What you can donate
Different charity shops accept different things so you may want to check with your chosen charity first. But as a general rule most shops accept:
- clean clothes and textiles like curtains, tablecloths and bedding
- accessories – shoes, bags, jewellery
- books
- CDs and DVDs
- toys
- ornaments
- pictures
- crockery, cutlery and glassware
- musical instruments
- sports equipment
Some charities will take furniture and working electrical items, but check with them before you make the trip. There are also furniture projects which can accept these and also collect large, bulky items for free.
Please check your donations are both clean and functional. No tears or broken zips on clothes or missing chapters in books.
Furniture and electrical items
Some charities have dedicated stores which sell furniture and electricals. Furniture projects also take furniture and certain electrical items. Check with the charity you want to donate to first though, as items such as sofas must have a fire safety label sewn in.
Wash clothes and textiles
Clothes need to be clean and in good condition for charity shops to be able to sell them on.
Leaving donations at a charity shop
It's best to bring your goods to the shop when it's open. If goods are left outside a shop overnight charities won’t be able to sell items which have got damp or have been damaged or tampered with.
Other ways to donate
You could use the house-to-house collection services where charities leave a sack for you to fill.
There are also textile banks at various locations around Derbyshire.
Gift Aid
Gift Aid allows charities to claim the basic rate of tax back for each pound they raise, if the person donating is a tax payer. So if you are a tax payer and the coat you donate to your local charity shop raises £10, the donation will be worth £12.50 to the charity.
Financial incentives to shop in charity shops
Some bigger national charities operate loyalty schemes. For example, British Red Cross customers can earn points with their loyalty card and Oxfam customers can collect Nectar points when they shop.
Ask in your local shop if they run any incentive schemes where you can collect points when you shop or even get a percentage back from the amount your donations raise.
Where donations are sold
If you donate items to a particular branch, they are generally sold in that branch. But sometimes if an unusual item is donated, like a wedding dress for example, they might have a shop where they know it will sell more easily. Even high-value items are often sold in the shop they were donated to.
Things that shops don't want
Clothes and textiles are recycled or exported. Ninety-eight per cent of donated items are used, if not, they are recycled (Source: Charity Retail Association).
More unusual items
If you have any of the following items, there are organisations that can make the most of donations.
Bicycles
Computers
Medical equipment
Sewing machines
Spectacles
Tools