spring cleaning? What to Give Goodwill - Kiplinger

Bill Parrish, Goodwill's Senior Donated Goods Retail Consultant, has led and supported Goodwill's retail operations for more than a decade. Kiplinger speaks He speaks

This is the time of year when many people start decluttering and decluttering their closets for spring cleaning. What does goodwill need? Clothing is our number one category and there is always a demand for quality clothing. But Goodwill (opens in a new tab) welcomes all types of donations , including collectibles, jewelry, antiques, furniture, housewares, shoes, computer supplies, and supplies.

Which items may not be donated? Items that should not be donated at all include firearms, ammunition, firecrackers, and broken and unusable items. For other items, you can consult local Goodwill team members on what can and cannot be donated. There are local and regional laws that cover specific articles. For example, some municipalities do not allow the resale of bedding and pillows, while others do.

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How many things donated to Goodwill are sold? In 2021, Goodwill received over 107 million second-hand donations totaling around £5.7 billion.

Approximately half of the total donations we receive meet our quality standards for our brick-and-mortar and online retail stores. Clothing with stains, tears, missing buttons, missing or non-functioning zippers, or severe damage is difficult to place on our sales floors.

The Goodwill Model is based on trying to reduce product waste. As such, we strive to sell, reuse or recycle donations locally through multiple retail channels, including our outlet stores. After all these channels are exhausted, the remaining items are sold in bulk to buyers, who sort the materials into different categories for recycling and export based on the needs of their buyer network.

Should you give away luxury? Absolutely. If a local goodwill organization has an online presence, they will offer these types of items for auction, similar to retail auction sites. We also have specialty stores under different names that sell luxury or more expensive items. They are still good value for money, below retail or even what is sold on the secondary market.

It's important for people to understand that the proceeds from the items they donate that we may sell in our stores help support Goodwill's mission, job training and placement programs, and support services such as childcare, financial education, taxes and offer free transportation.

What is the busiest time of year for giving? The key times for donations are spring and summer, when temperatures are rising. At the end of the year, when people have the holiday off, they clear out closets and donate stuff so their value can be deducted from their taxes. So it is also a great time to give.

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