There is a lot of thought that goes into a packing process. This is why it usually is the most complicated and longest process when preparing for a move. You need to think about everything – from moving household goods to moving your furniture. But before even that, you need to decide what you will be taking with you, and what stays behind. However, the phrase staying behind is not actually right – these items need to go somewhere! You cannot leave them for the new homeowner to deal with! So you can do one of the three options – sell them, throw them away or donate them. The third one is the most generous one, but the one people are often most confused about. That’s why in this article, we talk about where you can donate unwanted items after relocation.
Goodwill is one of the popular places where you can donate unwanted items after relocation
One of the most popular places where you can donate your items when moving is certainly Goodwill. With over 3,200 stores around the United States, it is for sure the most approachable one. They will take a lot of things – you just need to make sure they are new or gently-used, which means in working condition. After that, they will sell it on their store, or through their online auctions.
What’s more, you can also give them your electronics, which they will pass on to their partner – Dell. This is a great, environmental-friendly option because they will refurbish and recycle these items. This way, you are not only able to donate unwanted items after relocation, but you will also be helping your community.
So all you need to do, after arranging a move with Pembroke Pines movers, is to go to Goodwill’s website and search for Pembroke Pines. Then, you can see if the local store offers pick-up, or if you will need to drop your items yourself!
Local libraries are always open for donations
Another place that you can check and which will both help you donate unwanted items after relocation and help your local community are the local libraries. Books are some of the toughest items to move. Not because they are hard to pack – which they are not – but they can get pretty heavy when packing in bulk. The weight of the package only means you are increasing the costs of the move. So, a lot of people find it cheaper to just donate their old books, and buy themselves new ones after the move is done.
So, if you want to same a couple of dollars on your move – and make some more room on your bookshelves, then it’s time to donate to your local library. Again, most libraries will accept gently-used books. They will also accept DVD and CDs. You should make a point of asking them about what else they accept – because you just never know.
Once they get your books, they will do two things with them. Either they will decide to keep them in their collection, or they will sell it to a third party. From this money, they can then fund library events and activities. This way, you are, once more, giving back to your community.
How to donate your extra food
The food is another one of the popular items you will want to donate away to people. This is one of the items moving companies often refuse to carry or include in their moving services. Because of that, you will either want to get rid of it all or donate it. And where can you donate leftover food? Well, all the non-perishables are the best left at the local food bank. Things like canned goods, rice, cereals and pasta are all great choices for this! Of course, they should be unsued, and their expiration date should not have passed just yet!
You can put all of these items into a firm box and close it up. Then, you can either call your local food bank to see if they do pick-ups, or you can drive the box there yourself. However, this is not true of the perishable items. The food banks will usually not stock them – because of how quickly they expire. It will not hurt to ask them about it, but your best bet would be to eat or throw these away.
Problems you can run into when you want to donate unwanted items after relocation
Donating items is always nice. But what happens when you run into a problem? Sometimes, there are items that no donation center will take. You need to be aware of these. This is true not only because it can cause some problems, but it will also make your move easier. Moving is stressful, and the more stresses you remove, the better. Not knowing how to deal with some items will cause more stress if you are not prepared for it.
So, your best bet would be to explore the items no company will accept. To do this, you will have to call each organization one by one and talk to them about what they will and will not accept. Some might differ from others – so you might be able to donate unwanted items after relocation after all!
Usually, no one will accept anything with rips, stains and tears in them. This doesn’t fall into the category of gently-used. You yourself probably would not appreciate getting an item like this as well, right? Then, you will probably want to avoid donating items that have off-putting smells for some people. Things like pet odors can be quite common, but you should avoid donating items with them.
Of course, you are not allowed to donate hazardous materials and chemicals to anyone but agencies made for disposing of these. Other less dangerous items – like mirrors without frames, glass and its pieces or windows might fall into this category as well. Be careful with what you have, and you will be able to donate unwanted items after relocation with no trouble – only a little bit of planning!
