Charity shops. Their noses are turned upwards

lessonlearned

I took to wearing gloves when sorting through donations....used condoms anyone. :eek: urgh!!!

noelphobic

There are two shops around the corner from me, one of which I've donated to a few times but never will again and one who I donate to on a regular basis.

The experiences with the first shop ranged from, on a good day, being abrupt and on the other days downright rude.

The other shop have told me they take 'anything' and will collect on request.

I work for a charity but it's impossible to park outside our shop so I go in there if I just have a carrier bag full of clothes. It's generally good quality but anything that isn't is clean and can be sold for rags.

There are so many charity shops locally that I am spoilt for choice and can vote with my feet if I have a bad experience.

DCFC79

Arklight wrote: »

I still have a loft full of barely played with Early Learning Centre toys, a Mamas and Papas cot and travel cot, mint condition, and hundreds of perfectly good books and barely worn toddler and baby clothes. Do I just have to throw all this away?

Donate the toys to a doctors surgery or a dentist, well you can ask if they want them, again try a local library or even a nursery. The clothes try freecycle as mentioned. What about a local women's shelter for the baby clothes.

Regarding the books again try a local library or dentist or doctors. Any of your local supermarkets have a book case of book case of books for shoppers to take and read.

worldcashprofit

I have had similar experiences. Maybe not as dramatic as this, but definitely a case where Why do they not accept this, or why do they acta certain way. isnt this supposed to be a good thing

patricia50

Mary Portas has a lot to answer for. She did her programme about smartening up charity shops and putting in managers and the prices pretty much doubled to pay for this. I have a charity shop I love that gratefully accepts pretty much anything. It's in an old building and is like an alladins cave but I love it. When it opened some of the other "smart" shops were very sniffy about it because it was cheap and not swanky but they lose out with this attitude because I donate most of my stuff to the cheap one. If you get greeted with a surly volunteer who clearly doesn't want to take your stuff or cherry picks what they do want you are not going to bother to give them anything again. A few of them need to learn some manners but the majority I go too are generally nice

2childmum

Our train station has a bookcase for people to donate books so that others can read then on the train. I think they are then donated back again. Worth looking at your local station - or even setting one up? Once you have a bookcase (Freegle or Freecycle may well be the place to look) you only have to make a sign and then the thing runs itself.

elsien

auntymabel wrote: »

What about the pot of gold?

Sadly, still looking.

Hermia

VfM4meplse wrote: »

If not said in jest then that's a very offensive comment to make. Knowledge is a priceless currency. I'd much rather be well informed than rich.

I was speechless. She was one of those women with a face like she had been sucking lemons so I assume she was just a miserable old wotsit. As someone else said upthread I also read mainly on my commute. I love the way people who presumably don't read assume all bookworms spend hours every day reading whilst lying on a chaise longue!

Luckily I now know a wonderful lady who collects stuff from people and raises money for charity by selling it via ebay or local sales. I was asking her whether she gets given stuff that is unsellable. She said yes, but she doesn't comment as she feels a lot of the people really don't realise (and often are people who don't drive and can't get to the dump). She feels the good stuff she gets ultimately outweighs the bad.

IAmWales

Your closest refugee centre will happily take any household goods you no longer need.

They're often overlooked in favour of more attractive causes, but please don't underestimate the positive impact your preloved items will have on a resettled family.

kboss2010

thriftwizard wrote: »

No-one wants to see a wall lined with books any more, now you can "keep" them all on your Kindle; a primary teacher friend told me a few months ago that when they go round to new pupil's homes now, they never see books anywhere, even in the homes where kids obviously do get read a story at bedtime!

:eek: A well-stocked bookshelf is a thing of beauty, especially if you organise them by colour of sleeves! Why on earth would people not want them in their houses anymore?? I'm in my twenties & I can't believe people think like this!