where to donate larger furniture [Archive]

Rogar

1-16-11, 10:16am

herisf

1-16-11, 10:26am

You're going to have to call around to see which organization in your area will come to your home - it really varies. Where I used to live in California, only St Vincent de Paul would come. Where I now live in Washington, it's Habitat for Humanity. Let your fingers do the walking.

fidgiegirl

1-16-11, 11:06am

I have had the best luck simply placing a free ad on Craigslist for these types of items. To be truthful, we've had BETTER luck even placing a nominal fee on the items. It feels like people are frequently jerks about the free listings, not showing when they say they will, not getting back to you, etc. But when people perceive that they will miss out on a good deal, they show up. Sounds funny, I know, but we've had muuuuuuuch better luck with people when there is money involved. Huh. We like this approach with large items rather than a donation scenario because it saves us having to transport the item. The onus is on the buyer to retrieve it.

Here the Epilepsy Foundation will pick up but you have to make an appointment.

Jemima

1-17-11, 9:21pm

In my area, Salvation Army will pick up as will the St. Vincent DePaul Society and a privately operated thrift store. This isn't a big metro area, either. Ask around, call around.

Spartana

1-19-11, 2:13pm

You can schedule a pick up by the Salvation Army or Goodwill via their website. You can either leave the stuff outside for the pick up (don't have to be home) or they'll carry it from inside your home. They leave you with a receipt for tax purposes where you can fill in the value for a tax deduction to charity.

redfox

1-19-11, 3:13pm

I'd recommend calling an area shelter, as many have transitional housing programs that house families for up to a year.

lhamo

1-19-11, 3:48pm

I'd recommend calling an area shelter, as many have transitional housing programs that house families for up to a year.

This is a great idea, if you can find a relevant shelter or program. When we left NYC, we donated all the furniture and household goods we couldn't sell (and it was a lot!) to a place called "Furnish a Future" that provided such things to families moving out of homelessness. I still feel good that we went that route -- at least the life energy we put into accumulating that stuff and the stuff itself may have helped other families get a fresh start.

lhamo

Gina

1-19-11, 4:32pm

You can schedule a pick up by the Salvation Army ...
Our local salvation army won't take larger furniture.

A charity would be better of course, but if you really just want to get rid of it and can't find one that will take it, call your local used furniture stores and offer it to them for free... if they'll pick it up. Someone at least would make a buck from it. :)

CathyA

1-19-11, 7:49pm

I got rid of alot of my mom's furniture through St. Vincent DePaul. They picked it all up. And its tax deductible.

shawntheweaver

2-21-13, 11:09pm

Do you have any photos that you could send over to charities after you make a call? Some charitable groups may have a hard time giving these pieces of furniture away to families, since these families may have also very limited space in their own homes. If the group is not able to give these away, the group may also have a hard time storing these at their end. This will pose an even bigger problem for them and they may incur disposal costs. Do these pieces of furniture look very old-fashioned, like Amish furniture? I can only think of that kind. It would be great if you could upload these in a photo-hosting site, and post the link here. Who knows, someone might be interested as well to buy these.

larknm

2-28-13, 11:22am

We live in a poor neighborhood, so anything like that put out on the street gets snapped up by people who really need it. I also really like the shelter idea redfox mentioned. We have a Habitat for Humanity Re-store, but their things like this sell for too much money, IMO, so I don't give to them.

sweetana3

2-28-13, 3:54pm

Habitat uses the money it makes to support its charitable mission of providing housing. My husband is a retiree who has spent the past week working in the warehouse preping for the coming building season.

They are not in the business of furnishing homes or the of picking up stuff to give it away. They need money to buy building supplies to build houses. Our Restore has all kinds of things at very reasonable prices and the stuff moves at the speed of light so there is a lot of interest and the prices must be right.

Tussiemussies

2-28-13, 4:25pm

I'm doing a little decluttering this winter and have a few larger furniture items I need to get rid of. Nice shape but would just as soon donate to a worthy cause as advertise for sale or as a free-be. My local Goodwill and other favorite charity for household items won't take larger furniture. Are there charitable groups that might take stuff like this?

If it is in good condition, Habitat for Humanity would take it, but I believe you have to get it there. We just donated nice articles to The Salvation Army and they pick it up. The Salvation Army has a store...

larknm

4-8-13, 6:55pm

We currently have a couch that's in terrible condition--rips in the seat, not reparable. Where to send stuff like this that's NOT reusable. Maybe a dog shelter could use for dogs if we duct-tape up the rips?

Rogar

4-8-13, 8:01pm

If it is in good condition, Habitat for Humanity would take it, but I believe you have to get it there. We just donated nice articles to The Salvation Army and they pick it up. The Salvation Army has a store...

I ended up taking my furniture to Habitat. I almost think they may pick up. One of the pieces was a fold out couch and called Salvation Army and they would not take it because they are so heavy. Everything was pretty usable.

My cousin had an old beat up fold out couch. We disassembled it in about an hour and took the metal to the local ecocycle place, but ended up taking the rest of it to the landfill.

awakenedsoul

4-9-13, 12:23pm

I'm glad to hear it worked out. Our Salvation Army takes heavy pieces, but they have a large store with antiques in Pasadena.

poetry_writer

4-16-13, 2:32pm

I live in an apartment and anything decent for use that gets set out by the dumpster is gone a short time later. (best place to dumpster dive by the way is apartments)........Have considered getting rid of my large couch and replacing it with a few smaller but cozy chairs.......it does double as a bed which comes in handy.....

shawntheweaver

8-30-13, 3:33am

I had to move home last year and as we were moving from a house to a much smaller apartment we had quite a few items that needed off-loading. We had a problem at first too as no-one seemed interested but eventually we sold them very cheaply to a local antique market. They weren’t antiques but they had a large section on the premises that bought and sold second-hand furniture which we hadn’t realised. This might be an option for you too.