Do Thrift Stores in the Magic Valley Want Everything You Donate?

Recycling is an awesome way to help the planet. Recycling household items and clothes is giving use to items that are still usable. The important aspect is that items donated will be able to be reused. Donating to thrift stores is all well and good, but they can’t stock some items.

Thrift stores would love it if you would stop putting these items in the mix. They have to sort them out and throw them away. Save everyone time and money. Throw them out yourself.

1. Broken stuff: I’m sure someone could fix it and make it pretty, but if you haven’t, they don’t have time for it either. Let the trash can have its moment to shine.
2. Mattresses and pillows: Since bed bugs are a thing, thrift stores won’t touch ‘em. Add them to the apocalypse bonfire. No, just take them to the city dump.
3. Cassette players and tapes: In the age of digital sound, this just takes up space on their shelves. If anything, convert to digital on your own, and let the stuff go.
4. Carpets: You’re getting rid of them for a reason. The stains won’t come out at your house. Why would someone else be able to clean them any better?
5. Beat-up furniture: Duct tape is not a furniture fabric. If the college student moving to their own apartment doesn’t want it, take the hint.
6. Cosmetics, fragrance, and toiletries: unopened items of this nature may be able to be used at donation locations, thrift stores cannot resell these even when unopened.
7. Underwear: Parents passing down from one child to the next is one thing. Passing on used underwear to another family just won’t fly.
8. Ripped and stained clothes: If you don’t have time or means to make these things usable, neither do thrift stores.
9. Old televisions: If they are working, they won’t be for long. There may be a special place at the dump for electronics.
10. Eyeglasses: While not okay for thrift stores, Lions Clubs have boxes to donate old prescription glasses in many locations.
11. Encyclopedias: With internet searches, these are dinosaurs. By the time they print and send, much information has changed. Would they be bonfire fodder as well?

Get our free mobile app

Don’t get discouraged. Donating is good. Just make sure it is something someone else would want.