Where to donate your old furniture?

If you are moving to a new home, chances are high that the furniture you might have had in your old apartment won’t necessarily fit in your new one. Or maybe you’re just looking to update it and change things up a bit. Whatever the reason, you have some gently used items and throwing them away wouldn’t make sense. If they’re in very good condition you could probably sell them. However, if you don’t have time to organize selling, you can just donate your old furniture. Here at Capital City Bins we have come up with a list of things to consider when donating pieces of furniture you don't need.

Donate your old furniture to lighten the load load when moving.

Why should you donate your old furniture?

There are many reasons to donate items you no longer need. The obvious reason is being generous and benefiting your community. It will also make moving to your new place simpler. This would leave you with more space in the moving truck for your reusable plastic moving bins NYC residents love to use. Donating is theenvironmentally responsible option. Items someone might be able to use shouldn’t clog up landfills. Rather than contribute to this waste, why not help someone in need? Furthermore, if you choose to donate to a recognized nonprofit organization, the items you gave away can be tax-deductible. Make sure you receive a receiptfromthe charity you donated the items to so you can include it with your tax documents. You’ll also have to determine the approximate tax-deductible value of the furniture you donated.

What can you donate?

Charities are different and each has its own list of acceptable items. But generally speaking, furniture should easily be accepted — with the assumption it’s gently used and clean. A good rule of thumb is this: If the item of furniture isn’t in good enough condition for you to give it to a friend, then it shouldn’t be donated. Also, most charities don’t accept mattresses and box springs. Decide what you're donating before you get to creating a packing timeline, so you what packing materials to acquire.

Create a list of items you are willing to donate

Charity organizations that offer free furniture donation pick up

The decision to give away your old furniture was an environmentally responsible choice and we commend you on it. You can take a step further in helping the environment and make your move as much eco-friendly as possible. You'll achieve this by choosing green moving supplies to pack your donation. However, moving can be a quite stressful process. That's without even thinking about disassembling, packing and relocating furniture you are donating. Some charities will come to your address and pick up the donation, free of charge. It'll save you both time and nerves. Here is a list of such charities.

• Salvation Army
• Goodwill
• Habitat for Humanity
• The Arc
• Furniture Bank Network

All of the organizations above will do good with your donations, but their ways of making an impact are different. Instead of just going with the first one on the list, check out an organization’s website to ensure their values and methods meet the mark for you. Also, check that they’re available in your area, of course.

Salvation Army

The Salvation Army is an international organization that helps people with many different needs, including disaster relief, hunger, poverty, addiction, human trafficking, and more. If you choose to donate items to The Salvation Army, they sell your items in their Family stores. Salvation army donations contribute their proceeds toward their Adult Rehabilitation Centers. These Centers help those who are struggling with drugs and alcohol to overcome their addictions, build work skills, and restore their families. Due to government rules on re-selling, there are certain things The Salvation Army donation center won’t accept. For example, particle board furniture, metal desks, TV armoires, and baby items (such as high chairs and car seats).

Goodwill

Another well-known organization that will pick up your donated items is Goodwill. Items will be brought to a nearby Goodwill store and sold at a steeply discounted price to those in need. The money raised goes to a variety of different initiatives, including job training and placement programs.

Habitat for humanity

This charity helps provide decent and affordable housing to those in need around the world. They're funded partly through Habitat ReStores, which are thrift stores located throughout the U.S. and are ideal places to make a furniture donation.

The Arc

With over 700 local chapters, The Arc helps individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. They are partly funded through thrift stores stocked with donated items.

Furniture Bank Network

When you donate furniture to Furniture Banks, they redirect your items into the hands of those in need who cannot afford to furnish their homes. Furniture Banks work with both city authorities and private organizations in the hopes of recycling as many items and materials as possible. That way they're preventing them from ending up in landfills.

Local places in your neighborhood you could donate old furniture to

If you don't opt for a charity, you might want to check around your local community for any places looking for donations. Here is a list of a few places to consider.

• Schools and libraries
• Homeless shelters or youth centers
• Theaters and arts centers
• Churches, temples, and other places of worship
• Animal shelters

Choosing reusable moving bins made from recycled plastic reduces waste.

Eco-friendly packing

When it comes to packing, best choice of moving supplies is plastic and the most sustainable option. Isn’t plastic harmful to the environment, you're wondering? Well, in this case, boxes are made from recycled plastic that can be reused many times over, reducing landfill waste from single-use boxes.Your choice to donate your old furniture is the right one to make. Also, by reducing waste during your relocation, you are doing your part in preserving our planet. It may seem like a small thing to do but small changes can still make an impact. Taking into account some US migration data an average American moves 11.7 times in their lifetime, each of us makes a pretty big environmental impact over the course of our moves. If we were all to approach moving the way you are considering, we would trouble our planet far less. Be the change you want to see in the world, right?