How to Get Rid of Unwanted Items Without Throwing Them Away
If you recently cleaned out your home or office, there’s a good chance you have junk you need to get rid of. Anything from the smallest toy to a full size refrigerator could be considered junk if it is no longer wanted. Often times junk includes broken items, trash, or items that are no longer safe to keep around. If that’s the case, those items are set to be thrown away or recycled. But, what do you do with the unwanted items that are still in a usable condition? Donating items that you no longer want is a great way to declutter your space and give your items new use.
What are the Benefits of Donating Your Unwanted Items?
Donating comes with a handful of benefits for you, the environment, and others. Firstly, donating unwanted items in your home or office space is a great way to declutter and free up room for new items. Donating your old items is also a great way to get rid of unwanted things without feeling guilty about throwing them away or wasting them. When you donate your items you are giving them new use through someone else who needs them. Knowing that no matter what you donate, it can be given to someone who needs or wants it helps make the donation process rewarding for you and those you are donating to. Donating can also benefit the environment by keeping your unwanted items out of landfills. Overall, donating your unwanted items comes with many benefits and is worth the effort it takes to get done.
What are Acceptable Donation Items?
Donating unwanted items is an environmentally friendly way to clean your space and help others. But, how do you know what you can and cannot donate? Facilities that accept donations can and often do have their own set of rules for what they accept. However, there are some general rules to follow when donating items.
- No broken items that could cause injuries. Items that are broken or in a shape where they could easily injure the person handling them should be thrown away or recycled. Often thrift stores and donation facilities will accept broken or damaged items if they are still in a usable condition. For example, a toy that no longer lights up or is missing a small piece, while technically damaged, is still safe to donate. On the other hand, a broken glass with sharp edges is not safe to donate.
- No items that containing mold or mildew. Like damaged items, mold covered items can cause harm to those handling them and are not acceptable donation items.
- Certain facilities may not accept large items such as couches or dressers. So, make sure to check with the facility you plan on donating to before you haul the large item there. Checking with them can mean looking for an acceptable items list on their website or giving them a call.
- Organize your donations. If you are in the process of a clean out it can be easy to mix trash with donations and lose items in the mess. Make it a point to go through the items you plan to donate and ensure no trash is mixed in with them. It can also be helpful to organize your donations into categories. Such as having one bag for clothes and another for toys. While this step is generally not required, it helps guarantee that you are donating only acceptable items. Plus, it makes it easier for the employees at the place you are donating to!
Where can You Donate Items?
Donation facilities will vary based on where you live, but there are a few common places you can look for. Goodwill and Salvation Army are good places to start. You can also research local thrift stores, homeless shelters, charities, and churches near you that take donations. One of the quickest ways to find local spots is by typing phrases like, “charities and shelters” or “donation organizations” followed by the city you live in into Google or another search engine. When finding donation organizations or charities online, researching their mission and their credibility is a necessary step. Visiting their website and reading about where you donations go can help you decide whether or not you should be donating to them.
Another way to find places to donate to is by reaching out to those in your community and asking for recommendations. This can mean simply making a Facebook post asking for local donation spots. Or, asking a neighbor where they donate items. You can also donate directly to families in your communities who you know may need help or could have use for the items you no longer want.
Let JM Junk Removers Handle Your Donation Needs
Collecting, transporting, and donating your unwanted items can be a hassle. Often this task can be so inconvenient, that it becomes easily put off and overlooked. If you have items you want to donate, but don’t have the time or energy to get them to a donation place, JM Junk Removers can help. JM Junk Removers is a junk removal company that has been helping customers get rid of their unwanted junk for years. We have a team of experts ready to handle any amount of junk you need removed.
Let us help with your donation process by collecting your items, loading them, and hauling them away. All you have to do is call us or book an appointment online and show us what you want gone. We’ll do the rest! Our priority is always getting the job done professionally and efficiently, creating an easy process for you. We can take care of removing your donation items and any other junk you want gone. Call us at 214-888-Junk (5865) to get a free quote, book an appointment, or talk to a team member.
A Few Other Junk Removal Services We Provide
- Organization
- Furniture Removal
- Hoarder Cleanout
- And More!