[{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BlogPosting","@id":"https:\/\/nycgreatmovers.com\/blog\/donate-your-belongings-before-you-move\/#BlogPosting","mainEntityOfPage":"https:\/\/nycgreatmovers.com\/blog\/donate-your-belongings-before-you-move\/","headline":"The Best Places to Donate Your Belongings Before You Move","name":"The Best Places to Donate Your Belongings Before You Move","description":"Moving is an excellent opportunity to clear out a lot of old items that you\u2019ve stashed under your […]","datePublished":"2019-04-11","dateModified":"2026-06-28","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\/2019\/04\/plastic-3577044_1920.jpg","url":"https:\/\/nycgreatmovers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/plastic-3577044_1920.jpg","height":1056,"width":1920},"url":"https:\/\/nycgreatmovers.com\/blog\/donate-your-belongings-before-you-move\/","about":["General"],"wordCount":1927,"keywords":["Blog","books","Donate","foods","furniture","lifestyle","magazine","move","moving tips","NYC","NYC Movers"],"articleBody":"Moving is an excellent opportunity to clear out a lot of old items that you\u2019ve stashed under your bed or hidden away in the dark recesses of your closet. Once you\u2019ve got everything out in the open, you can really put the KonMari method to the test and whittle down what truly brings you joy. But what do you do about the remaining items?While you can throw them out, especially if they\u2019re not in good condition, chances are a lot of the things you\u2019ve accumulated throughout the years have only been used a handful of times and are practically like new. It\u2019s not only a waste to throw them out, it also contributes to our waste. The US alone generates 230 million tons of trash every year \u2013 that\u2019s around 4.6 pounds per person per day! Rather than contribute to this waste when you move, why not lighten your load by donating your items? Sure, it might be an additional step in your moving journey, but not only will you reduce how much your NYC movers will have to pack and transport, you\u2019ll also be doing a good thing. And if that\u2019s not enough, you can also get a charitable deduction for items you donate.FurnitureChances are high that the furniture you might have had in your old apartment won\u2019t necessarily fit in your new one. Or maybe you\u2019re just looking to upgrade from your curbside pickup to something a bit more \u201cadult.\u201d Whatever the reason, you have some gently used items that you don\u2019t want to throw away. If they\u2019re in very good condition, you could probably sell them; however, if you don\u2019t want to deal with the hassle of people coming over to look at your furniture while you\u2019re moving, you can just donate it. Most Commonly Donated FurnitureFurniture TypeEstimated Annual Donations in NYCAverage Resale\/Donation Value (USD)Pickup AvailabilityCommon Donation DestinationsSofas & Couches\u2248 45,000 units$50 \u2013 $150Yes \u2013 Housing Works, JunkluggersHousing Works, Habitat for Humanity ReStoreBeds & Mattresses\u2248 37,500 units$40 \u2013 $120Limited \u2013 Some services require new or lightly used onlyHabitat for Humanity ReStore, Salvation ArmyDining & Coffee Tables\u2248 28,000 units$30 \u2013 $100Yes \u2013 Most organizations acceptCity Opera Thrift Shop, Housing WorksChairs & Recliners\u2248 52,000 units$20 \u2013 $80Yes \u2013 Most major charitiesHabitat for Humanity, Junkluggers, Salvation Army The best part is that you don\u2019t have to lug your furniture over to the store, as there are several options that will pick up from you.Housing Works \u2013 This NYC non-profit fights against AIDS and homelessness. Generally speaking, they look for higher-quality pieces of furniture, so they\u2019re unlikely to take your Ikea bookshelf.City Opera Thrift Shop \u2013 As the name suggests, this non-profit focuses on the arts, with proceeds supporting the design and creation of costumes in the NYC opera. Make sure you look at their donation form to see what they accept and what they do not.Junkluggers \u2013 This service will simply cart away your furniture and either donate it based on its condition or recycle it. Not convenient enough? They\u2019ll even send you a tax-deductible receipt within 14 business days for the items that were donated on your behalf.Habitat for Humanity ReStore \u2013 You probably recognize the name Habitat for Humanity, as they build homes for low-income people. Did you also know that they accept (and pick up) furniture? There are some restrictions on what they\u2019ll accept, so make sure to look over the list.ClothingYou never really know how many clothes you have until you move. If you didn\u2019t fall into the organizational craze, you might be wondering what to do with all the bags of clothes you\u2019ve collected. While it might be tempting to just throw them out, consider this fact: people throw out about 81 pounds of clothes a year! If you have clothes that are in good condition, there are several places you can donate them to:Salvation Army \u2013 Perhaps the most well-known Goodwill store in NYC, Salvation Army will generally accept almost all clothing, so long as it is in good condition. Naturally, they don\u2019t accept things like used socks or underwear.New York City Rescue Mission \u2013 As the oldest shelter in the US, the NYC Rescue Mission is consistently in need of clean clothes and other items (such as bedding). They generally only accept clothing in new or good condition. The items that are most needed tend to be work\/interview attire, but they\u2019ll accept all clothes.Dress for Success \u2013 This non-profit only accepts career-appropriate attire for women.\u00a0 When donating, remember to launder\/dry-clean them before donating. You can see a more complete list of what they accept here. Popular Clothing Donation OrganizationsOrganizationEstimated Annual Donations (NYC)Accepted Clothing TypesPickup AvailabilitySpecial NotesSalvation Army\u2248 2.5 million itemsAll adult and children\u2019s clothing (good condition)Yes \u2013 Free scheduled pickupOffers tax-deductible receipts; accepts shoes & accessoriesDress for Success\u2248 75,000 itemsProfessional & career attire for womenNo pickup \u2013 Drop-off onlySupports women entering the workforceNew York City Rescue Mission\u2248 150,000 itemsEveryday wear, work attire, bedding, coatsDrop-off onlyOldest US shelter; supports NYC homeless populationBuffalo Exchange\u2248 90,000 itemsDesigner & brand-name clothingNo pickupOffers cashback or donation options for unsold itemsGreenmarket Clothing Collection\u2248 500,000 lbs annuallyAll fabrics, including damaged clothingDrop-off at local marketsFocuses on textile recycling and reuseH&M \/ Zara In-Store Bins\u2248 200,000 lbs annuallyAll clothing brands, damaged or wearableDrop-off onlyRecycled for sustainability initiatives Buffalo Exchange \u2013 If you have some high-end clothes that you no longer wear, Buffalo Exchange is a great place to drop off your brand-name items. If the staff accepts them, you\u2019ll receive cashback for your clothes. And you can still choose to donate the clothes that don\u2019t net you any cash if you just want to get them off your hands.Greenmarket Clothing Collection \u2013 for clothes that are damaged or not donatable (like underwear and socks), you can drop off these goods at one of the many locations around the city. They\u2019ll accept almost all clothes, though they will not take things like fabric rolls and scraps, carpeting, rugs, pillows, comforters, or luggage. The company then sends the clothes off to be reused and\/or recycled.H&M and Zara \u2013 Wait, what? Yep, that\u2019s right, these two companies have a bin in all of their stores where you can drop off your old clothes, even if they\u2019re not from the brand. It\u2019s a nice effort, though the bins tend to be pretty hidden, and people tend to think it\u2019s a trash can.Books\/MagazinesIt\u2019s hard to say goodbye to books and magazines, but these can take up a huge amount of space and add a lot of extra weight. While you don\u2019t have to get rid of everything, chances are you have several dozen that you probably don\u2019t even pick up anymore. Take the opportunity to rid your home of clutter and get rid of it!The Strand \u2013 if you have enough books to donate, The Strand will pick up your boxes of books for you. However, if you only have a dozen or so, you\u2019ll need to go directly to their location and donate. You\u2019ll even get some money back on the books depending on what it is.The New York Public Library \u2013 While they only accept academic titles, if you happen to have some on hand, the NYPL is a great place to donate. Libraries might also take your old magazines, so long as they are in good condition. Book\/Magazine Donation NumbersOrganizationEstimated Annual Donations (NYC)Accepted MaterialsPickup AvailabilitySpecial NotesThe Strand Bookstore\u2248 120,000 booksUsed and new books (fiction, non-fiction, art, literature)Yes \u2013 Large donations onlyOffers store credit for selected titlesNew York Public Library\u2248 80,000 booksAcademic titles, reference books, clean magazinesDrop-off onlyDonations support library collections and book salesBooks Through Bars\u2248 40,000 booksPaperback books (literature, self-help, history)Drop-off or mail-inProvides free books to incarcerated individualsReach Out & Read\u2248 25,000 children\u2019s booksNew or gently used children\u2019s books (ages 0\u20138)Drop-off or ship to main officeBooks are distributed to pediatric clinics and familiesHousing Works Bookstore\u2248 60,000 booksGeneral fiction, art, design, and lifestyle booksYes \u2013 Scheduled pickup for large donationsProceeds support HIV\/AIDS and homelessness programs Books Through Bars \u2013 Live in Brooklyn? Then you can cart your books over to Freebird Books and donate them. Just make sure to read their guidelines to ensure your books are accepted.Reach out & Read \u2013 If you have a lot of leftover kids’ books that you no longer need, this organization is more than happy to accept them. They then distribute these books to pediatricians\u2019 offices. You can drop it off at one of their sites or, if you have a lot, ship it over to their main office.FoodThere are around 1.4 million people who rely on emergency food programs in the city, whether soup kitchens or Food Banks. If you happen to have a lot of leftover food that you don\u2019t want to move, consider donating it to a good cause. There are even places that can pick up your perishable items so long as they\u2019re not opened\/used.The Bowery Mission \u2013 one of the most well-known shelters in NYC- also offers soup kitchens every day. You can drop off your food donation between 7 am and 7 pm. While they generally request non-perishable items, they will accept fresh prepared foods as long as they\u2019re still in their packaging. Food Donations by TypeFood TypeEstimated Annual Donations in NYCTypical Items DonatedAccepted BySpecial NotesNon-Perishable Items\u2248 2.8 million lbsCanned vegetables, soups, rice, pasta, and peanut butterBowery Mission, Hour Children Pantry, Salvation ArmyMost requested donation type; ideal for all sheltersPerishable Items\u2248 650,000 lbsFresh produce, dairy, meat, prepared meals (sealed)New York Common Pantry, City HarvestAccepted only if packaged and within safe temperature limitsBaked Goods\u2248 280,000 lbsBread, bagels, muffins, pastries (sealed or fresh)Bowery Mission, Food Bank for NYCOften restricted; best to confirm with local food banksBeverages\u2248 150,000 lbsBottled water, juice boxes, milk alternativesHour Children Pantry, NYC Rescue MissionAvoid donating sodas, energy drinks, or alcoholBaby & Specialty Foods\u2248 95,000 lbsInfant formula, baby food, gluten-free, and low-sodium itemsHour Children Pantry, Food Bank for NYCMust be unopened and within the expiration date Hour Children Food Pantry \u2013 Located in Long Island City, this food pantry is organized more like a supermarket to give a sense of normalcy and allow its patrons to find items faster. They tend to veer more towards non-perishable items.New York Common Pantry \u2013 if you don\u2019t want to transport all of your items to a location, have the organization come to you! New York Common Pantry provides pick-ups every day from 8 am to 11 pm. They are one of the few organizations that accept perishable items such as produce, meat, and other items, though they do not accept pastries, cakes, chips, sodas, or other junk food.There are many other charitable organizations willing to accept your gently used items, so make sure to look around and find one that makes sense for you. Donating not only gives your items a second chance at life, but it also helps the environment by reducing waste and even puts extra money in your pocket come tax time."},{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Blog","item":"https:\/\/nycgreatmovers.com\/blog\/#breadcrumbitem"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"The Best Places to Donate Your Belongings Before You Move","item":"https:\/\/nycgreatmovers.com\/blog\/donate-your-belongings-before-you-move\/#breadcrumbitem"}]}]