Where to Donate Yard Sale Leftovers
Written by Jack Westover, Yardy founder
You ran a clean sale and there's still a pile in the driveway at noon. Here's where to drop it - sorted by what they take, what they pay you for in tax credit, and how easy the drop-off is.
The plan: don't carry it back inside
The single best rule for ending a yard sale: anything left at 1 PM goes in the car or to the curb. Carrying it back inside is how it ends up in next year's yard sale. Most thrift drop-offs are open until 7 or 8 PM Saturdays and 4 or 5 PM Sundays, so you have plenty of time. Take a tax-deduction receipt; even at $50-200 of donated value it adds up at year-end.
The waste case is real: per the EPA's most recent material-waste figures , Americans send roughly 11 million tons of textiles to landfills annually - about 85% of all clothing discarded. Yard-sale leftovers donated to a thrift instead of bagged for the curb directly cut into that number, and you keep the tax receipt.
The big national thrifts (everywhere)
- Goodwill — clothing, shoes, kitchenware, books, small electronics, furniture (call ahead for furniture; some locations limit what they take). 100+ Goodwill drop-off centers across the Southeast. Open Sundays. Tax receipt provided.
- The Salvation Army — same categories as Goodwill, plus they often pick up large furniture for free. Schedule online at satruck.org. Tax receipt mailed.
- Habitat for Humanity ReStore — building materials, working appliances, furniture, doors, windows, light fixtures, kitchen cabinets. Won't take small household goods. Free pickup for large donations. ReStores in Charleston, Columbia, Greenville, Charlotte, Raleigh, Atlanta, Savannah, Augusta, Wilmington, Asheville, and most major Southeastern cities.
- St. Vincent de Paul / Catholic Charities — clothing, household, furniture. Often serves people transitioning out of homelessness, so adult clothing in good condition is in particular demand.
Specialty drop-offs (worth the extra stop)
- Local women's shelters and domestic-violence centers — clothing (especially professional-wear), kids' clothes, toys, kitchen starter sets, toiletries (unopened only). Call first; demand varies. Particularly meaningful donations for items families need to start fresh.
- Refugee resettlement organizations — full apartment-furnishing donations. International Rescue Committee in Atlanta, Charlotte, and Charleston accepts furniture, kitchenware, beds, linens. They specifically need queen-size sheets and large pots.
- Animal shelters and rescues — old towels, blankets, sheets, leashes, crates, dog beds, pet food (unopened). Most local shelters publish wishlists; check before bringing odds and ends.
- Public libraries — books they can resell to fund programs. Most county library systems run a Friends of the Library used-book sale. They'll take paperbacks, hardcovers, kids' books, and DVDs. Less interested in encyclopedias, textbooks more than 5 years old, magazines, or VHS tapes.
- Schools — teachers actively need craft supplies, kids' books, stationery, board games. Reach out via the PTA or call the school office.
- Soldier care groups (USO, Operation Gratitude) — toiletries, books, toys to deployed troops.
What no one will take
- Used mattresses with stains, broken springs, or bed-bug history. Most thrift stores legally cannot accept used mattresses regardless of condition. Solution: most cities offer free bulk pickup once a year; until then, "FREE" sign at the curb on a dry day sometimes works.
- Tube TVs and old monitors. E-waste only. Best Buy still accepts up to 3 items per household per day for free recycling at most stores.
- Latex paint, motor oil, household chemicals. Hazardous waste — check your county's monthly drop-off day. Do NOT put in regular trash.
- Bricks, concrete, drywall. Construction debris. Hire a junk-haul service ($80-200 for a half-load).
- Broken or missing-parts items. Trash. Don't make it the thrift store's problem.
- Adult books that no one wants — encyclopedias, very old textbooks, Reader's Digest condensed sets. Recycle.
The tax-receipt move
Every legitimate thrift will give you a blank receipt at drop-off; you write in your own item count and value. The IRS allows fair-market value for donated goods (not your original purchase price) - see IRS Publication 561 for the full valuation guidance. A bag of clothes is typically valued at $25-50; a couch at $50-150; a working appliance at $50-200. Photograph the donation in your trunk before you drop it off - in an audit, photos plus a signed receipt is enough to defend the deduction. If you're donating more than $500 of items in a year, file Form 8283 with your taxes; over $5,000 of any single category requires a written appraisal.
The pickup option (no driving)
- The Salvation Army picks up large furniture for free in most metros. Schedule online at satruck.org.
- Habitat ReStore picks up large items (cabinets, appliances, building materials) for free.
- 1-800-GOT-JUNK and similar haulers charge $80-300 for a half-load and will take everything except hazardous waste.
- Buy Nothing groups on Facebook — post the leftover, neighbors come pick it up the same day. Nothing gets to a landfill, no driving required.
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Related guides
- How to host a yard sale
- Moving sale checklist
- What not to sell at a yard sale