Where to donate unwanted items before relocation

Once you buy or rent your new home you will need to get organized and start preparing for your move. Thinking about what is important and what you will bring to your new home might be quite exciting. You should give yourself time to think about your belongings because items can have different meanings to us. Think carefully about which items mean a lot to you and which you want to let go of. Think about where to donate unwanted items before relocation. And for the items that you decide to relocate find a moving company that offers a variety of Clearwater moving services.

Where to donate unwanted items at a glance

Use this table to match each type of item with the organization most likely to accept it. Policies vary by location, so confirm with your local branch before you load the car.

Make a list of unwanted items

No matter if you are a collector of fine things, a minimalist or you are just ready to let go, leaving items that don’t have a purpose in your life and making your load lighter can have only positive effects on your life.  It will improve your mental well-being and make your moving much easier. You can try selling the things you don’t need anymore and, in addition to that, you can try donating your belongings.

Donating can be a wonderful way to reach out and provide for those in need. Moreover, you can also recycle and reduce the amount of stuff that is being sent to landfills. The first thing you need to do is make a list of all the things you want to donate. The list can help you decide whom to give your items to and how to organize the drop-offs to the chosen places. Find interstate movers Florida that will help you relocate items to your new home and to transport your donations as well.

Where to donate furniture, household items, electronics, linens, and clothing?

You can always check first with your friends and family and give them the items that you don’t use anymore. Still, if you decide to donate to people that will probably need more some of those items there are organizations where you could do that.

Goodwill

First and foremost, we need to recommend Goodwill. Goodwill has more than 3,200 thrift stores around the country which makes it one of the most well-known places to donate used items. After you donate, Goodwill will sell your belongings in its brick-and-mortar shops and on shopgoodwill.com, an online auction website. In case you are in need of moving company in Florida to transport your donations, feel free to contact us anytime.

Goodwill has a partnership with Dell. Dell collects electronic equipment. Later on, it recycles or restores the collected electronics for the benefit of local communities. The program, called Dell Reconnect, accepts any brand of computer equipment in any condition at more than 2,000 participating Goodwill drop-off locations in 44 states. Wipe your devices first, since you are responsible for erasing personal data before you drop them off. If you are not sure how to pack your electronics, hire movers that provide packing services Clearwater FL. If you decide to refurbish or recycle your computer, you should go to the Dell Reconnect site to check whether you can get the service through the local Goodwill store.

When it sells the goods, Goodwill then uses the profit from the sale to finance job-placement programs and employment training. Goodwill aims to serve those who are dealing with barriers to employment. They help disabled people, people who are in government support programs, individuals with limited work history, people with language barriers, and people who went through corporate downsizing. Some of the items you can take to Goodwill include:

• Furniture
• Electronics
• Housewares
• Cars, SUVs, trucks, campers, and boats
• Appliances
• Collectibles
• Jewelry
• Sports equipment
• Shoes and clothes
• Books
• Toys and games

Go to the Goodwill website to find the nearest Goodwill donation center and leave your donations there. Pickup depends on your local Goodwill, since each one is an independent organization. Some do not offer home pickup at all, while Goodwill Manasota, which serves Manatee, Sarasota, DeSoto, and Hardee counties, partners with Resupply for larger pickups.

Salvation Army

Another equally popular charitable organization is Salvation Army. The Salvation Army has donation centers and thrift stores across the country. Just like Goodwill, it sells donations in thrift stores and uses the proceeds to fund various programs. From time to time, it also delivers donated goods to the people who need them. So if you are in Pinellas County find some of the most reliable moving companies Pinellas County has that will transport your donations to any Salvation Army location.

The Salvation Army reaches out to many people in need. These include homeless people, victims of human trafficking, survivors of domestic violence, and natural disasters. Moreover, when it comes to proceeds from their stores, The Salvation Army uses them to finance its adult rehabilitation centers. In those centers, they work to help people with alcohol and drug addiction overcome their dependence, rebuild their families and gain work skills. Some of the items you can donate to the Salvation Army include:

• Furniture
• Electronics
• Housewares
• Cars, SUVs, trucks, campers, and boats
• Appliances
• Sports equipment
• Shoes and clothes
• Books
• Toys and games

If you want to deliver your belongings yourself you can find the nearest drop-off location at Salvation Army’s thrift stores website. They also offer a home pickup option. To schedule a pickup, you should enter your zip code on their website (satruck.org) or call 1-800-SA-TRUCK (1-800-728-7825), list the donations that should be picked up and choose a pickup date. You are not obligated to be home when they come. You can leave the donations outside marked with “SA” so that they know the items were left for them. All donations are accepted at the driver’s discretion, so worn or unusable items may be left behind.

Dress for Success

Dress for Success is a non-profit organization that helps women with lower income worldwide reach financial independence. They provide them with professional clothing and also development tools if needed. If you have business attire in good condition and are willing to donate, Dress for Success is the perfect place for you. You can donate gently used, new, or nearly new clothes, handbags, shoes, jewelry, and unused cosmetic products. If you decide to donate to Dress for Success, check out its website to find the nearest affiliate location. And then find the best moving company St Petersburg FL that will help you deliver your items to the closest location.

When invited to a job interview, women can set up a meeting with Dress for Success. This non-profit organization then makes sure to find them interview outfits that make them radiate confidence. Dress for Success also offers support services that aim to help ladies thrive in their new workplaces. Items that Dress for Success accepts include:

• Women’s new or gently used suits
• Women’s shoes
• Handbags
• Women’s business apparel
• Accessories and jewelry
• New, unexpired, unopened cosmetic products

All donated items must be either dry-cleaned or laundered and ready for immediate use. Damaged items that require reparations cannot be accepted.

Habitat for Humanity

Habitat for Humanity has local affiliates in all 50 U.S. states, and many of them run ReStores. If you can find Habitat For Humanity ReStore near you, you will see that it is an amazing place to donate all sorts of used home goods.  What is great about them, among other things, is that they accept less commonly donated supplies such as tools and building materials. if you think that this is the right organization for you to donate unwanted items contact one of the moving companies in Gulfport to transport your goods and help you relocate with ease.

Just like other thrift stores, Habitat for Humanity will resell your donated items at reduced prices and use the profit for funding its programs. Also, Habitat for Humanity works to help people in need in the U.S. and globally by providing them with affordable housing. It conducts repairs and builds new homes for underprivileged people. Habitat for Humanity accepts:

• Furniture
• Housewares
• Appliances
• Building materials
• Construction equipment
• Tools
• Farm equipment
• Airplanes
• Cars, trucks, SUVs, motorcycles, snowmobiles, boats, recreational vehicles (RVs), and campers

In case you want to donate smaller wares, you can drop them off yourself at your local Habitat for Humanity ReStore. If you are donating a heavy load, feel free to contact the local store and ask whether it can schedule a pickup from your home.

Where to donate books and magazines?

Libraries – Almost all public libraries will accept your used books if they are in good condition. Also, if you have CDs, DVDs, or magazines that you would like to donate, feel free to offer them as libraries may accept them. In case the library doesn’t want to use them in their facilities and decides to sell them, the money that they make from your donations will be used to fund library events.

Moreover, if the library doesn’t accept your books, don’t worry because there are local literacy clubs or other organizations who will be glad to receive your donations. In this case, you could use the help of local best moving companies in Florida and donate your books safely. Unfortunately, libraries in some areas are not well-stocked so, most likely,  your donated books will be more than welcome in those groups.

Shelters – One of the best places to which you can donate your books and magazines are shelters. Shelters often own their own libraries and they can be used by local people. Very often shelter residents do not own permanent addresses so they cannot have access to local public libraries. The libraries in shelters are usually small so they are always in need of new books and magazines.

Schools – Unfortunately, lots of schools are lacking funds so they cannot fully provide all desired materials. Don’t hesitate to reach out to them if you are willing to donate materials in decent condition. You can check what schools in your area need and let them know what you have to offer. You can ask them to donate your CDs, DVDs, and magazines, as well.

Where to donate baby items and food?

Baby2Baby – If your children have grown and you are still in possession of their baby items, you are probably asking yourself where to donate unwanted items before relocation. We would like to suggest donating your baby’s belongings to Baby2Baby.

Baby2Baby is a non-profit organization that gathers baby items and passes them on to children’s hospitals, shelters, and other places that need them. You can donate clothes, backpacks, blankets, beds, car seats, toys, diapers, diaper creams, high chairs, or any other baby gear that you think might be useful to someone. Use one of the movers Palm Harbor FL has and deliver baby items to this organization. Baby2Baby is based in Los Angeles, so if you live elsewhere, a local diaper bank or pregnancy resource center is often the easiest place to donate baby gear.

Food banks – You are just about to move and you have lots of leftover food? You are not sure what to do with it? If you don’t want to bring non-perishable food items with you, we recommend donating them to the local food bank. Unused food items such as pasta, cereals, canned goods, etc. can feed people in need. If you are willing to donate non-perishable foods, you can either deliver them yourself or contact Move for Hunger to help you.

Move for Hunger – Move for Hunger is an organization that collaborates with professional movers all over the U.S. to pick up unwanted leftover food and distribute them to local food banks. In 2025, its network collected and delivered more than 17 million pounds of food to 615 food banks and pantries.

Where can you donate in the Tampa Bay area?

If you are moving within or out of Tampa Bay, these local options make drop-offs easier:

• Habitat for Humanity of Tampa Bay Hillsborough runs ReStores at 501 W. Robertson St. in Brandon and 8247 N. Florida Ave. in Tampa, and you can schedule a large-item pickup through its donation hotline at 813-540-7540.
• Goodwill Manasota operates more than 30 donation locations in Manatee, Sarasota, DeSoto, and Hardee counties, and they accept donations from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily.
• Pinellas County’s Household Hazardous Waste Center at 2855 109th Ave. N. in St. Petersburg takes paint, household chemicals, and automotive fluids from county residents for free. It is open Tuesday through Friday and on the first and third Saturdays from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., and a government-issued ID is required.

Our Hillsborough County movers and Pasco County movers can drop donations off on the way to your new home when you plan it into your moving day.

When should you schedule donations before moving day?

Donations take longer than most people expect, so work backward from your moving date:

1. Six weeks before: walk through each room and list what you will donate, sell, or move.
2. Four weeks before: book pickups, so you have time to find another option if an item is declined.
3. Two weeks before: drop off smaller items and clothing, and collect your receipts.
4. One week before: set aside unopened, non-perishable food for a food bank or a Move For Hunger mover.
5. Moving day: keep a short list of anything a charity declined, so you can decide whether it moves or goes to disposal.

If you are downsizing for retirement, our senior moving team can help you sort and pack at a comfortable pace. If you only need extra hands to load donations, labor-only moving is another option.

Items that might not be accepted

There are many places where to donate unwanted items before relocation. However, you should have in mind that donation sites will not accept all donated items. First, you should contact each organization personally and inquire which items can and cannot be accepted. For example, some of the items that they won’t accept are items with stains, tears, rips, and pet odors. Furthermore, they will refuse hazardous materials, glass or unframed mirrors, broken glass, metal blinds, corner tubs, broken flooring, etc. Also, refrain from donating faulty lighting, textbooks, and encyclopedias as well as outdated electronics. Many Goodwill stores also decline mattresses and box springs, and they cannot resell car seats because there is no way to know whether a seat has been in an accident.

Don’t forget to keep those donation receipts

We would like to remind you to save your donation receipts because there are some tax-deductible items you can donate. When you finish donating your unused belongings to charities, those non-profit organizations will be able to provide you with tax deduction receipts. When the time comes, those receipts can help you save a large amount of money on taxes.

The rules changed in 2026. Taxpayers who take the standard deduction can now deduct up to $1,000 (single) or $2,000 (married filing jointly), but only for cash gifts to qualifying charities, not for donated furniture, clothing, or other goods. Donated items still count if you itemize, although itemizers can now deduct only the portion of their charitable gifts that exceeds 0.5% of their adjusted gross income. For noncash gifts worth more than $500, you will also need IRS Form 8283, and IRS Publication 561 explains how to value used items fairly.

Ready to move?

Finally, we hope that our guide has been very useful to you while inquiring about where to donate unwanted items before relocation. As explained above, many non-profit organizations will use your belongings to help underprivileged people, either by delivering them or by using proceeds to fund various programs. Also, those that we mentioned above are just some of them, there are many more charities out there. Donating your items will help you eliminate clutter, possibly lower your taxes and reduce your moving costs. Moreover, it will also leave you feeling happy knowing you did something wonderful for your community. When your donations are sorted, Big Man’s Moving can take care of the rest. Request a free moving estimate and tell us what is moving with you.

Frequently Asked Questions

What items can you not donate to Goodwill?

Many Goodwill locations decline mattresses and box springs, and they cannot resell car seats. Broken, stained, or hazardous items are also usually refused, so check your local Goodwill's list before loading the car.

Does the Salvation Army pick up donations for free?

In many areas, yes. You can schedule a free pickup at satruck.org or by calling 1-800-SA-TRUCK (1-800-728-7825), and you can leave items outside marked "SA" if you will not be home. Drivers accept items at their discretion.

Can I deduct donated furniture and clothes on my taxes in 2026?

Only if you itemize. The new deduction for non-itemizers covers cash gifts only, up to $1,000 for single filers and $2,000 for joint filers. Itemizers can deduct the fair market value of donated goods, subject to the new floor of 0.5% of adjusted gross income.

What should I do with items charities will not take?

Sell them, give them to friends or neighbors, or use your county's disposal programs. In Pinellas County, the Household Hazardous Waste Center in St. Petersburg takes paint, household chemicals, and automotive fluids from residents for free.