How to Prepare Well When Donating Items

I’m not a minimalist but I’m definitely at the point where I can no longer absorb all the things in my home. It feels like there is too much of everything so I’m taking this as my sign to mindfully purge all the things that are no longer serving us well. I’ve been slowly donating clothes and shoes that the boys have outgrown, but I’ll quickly move into other areas of our home after the holidays. Over the years, I’ve picked up a few tips for donating clothing to charity. Some have been shared directly with me by staff. I’ve also experienced the good, bad and ugly side of things when sorting donated items myself while volunteering.

If you’ve decided to donate items from your household, that’s so great. But before you do, here are my best tips to help you prep your donations for maximum impact.

1. Prioritize in-season donations. Most organizations seek to serve immediate needs so focus on donations tied to the season or temperatures that you’re in. Another thing to keep in mind is that the receiving organization may not have enough space to store items for several months.
2. Inspect everything for holes, gunk, stains and damage. This seems very basic, but you’d be surprised how many people donate things that are basically useless. No matter what your intentions are, donating trash benefits no one and it actually creates more work. Just recycle or throw those terribly used items away.
3. Group similar things together. This tip has served me well when donating items that span multiple categories, like housewares or personal care items. Boxing kitchen items together or bagging up toys makes it easier for the teams that are sorting through your items to know where to place things.
4. Wipe down hard surfaces. When I donate toys, high chairs or furniture, I go over those items at least once with disinfectant wipes or spray. This cleaner is my go-to. The goal isn’t to get everything 100% spotless. But, I’m not about to be giving gross things away. Remember tip #2.
5. Gather all parts, pairs or components that go together. This is where you check that you’ve included all the pieces, chargers, and whatever else someone would need to use your item(s). And, don’t forget to check for both pairs of shoes!

Now, could you donate items without doing these things? Of course. But, take a moment to think about the person on the other end of your goods. Whether that person is staff, a volunteer or the beneficiary, they deserve to receive something that is actually useful. A good rule of thumb? If you wouldn’t use it or wear it as-is, then you should not donate it.

Were these helpful? Any others tips to share? I have many more donations in my future, so leave a comment letting me know!

Photo by Julia M Cameron