There are many charities that are willing to take your unwanted clothes and shoes, furniture, phones, TV’s, CD and DVD players, cameras, homeware items like crockery and cutlery, puzzles and board games and many more. Many also offer a home collection service for large items like furniture and TV’s or boxes of other goods. Simply check their website and see what they will take. Here are a few examples.
Clothes that can’t be sold in the shop are sold to textile recycling companies, so they still make money for the charity.
BHF (https://www.bhf.org.uk/shop/donating-goods)
Drop to your local shop or use their nationwide, free collection service for your furniture, electricals, homewares and more. We can only sell items that are legal and safe to sell.
They particularly want:
- TVs, DVD players, and other media players;
- small electrical appliances, such as lamps, games consoles and hair straighteners.
Please do not donate:
- gas appliances;
- microwaves and electric heaters;
- computer hard drives;
- mobility scooters.
Age UK (https://www.ageuk.org.uk/get-involved/donate/charity-shops/)
Accept a wide variety of items that they can sell directly in shops:
- Women’s, men’s and children’s clothing;
- Accessories including handbags, shoes, belts, ties and jewellery;
- Quality homeware such as glassware, ornaments and kitchenware;
- Books, CDs, DVDs, games and blu-rays;
- Good quality toys, jigsaws and games
Items they can’t accept, as there’re unable to sell them in their shops include damaged, broken, incomplete or unsafe items, safety equipment, videotapes and cassettes, real fur, coat hangers and large household items such as duvets, pillows and bulky curtains.
Cancer Research UK (https://www.cancerresearchuk.org/get-involved/donate/donate-goods)
Items they take include:
- Small homeware: vases, lamps, mirrors and clocks;
- Kitchenware: glassware, dinner sets and electrical appliances
- Clothing: menswear, womenswear and childrenswear;
- Accessories: shoes, handbags and jewellery
- Linens: curtains, throws, cushion covers and rugs
- Media: books, CDs, DVDs and electricals.
Some shops also accept larger items such as furniture, sofas and bed frames. If you donate more than 10 bags and live withing 20 miles of a shop, they will collect from you.
Salvation Army (https://www.salvationarmy.org.uk/charity-shops)
There are over 400 stores across the country and 20 donation centres. They can accept:
- Good quality clothing;
- Accessories;
- Linens (including curtains and fabrics);
- Homeware;
- Books, CDs and DVDs;
- Toys
OXFAM (https://www.oxfam.org.uk/about-us/faq/oxfam-shops-uk/)
Oxfam offer shops and a free postage service for donations. Items for donation include:
- Books and music;
- Women’s clothing and accessories;
- Men’s clothing and accessories;
- Kids clothing and games;
- Homeware (furniture, glassware, metalware, ceramics, soft furnishings and haberdashery)
GreenChew 