11 Best Donation Pickup Services for Charitable Donations
Whether you're moving across the country, you just discovered Marie Kondo's "love it or toss it" philosophy, or you want to help support populations in need, a donation service can come to you and take away your unwanted items.
Charities and nonprofit organizations such as homeless shelters, domestic violence shelters, and food pantries rely on donations to fund programs and provide items/services to those in need, so many will pick up your stuff for free.
How Does Donating Through a Pickup Work?
Today, many charitable organizations will come to you. Donation pickups make it easy for anyone to donate unwanted items, regardless of transportation limitations or busy schedules. Many charities that offer free donation pick-up options use online platforms to schedule donation pick-ups.
Donors should follow their chosen organization's guidelines on how to prepare the donation. Then, the service comes by and takes the items. Continue reading to see some of the best organizations that offer free donation pick-up.
Easy Donation Pickup
- Accepts: Clothing, shoes, backpacks, purses, luggage, beauty products, jewelry, housewares, sports equipment, tools, toys, books, electronics, small kitchen appliances/furniture.
- Schedule: Monday - Friday: 8 a.m. - 5 p.m.
- Free Pick-ups: YES
Easy Donation Pickup provides free pickups for people wanting to donate items to charity in Orange County, CA, and certain Los Angeles areas. We are the pickup service for the National Veterans Foundation, a nonprofit organization that provides various programs for U.S. military veterans and their families, including a vet-to-vet helpline that offers information, referrals, and crisis management services. If you want to part with new or gently used items and live in our service area, consider scheduling a free pickup with us.
AMVETS National Service Foundation
- Accepts: Clothing, purses, jewelry, kitchenwares, housewares, hardware, tools, bicycles, sporting goods, exercise equipment, yard equipment, clean mattresses.
- Schedule: Monday – Friday: 8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. (variable depending on location)
- Free Pick-ups: YES
American Veterans, or AMVETS, is a nationally recognized non-profit organization that raises money through various programs to support United States veterans and their families. One of these programs is the AMVETS Pickup Service. Under this program, AMVETS picks up gently used items from donors’ homes. These items include jewelry, lamps, kitchenware, books, household items, and more. Then, AMVETS Pickups sells these items at a discount at one of their many thrift stores and uses the proceeds for various programs that benefit the nation’s veterans.
Goodwill
- Accepts: clothing, furniture, toys and games, books, art, household items, kitchenware, and electronics.
- Schedule: Monday - Saturday: 10 A.M. - 8 P.M. (variable depending on location)
- Free Pick-ups: YES (variable depending on location)
No matter where you live in the U.S., you probably have a Goodwill location nearby. This organization first opened 120 years ago and has been supplying families in need with discounted, gently used essentials ever since. Goodwill does not discriminate in who it helps, providing assistance to those with developmental disabilities, the homeless, veterans, and more. In addition to offering discounted prices at more than 3,200 store locations across the U.S. and Canada, Goodwill provides job training and career advancement services, following its "hand up, not hand out" motto.
Pickup Please
- Accepts: Clothing, shoes, accessories, dishes, linens, books, toys, musical instruments, small furniture, electronics, and small appliances.
- Schedule: Monday - Sunday: 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. (variable depending on location)
- Free Pick-ups: YES
The VVA collects item donations through Pickup Please. Founded by Vietnam veteran activists in the late 1970s, the Vietnam Veterans of America provides community fellowship, assistance with VA claims, outreach programs for veterans struggling with PTSD and substance abuse, and much more. Although the Vietnam Veterans of America (VVA) was founded for Vietnam veterans, it now serves all U.S. military veterans.
The Salvation Army
- Accepts: Clothing, furniture, vehicles, bikes, household items, appliances, books, toys, and mobile phones
- Schedule: Monday - Friday: 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. (variable depending on location)
- Free Pick-ups: YES (variable depending on location)
The Salvation Army is an international charitable Christian organization that offers a wide range of services and programs. The Salvation Army addresses issues like poverty, hunger, disaster relief, lack of housing, youth empowerment, rehabilitation, and more with its programs and services. In some areas, The Salvation Army offers free donation pickup for many types of items as well as having over 8,000 drop-off locations in the United States.
Vietnam Veterans of America
- Accepts: Clothing, household goods, small appliances, kitchen items, baby items, electronics, toys, vehicles
- Schedule: Monday - Saturday: 9 a.m. - 6 p.m. (variable depending on location)
- Free Pick-ups: YES (variable depending on location)
Vietnam Veterans of America is a nonprofit organization with over 85,000 service members and 650 chapters across the United States, the Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, Guam, and the Philippines, all helping veterans with support programs and services. Donations benefit all U.S. veterans or active military members. VVA uses donations to fund local programs as well as veteran services, political actions, outreach programs, and educational services.
Habitat for Humanity
- Accepts: Furniture, kitchen & bathware, building materials, electronics, clothing, and vehicles.
- Schedule: Dependent on Location
- Free Pick-ups: YES (variable depending on location)
Habitat for Humanity has been helping people in need since 1976 by building and renovating affordable housing. This nonprofit organization wants to help less fortunate people find stability and safety where they live, so it constructs homes, helps revitalize neighborhoods, and provides shelter for people in all 50 states and 70 countries around the globe. Habitat for Humanity accepts its donations through a network of more than 900 Habitat ReStores located across the U.S.
The Arc
- Accepts: Monetary donations, vehicles, clothes, books, and household items.
- Schedule: Monday - Friday: 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. (variable depending on location)
- Free Pick-ups: YES (variable depending on location)
The Arc is a 70-year-old U.S. organization that serves adults and children with intellectual and developmental disabilities. The Arc uses donations to fund various programs that support the disabled community. When donating to The Arc, you can either enter a monetary donation online or schedule a pickup service for physical items if you have a The Arc store nearby. You can also use the "Find a Chapter" tool on the website to locate the closest The Arc donation center near you.
St. Vincent de Paul
- Accepts: Shoes, gently used clothing, appliances, small household items, gently used furniture, handbags, and luggage.
- Schedule: Monday - Saturday: 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. (variable depending on location)
- Free Pick-ups: YES and NO (variable depending on location)
Founded in 1833, St. Vincent de Paul is a Catholic Christian organization that dedicates itself to assisting those in need. Members of the organization all additionally find purpose in their cause by performing these acts of charity in the name of Jesus Christ. This organization has multiple thrift stores that allow people in need to purchase donated goods at affordable prices. The funds gained from these purchases are then used by the organization to further their numerous charitable programs.
American Red Cross
- Accepts: Monetary donations, stock donations, vehicles, real estate, and legacy gifts.
- Schedule: Dependent on Location
- Free Pick-ups: NO (but YES if done through GreenDrop)
The American Red Cross is one of the largest, most widely recognized non-profit organizations in the entire United States. However, due to their size and scale, they do not offer individual pickup services for their donations. Instead, they partner with different organizations, such as GreenDrop, to do the pickups and sell the donated goods to thrift stores. These funds are then given back to the Red Cross to be used in their humanitarian efforts.
Disabled American Veterans
- Accepts: Clothing, accessories, household items, small appliances, shoes, sporting goods, tools, electronics, toys, home decor, and jewelry.
- Schedule: Monday - Friday: 8 a.m. - 3 p.m. (variable depending on location)
- Free Pick-ups: YES (variable depending on location)
The Disabled American Veterans is an organization created by World War I veterans in the 1920s to assist disabled American veterans and their families in a variety of ways. This includes helping veterans complete government-required paperwork, providing them guidance in VA matters, and, most importantly, through donations. These donations are sold to thrift stores, and the resulting funds are then used to finance their other programs.
Savers
- Accepts: Clothing, shoes, backpacks, purses, books, electronics, housewares, small appliances/furniture, games, toys, exercise and sporting goods.
- Schedule: Variable Depending on Location
- Free Pick-ups: NO (but YES if done through outside organizations)
Savers is a for-profit thrift store located all across the United States. Donating to Savers puts your goods on their shelves, and when another person purchases them, a portion of the revenue is donated to the location’s partnered charities. In this way, Savers is not a charity but rather a middleman that raises money for nonprofits. Similarly, Savers does not offer free donation pick up services but has partnered with various other local organizations to do pick ups for them.
How Do You Choose the Best Donation Service?
Scheduling a free donation pickup with a local organization seems simple, but how do you choose a charity or nonprofit when so many great options exist? Let's review some helpful considerations for selecting the proper organization for your donation:
Acceptable Donations
Although it proves relatively easy to find an organization that will accept a clothing donation, not all charities and nonprofits accept the same types of items.
When choosing a service for free donation, pick one that can accept the kinds of items you want to part with. For example, if you wish to donate furniture, you may choose Habitat for Humanity or Easy Donation Pickup.
Supported Populations
Perhaps you want to donate to a specific service to help support a particular population. For example, donors who wish to help support military veterans might choose AMVETS, Pickup Please, or us if you live in Orange County.
On the other hand, donors who want to help people with IDD may choose to donate items to the Arc, and contributors who want to help victims of human trafficking may decide to donate to the Salvation Army.
Location
If you don't live near any of the options listed above, we recommend searching online for other options in your area. The more convenient you can make the donation process, the more likely you will follow through.
Searching online for charities that collect donations in your area is a great place to start.
Frequently Asked Questions About Donating
Are charitable furniture donations tax deductible?
Yes, donations to charities and nonprofits can be tax deductible. Most organizations and charities that accept donations will provide you with a tax receipt when they pick up your items. Save all these receipts to take advantage of the allowed tax deductions and save money on your taxes.
What items should I donate to charity?
When choosing items to donate, look for unused and gently used items that still have a lot of life left. Nobody wants your holey socks or broken microwave, but many people could use a lightly-worn coat or that new pair of boots that you purchased but never wore.
Try to imagine the usefulness of each item. If it's not useful, don't donate it.
What items should I NOT donate to charity?
Do not donate the following items to a nonprofit or charitable organization:
- Hazardous materials (cleaning supplies, paint, etc.)
- Old medicine or old syringes
- Recalled items
- Underwear
- Used makeup
- Expired food
- Bug infested items
As a rule of thumb, don't donate anything covered in germs, mold, or bugs. Only donate clean, disinfected items.
How should I pack my donation for pickup?
Most organizations provide guidelines for packing donations.
These guidelines may include the following:
- Pack sharp items (forks, knives, scissors, and pins) carefully to avoid accidental cuts and pricks.
- Wash, wipe, or sanitize all items before packing them for donation.
- Tape loose items in place to prevent damage during transport (pot lids, for example).
- Rubber-band shoes together.
- Pack your donations in boxes, not bags.
- Label each package for the intended charity.
Why should I donate to a charity?
This question has many answers, and often the benefits can go beyond just yourself.
To Help Others
This answer is quite simple. Being kind feels good, and donating can directly improve the lives of others around you! In our list of charities above, many of them help different groups of people, so you can donate to the charity that best suits your own interests.
If you’re looking to help individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities, donate to the Arc. If you want to help humanitarian efforts after natural disasters, try the Red Cross. How about disabled American veterans? Well, there’s an organization that shares the same name! No matter who you want to help, you can find a charity to do so.
To Declutter Your House
Many people often struggle to throw things away, even if they clearly don’t need them. Donating can help you jump over that hurdle! If you think about it, you’ll be giving a new life to your donated goods beyond simply resting in a box.
For furniture, this is even more true! If you need to motivate yourself to buy new furniture, donating your old furniture can help you feel good about yourself while also helping others in need. This will also simply create more space in your house.
To Help the Environment
Hear us out. If you simply threw away these goods you didn’t need, like clothes, random toys, and more, they would end up going to a landfill to decompose over multiple years. Obviously, we don’t want that so that’s where donating comes in.
By giving away your unneeded goods to people in need (or recycling them), you can extend the lifespan of your goods for years, or even decades! This will keep trash out of landfills and serve as a net benefit for the environment.
Can I donate to a charity anonymously?
Yes, you can! Learn about donating anonymously. We cover the pros and cons of anonymous donations and explain the most common options for making donations anonymously.
We Offer Free Donation Pickup
If you're looking for some of the best services that offer free donation pickup in Orange County or an L.A. County location within our service area, schedule a donation pickup with us today.
At Easy Donation Pickup, we provide a simple and convenient way to donate items and make a difference in the lives of people in need.
Schedule a donation pickup by visiting our schedule page or calling us at 1-855-628-8387.