5 Things You Can’t Donate, So Toss Or Recycle Them Instead

These are the most common and surprising items that need to be redirected from donation-based organizations.

Everyone loves the cathartic feeling of a good declutter (Swedish death cleaning, anyone?), not to mention how much easier it is to clean your home. Your first instinct may be to pack everything up in your car and head to Goodwill, but take a beat. While chances are these organizations will accept everything and sort it out later, not everything can actually be donated for resale. “We should all strive to be conscious donors—real people are working at these places, and half of what they receive is just put in the trash,” says Clara Schoen, professional organizer and owner of The Home Organized in Birmingham, Alabama.

• Clara Schoen is a professional organizer and the owner of The Home Organized in Birmingham, Alabama.

• Kenika Williams, professional organizer and owner of Tidied by K in Atlanta, Georgia

What To Consider Before Donating

Before your next donation, Kenika Williams, professional organizer and owner of Tidied by K in Atlanta, Georgia, suggests you consider these three questions:

Is the item still in good condition?

Items that are in good condition are often suitable for donation, while those that are damaged or broken may need to be recycled or thrown away.

Is the item useful?

Consider whether the item has any value to someone else. If it can be useful to someone else, it may be a good candidate for donation, otherwise recycling/tossing is the better fit.

Is the item safe?

Items that are hazardous or pose a safety risk should be disposed of properly. This includes items like chemicals, batteries, and old electronics.

Items You Cannot Donate

Take a look at some of the most common and surprising items that need to be redirected from donation-based organizations. Keep in mind that this list isn't completely comprehensive and every organization may have its own rules. You can check the website of wherever you intend to go for their full list of things they don’t accept (usually due to recall, hygiene, or environmental concerns).

Used Toys & Games with A Lot of Pieces

Things like puzzles and L.O.L. dolls are great for donation—as long as they’re complete and well sorted. “They simply don’t have the capacity to go through them individually,” Schoen shares.

Baby Gear

According to Schoen, donating your strollers and baby swings may work for smaller organizations (call first to confirm) but places like Goodwill and the Salvation Army can’t accept them. With so many standards these days—think about the expiration date of car seats—liability is a major concern.

Hazardous Materials

“Items like paints, chemicals, and batteries cannot be donated due to safety concerns,” Williams says. They are incredibly toxic and need to be disposed of properly (i.e. not trashed), so look into what kind of hazardous waste recycling your town offers.

Overly Worn Clothes & Shoes

High school shirts, shoes that are falling apart—these are even less useful to others than they are to you. Oh, and your mismatched socks? Schoen says those can be taken out of your donation pile too.

Old Electronics

Items like alarm clocks and stereos in working condition are often fair game, but televisions and microwaves, for example, are not. “Many cannot be accepted due to safety concerns and the cost of properly disposing of outdated or broken electronics,” Williams explains.

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