters
Since homeless shelters provide meals and temporary shelter for hundreds of thousands of homeless individuals, they’re often in need of furniture and household items such as beds, couches, tables, chairs, etc. Want to find a homeless shelter to donate your furniture? Use this Homeless Shelter Directory to locate a shelter near you and find out how you can help.
11. Local thrift stores
Donating to your local thrift store is another option when deciding where to donate your furniture. Many operate as nonprofits or donate a percentage of their profits to certain charities. If you’re committed to the philanthropy of donating, double check the store’s status before donating. Here is a handy thrift store locator to help you find the stores closest to you.
12. Freecycle
Want to help out people in your own community? Freecycle is a nonprofit that lets people donate (and receive) goods in their neighborhood. It is the largest recycling and reuse website in the world, made up of 5,305 groups and managed by over 7,000 local volunteers. Donating is easy. Just sign up for a free membership, post your furniture for donation pick up, and let Freecycle take care of the rest.
13. BuyNothing
Thanks to the BuyNothing Project, you can give away your stuff directly to your closest neighbors. What started as an experimental hyper-local gift economy has become a worldwide social movement operating in over 25 countries. Local neighborhoods form gift economies — Facebook groups of neighbors who freely give away items. You can post anything you’d like to give away, lend, or share. You can also ask for anything you’d like to receive for free or borrow.
Furniture Donation Pick-Up Requirements
What you can donate
The most important thing to consider when determining whether something is eligible for donation or not is its condition. Most donation centers require donated goods to be in good working condition and free of any tears, stains, cracks, or strong odors.
What you can’t donate
If something is in poor shape, it will likely be refused by the donation recipient. If your cat used your armchair as a scratching post, for example, you’ll probably need to toss it with the garbage. Some organizations also have rules and restrictions on the type of furniture they’ll accept. Goodwill, for instance, does not take mattresses or box springs. Once you’ve decided where to donate your furniture, be sure to double check their donation requirements.
How to Schedule a Pick Up for Your Furniture Donation
Depending on where you donate your furniture, you may have a few options for scheduling your donation pickup. With the help of your zip code, most nonprofits let you select a day and time online. All you have to do is enter basic personal information, make your selections, and you’re good to go.
If they don’t have an online form, you can also contact various locations by phone to arrange for the pick up of your furniture donation. Make sure you’re calling the right location, though. You don’t want them scheduling your donation pick up in Austin if you live in Chicago.
As far as preparation goes, different organizations have various requirements. That said, you always want to evaluate your donation before pick up to ensure that it will, in fact, be taken. In general, many nonprofits require you to label your donation for pick up so they can be sure to take the right items. Since they’re all different, be sure to check your chosen organization’s requirements before booking your furniture donation pick up.
How to Valuate Your Furniture for Donation
If you intend to deduct the fair market value of your donated furniture (and clothing donations) on your taxes, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) requires that you price your own furniture when you donate it. Not sure where to start? Both the Goodwill Valuation Guide and the Salvation Army Donation Value Guide offer estimates to help you place an accurate price tag on the furniture you’re donating.
When pricing your items, consider their age and condition. Also, keep in mind that the guides are just estimates. For professional guidance, always contact your tax advisor.
And there you have it! Whatever your need for getting rid of furniture, you now have plenty of options for donating unwanted furnishings. So, schedule your furniture donation pick up online, call your local thrift store, or stop by in person. You can feel good knowing that you’ve helped your community, your wallet, and the environment.
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