Redfin
 |
| Freedigitalphotos.net |
- Gather items that you don’t want: Pull together things you know you no longer want or call your favorite charity to see what items they need. Here’s a list of the most commonly sought after items for popular charities:
Homeless shelters
- Food (especially high in protein)
- Grocery/fast food coupons
- Toiletries
- Clothing
- Blankets and sleeping bags
- Rain gear/small umbrellas
- Backpacks
- Hand warmers
Thrift Stores
- Computers
- Computer accessories
- Cellphones
- Clothing
- Housewares
- Books
Animal Shelters
- Blankets
- Plastic bags
- Cleaning supplies
- Batteries
- Heating pads
- Latex/rubber gloves
- Office supplies
- Baby food with meat
2. What’s junk to you is probably junk to someone else: Don’t give away things that are junk just to get rid of them. Junk is junk but other items that no longer work such as computers may be able to be salvaged for parts.
3. Find the right charity: It may be easy to simply throw items in a bag and drop it off somewhere but it can mean a lot more if you take the time to do a little research about where to send your donations. Try using an online resource such as Charity Navigator to find special organizations near you. For example, the Salvation Army has a Missing Persons Sector that locates an average of 350 people per year.
4. Fundraising garage sale: If a specific cause is important to you, why not have a garage sale and donate the proceeds? For many organizations, cash is vital.
5. Tax deductible: Write off donations on your taxes. In order to do this, be sure to make a list of all items that were donated, their approximate value, and obtain a written receipt from the charity (usually required for donations of $250 or more).