Declutter with Purpose: An Eau Claire Donation Guide
Fall is right around the corner, and while spring is the most well-known time to clean, fall is a great time to go through your closet, home, and garage and get rid of stuff you no longer need. The changing of the seasons is the perfect time to clean because it’s nice enough outside to open the windows and air out your home, it’s the time to switch out the tank tops for sweaters, and to open your box of jackets in the basement and decide which ones you’re going to don this season. But now that you’ve decided what doesn’t spark joy, where do you take it? There are lots of donation centers around, and they’re all different. Some help good causes and some might help you. Continue reading to find out the best ways to donate your used clothing, furniture, and the things you find in the corner of your garage that you didn’t even know you still had.
Hope Gospel Mission Bargain Center
Hope Gospel Mission Bargain Center is a thrift store in the area that directly funds their programs to fight homelessness. They have two centers to donate and buy from, their Bargain Center and Building Hope, which has furniture, building materials, and housing fixtures of all types. You can schedule a pickup too! The Bargain Center will accept clothing, lamps, linens, sporting goods, media, small appliances, electronics, wares, bikes, shoes, flat screen TVs, new food items, and flat screen monitors. Building Hope will accept appliances, cabinets, furniture, doors, sinks and tubs in good condition, new carpet, light fixtures, furnaces and AC units, windows, flooring, and fitness and medical equipment. Check out their guide here.
Bonus: you can also donate automotives that will go directly to their program residents through their Auto Donation Program.
Goodwill
Goodwill is a nonprofit organization that is run by a local board of directors. Their profits go directly into their mission. Goodwill is a great place to donate what you no longer need. Goodwill accepts clothing and shoes, jewelry, digital and print media, sports equipment, housewares, giftware, tools, domestics, electronics, and working TVs. They will not accept furniture, large exercise equipment, pianos, large appliances, personal care items, building materials, recyclables, or weapons. For more information, click here. It’s a drive-through donation center, so pack up your car and head over!
Savers
Savers is a for-profit organization that donates to local nonprofit organizations. You can drive through their donation center and pick up a coupon to save money shopping in-store. They accept backpacks and purses, bed and bath, books and media, clothing and shoes, electronics, sporting goods, games and toys, housewares, small appliances, and small furniture. They will not accept large appliances or furniture, automobile parts, construction materials, damaged furniture, hazardous materials, food, infant products, mattresses, pools, TV and computer monitors, weapons, or money. More listed here. Also, check out their Halloween section for help with your costume this year!
Thrift Sale
If you don’t feel like leaving the house, have a thrift sale! You can list your bigger items on online marketplaces, even if they’re free, or host a thrift sale at your house. Group thrift sales can be a big hit as well.
Getting rid of used things by donating or having people reuse them is a great way to help the environment and keep things out of landfills. In many cases, donating also helps good causes and the local community. Try to avoid the trash and donate what can be used again, and enjoy the new space in your house or garage!