[{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BlogPosting","@id":"https:\/\/nycgreatmovers.com\/blog\/donate-and-dispose-of-your-belongings-in-nyc\/#BlogPosting","mainEntityOfPage":"https:\/\/nycgreatmovers.com\/blog\/donate-and-dispose-of-your-belongings-in-nyc\/","headline":"Best Places to Donate and Dispose of Your Things in NYC","name":"Best Places to Donate and Dispose of Your Things in NYC","description":"Just because you live in a tiny NYC apartment doesn\u2019t mean you haven\u2019t collected a bunch of items […]","datePublished":"2024-05-02","dateModified":"2025-10-02","author":{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/nycgreatmovers.com\/blog\/author\/kevin\/#Person","name":"Great Moving (Kevin)","url":"https:\/\/nycgreatmovers.com\/blog\/author\/kevin\/","identifier":5,"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/b4997c379c86a878ffe0e2cbc54f56f2298ff0763e895fa10c13c22bfb54a237?s=96&d=mm&r=g","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/b4997c379c86a878ffe0e2cbc54f56f2298ff0763e895fa10c13c22bfb54a237?s=96&d=mm&r=g","height":96,"width":96}},"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"NYC Great Movers","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/nycgreatmovers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/nycgreatmovers-logo-20250918.png","url":"https:\/\/nycgreatmovers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/nycgreatmovers-logo-20250918.png","width":600,"height":363}},"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/nycgreatmovers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/Packing-Services-NYC-scaled.webp","url":"https:\/\/nycgreatmovers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/Packing-Services-NYC-scaled.webp","height":2560,"width":2075},"url":"https:\/\/nycgreatmovers.com\/blog\/donate-and-dispose-of-your-belongings-in-nyc\/","about":["Home Organization","Specific Post"],"wordCount":2201,"keywords":["Belongings in NYC","books","Clothes","decluttered your apartment","Dispose","Donate","Electronics","furniture","Move Waste Free","NYC apartment","nyc move","Tax Deductible"],"articleBody":"Just because you live in a tiny NYC apartment doesn\u2019t mean you haven\u2019t collected a bunch of items over the years (s) that you\u2019ve lived there. Even if you think you\u2019re living the minimalist life, chances are you’ll find a lot of stuff you might not want to take with you for your NYC move.\u00a0While it might be tempting to just toss everything to the curb, you need to follow city regulations, especially when it comes to larger items, if you want to avoid paying fines. Of course, by donating as many items as you can, you\u2019re also helping the environment, so it\u2019s a win-win situation. Once you\u2019ve decluttered your apartment, the guide below can help you find places to donate everything.\u00a0Donating ItemsBefore you toss an item into the trash, take a good look at its condition. If it\u2019s still in good shape, you might consider donating stuff you don\u2019t want to take with you. It might be more of a hassle, but you can rest easy knowing the items you no longer want will find a new home. Plus, if you donate to a non-profit, your donations could be tax-deductible.Almost EverythingIf you want to save time, you can donate almost all of your items to the Salvation Army, Goodwill, or Housing Works. If you\u2019re looking to donate furniture, keep in mind that Goodwill does not accept furniture. For everything else, all three options will accept them so long as the items you donate are in good condition. That means no stains, rips, breaks, etc.\u00a0 Organizations and What They AcceptOrganizationFurnitureElectronicsClothesBooksHousehold ItemsSalvation Army\u2705\u2705\u2705\u274c\u2705Goodwill\u274c\u2705\u2705\u274c\u2705Housing Works\u2705\u2705\u2705\u274c\u2705Habitat ReStore\u2705\u274c\u274c\u274c\u2705Bowery Mission\u274c\u274c\u2705\u274c\u274c If you don\u2019t want to donate to these organizations, there are some others that accept a wide variety of items, including:Hour ChildrenCancerCareGreenDropVintageThriftFurnitureIf you have pieces of furniture that you don\u2019t want to take with you, donate them to Habitat for Humanity\u2019s ReStore. The organization will take just about anything that falls into this category, as well as other items like:RefrigeratorsFansMirrorsToiletsStovesAir conditionersWindowsYou can also reach out to Nazareth Housing, a nonprofit that provides supportive housing. They accept a wide variety of household items, including chairs, dressers, tables, small kitchen appliances, bedding, and more.BooksSome bookstores, like the Strand and Argosy, will buy your unwanted books. Of course, you won\u2019t get a large sum of money from the sale, but depending on how many books you sell, the quality, and demand, you could make a tidy sum. As you might expect, these stores are very selective, so they might not buy certain books. The Strand does allow you to donate the books they don\u2019t buy, but you won\u2019t get a tax receipt for it, as they are not a non-profit.Unfortunately, New York City Public Libraries no longer accept book donations. However, you can donate to groups such as the Friends Group, which hold sales at select locations. If that fails, consider working with NYC Books Through Bars, an organization that mails books directly to incarcerated individuals. They only accept paperbacks at the Red Hook location. Besides that, you can also drop off books at your local Little Free Library.\u00a0ElectronicsIf your electronics are still in good condition, you can, of course, donate to places like the Salvation Army and Goodwill. However, you might have better luck finding people to take it at your local Buy Nothing Facebook group. While you might not get a tax receipt for this donation, you\u2019ll still be able to find a good home for your old TV or printer.\u00a0If you want to make sure your belongings are going to a good cause, check out We Care Act NYC. You can donate things like old computers, iPads, e-readers, phones, calculators, and more. All of these get refurbished and then donated to support educational organizations around NYC.ClothesWhile you can always donate your clothes to the big three thrift stores in NYC (Goodwill, Salvation Army, and Housing Works), you might also want to consider donating to nonprofits like The Bowery Mission, which provides clothes directly to New Yorkers in need. Are you a woman who wants to donate your professional clothes? Then reach out to Dress for Success, as they accept professional attire and distribute it to their clients. For men, you can donate to places like That Suits You or Techie Youth.Disposing of ItemsIf no organization wants to take your items or if they are in bad shape, you might not have any choice but to dispose of them. Fortunately, there are better ways to dispose of your items than just throwing them in the trash or to the curb.Trash and RecyclingMost people don\u2019t know when trash or recycling day is because their building managers take care of it. And nowadays, many buildings offer mixed recycling options, so you don\u2019t even have to separate your paper from your plastic bottles. Still, it\u2019s a good idea to know what should go into the trash versus recycling. In general, NYC will accept the following in recycling bins:PaperCardboardGlassMetalPlastic (not pliable)Beverage cartonsLuckily, there\u2019s no limit to how many bags or items you can put into the recycling collection. When it comes to trash, there are even fewer limitations. Pretty much everything can be thrown in the trash except for things like electronics or e-waste.And, if you\u2019re moving out but have a ton of organic food waste, you can drop these off at your local green market compost. There are even some composting bins around NYC, but they are few and far between. You can download the Smart Composting Bin app on iOS and Android. Not only does the app give you access to the bins, but it also shows you their location. Remember, you can compost things like food scraps, plant waste, and food-soiled paper, but you cannot compost diapers, animal waste, non-paper packaging, or recyclable materials. NYC Recycling & Disposal NumbersCategoryKey Metric \/ RuleValue \/ DetailNotes & SourceBulk \/ Large Item Curbside PickupMax items per collection day6 bulky itemsResidents may set out up to six curbside large\/bulk items per collection day. DSNYBulk \/ Large Item Curbside PickupSet\u2011out windowBetween 6\u202fPM and midnight the night beforeBulk items must be placed curbside the evening before the collection day. NYC 311Composting (Curbside)CoverageCitywide (all five boroughs)Curbside composting is now available to all NYC residents. DSNYComposting (Curbside)Collection frequencyWeekly (on recycling day)Compost is collected weekly on the same day as recycling. DSNYComposting (Bin \/ Container Specs)Maximum size allowed55 gallons or less, with secure lidCompost or food\/yard-waste bins must meet size and lid requirements. NYC 311Drop\u2011Off Composting \/ Smart BinsExistence of bins\/drop-off sitesSmart Composting Bins & food scrap drop-off sites in all boroughsResidents may use 24\/7 smart bins or drop-off locations for food scraps and plant waste. NYC 311Compost Giveback \/ Distribution CentersNumber of giveback sites4 city-run compost giveback sitesThere are four DSNY \u201cCompost Giveback\u201d locations distributing finished compost. City LimitsElectronics and E-WasteAs of 2015, it is illegal for New Yorkers to throw out their electronics in the trash. If your electronics are not salvageable, you will need to discard your items at one of the special waste drop-off sites, during a SAFE disposal event in the spring or fall, or at one of the 90 locations around the city, including Best Buy (you\u2019ll need to pay $25) or Staples (does not accept TVs). The Department of Sanitation will also pick up electronics, but you will have to make an appointment beforehand.So what counts as electronics? It typically includes:TVsLaptopsTabletsSmartphonesComputers and peripheralsPrintersFax MachinesMP3 PlayersScannersCamerasDVD PlayersVideo game consolesBulky ItemsIf the items you are throwing out are too big to fit in regular recycling or trash bins, then you will need to coordinate a bulk trash pickup. In general, you can place up to six bulky items on the curb between 6 pm and midnight the night before your regular trash collection day. If you\u2019re not sure what those days are, you can check the Department of Sanitation website. Also, you should keep in mind that there are two types of bulky items: recyclable and trash.Recyclable bulk items tend to be made mostly from metal and rigid plastic. These can be placed on the curb with the recycling. Some examples include:Metal lawn chairs and furnitureGrillsBicyclesWashers and dryersBedspringsPlastic toysPaper shreddersOvensBulky trash items are essentially the opposite and should be placed the night before trash collection. Some examples include:Christmas treesArtificial plantsReclinersWooden tablesArea rugsMattresses – you must put mattresses into plastic mattress bags. You can purchase these at department stores or home improvement storesThere are also special bulky items that require specific disposal methods because they contain CFC, also known as Freon. You cannot leave these out with your trash. Instead, you will have to call up the Department of Sanitation and make an appointment to have the items picked up and safely removed. These items include:Air conditionersDehumidifiersWater coolersFridges and freezersClothesTechnically, you can just toss your worn clothes into the trash, but if you\u2019re concerned for the environment, you might want to reconsider, since every year, 92 million tons of clothes end up in landfills. If you don\u2019t want to add to this number, there are a number of options available. One city-run program is the textile donation bins through GrowNYC. In addition to clothes, they also accept shoes, handbags, and belts.\u00a0 Clothing Waste FactsFact \/ StatisticContext \/ DetailSource92 million tons of clothesAmount of textiles thrown into landfills globally each yearEPA85% of discarded textilesCould be reused or recycledCouncil for Textile Recycling15% of textiles recycledOnly a small fraction is actually recycledEPA500,000 tons\/yearTextiles collected in NYC textile donation binsGrowNYC10+ units requiredMinimum building size to participate in Refashion NYC programRefashion NYC50% clothing donationsWomen\u2019s professional clothes donated to Dress for SuccessDress for Success NYC40% reusedItems sold at thrift stores or reused locallyThredUp 2023 Report92% synthetic fibersSynthetic fabrics take 200+ years to decomposeTextile Exchange Some clothing companies, like H&M, have clothing donation bins in their stores. In most cases, the clothes you drop off don\u2019t even have to be from that particular brand. And finally, if you want to avoid future clothes waste, consider signing up your new apartment building for Refashion NYC. So long as your apartment building has 10 or more units, you can sign up for this free, in-building program for old clothes and other fabric items.\u00a0Make Your Next Move Waste FreeOkay, so maybe it\u2019s not possible to make a NYC move completely waste-free, but you can definitely reduce the amount of items you throw into the trash. Donate as much as you can. If you still have leftovers, post them on Craigslist or your local buy nothing group. You\u2019ll be surprised by what people take! You can also place your items in the lobby of your apartment (if allowed) and have a FREE sign. It will disappear within a few hours. However, if there are still items you can\u2019t get rid of, the handy guide for disposals should at least make it more safe.Once you have decided where to donate all of your items, you should let your NYC movers know the plan. That way, they can drive the items to these locations on moving day, and you can get everything done in one day. Just remember that any extra time added to the move means extra money, so make sure you have the budget for this beforehand.FAQ                    \t\t\t\tShould I sell or donate my items?                \t\t\t\t\t                    \t\t\t\t\t\tThat\u2019s up to you. Selling items takes a lot more work and time, but it can be worth it if you have high-ticket items like name-brand shoes, purses, camera lenses, etc. Your best bet is to browse eBay to find similar items and see the average cost. If it seems worth it, then sell it! You can put the money you make towards your moving budget.                                                        \t\t                    \t\t\t\tHow do I ask for a tax receipt for items I donated?                \t\t\t\t\t                    \t\t\t\t\t\tSimply ask the person accepting the donation. Usually, it is the cashier. You\u2019ll need to make sure the location you donate to is a non-profit though as donating to a for-profit organization will not be tax deductible.                                                        \t\t                    \t\t\t\tHow do I make sure all of my items are accepted for donation?                \t\t\t\t\t                    \t\t\t\t\t\tMake sure you read over each organization\u2019s requirements. Some places will only accept completely new items while others will accept gently used things. If there\u2019s nothing listed, give the organization a call and ask what they accept as well as the conditions required.                                                        \t\t    {\t\t\"@context\": \"https:\/\/schema.org\",\t\t\"@type\": \"FAQPage\",\t\t\"mainEntity\": [\t\t\t\t{\t\t\t\t\"@type\": \"Question\",\t\t\t\t\"name\": \"Should I sell or donate my items?\",\t\t\t\t\"acceptedAnswer\": {\t\t\t\t\t\"@type\": \"Answer\",\t\t\t\t\t\"text\": \"That\u2019s up to you. 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