what can you not donate to goodwill

What Not to Donate to Goodwill

1. Items in Need of Repair. Whether it’s a chair missing two legs or a coffee maker with a shredded cord, Goodwill...
2. Recalled or Unsafe Items. If your house has permanently upgraded to big kid beds, you might be thinking of donating...
3. Mattresses & Box Springs. While many Goodwill stores can accept bedsheets, blankets and other...

Full Answer

What items are not accepted at Goodwill?

Mar 21, 2017 · Check out this #Goodwill donation guide. [/tweetthis] WHAT YOU CANNOT DONATE. There are some items that Goodwill usually will not accept. Again, if you are questioning whether or not to donate an item, it’s best to give your local store a call. Donating your clothes and household items to Goodwill is a win-win for you and your community.

Is goodwill a bad charity?

Donations Goodwill CANNOT Accept Furniture that is covered in animal hair, broken, worn, torn, stained, or missing parts. Bean bag chairs. Sleeper sofas. Due to the Digital TV Transition, Goodwill will only take flat-screen tvs. Excessively large/bulky items such as swing sets, swimming pools, unbound carpeting, etc.

What days are 50 off at Goodwill?

Goodwill employees may decline a donation if it is not in clean or in saleable condition or if they are unable to assist with larger items due to risk of injury. Our employees often help unload donations, however cannot help if (in their judgement) doing so may damage any vehicle, or if doing so is unsafe for them or anyone else.

Does goodwill wash the clothes that are donated?

Items Goodwill cannot accept include: Mattresses/Box Springs Bedframes Waterbeds DLP TV’s Tires/Tire Rims Children Car Seats, Cribs, & Playpens Medicine Furniture with tears, stains, animal fur, or broken parts Built in appliances Hazardous, flammable, or toxic materials such as paint & gasoline ...

What appliances are dangerous?

These appliances also take up a lot of space. Microwaves or freon-based appliances: Microwaves are another item that can become dangerous if damaged or otherwise old.

Is Goodwill low on space?

Some Goodwill facilities are low on space or have to use their space wisely in general. Bulky, heavy, or oversized appliances are not the best items to keep in stock for the organization’s capacity.

Do books need batteries?

Books: Books don’t require batteries, updates, or any additional installation. As long as they’re in decent shape, donate them to Goodwill. Toys for all ages: Some children grow tired of toys quickly. Donating toys to Goodwill provides opportunities for families to buy “new” toys at better prices.

Does Goodwill accept electronics?

Consumer electronics: Goodwill accepts a wide variety of other electronics, such as camcorders, remote controls, tape players, and more.

Do shampoo bottles take up space?

Plus, all those shampoo and lotion bottles will take up quite a bit of space and will make a huge mess if they spill or break during transport or in the facility. Shampoos, conditioners, soaps, or shower gels: Many cleansers and soap products contain tons of ingredients.

Is Goodwill a good place to recycle clothes?

Plus, recycling clothing is a great way to help out the environment. Many people think they can never have enough clothing.

What Not to Donate to Goodwill and Other Nonprofits

It’s possible to have too much of the wrong things, and that’s why learning what not to donate to Goodwill and other nonprofits is so important.

How to Donate Responsibly

So, how do we prevent adding to the pileup and reduce this burden on philanthropic organizations and their employees and volunteers? The answers are fairly intuitive.

WHAT YOU CAN DONATE

Goodwill will accept most clothing and household items that are in good condition.

WHAT YOU CANNOT DONATE

There are some items that Goodwill usually will not accept. Again, if you are questioning whether or not to donate an item, it’s best to give your local store a call.#N#Donating your clothes and household items to Goodwill is a win-win for you and your community.

Goodwill accepts donations of gently used items

Our stores take gently used items in good condition. Donations should be clean, safe and resaleable. Your donations to Goodwill are tax deductible. You can find all donation sites here. We are unable to do home pick-ups. To find a list of items we cannot accept, please scroll to the next section.

We are unable to accept

Goodwill employees may decline a donation if it is not in clean or in saleable condition or if they are unable to assist with larger items due to risk of injury. Our employees often help unload donations, however cannot help if (in their judgement) doing so may damage any vehicle, or if doing so is unsafe for them or anyone else.

How do I get a tax receipt for my donation?

All your donations to Goodwill NNE are tax deductible. If you didn’t get a receipt for your last donation, you can get one here.

What is the IRS value of my donation to Goodwill?

The IRS allows you to deduct fair market value for gently-used items. If you’re not sure what your donation might be worth, there’s a helpful guide here.

Make a financial donation

Looking to support Goodwill’s mission with a gift? You can do that here.

Frequently Donated Items

We accept new or gently-used donations of clothing, electronics and household items at any of our 11 convenient donation locations. Furniture donations may also be dropped off at any of our retail stores. Items that we always appreciate include:

Items We Cannot Accept

It’s hard to say “no thank you” to a donation. However, there are some items we simply can’t accept because they are excessively soiled or broken, too costly to dispose of, or have been recalled due to product safety issues. Safety is very important to us, so we encourage everyone to be aware of potential product safety hazards before donating.

What is a rag?

Severely damaged or stained clothing, apparel and shoes. Rags (clean or dirty). Any type of trash or hazardous materials. Items that are wet, mildewed, rusty, flammable, or in any way dangerous. Knock down furniture not in original sealed box.

Does Goodwill accept donations?

Goodwill greatly appreciates every donation. Unfortunately, due to safety, legal or environmental concerns, Goodwill cannot accept the following:

Why can't I play games?

Games that can’t be played because of broken/missing pieces are wasting space. Coloring books or workbooks that are already written in aren’t attractive to children. Again, the goal is to be a blessing to others when you donate. You want to give things that children can enjoy and support a charitable organization.

How much does a coffee mug cost?

Coffee mugs are found as low as a nickel a piece, but generally cost around 50 cents. A store would have to sell 60 of those at 50 cents (600 at a nickel) just to break even for the cost to get dirty coffee mugs to the floor. That doesn’t include the cost for the worker who rings than up at the register.

Can you donate magazines to thrift stores?

Magazines should be donated, but not to thrift stores. Take them to your local library instead. Many have a place for free magazines which their patrons enjoy. Thrift stores, however, cannot sell magazines. They are easily ripped and torn and can make a real mess. If they fall on the floor, someone can slip on them. Take your magazines somewhere they can be better appreciated. Sometimes, it’s all about donating to the right organization.

Do thrift stores have washers?

Most thrift stores are not equipped with washers and dryers. However clothing comes into the store is how it is going to be sold. As such, no one is going to buy clothing that is dirty, ripped, smelly, stained, or especially wrinkly.