11 Organizations That Pick Up Donations for Free (Get Rid of Your Boxes Now!)

It can feel impossible to complete the cycle of decluttering. I can sort my belongings, touch each item to see what it sparks, fill a box with donations, and even move the said box to the trunk of my car, but I cannot drive it to Goodwill. I have tried, but I’ve never (not once) successfully moved donations from my car to a donation center. It’s a chronic condition. 

If you also experience “donator’s block” or don’t own a vehicle, I have good news: There are some organizations that’ll pick up your donations for free, which means your items will never again languish in the trunk of the car or back of your closet.

Here are 11 organizations that’ll pick up donations from your home for free.

Want those items out of your house fast? Pickup Please can collect your items in as little as 24 hours in many locations. Use the convenient online tool to schedule. The organization accepts clothing, household goods, toys, books, shoes, small appliances, electronics, and more. It’ll only accept items that can be carried by one person easily — and all donated items will be sold to private companies to support local, state, and national programs, including Vietnam Veterans of America and Veterans’ Voice of America.

Use ClothingDonation.org’s online scheduling tool for an effortless pickup. Despite the name, ClothingDonations.org accepts more than your wardrobe castoffs. It’ll also take small appliances, baby items, kitchenware, electronics, and more. All sales of your donated items will support programs for Veterans, through Vietnam Veterans of America. 

PickUpMyDonation.com does indeed pick up your donations and deliver them to local non-profit thrift stores. Its mission is to keep valuable items out of landfills by transporting donations to local nonprofit thrift stores. It accepts large and small furniture, large and small appliances, rugs, artwork, automobiles, small household goods, tools, recyclable materials, recreational items, and clothing. 

GreenDrop provides “quick, convenient, and easy” donation pickups. Find out if it services your area here. It’ll accept household items including clothing, kitchenware, toys, electronics, and more. Items must weigh 50 pounds or less. GreenDrop accepts your donations on behalf of local nonprofits and pays its partners for your household goods, helping fund programs in your community.

If you’re lucky enough to live near an Out of the Closet Thrift Store, they will pick up your large item donations. The organization provides free HIV testing and AHF Pharmacy services at select locations. Ninety-six cents of every dollar made supports HIV services in-store and around the world. 

Donation Town is another organization that prides itself on its speediness, offering pickups in as little as 24 hours that can be scheduled online. It accepts clothing, household items, toys, electronics, books, sporting equipment, small furniture, and other miscellaneous items. Donation Town pays Vietnam Veterans of America and Veterans’ Voice of America for your donations.

The Salvation Army offers free pickups in locations where transportation costs are low. Search here to learn if it offers pickup in your area. Online booking is available in some locations, but you may have to schedule by phone. It’ll take your clothing, furniture, automobiles, household goods, and appliances. The Salvation Army is an evangelical Christian organization that supports people through hunger relief, religious services, disaster response, social services, counseling, youth programs, senior centers, trafficking advocacy, Veterans services, and prison programs. 

Most Habitat ReStores will pick up furniture and other large items for donation (think: sofas, chairs, dining tables, dressers, bed frames, coffee tables, end tables, filing cabinets, and bookshelves). Give your local branch a call to confirm. Your donations get a second life after being sold in their stores, and proceeds help Habitat from Humanity provide affordable housing to families in need. 

AMVETS offers donation pickup of household goods in select states: Maryland, Virginia, Delaware, Texas, Oklahoma, and Washington, D.C. You may schedule pickup by email or phone and AMVETS will pick up clothing, small appliances, electronics, jewelry, kitchenware, lamps, toys, curtains, bicycles, books, bedding, seasonal items, and exercise equipment. The organization provides legal services, thrift store discounts, academic scholarships, and more to American Veterans. 

Most Goodwill locations will pick up furniture or other difficult-to-transport items. Inquire at your local branch to confirm. For the little stuff, though, you’ve still got to schlep it to the store. Goodwill provides employment, education, support, and skill-building opportunities to help individuals grow their careers. 

Buy Nothing is a hyperlocal network of gifting communities. Use the app or join a local Buy Nothing Group on Facebook to find a home for your decluttered possessions (the group will take almost anything, although there are some rules.) Simply post a photo of your stuff and choose a recipient from the people who express interest. It’s like Facebook Marketplace or OfferUp, but free. 

Thanks to donation pickup, you have plenty of time to put a little extra effort into your gifts. Before proceeding, keep these three things in mind.

• Don’t donate trash. A backpack with a broken zipper isn’t doing anyone any favors. 
• Pack items carefully. Your great aunt’s pineapple lamp won’t be saved from the landfill if it is broken in transit. 
• Keep it clean. Throw the clothes in the wash, wipe down the desk, and cover the inscription on the front of the book with a bookplate label. It won’t take long, and it makes it much more likely that your donations get a second life.