Never Donate These Items to Thrift Stores.
If you’re moving or tidying up your closet, it’s probably better to gift old stuff than toss it in the bin. But your local thrift store doesn’t really need all of your stuff.
Thrift stores may not accept certain items due to liability risk, safety or hazardous waste concerns, or disposal costs if the items are not resold. They may also reject donations in poor condition. Thrift stores are not recycling centers or landfills – they collect carefully used items that can be resold.
Also, please note that national chains such as Goodwill have some general donation rules, but individual locations may have their own rules. Thrift clothing stores (from franchises like Plato’s Closet to your local shop) may also have lists of specific needs or items they accept. Always contact your local thrift store and be prepared to dispose of your donation elsewhere if it is not accepted.
Things you (usually) can’t donate to thrift stores
- Mattresses and pillows. Secondhand shops can accept neatly used clean linens, but they won’t accept mattresses, box springs or pillows for hygiene reasons. The same goes for bean bags, bunk beds and sofa beds.
- Baby equipment: Cribs, car seats and pushchairs, which must meet safety standards (and may be withdrawn), may not be accepted.
- Medical equipment: Anything that requires a prescription or a safety check cannot be resold in a thrift store, including eyeglasses, walkers, braces, wheelchairs, and hospital beds.
- Other items subject to safety regulations: bicycle helmets, smoke detectors, some exercise equipment and blinds cannot be resold.
- Toiletries and medicines. Personal care items, even unopened ones, are generally not resold. Non-profit organizations in your area may be the best bet for donating diapers, toothpaste, shampoo, and other toiletries.
- Large appliances: stoves, refrigerators, washer/dryers, air conditioners, and CRT televisions are generally not accepted at thrift stores.
- Musical Instruments: Pianos and other large instruments may be accepted by schools, churches, or other community organizations.
- Magazines. Old magazines, newspapers, and some books will most likely not be accepted in thrift stores. You can recycle them, sell them on the Facebook Marketplace, or check them out at community organizations and used bookstores.
- Food and drink: Take non-perishable food to your local food pantry or fundraiser, not thrift stores.
- Flammable items and hazardous waste. Batteries, auto parts, tires, paints, household chemicals, fuel and other items that may leak, decompose or otherwise be hazardous must be properly disposed of elsewhere. Auto parts can be resold through platforms like Facebook Marketplace. Obviously, second hand shops don’t accept guns.
Things you can donate to thrift stores but probably shouldn’t
There are some items that thrift stores will accept, but they can be put to better use by donating to specific organizations:
- Sneakers and sports shoes
- Kids toys
- Books
- denim
- Wedding Dresses
You can give things that don’t suit you, that you don’t use, or that you just don’t like anymore. But if you wouldn’t wear or use the item in its current condition, consider taking it to your local thrift store. Throw anything broken, dirty, or moldy in the trash.