What Companies Will Pick Up Your Donations For Free

Whether you are renting your first apartment or home, or simply moving to a new place, you probably have some things you really don’t need or want anymore. It’s easy to let your home become very cluttered, but moving gives you an excellent opportunity to have a clear out. It will also reduce your moving expenses and the time you need to move.

By getting rid of things you don’t need or want, you’ll make your transition so much easier and the new place will look clean and organized. Plus, some charitable organizations could really benefit from the stuff you no longer need, and they will even pick up donations so you don’t have to do anything other than leave it outside your home.

If you have furniture, clothes, appliances and other items to get rid of, the organizations we’ve listed should be able to help. They may have specific rules for the things they want, so check in advance before you schedule a pick-up.

Instead of putting things that are just going to collect dust in your moving container or moving truck, donating will help a family who desperately needs it. Let’s take a detailed look at each of the companies that will pick up your donations for free.

Who Does Donation Pickups?

• GreenDrop

If you live on the east coast, GreenDrop offers a free donation pick-up as well as a home clean-out service. If you are in New Jersey, Delaware, DC, Northern Virginia or the metro areas of Baltimore, MD, and Philadelphia, this could be for you. They raise money for the National Federation of the Blind, Purple Heart, the Society of St. Vincent de Paul of Philadelphia and the American Red Cross.

If you need them to do more than just pick up donations, their home clean-out service could help. This is great if you have lots of things to get rid of, and they will help you in sorting out your stuff. Items that can be donated will be prepared and packed, ready for the truck to arrive.

• Habitat for Humanity

The nonprofit Habitat for Humanity works around the world as well as in the U.S. to build homes for people who need affordable housing. They sell the donations they receive through their more than 900 ReStore locations, including Birmingham, AL; Little Rock, AR; Chandler, AZ; Los Gatos, CA; Sacramento, CA; Santa Clarita, CA; Boulder, CO; Littleton, CO; Stamford, CT; Boca Raton, FL; Lake Mary, FL; Tampa, FL; Atlanta, GA; Boise, ID; Chicago, IL; Olathe, KS; Louisville, KY; Newton, MA; Ann Arbor, MI; Maple Grove, MN; Chesterfield, MO; Bozeman, MT; Durham, NC; Albuquerque, NM; Henderson, NV; multiple stores in New York City; Columbus, OH; Portland, OR; and many others across the U.S. Some stores provide enough funding to build an additional ten homes per year.

They offer a free donation pick-up if there is a ReStore near you; check their site for your nearest location and contact information. Donations can be picked up once per week for free, and they accept a wide range of items, including building materials.

• Goodwill

Your furniture donation to Goodwill helps people in your local area with job training and assistance to find work. They have over 3,000 stores in North America, such as Charlotte, NC; Myrtle Beach, SC; Savannah, GA; Baton Rouge, LA; Jasper, TX; Dallas; San Antonio, TX; Chandler, AZ; Chula Vista, CA; Mission Viejo, CA; Whittier, CA; San Francisco; Brookings, OR; North Bend, OR; Salem, OR; Spokane, WA; Great Falls, MT; and Milwaukee, WI, to name just a few. If you are near one of their locations, you could get your furniture donations picked up for free.

The donations they receive are sold in their stores and through their online auction site. This creates the funding to allow them to help people retrain and find work in local communities across the country and beyond.

• The Salvation Army

You can give your support to the Salvation Army through their donation pick-up service. They provide help for people suffering in many ways, be it poverty, addiction, hunger or more.

They reach over 25 million people in need every year, and you can help this work no matter your location. They offer donation pick-ups for many ZIP codes through their online portal, but you can call a local center if you aren’t covered by that service.

They won’t accept all types of furniture; however, check their site for more details. They sell their donations through their Salvation Army Family Stores to raise funds to help people in need.

• Furniture Bank

The Furniture Bank service donates the items they receive directly to families that need it. They work with social services and housing agencies to make sure the furniture you donate goes to a good home, helping the most vulnerable people in society.

You can arrange for them to pick up donations through their website; they currently operate in many states but not all of them, so check their site for the latest information. They will happily collect your furniture for free if you are near a facility, and they also accept vehicles with a free towing service.

• The Arc

The Arc is a charity that supports people with intellectual or developmental disabilities throughout their lifetime. If you have a chapter in your area, you could donate your furniture and other items to help out. Check if you have a chapter near you and if they do donation pick-up for free.

The charity operates thrift stores where they convert your unwanted items into funding for their information, advocacy and education programs.

• Pick Up Please

Operated by the Vietnam Veterans of America association, the Pick Up Please collection service provides help to the organization in their work to assist veterans. They offer collection in an increasing number of states, check their site for the latest information, and schedule a pickup.

Items you donate are sold to private companies, and they accept many types of donations. They take most things, including furniture, vehicles, appliances, kitchenware, electronics and gadgets, and they are particularly interested in any clothing you want to give away.

• AMVETS

The AMVETS pick up service supports veterans as well as their families. They operate programs to find jobs and offer assistance to former military personnel. You can support this organization by scheduling a donation pick-up if they perform near you.

You can mark your boxes of items with AMVETS, making sure you’ve placed it outside your home by 7:30 in the morning. If you have larger items of furniture, check with your local chapter to find out if they can collect.

AMVETS operates thrift stores throughout the country to sell the items collected. This sustains their veterans’ programs and allows shoppers to buy quality items at low prices.

Deciding What to Donate

The charities should provide clear information on what they will accept. They generally only want items that are in good condition that can be sold on to someone else. If your items are worn or damaged, it is probably better to put them in the trash. They also don’t want any hazardous materials, and these will need to be carefully disposed of and not just thrown away.

You also need to think about if you really need the items anymore. You don’t want to purchase the same type of thing or furniture again because you realized you still need it.

Final Thoughts on Donations Pick Up

Donating your unneeded items before you move is a great way to save money on your move and help other people at the same time. You could even benefit from tax deductions for the items you donate, just get a receipt from the charity and follow the IRS rules. Hopefully, you have found this guide on the companies who will pick up your donations to be helpful.