There is a hidden cost to clutter: it can lead you to feel heavy, disorganized, and burdened. Whether you are moving to a new home or simply downsizing, getting rid of household items you no longer need provides you not only the satisfaction of decluttering but also the mood boost for being able to give your (gently used) items to charities.
You get to save more when you organize ahead of a relocation, as many moving companies in Portland charge by weight or size of the truck needed. Losing excess baggage may lower the cost of hiring a professional mover, not to mention you will have fewer items to unpack.
Many charity organizations in Portland offer donation pick-ups right at your doorstep. They will take furniture, clothes, household goods, and others, so you won't have to do the heavy lifting!
Here's a list of PDX organizations that will pick up donations in alphabetical order:
Community Warehouse
Community Warehouse is your friendly local furniture bank, serving the Portland area for the past 20 years. How does a furniture bank work? In a nutshell, they collect donated home goods and work with social service agencies to get those goods in the hands of those who need them most.
Items they accept: furniture, kitchenware, small appliances, linens, and others.
Goodwill
Goodwill stores work on the local level to provide job training and employment services. They have 157 community organizations across the U.S., Canada, and 12 other countries, as well as 3,300 stores across North America. In addition to a clothing donation pick up and drop off, Goodwill also offers to donating furniture and other home pieces. Most of their locations offer donated furniture pick ups for free. Visit the website to find out whether or not Goodwill pickup service is available in your community and donate furniture today as a “charity near me”.
Items they accept: furniture, clothing, accessories, dishes and glassware, collectibles, and electronics. They also accept most cars, trucks, SUVs, boats, RVs, campers, riding lawn mowers, and more (they don’t even have to be in working condition!). If you have a junker car or a rusty mower that you don’t want to transport to the new house, arrange for a free pick up.
Goodwill Portland is located at 1943 SE 6th Ave. Click here for their FAQs and donation locations.
Habitat for Humanity
Habitat for Humanity is a nonprofit organization that helps build safe and affordable homes for families who need them. They work in all 50 states across the U.S., as well as 70 countries internationally. In addition, they also act as a furniture pickup and donation center.
Habitat for Humanity of Portland requires photos of items when you schedule a donation pickup with them. If you schedule a pickup online here, you will be prompted to attach photo(s). If you prefer to arrange a pickup by email, attach photos when you email: pickups@pdxrestore.org. There is a $20 fee for donation pickups. If you have additional questions, please read our FAQ page or contact Donation Information at 971-229-8888.
Items they accept: furniture, appliances, and building materials. They also accept most vehicles, including cars, trucks, motorcycles, recreational vehicles, boats, snowmobiles, farm equipment, construction equipment, and even airplanes.
The Arc of Lane County
The Arc of Lane County advocates to enhance dignity, expand opportunities, and protect the rights of persons with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families. The Arc's CARES Center will provide food, toiletries, and home goods, such as sheets and pots and pans, to people who experience a disability, families who have a child with a disability, as well as other people in need.
The Arc accepts new or gently used household goods, such as blankets, small appliances, etc. Call 541-343-5256 or send an email to edith.osorio@arclane.org to schedule an appointment.
UGM Thrift Store
The Union Gospel Mission Thrift Store in Portland is open for retail shopping and accepting donations. The thrift store is the work therapy location for the men and women of the LifeChange recovery community. At the store, men and women fill the roles of cashier, dockworker, clothing sorter and other positions. Each resident learns valuable work and life skills. The residents also cover part of the cost of their recovery. The revenue generated by the store supports the LifeChange recovery program.
Union Gospel Mission seeks gently used and re-sellable furniture, appliances, clothing and more. You may request a donation pick-up if you have large items or a large quantity of small items. They accept donations from Tuesdays to Saturdays,10 am – 5 pm.
Vietnam Veterans of America
The Vietnam Veterans of America is an organization committed to serving all Veterans. By donating used clothes, shoes, appliances, and other household items, you help generate funds to take care of the soldiers, servicemen and women who help keep America safe from harm.
The VVA is working with Pickup Please! allowing you to schedule online appointments for donation pick ups in the Portland/Gladstone area. Donate clothing and other household items with Pickup Please! The Vietnam Veterans of America needs your donations, and Pickup Please! will pick up your donations for free and leave you a tax deduction receipt. Just leave bags or boxes of your donated items outside your house on the designated day.
Items they accept: clothing; household items like linens, pillows, dishes, and silverware; toys; electronics like computers and small kitchen appliances; books; small furniture like mirrors and office chairs; others.
Scheduling your donation pick up
Go online or call one of the companies above to locate the nearest branch. Double-check that they are offering home pick up donations and ask them about their COVID-19 safety procedures. Donation pick up looks different in today’s time, so make sure to take extra precautions like using proper protective equipment.
Make sure to sanitize and disinfect the items you intend to donate, to keep organization workers and donation recipients safe.
Make sure the organization accepts the item(s) you are planning on donating
An organization that takes used items may have different requirements for what they do and do not accept. While we’ve mentioned above which items they accept, please check their websites’ FAQs as well. A torn, soiled, stained, or otherwise damaged item will not be accepted in most cases.
Arranging your appointment
After deciding on a company to help your decluttering process, choose an hour and day that suits both of your needs. It is also important to note that most declutter and moving operations occur during the weekend which increases demand and perhaps wait times.
To make sure your appointment makes it on the organization’s calendar, schedule the pick up at least two weeks before moving day. The earlier you schedule, the better!