9 Tips on Where To Donate Furniture
Updated: Apr. 21, 2024
Wondering what to do with that old sofa, rocking chair or desk? This collection of options can get your stuff into the hands of people who need it.
Donate to Organizations That Pick Up
Unless you’re jonesing to haul a bunch of heavy furniture around town, there are charitable organizations that pick up your stuff, which makes donating easy.
Charities like Goodwill, Habitat for Humanity and The Salvation Army offer pickup services for donated goods, including furniture. Check their websites to make sure your local center accepts furniture, then schedule a date and time for pickup.
Donations to these charities are generally tax-deductible, so get an itemized receipt and save it for when tax season rolls around.
Also, check how to decide which furniture is worth keeping and how to get rid of unwanted furniture.
List for Free Online
If you’re willing to part with your furniture without getting a tax benefit, list your items on Craigslist, Nextdoor, Facebook Marketplace or your local newspaper (yep, classified ads still exist).
Clearly state what you’re donating, its condition, color, size and any other relevant details. If you require the recipient to pick up the furniture, mention that, and include plenty of pictures of the furniture.
If you get some takers, be cautious when strangers stop by your home. For your own safety, have a friend with you. And if at all possible, have the furniture already outside when the recipients come to pick it up.
Drop Off at Your Local Thrift Store
If you own a pickup truck or flatbed trailer, or know a friend with one, dropping off your furniture at a thrift store can be the quickest option for donating your used goods. No waiting for a pickup, which for some organizations may take several weeks depending on the season and demand.
Call before you show up with several couches, though. Local thrift stores may have limited space, too much of a specific item, or only accept furniture donations on certain days of the week. Don’t forget to check out our guide to thrifted furniture.
Give to a Furniture Bank
When people experiencing homelessness transition into housing, their new living spaces often don’t come furnished. Furniture banks fill this gap, connecting donated furniture to people who need it.
Here’s how they work: Furniture banks collect and warehouse gently used furniture, then work with local social service agencies who ensure people who need furniture get it. Other vulnerable communities that benefit from furniture banks are domestic violence victims, veterans and kids aging out of foster care.
Furniture banks are usually registered charities or nonprofits, so you may receive a tax benefit for donating.
Check With Animal Shelters
Depending on the type of furniture you have, your local humane society and rescue organizations may need some for their waiting rooms, dog play areas or kennels.
A few years ago, a shelter in Illinois made the news by placing donated overstuffed chairs in the kennels to make dogs feel at home. It helped.
Shelter life is stressful, so if you think your old couch or chair could make an animal happy, give the shelter a call and ask if they agree.
Contact Local Churches
Are you involved in a local church or community center? Check with them and see if they need gently used furniture. Maybe they’re building a new recreation center, or they take donations to give to parishioners in need.
Depending on the church’s size and community resources, they might pick up the furniture or contract a local company or church member to help.
Donations to churches are generally tax-deductible as long as the church meets IRS requirements and the goods are less than $500 and in “good used condition.” (If the value is more than $500, the condition doesn’t matter, but you must have an appraisal done.)
Look/Post on Your Social Media Pages
Social media isn’t just for sharing memes and cat videos. If you’re thinking about donating your used furniture on Facebook, look first to see if anyone posting needs used furniture.
Maybe a family is new to the neighborhood and doesn’t have a lot of resources. Perhaps someone in your network of friends and coworkers knows someone who needs help. If no one has posted about it, make a post yourself and set to public so people can share.
Call a Junk Hauling Company
This option won’t be free, but it will possibly save your furniture from going to a landfill — if it’s in good condition.
Companies that haul away household goods, like 1-800-GOT-JUNK and Junk King, will pick up your used furniture and take it away for a fee. If it’s recyclable, they’ll donate it. If you’re having trouble finding a charity to pick up your furniture and you can’t take it somewhere yourself, junk removal companies make your life easier.
Set It by the Curb
When all else fails, set your furniture out by the curb or in the alley with a FREE sign a few days before “big trash” day. If your furniture is in decent condition and it doesn’t rain (check the forecast), it’s likely someone will come by and take it.
This is only an option in cities and neighborhoods that offer bulky trash collection services. But if that applies to you, think of it as a last resort.
If at all possible, try to get it to a charity or company. Things picked up for big trash will probably end up in a landfill.
Originally Published: September 08, 2023
