Survey #249 results
| Name (click to view full survey response and comments) | Please share your suggestions for unconventional places to take donated items (for example, a local florist’s shop for empty flower vases). | Describe an activity or interest for which you acquire far more supplies or materials than you tend to use over a reasonable period of time. |
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| Catherine | You can donate blankets and clothing to nursing homes/assisted living centers. There are often people whose family have forgotten them completely. They use the same outfits over and over until they only have one or two things. I saw this first hand when my Mom was in the nursing home. | I often buy more clothes than I can use because the search for a good blouse or pants is a big diversion for me from getting work done at home. |
| Nina | I belong to a women's support group with many young women. I'll be bringing some tops I've never worn, and a new address book and a blank journal that belonged to my mother. The tops don't fit (I need to declutter some gained weight!) and these women like to journal. I'm hoping someone will use the address book (although everyone has phones to keep track of that sort of thing). What isn't taken, I'll bring to Neat Repeats in Orland Park, IL. They help support a women's shelter. | Gardening. Yow. I teach horticulture and garden design classes and I write for various outlets. I have 23 shelves of gardening books. And I'm 71—still working a 35-hour week. I have a lot of energy (but not always the emotional energy I need to get rid of stuff!) |
| Jill | When I bring bags to our library and ask if they need them, they always say, "Always." Animal shelter needs sheets and towels-always. Used bookstore and thrift store can use bags also. Our library has an ongoing book sale so any books the used bookstore won't take go to the library. | First aid supplies-just in case. Driving 25 miles to the nearest store when you are dripping blood on the steering wheel is not a good time to realize you need bandaids, gauze pads and tape. First aid supplies are tricky because you always hope you never need them. |
| CHRISTINE | About donations of high end objects to museums.... one thing to consider is that once a museum accepts donations....they then own that property outright. The museum is under no obligation to ever exhibit your donations. They may sell them for their profit, give them away, or store them in their storage areas indefinitely. Usually most of the holdings of most museums are in storage (often their basement). | |
| Cluttered, but hopeful | Books, especially large print, donate to nursing homes. Also clothing, shoes, slippers that are in good shape. | Beads! I have cut back drastically on those, though. I'm on to clothing & purses / bags, but I'm more aware of the problem now, so I've cut back on those as well. |
| Susan | My go-to places for donations are charity shops and Freegle/Freecycle (in the UK). I have a friend who didn’t know what to do with her late husband’s collection of vintage computer-stuff. She certainly didn’t want to bin it, but her village doesn’t have Freecyle opportunities. I knew I’d have no difficulty re-homing these items in Sheffield, so offered to take them for her. Curious about the possible value, I googled, and discovered there’s quite a market. But more interestingly, found the National Video Game Museum … in Sheffield! They were delighted with the collection, and likewise my friend, that I’d found such an appreciative home. | I probably buy books faster than I read them, but that’s not a problem for me  |
| Hawthorne | Some veterinarian clinics will take old pill bottles. 2 in my area do, but not all of them in my area. You may need to call around. As somebody who lives with folx that have chronic illnesses, one can accumulate all those bottles pretty quickly! | Embroidery floss. I might spend a bit of time most days making hand sewn patches, but a little floss goes a long way.... |
| Sandra | A local seamstress took a box of miscellaneous buttons that served no purpose to me. | I buy fewer books now but still too many  |
| C | Unconventional 1: Empty, re-usable Glass jars: to a charity that makes soups and meals for the homeless. Unconventional 2: saving the plastic caps of plastic bottles and donating these to an artist who uses them to melt the plastic and makes whimsy objects with them Unconventional 3:( perhaps only for Europe?) Giving the empty paper egg cartons to market stands that sell individual eggs , alternatively to the Easter market stand which sell decorated eggs. Unconventional 4: donating children's toys and books -in good condition- to an organisation that distributes these to new asylum seekers with children Unconventional 5:(perhaps only in Europe?) used cooking oil to recycling center= used to make bio fuel. | hand-knit wool socks or cotton socks. I have enough but I love getting these from my friends who knit. hand-made soap, same as above, but I store the extra supply among my clothes to keep them smelling of soap. home made marmelades, same as above, we have more than enough, but it is such a joy to receive them as gifts. Eventually these do get consumed. |
| Lisa | Here in St Petersburg, Florida a Facebook group that has "swaps" about once a month. You take all of your items that you would otherwise donate and everyone meets up (typically at the library or at a park). Y pu "shop" other people's items and people "shop" your items. Everything is free. You don't have to shop to donate and you don't have to donate to swap. After the Swap event, all remaining items are taken to a local domestic violence womens and children's shelter. It's a great way to rehome items other people may need and to give to a valuable resource like the shelter. | Craft supplies. Specifically crochet supplies. I tell myself I won't buy more yarn, crochet hooks, stitch markers, etc until I use up all the ones I have. But i always end up buying more, especially yarn. I was doing really well in 2025 until my kids spent a lot of money at Michaels and i got $20 in rewards. I am going to be making my daughter a dragon and didn't have the colors of yarn she wanted. Since I had that $20 and didn't want to lose my big reward, I ended up buying 7 skeins of yarn and getting it all for free. Only 2 skeins don't have a specific project in mind. |
| Debra | Curbmart. This is a heavily used pedestrian corner a half a block from me. When the weather is warm I leave a clean shopping bag with handles and have everything non-clothing related clean and at the bottom of the bag, easily seen. This way a passerby can quickly glance in and walk off with it if it interests them. I have never had anything last more than 20 minutes there. (I drop it off on my way to the local shop and check on my way back—usually 10-20 minutes) | Books from the local United Nations women’s association. I drop off books for their yearly sale and when I visit the Bazaar I end up with double the books. |
| Danetta | Foreign university students may need items for dorm rooms and apartments. Ask at the Foreign student office or the foreign student union. Clothing pantry or food pantry at some universities. Our university has both. Any non-profit may take furniture in good condition such as armchairs or sofas for their office lobby | I used to buy yarn wherever I went, especially if it was on sale. Now I am knitting and crocheting like mad to use it up, but I may not live long enough. Same with books. I read 30 books a year chosen from my in-house “bookstore” and then donate most, but I can read for a decade or two without buying any more. I don’t buy anything else except when I need it. My two weaknesses are big weaknesses however |
| Linda Kay | San Jose I leave school supplies--hanging folder, pens, pencils, markers, craft supplies--at the office of my grandson's school. I always tell them what I brought and would take home anything that was not appropriate. I have brought pots for the gardening project. Donated cameras for the photography projects. Things like batteries and sanitizer have been a hit. Hotel samples to the Women's shelter. Books to friends of the library or little free library. | Not keeping track of my freezer and pantry and over buy what is on sale. Buying new clothes, when I still have some with tags on. Buying gifts too far a head, then realizing they don't work. Buying-overbuying for my grandchildren, when they really just want my time. |
| Lynn | Wine and Art Night locations like donations of art supplies such as paints, brushes, containers, aprons, etc. So do child day care businesses as well as senior activity centers. Cooking schools like relevant cookbooks. If your local library has tool rental services, it is a good place to take good condition tools, gardening, building, repair, to share with others. School teachers appreciate things they can use in their classrooms. My neighbor/teacher appreciated file folders, sorting trays, baskets, etc. School art teachers appreciate anything students can use in their art creations. I took lots of wall calendars, magazines, how-to art books, stencils, and more art supplies to one school. | Supplies for art, candle and soap making, garden seeds, and propagating way too many houseplants after they are pruned. My green thumb got out of hand. No plant dies and pruning debris gets a second chance to create new plants. I've eliminated quite a bit of that stuff, but still need to do more if it doesn't get used this year. |
| Kim | Paper, magazines, postcards, markers, highlighters and other supplies for making arts and crafts at nursery schools and daycares. | Clothes and accessories, make-up, shoes, toiletries, kitchen items, books and magazines. |
| Kathy | Done vases to florist. Womens shelter Families that have lost from fire gone thru and donated from my shelves. Girls ranch victims of abuse transitional home. Child leaving home starter from cupboards of items no longer use or have 2 of. | Did the books subscription for awhile donated to public library. I'm acquiring more clothing than I need to have. |
| Denise | I would encourage people to check any suggestions. For example, I live in the Silicon Valley. Our animal shelter serves a half a million residents. They specifically say on their website that they can NOT take any donations of blankets, towels, pet food, etc. Can you imagine the pile of bedding if every household dropped off their old bedding and towels?!?!? Also, dogs and cats can have digestive issues if their food is changed. They ask for cash donations and specific items on Amazon. Thus, I throw my worn out bedding, etc in the trash without guilt. I think that wanting to do the PERFECT thing with our clutter really holds a lot of people back. | |
| Gabriella | The following are probably not suggestions that can be generalized, but this is what I did: When I gave up my collection of comics, I donated a stack of books by the popular German comic artist Ralf König to the café "Melitta Sundström" in Berlin, Germany. They appreciated the comics. I presented a large number of vintage buttons to a small local store specialized in buttons. The owner picked a few sets and told me he was really happy to have found some buttons identical to those his mother used to wear. In Morocco some people gladly accept clothing, especially shoes. I give lightly worn or new shoes that didn't work for me to our maid. | I used to buy a large number of books but did not read them all - though far more than 10 a year :o) I used to buy a lot of yarn for knitting. If I would use all of it to make garments, I would end up owning about 20 handknit sweaters. And I'd still be working away at using up my stash by age 75. |
| Janice | I took my child s' and mine old athletic trophies to a trophy shop for donation. Since my trophies were so old, they were very useful because they statutes were not plastic, but sold metal with a nice shine, etc and the bases were marble. The more modern trophies for my daughter were plastic and of some use, I told them take them all and use/recycle what you can. One big box out of the house! | yarn, aspirational clutter. I have put an end to incoming, but I am furiously working to make charity hats and headwarmers. |
| Dawn | *I have LOTS of scrapbooking supplies and at the moment scrapbooking is at a snail's pace or slower due to time. *Books - I obviously have more than I've read. I gradually buy more (but definitely not 10/month). I'm working to both identify the "don't ever get rid of this book" (silver dot) and get rid of the ones in which I no longer have an interest or use. *Counted cross-stitch fabric in terms of premade bibs or towels...and I'm not one who knows a number of people who are having babies or getting married. In addition, I have extra floss, but (ha ha) "you never know when you'll run out of a particular color." I recently started showing a friend how to do it. I hope to give her some of it. | |
| Evelin | purses socks vegetables craft supplies (especially stickers) organizing containers anything lion king themed  | |
| Jade | The Museum of Broken Relationships, there’s one in LA and one in Croatia. They take objects that used to belong to your Ex. | Fabric. And it seems I have bought way too many shoes in the past but have thankfully kicked off the habit. |
| CHRISTINE | 1.donating back gifts..I have been giving back gifts, given to me. After waiting a few months, I give back physical gifts, I cannot use (no extra space in a small home). After a few months of graciously accepting the gift, ., I apologize and explain, and ask them is it "ok" if I give it back. They always say yes, (unhappily at first), but later on tell me they gave it to someone who really wanted it. I only do this with family and close friends. 2. I upgraded some kitchenware to better materials... and that left me with a lot of plastics , ..etc. to get rid of. So I give these away to anyone with small children.; so these plastics, etc. could be played with in the sand, by the children in their sandboxes or at the beach. 3. I contacted our town high school music teacher and donated some professionally framed large jazz art posters , to the music department of our town high school. The band teacher hung them in the band room and music wing hallways to inspire the jazz music students. Since my children had played in the school's jazz band, it was so since to give back a little, for how much they had taught for my children. | Office supplies. I bought too many office supplies which did not work out for me. I am trying to use these up in other ways... as art supplies for my grandchildren' crafts. |
| Sara | We always search out Title 1 schools in low income areas to donate office supplies, art supplies., paper towels and hand soap, etc.. Here in Tallahassee, FL you can donate art supplies to The Sharing Tree, which in term donates them to schools, art educators etc. You can also donate art or creative items (BEADWORK, Gayle! LOL) to Big Bend Cares Artopia fundraiser...our HIV/AIDS support group gala. The thousands of plastic bags folks save can be donated to a bin in front of our local grocery store (Publix). Furniture and home items go to ECHO, supporting the homeless and the International Rescue Committee for Refugees local office. Women and children's clothing can be donated to Refuge House, our domestic abuse shelter. | Uh, party supplies...plates, napkins and decorations for every holiday and birthday stuff for anyone within a ten mile radius...five HUGE bins of it under my four poster bed. I stopped entertaining but can't seem to stop collecting pretty paper plates! |
| Allison | My city has a lot of Little Free Libraries and people sometimes leave non-reading material. I've left a few unwanted gifts that can't be donated such as an unopened box of mints and a body spray that was part of a gift bag. Both items were gone the next time I stopped by the LFLs. There's the obvious suggestion to return dry cleaning hangers to the cleaners. | Don't acquire much these days other than consumables and I have a strict one in, one out rule so this question doesn't really apply. |
| Celina | I'm in Poland and we have local community clubs, where people can also exchange clothes. Recently when I moved into my tiny flat, there was a clothes rack that I replaced with a proper wardrobe. The rack was ideal for the community club that my cousin works at. They also take books, jewellery, candles, toys, trinkets, pictures, mugs, etc. Someone even left some damaged jewellery and beads the other day so I took it to reuse actually. Soon I may replace my two plastic ikea stools with a wooden one that I'll be able to use as a ladder as well. I'm sure the community club would happily welcome the chairs too Often they have some family events or workshops. I also have some two nice dresses and I'm thinking of giving myself a "sale' deadline and donating them as well. It's a great place! | DOLLS: fabrics for clothes, sewing supplies. KITCHEN: glasses (I never break them but I'm scared that if I give some away and they start to break, I'll have none left...), Supplements and natural medicine. |
| Jeanne Bowes | I use scrappers, or take items containing metal to the town metal recycling site. Good Willl , homeless centers, and just people on the street get clothing, cold weather gear,or snacks, foods that do not require preparation. Extra food and garden produce go to the Food Bank, Soles for Souls gets any shoes donations. Famous Footwear has a collection box for them in store. Composting and recycling take care of much of our household waste. Old linens, towels go to Animal Control .Leftover house project supplies go to Habitat. I have a load to get dropped off this weekend. I will be changing the focus from indoor to outdoor soon. | I no longer do this! |
| Anonymous user | I have brought bed linens to our local animal shelter, but I know that vets also use them for things like surgeries and hospitalizations. | I know my needlework friends would tell me my stash acquisition is at levels of destitution, but I no doubt have enough reproduction sampler charts to keep me busy for the rest of my lifetime. |
| Suzanne | Unconventional - I don’t know. There is a junk/art location in my city that accepts a multitude of art and crafting supplies, sewing items including sewing machines, dress mannequins, fabric (not rags), maps, empty toilet paper rolls, gift wrap rolls (including empty), glue guns, etc. For people to drop in and use or for teachers, daycares, and so on. | I think current me is so much wiser and exercises very good control whereas old me would go overboard in acquiring supplies for sewing, arts, gardening, and buying select books. |
| Name (click to view full survey response and comments) | Please share your suggestions for unconventional places to take donated items (for example, a local florist’s shop for empty flower vases). | Describe an activity or interest for which you acquire far more supplies or materials than you tend to use over a reasonable period of time. |
