Decorating With Donated Furniture Living Room

Moving to a new home is a great time to declutter and get rid of household items you no longer need. Giving those things to charities that offer donation pick up helps further the life-cycle of your gently used belongings, enabling you to stay organized and give back. Paring down will also be a huge time saver as you pack!

But who takes used furniture for free? Many organizations, including the Salvation Army, Goodwill, and Furniture Bank, offer furniture donation pick up right at your doorstep. They'll take household goods, furniture, clothes, and other donations, so you don't have to do the driving and heavy lifting!

And if you need a little nudge to part with your stuff, use our decision tree below and check out these packing tips!

By the way, if you need a little nudge to part with your stuff, use our decision tree below and check out these packing tips first.

Where to donate: Charities that have free donation pick up

Here's a list of organizations that will pick up donations, free of charge:

GreenDrop
Salvation Army
Habitat for Humanity
Goodwill
Pick Up Please
Furniture Bank
The Arc
AMVETS

1. GreenDrop

GreenDrop is a program serving the east coast, selected by the American Red Cross, Military Order of the Purple Heart, the National Federation of the Blind, and the Society of St. Vincent de Paul of Philadelphia to raise funds through donation pick up as well as other donation services.

In addition to the free donation pickup, GreenDrop offers Home Clean-Out, a free service that helps you sort and donate large volumes of clothing and household items — ideal for pre-move organization. A professional concierge identifies which items can be donated, and helps you prepare for the drivers who will pack and remove your donation.

Currently, this service is only available in the Philadelphia metro area, New Jersey, Delaware, Baltimore metro area, DC, and Northern Virginia.

How your donation helps: After collecting your items, GreenDrop sells your donations to area thrift stores, and the funds go to support the charities listed above. In 2018, proceeds from these sales totaled over $3.1 million.

Items that GreenDrop accepts: GreenDrop accepts a variety of items such as clothing, household goods, electronics, tools, toys, and more. Being a company that takes used furniture for free, they made a detailed list of items they specifically won't accept, saving donors time and doubts.

Learn more: GoGreenDrop.com

2. The Salvation Army

The Salvation Army is an international organization that was founded in 1865. They help people with a variety of different needs, including disaster relief, hunger, poverty, addiction, human trafficking, and more. Salvation Army donation pick up is just one way they support their programs.

Online services for scheduling aren't available for all ZIP Codes for the salvation army donation, but The Salvation Army website provides a local phone number you can use to arrange a furniture donation pick up. There's also an online form to schedule a pick up for a future date.

Due to recalls or government rules on re-selling, there are certain things The Salvation Army donation center won't accept, such as particle board furniture, metal desks, TV armoires, and baby items (such as high chairs and car seats). Don't sweat it, though. You can use an app to sell those things. For a more detailed list of what items are acceptable or are not unacceptable for their furniture pick up, feel free to call them and ask before scheduling a donation pick up.

How your donation helps:When you 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, which help those who are struggling with drugs and alcohol to overcome their addictions, build work skills, and restore their families. The Salvation Army assists 25 million people each year they do a lot of good and you can too if you choose The Salvation Army donation centers.

Items that The Salvation Army accepts: They will take your furniture donations (other than those listed above), clothing, appliances, kitchen items, automobiles, and more.

Learn more: SalvationArmyUSA.org

3. Habitat for Humanity

Habitat for Humanity is a nonprofit organization that helps build safe and affordable homes for families who need them. They work in all 50 states across the U.S., as well as 70 countries internationally. In addition, they also act as a furniture pickup and donation center.

Habitat for Humanity offers free donation pick-up once a week for furniture pick up donations. Call the Habitat for Humanity location closest to you to schedule a pickup.

How your donation helps:Furniture donations are sold at their ReStores, Habitat for Humanity's improvement/furniture resale locations that sell gently used furniture, appliances, and building materials to the public. Proceeds from sales go towards building homes, as well as the repair of homes by the organization. Remeber if the furniture is too big they also offer furniture pick up for donations.

Items that Habitat for Humanity accepts:Habitat for Humanity will accept furniture, appliances, and building materials. They also accept most vehicles, including cars, trucks, motorcycles, recreational vehicles, boats, snowmobiles, farm equipment, construction equipment, and even airplanes.

Learn more: Habitat.org

4. Goodwill

Goodwill stores work on the local level to provide job training and employment services. They have 157 community organizations across the U.S., Canada, and 12 other countries, as well as 3,300 stores across North America. In 2018, the organization served over 35 million people and helped train more than 242,000 individuals for new careers.

In addition to a clothing donation pick up and drop off, Goodwill also offers to donating furniture and other home pieces. Most of their locations offer donated furniture pick ups for free. Visit the website to find out whether or not Goodwill pickup service is available in your community and donate furniture today as a "charity near me".

How your donation helps:Goodwill sells your furniture donation in Goodwill stores and on Goodwill's online auction site to raise money for employment training and job placement services for people in your community. Goodwill pickup also offers you a chance to donate bigger items that are hard to transport. They also allow for easy furniture donation center near you.

Items that Goodwill accepts: Goodwill takes furniture donations, clothing donations, accessories, dishes and glassware, collectibles, and electronics. They also accept most cars, trucks, SUVs, boats, RVs, campers, riding lawn mowers, and more (they don't even have to be in working condition!). If you have a junker car or a rusty mower that you don't want to transport to the new house, arrange for a free pick up. The next time you find yourself asking "who accepts donations near me?" Goodwill will often have a location in your area.

Learn more: Goodwill.org

5. Pick Up Please

Pick Up Please is a program of the Vietnam Veterans of America (VVA). Pick Up Please handles scheduling through an easy-to-use online calendar, and your furniture donation can often be picked up within 24 hours — you don't even have to be home when the truck arrives. Just box up the items and label them "VVA Donation Pick up," and the driver will load the boxes and leave a tax deduction receipt.

Where to donate with Pick Up Please? Currently, the service is available in California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Louisiana, Michigan, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Maryland, and Virginia. You can visit its website to see where to donate.

How your donation helps: VVA sells the items you donate to private companies in order to fund their local, state, and national programs.

Items that Pick Up Please accepts: They will pick up your gently-used household goods, clothing, toys, electronics, and smaller furniture, such as nightstands and office chairs.

Learn more: PickUpPlease.org

6. Furniture Banks

Everyone deserves to have basic furniture in good condition. Your furniture donation to the Furniture Bank help battered women and children in retreat, immigrants, the unemployed, the working poor, and the previously homeless set up their home with the furnishings others probably take for granted. Furniture donations are appreciated and furniture pickup is also availble.

The Furniture Bank is available in 34 states. Head to their website to find a location near you, and call to schedule a free furniture donation pick up.

How your donation helps:When you donate furniture to Furniture Banks, they redirect your items directly into the hands of families in need. They offer free furniture donation pickup to help the most amount of people, so donate your furniture today.

Items that Furniture Bank accepts: In addition to furniture, they also accept cars and recreational vehicles in any condition, and they offer free donation pick up and towing.

Learn more: Furniturebank.org

7. The Arc

With over 600 local chapters and over 1,000 national and community programs, the Arc helps those who have intellectual or developmental disabilities. One of their key initiatives is free donation pick ups.

You can see if your local chapter accepts free donation pick ups by visiting The Arc's website. That way you can get a quick answer to your questions on "where to donate furniture near me".

How your donation helps:The arc sells your donated items in its thrift stores in order to support its programs.

Items that The Arc Accepts: The Arc will take your furniture, clothing donations, shoes, books, toys, kitchen items, electronics, decor, cars, and more.

Learn more: TheArc.org

8. AMVETS

AMVETS, or American Veterans, supports local veterans and their families by providing assistance, jobs, and other service programs.

To see where to donate in your area, you can visit its website to fill out the donation pick up form. If they offer pick up services, you'll pack everything into boxes, mark them for AMVETS, and leave them outside of your door by 7:30 a.m. the day of pick up. For larger items such as couches, you'll want to contact the local chapter to see how they handle these services.

How your donation helps:AMVETS sells your items in thrift stores in order to generate revenue for its Veterans Programs.

Items that AMVETS accepts: AMVETS needs clothing donations (for men, women, and children), electronics, small appliances, kitchenware, lamps, curtains and drapes, books, bicycles, bedding, and more. They also take flat-screen TVs, computers, and exercise equipment if they are less than 5 years old. If you have an item not on this list, they may still be able to take it! Just call and ask.

Learn more: AMVETSPickup.org

How to schedule your donation pick up:

Packing your home into boxes, remaining tidy, and decluttering take up time and energy. Make giving away the things you don't need simple by scheduling a free home pick up donation. Here's how:

Step 1: Find your local donation company that does furniture donation picks up.

Go online or call one of the companies above to locate the nearest branch. Double-check that they're offering free home pick up donations and ask them about their COVID-19 safety procedures. Furniture pickup looks different in today's time, make sure to take extra precautions like using proper PPE.

Note: Make sure to sanitize and disinfect any items, boxes, and furniture you plan to donate. This extra step ensures you keep organization workers and donation recipients safe.

Step 2: Make sure the organization accepts the furniture donation or other item you're donating.

A company that takes used furniture for free may have different requirements for what they do and don't accept. While the ones we mentioned above a good bet for furniture donations if you choose to donate furniture that may be more used be sure to ask if they will accept or pick up furniture in that condition. A torn, soiled, stained, or otherwise damaged item will not be accepted in most cases. GoGreenDrop has made a donation guideline that is general enough to be used for other companies, although it is recommended to call the company that takes used furniture for free so that they may clarify your items' qualifications.

Step 3: Arrange an appointment at a suitable hour and setting, especially if you're donating furniture through free furniture pick ups.

After deciding on a company to help your decluttering process, choose an hour and day that suits both of your needs. The day of the week can impact availability, so if you may squeeze in this process during weekdays, your options will expand from there. Most declutter and moving operations occur during the weekend which increases demand and perhaps wait times.

Another circumstance to be wary of is weather. A warm day is great for moving. A cloudy day is even better. Consider avoiding rainy or windy days as these settings may compromise moving safeties and the integrity of the items being donated for furniture pickup.

To make sure your appointment makes it on the organization's calendar, schedule the pick up at least two weeks before Moving Day. The earlier you schedule, the better!

How to decide what you should keep, donate, or trash:

Do you need help decluttering? Use our donation decision tree to decide if an item is worth bringing to your new home, dropping off at the charities above, or simply throwing away.

Decision tree infographic, decide whether to keep or donate your stuff

The bottom line

Donating items you no longer use is a great way to get organized and make your packing process easier. Different companies have made the process even easier by offering free furniture donation pick up. Apart from making life easier on your end, your contributions to a donation company can empower and assist those that would benefit from your gently used furniture, clothes, and home goods. When you arrange a donation pick up, it removes the hassle of having to move and dispose of your bulkier things. Great companies like Salvation Army donation center, Goodwill furniture donation and Habitat for Humanity pick up furniture for free. Make sure you schedule your free donation pick up with a company that accepts the items you hope to pass on, like the ones previosuly mentioned. And remember: The coronavirus pandemic might impact the times and services these organizations offer, so contact your local charity to learn more.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where can I donate furniture?

Many local charities like Goodwill, Salvation Army, or Habitat for Humanity will take gently used furniture. You can also use the app NextDoor Neighbor to see if anyone is in need or wants free furniture. Lastly, you could check with local civic or church groups, as some have furniture banks.

Does Goodwill pick up donations?

In many cases, Goodwill will pick up your donations. Visit Goodwill's website to see if they offer these services in your area.

Are my donations tax-deductible?

Yes, your items can be tax-deductible. If you plan to itemize your tax deductions, you'll need a receipt from the charity you donated the items to. Additionally, many charities such as Goodwill offer prices on commonly donated items like clothing and furniture. And it's always a good idea to follow the IRS's rules on charitable contributions.

What condition do my items need to be in for donation?

Generally, charities accept gently-used items, especially in the instances of furniture and other household goods, since they'll be used for resale.

Who will pick up donated items for free?

The following charities will come to your doorstep and pick up your items, free of cost.

GreenDrop
Salvation Army
Habitat for Humanity
Goodwill
Pick Up Please
Furniture Bank
The Arc
AMVETS

Who will pick up a donated piano?

The Beethoven Foundation and PianosForEducation are two organizations that will pick up your gently used pianos.

Who takes used furniture for free?