One mans junk is another's treasure. What to donate?

vikki_louise · 17 May 2014 at 10:56PM

We are going through the veeeeery long process of decluttering. I have a bag for charity shop donations but am never sure whether to donate something or not. How do you decide on what's rubbish and what's for the charity shop? I don't mean things like broken toys or jigsaws with half the pieces missing. I binned all 10 series of friends on VHS and all 7 Harry potter audio books (it felt wrong throwing away something that cost so much) as a friend said that charities don't take VHS/tapes any more. It's often random items like a (brand new) hair bobble with a flower on, it's clean, new, never been used but it is just a hair bobble, bin or donate?

Also those who donate old clothes for rag, do you include a note explaining your giving it for rag? I feel silly sending in a nighty with a huge hole but felt bad putting it in landfill too.

Would be interested to hear how others decide.

If you haven’t already, join the forum to reply!

[threadbanner]box[/threadbanner]

arbroath_lass · 17 May 2014 at 11:00PM

Charity shops round here take vhs and cassette tapes. As for the rest let the charity decide. They often have a bit at the counter for jewellery and stuff - I'm sure your hair bobble would go in one of these.

smileygill · 17 May 2014 at 11:47PM

Freecycle, Realcycle, Freegle; I get confused with them all, but it's very rare something I've offered wasn't taken. Most stuff goes direct to someone who wants it, I daresay a fair bit gets car-booted but it's so much better than just chucking it away. Quite a lot of the clothes I've offered were taken by local charities teaching youngsters to "upcycle" good fabrics and make do and mend; a very useful skill.

It's a bit of trouble listing stuff and dealing with enquiries, but not much more than dropping it off at a shop.

Just a thought.

TravellingAbuela · 18 May 2014 at 6:30AM

arbroath_lass wrote: »

Charity shops round here take vhs and cassette tapes. As for the rest let the charity decide. They often have a bit at the counter for jewellery and stuff - I'm sure your hair bobble would go in one of these.

Exactly the same in the charity shops in my area too. Lots of video and cassette tapes and containers with bits of jewelry and hair bits and pieces.

As for clothing past its best, I keep a bag ongoing in the wardrobe and pop it in the textile recycling container at our local council tip whenever we are passing. The same with shoes that are past their best.

Floss · 18 May 2014 at 7:56AM

My way of thinking is if something is new, with tags / sealed, then it goes into the charity bag. All the shops round here take VHS (and if they don't they get rid themselves to those that do). Anything that is worn out / holey / broken goes in the wheelie bin or gets dropped at the tip.

PlutoinCapricorn · 18 May 2014 at 8:12AM

I live in a big town where there are huge numbers of charity shops.
Some have much better 'stuff' than others.

I go by what they are selling when deciding what to donate, and where. The ones in 'bad' areas take most things. I know one that sells second-hand cutlery at £0.50p per piece. They also sell the little glass, plastic or ceramic pots that desserts come in! I now donate mine.

I put torn etc.clothes and sheets in a bag with a 'rags' label.

I have found many 'treasures' while looking around after dropping off my bag of stuff and am grateful to the people who donated them.

good_advice · 18 May 2014 at 8:21AM

I did a big clear out 15months ago. I slowly went all over the house.
I felt it was time to move on, with our children starting their own homes
I had many of the same things = food mixers, glasses, mugs, toasters,vacuum cleaners, many Dvd's. toys.
All sorts.

I put 2 plastic storage boxes in the hall and filled them with STUFF.
Our son and daughter took a lot. A little went to the CS. Kept refilling.
Any clothes and sheets, I put in my craft room.
Some went to the recycle centre.

When some stuff goes, other stuff comes into use that you had forgotten about.
More thought goes on before buying anything new.
You learn quickly to refuse anyone else unwanted stuff.

Good luck on your journey :0)

LameWolf · 20 May 2014 at 5:10PM

New "bits and bobs" like the OP's hair bobble I'd definitely put in the charity box - we keep one on the go, so that when we identify something we no longer need but that could be useful to someone else, it can go straight in the box.

Tatty clothing for turfing out we bag up and my DH takes it to the textile bank close to where he works.

Old towels I bag up, label "for dog beds" and give to the local animal charity shop, as they use them in their rescue centre.

teddysmum · 20 May 2014 at 6:23PM

Many dog rescues also welcome, throws, sheets, blankets , duvets (though not feather) and suitable curtains for use as bedding. One of my locals is always desperate in bad weather, as they are unable to launder.

SailorSam · 20 May 2014 at 6:28PM

It's not that easy having a clearout though, is it ?
I go up in the loft and empty cupboards and wardrobes and just as i'm on my way out to the charity shop, i look, and think.......
This may come in handy one day.

thriftwizard · 20 May 2014 at 7:50PM

SailorSam wrote: »

It's not that easy having a clearout though, is it ?
I go up in the loft and empty cupboards and wardrobes and just as i'm on my way out to the charity shop, i look, and think.......
This may come in handy one day.

I know that feeling! Which is probably why our house is stuffed to the brim with dubious "treasures" although I've been decluttering for months now...

I don't hold on to stuff any more unless I have a clear & present use for it now or in the very near future - that's the next couple of weeks, rather than months. CS for anything I think they'll be able to sell on; my trainee-daughter-in-law volunteers at one locally & is always glad to advise me on that, if I'm in doubt. Old bedding & towels are washed & taken to the animal shelter. Freecycle/Freegle for anything that still has use in it, that I know the CSs would rag/dump. I'm not being patronising doing that; often things have uses other than what they were originally intended for & people who make things are glad of resources they don't have to spend money on.

I'm a crafter myself & will kill for old plaid cotton shirts, woolly jumpers & blankets, even with holes or stains; I'm not going to wear them, but shrink them, cut them up & use the bits! You would be surprised what people do use, and how much of it they need; it's always worth offering stuff on Freecycle/Freegle as most of the time it'll be gone, taken away, before the day is out. I also collect some of the stuff that's offered, for my business (I always make it clear that I'm a trader, and ask the donor to give it to someone who really needs it before offering it to me) & revamp it to sell on. And again, sometimes people say to me, "I never dreamed anyone would really want that - I just thought it was worth a try!" So do offer stuff that you think may still have some use left in it, even if you're not sure anyone will want it; the worst that can happen is that no-one replies.

PLEASE READ BEFORE POSTING

One mans junk is another's treasure. What to donate?

Comments

Confirm your email address to Create Threads and Reply

🚀 Getting Started

Categories

Is this how you want to be seen?

Get our FREE Weekly email full of deals & guides - and it’s spam-free