Toiletries donations

Ainat

Are there any charities out there that take donations of toiletries?

I'm not sure if I'm making this up, but I seem to remember them doing something like this at the end of the uni year back when I was in uni. They used to ask us if we would donate any bottles of shampoo, shower gel, etc. to local shelters (homeless, 'safe houses' for women, etc.) They could even be open bottles.

Basically I realised when I moved house recently that I own a lot of toiletries. Some of them are from gift sets where there might be one item or two that I don't like from the set so they are sitting unopened in my bathroom cupboard. Others are where I've bought myself something, tried it out once or twice, decided I didn't like it, and put it back in the cupboard for 'emergencies'. Rather than leaving these things in the cupboard are there any shelters or charities that I can donate them to?

I also have a few things like unused make up items (again from gift sets - I tend to use the colours I like and the others sit unused). Just because the colours don't suit me, doesn't mean there are others out there that wouldn't appreciate them.

Of course I could donate things to friends/family, but I thought it would be nice to try and donate them to charities if possible.

kingfisherblue

Ring your local council and ask about donating to a homeless shelter or domestic abuse shelter. If it is the latter, you are not likely to be given the address of the shelter, but of an office where you can drop the items off, for safety and anonymity. Or give them to a school or church for their next fete.

Savvy_Sue

I think these days you'd only be able to donate unopened items, but the suggestions above are good. You can also donate such things to charity shops if you have a favourite cause with one locally.

gettingtheresometime

Might also be worth contacting the chaplin at your local hospital - my aunt was helped by the chaplin with emergency toiletries when she got taken in.

kerri_gt

http://www.carolinehirons.com/p/give-and-makeup.html give and make up supply toiletries and other items to women's refuges via a number of charities. A store in my local town used to do a collection. Could be worth looking into to donate your items, they will (or used to) accept some items that were part used except things like mascara. The guidelines being, if you'd give it to a friend, we will take it.