Moving is stressful and when you look at all the things that you need to pack, it can be packinwhelming. Thus, when you’re planning the move, one of the first tasks on your checklist will probably be getting rid of those items that you no longer need or are planning on replacing after moving into your new home, one of which is your old, outdated, and worn-out furniture. Although these items may no longer be important or of value to you, they could be real treasures for families in need.
Additionally, this is an excellent starting point when planning and preparing to relocate. Packing unnecessary furniture items does not help you as you might be moving into a smaller home or office. Another aspect is that you might not even want to have old furniture at your new home or office. Thus, not only will you be helping someone but your moving costs can be lowered significantly if you do not carry large furniture items.
While you are probably aware of this already, there are numerous charity and non-profit organizations that will gladly accept donations of this kind. In fact, many of them will give you come to your business or home to pick up your furniture donations and offer you a tax receipt for those items as well. Eckert’s Moving and Storage works hand-in-hand with many of them in different cities across the U.S. and has listed those that will accept donations of your gently-used furniture when moving. These include:
Freecycle – although they are not really a charity, Freecycle lets people join and post advertisements for items they want to donate. This includes gently used furniture. Other members will browse these ads and then contact the organization to schedule a pick-up for the items they’re interested in. Although you will not get a break on your Federal or State taxes for donating to Freecycle, you’ll be helping families in need within your community.
FreeSharing – this organization works like Freecycle. However, you’re required to sign up and then you can browse ads for a variety of items or post advertisements for your gently-used furniture. Although this site isn’t very popular, but it has more than 400,000 users.
The National Furniture Bank Association – this organization has roughly 80 locations scattered throughout Canada and the US and helps nearly 100,000 needy families on an annual basis. They will pick up your furniture donations and provide families in need with these items. Many of the families they have helped in the past include:
- families that have suffered severe financial hardships
- homeless families
- the working poor
In addition to these organizations, there are probably charities or special facilities in your local area that will accept your used furniture donations. Eckert’s Moving and Storage recommends contacting a representative or volunteer at the following facilities if you’re concerned about getting a tax receipt for your donation. In most cases, you’ll get a tax receipt if the organization is a 501c non-profit. Although there are plenty of charities that take old items, Goodwill or Salvation Army are a few of them that accepts gently used furniture items. Thus, your old pieces of furniture that you are not interested in using anymore, will be a helpful addition to someone’s household.
Here are a couple of other facilities to consider donating your used furniture to:
Battered women / domestic violence shelters – domestic violence shatters the lives of many individuals and affects families of all backgrounds, lifestyles, and sizes. These facilities help those involved in toxic relationships to break free of them and find a place where they’ll be protected and safe. In most cases, they offer counseling, shelter, and transitional housing programs as well as numerous services to help men, women, and children. If there shelters like this in your community, find out how your used furniture donations can help.
Homeless shelters – these shelters provide homeless men and women a safe and secure place off the streets of your city. In most cases, they provide people with food, laundry services, and showers. Homeless shelters provide furniture donations to transitional housing projects in order to help their clients become self-sufficient. While some of the furniture is sold in thrift stores, they are affiliated with to raise funds for the programs they offer. If you have furniture that you aren’t moving with you, check with homeless shelters in your local area to see if they could use these items.
If you are in a fix and still cannot decide how to pack or need assistance with dismantling of furniture, let us know. Our crew of experienced movers will be there to help you. For additional information regarding what to do with your used furniture items, contact Eckert’s Moving and Storage at (888) 274-7230 when convenient.