Guide to Charity and Donation Pickups

You’ve decluttered your house, and now you have boxes of items ready to go to new homes. Whether you have bulky items, like the old sofa from your game room, or several boxes of odds and ends that need to go, you may be wondering the most efficient way to clear out these items. 

Several charity and donation shops offer pickup services so that you can schedule a pickup for your old items. If you’re unable to donate your unused or unwanted items, consider hiring a junk removal service near you to haul them away.

Habitat for Humanity ReStore

Habitat for Humanity helps build or repair housing and advocates for affordable housing worldwide. The nonprofit has charity shops, called Habitat for Humanity ReStores, that help fund its mission. Most ReStore locations will pick up your donations.

Accepted Items

Habitat for Humanity accepts a variety of donatable items, including building materials, to help further its home-building efforts.

• Appliances

• Building materials

• Furniture

• Housewares

How to Schedule a Donation Pickup

Call your local ReStore or input your ZIP code to schedule a donation pickup. After inputting your ZIP code, the site will direct you to your local Habitat for Humanity website, which will have a “Donation Pick Up Request” option. 

Some locations will allow you to schedule a pickup within a couple of weeks or request a priority pickup for an additional fee that varies based on the donation item. For regular pickups, ReStore suggests donating a minimum of $15 to cover their fuel costs.

Salvation Army

The Salvation Army provides more than 30 million Americans per year with disaster relief, assistance for survivors of domestic abuse, food for food banks and shelters for those experiencing homelessness, and ongoing care for survivors of human trafficking. The Salvation Army sells donated items at its thrift stores. Proceeds fund rehabilitation efforts for people with substance use disorders.

Accepted Items

The Salvation Army accepts a wide array of items, including:

• Appliances

• Furniture, including mattresses

• Housewares

• Vehicles

• Books

• Electronics

• Clothing

How to Schedule a Donation Pickup

Input your ZIP code on the organization’s website to schedule a free donation pickup. If pickup services are available, the site will direct you to a screen where you can include the amounts and types of items you want to donate. From there, you select a date, then sign in or create a Salvation Army account to confirm your scheduled donation pickup.

Goodwill

Goodwill is an international charity organization that offers job training and career advancement services. The money from items sold in Goodwill stores helps with job placement and skills training.

Accepted Items

The organization accepts a wide variety of items, but it’s best to call your local Goodwill in advance to make sure they are currently accepting donations.

• Appliances

• Clothing

• Housewares

• Toys

• Books

• Games

• Electronics

• Vehicles

• Furniture

How to Schedule a Donation Pickup

Not all Goodwill locations offer pickup services. Find your local Goodwill with the Goodwill store locator tool to inquire about pickup availability.

GreenDrop

With donations benefiting the American Red Cross, Military Order of the Purple Heart Service Foundation, the National Federation of the Blind, and the Society of St. Vincent de Paul of Philadelphia, GreenDrop helps veterans and their communities through critical program funding. This organization is specific to the eastern U.S., including Baltimore, Philadelphia, and Washington, D.C., as well as cities across Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, and northern Virginia.

Accepted Items

GreenDrop accepts a variety of items for pickup, but note that it also has a list of unacceptable donation items, including large appliances, furniture exceeding 50 pounds, or bed frames or mattresses. It will accept:

• Clothing

• Books

• Toys

• Tools

• Some furniture

How to Schedule a Donation Pickup

Visit GreenDrop's Find a Location page, and choose the Schedule a Pick-Up drop-down menu at the top of the page. You’ll input your name, contact information, and ZIP code to start scheduling the pickup. 

The Furniture Bank Network

The Furniture Bank Network collects furniture donations in the U.S. and Canada. These donations go to survivors of domestic violence, people who formerly experienced homelessness, and low-income families.

Accepted Items

• Furniture

• Vehicles

How to Schedule a Donation Pickup

Find a Furniture Bank Network participant near you by using their map, then reach out to that location for information on donation pickups.

AMVETS National Service Foundation

The American Veterans (AMVETS) National Service Foundation offers job training and placement, community outreach, and other services for military veterans.

Accepted Items

• Small appliances

• Clothing

• Electronics

• Toys

• Bikes

• Homewares

• Exercise equipment

• TVs and computers (less than five years old)

How to Schedule a Pickup

Simply call 866-294-4488 or fill out the form on the website to arrange an AMVETS donation pickup.

Purple Heart Cars

The Purple Heart Foundation provides veterans and their families with PTSD services, service dogs, grants, scholarships, and other services. The organization also has a car donation program called Purple Heart Cars that picks up your car. Donations go toward the Purple Heart Foundation’s services for veterans.

Accepted Items

The Car Donation program accepts many types of vehicles, including:

• Cars

• Trucks

• RVs

• Motorcycles

• Boats

How to Schedule a Donation Pickup

To donate a vehicle to Purple Heart Cars, fill out the form on the website with your name, contact information, and vehicle year, make, and model.

Pick Up Please

Pick Up Please is part of Vietnam Veterans of America (VVA), which offers care and support for U.S. veterans. Services include hospital care, PTSD assistance, and other aid for all veterans.

Accepted Items

Pick Up Please features quick pick-ups, which means it can only accept donations light enough for one person to carry. Heavy furnishings or boxes that would require two or more people to lift can’t be accepted here, but the organization does pick up several other types of donations.

• Lightweight furniture

• Clothing

• Books

• Toys

• Housewares

How to Schedule a Donation Pickup

Pick Up Please will pick up donations, rain or shine, often within one day. To schedule a pickup, visit this web page and input your ZIP code. From there, you’ll enter your contact information and details about the items you’re donating, then you’ll schedule the pickup.

Out of the Closet Thrift Stores

Out of the Closet Thrift Stores offers support for people living with HIV and AIDS. The organization provides free HIV and AIDS testing and access to pharmacies, housing services, and medical aid.

Accepted Items

The organization accepts a wide variety of donations, including clothing and home goods, at its stores, but it limits its pickup services to furniture. Donation pickup is only available for donations of two or more large furniture items.

• Furniture

• Bulky items

How to Schedule a Donation Pickup

For furniture or bulky item donation pickup, fill out your information here or call 800-558-8220.

Pick Up My Donation

PickUpMyDonation.com partners with charitable organizations and nonprofit thrift shops. They connect you with local nonprofits and fee-based pickup services within 15 miles of your address, and you can choose the charity or service that will pick up your donations. They’ll pick up your donations and deliver them to your preferred thrift store. 

Accepted Items

Because Pick Up My Donation partners with various other organizations, it also accepts many different kinds of donations, including:

• Vehicles

• Furniture

• Outdoor items, such as lawnmowers or ATVs

• Art

• Appliances

• Tools

• Clothing

How to Schedule a Donation Pickup

Simply visit their website to schedule a donation pickup, enter your ZIP code, choose regular or priority pickup, and fill out your contact information and details about your donation.

Unable to Donate? Schedule a Junk Hauler

Unfortunately, not all items are suitable for donation. Most charities and donation centers provide a list of do-not-donate items on their website, so research specific requirements before making a donation. 

Common items you shouldn’t donate include clothing with substantial rips or stains, recalled electronics, broken dishes, and more. For these types of belongings, book a junk removal or hauling service near you.