There’s nothing quite like the feeling of helping families in need. Many people know that charities accept clothing of all kinds. However, you might be surprised to find out many of these charities also accept household donations. In most cases, these are smaller household items. Some charities will also accept larger household items including furniture of all kinds. Before learning where to donate household items, you’ll need to do a bit of preparation. In this post, you’ll learn about donating households items for the first time.
Determining What to Donate or Throw Away
If you’re wondering which items to donate in your home, consider those you haven’t used in a while. Many people find these items hidden away in closets, cabinets, and attics. By checking these rooms, you’re likely to find many types of items to donate. While looking for donations in your home, it’s likely that you’re going to come across items in bad condition. During these times, it’s difficult to distinguish what to donate or toss out.
Take a moment to look over the condition of each of these items. Charities understand that not all household donations will be in perfect condition. However, you should try to avoid donating items to a charity that aren’t working properly, don’t have all of the pieces, or both. If you feel guilty about personally giving a certain item to someone, it’s probably best to throw it away.
The Importance of Obtaining a Receipt
You might have heard about collecting receipts after you donate items. However, it’s understandable to not realize why this is so important. Collecting a receipt allows you to properly claim your donations as tax deductions. This is certainly important if you’re someone who pays in quite a bit during tax time.
Your charitable donations could be worth more than you might think. In fact, coffee makers are worth anywhere from $4 to $15 as tax write offs. That being said, donations of any single article of clothing or household item for which you deducted that’s valued over $500 will require a receipt.
Where to Donate Household Items
After gathering your donations, it’s understandable to wonder where to donate these items. While thinking about this, you’ll want to consider donating to a charity that helps families in need. Certain charities utilize donations for veterans and their families.
If you’re wondering where to donate household items and unable to leave your residence, you might look for charities offering pick up services. This means that charity representatives come to you and pick up your items. A pick up service is certainly beneficial while donating household items that might be a bit bulky.
In conclusion, it’s understandable to wonder about how to donate items to charity for the first time. If you’re wanting to bring in more donations, consider posting about your efforts on social media. In fact, statistics show that 70% of social media users will take some type of action if someone they knew posted on social media about their charitable donations. If you’re wondering where to donate household items and are unable to leave your home, consider finding a charity offering pick up services. Donating to charity doesn’t only help those in need, it makes people feel good.