END OF YEAR CLEAN OUT: TIPS FOR DONATING TO GOODWILL HOUSTON

January 4th, 2020

Santa Claus has come and gone and it’s time once again to make way for the trail of new toys, clothes, gadgets, books, housewares, and other new gifts he left behind.

The week between Christmas and New Year’s is a prime time for people to clean out their closets in an effort to find places for all the new things acquired, but also to get a jumpstart on that New Year’s resolution: to get organized. If you haven’t used it over a year, it’s time to donate it.

A great place to donate some of these unwanted items is Goodwill Houston. With over 100 places to donate throughout the greater Houston area and a downloadable app for your smartphone, the organization makes it convenient and easy. More importantly, your donations support Goodwill Houston’s Job Connection Centers and other resources, helping people with barriers to employment find meaningful work.

But before you start loading up those bags and boxes, here are some guidelines to remember about what Goodwill Houston can and cannot accept.

Goodwill Houston will take the following gently used items off your hands:

  • Clothing and shoes
  • Electronics, computers, cell phone, and game consoles
  • Musical instruments
  • Jewelry
  • Books and vinyl records
  • Tools
  • Games and toys
  • Old vehicles

However, Goodwill Houston will not accept:

  • Clothing that is soiled, wet, or torn
  • Broken furniture, furniture covered in pet hair, or furniture that is missing pieces
  • Baby furniture or car seats
  • Tires, batteries, gasoline, or motor oil
  • Paint, lightbulbs, flammable, or combustible gases
  • Mattresses, box springs, water beds, or water-bed frames
  • Guns, or other firearms, bullets, or other ammunition, explosives

You can find more information on what Goodwill Houston will and will not take here:  https://www.goodwillhouston.org/donate/donate-items/.  For more information about Goodwill Houston and a list of donation centers, click here: Where to Donate – Goodwill Houston.

Bay Area Houston Magazine