Want to de-clutter but you’re too busy to get to the thrift store? Before adding to the landfill, check out these 8 Arizona charities that pick up donations.
“This sparks joy, this does not.”
Have you heard this line before? It has become a common household phrase since Marie Kondo’s Netflix special aired in 2019. The show became an instant hit with minimalism coinciding with the rising clean and clutter-free aesthetic of modernity.
Whether or not we want to admit it, many of us have adopted this mindset; a clutter-free home often feels like a way to gain control in the whirlwind lifestyles most of us live. A clutter-free space is organized, easy to clean, and easy to breathe in.
Mix this mindset with consumer culture and we have–errm–something of a disaster brewing. Constantly seeking new means constantly doing away with the old. Cue that whirlwind lifestyle: How does one find time to declutter and say “out with the old!”? The garbage can is a tempting place to toss ready-to-retire items, but that creates so much excess waste and can be harmful to Mother Earth. The thrift store would be a great place to donate to, but finding time to make that extra stop means clutter sitting in the corner for days, weeks, months even!
Fortunately, donating –and avoiding adding to the landfill–is now easier than ever. Many thrift stores, charities, and companies will pick up donations. Below is a list of 8 places in Arizona that will help you declutter your home by picking up your clean and ready-to-donate items. All you have to do is fill out a form online or give them a call.
White Dove
White Dove Thrift Shoppes support Hospice of the Valley. The proceeds of sales fund many programs that support Hospice’s mission of dignity, comfort, and compassionate care. They will pick up gently used furniture or other larger donations, all you have to do is either call them or fill out an online form. One to two days after filling out a form via phone or email, you will receive a call with a 2-hour pickup window. You will also be called 30 minutes before pickup. Donating made simple!
Where: Glendale, Mesa, Midtown, Scottsdale
Cost: Free
Salvation Army
A Christian Evangelical organization, the Salvation Army has the following mission: “to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ and to meet human needs in His name without discrimination.” They are present in 134 countries and strive to offer assistance, services, and affordable living through their stores and various programs, which include substance abuse rehabilitation programs.
They also make donating incredibly easy. All you have to do is call your local store to schedule a free donation pickup. From there, you can arrange how and when it will be picked up. Another way to donate is to join a local group yard sale and give the Salvation Army a call, they will happily arrive at the end of a group yard sale to collect anything remaining and awaiting donation.
Where: Available in most of Arizona
Cost: Free
Big Brothers Big Sisters
Big Brothers Big Sisters, or BBBS, is a program that matches littles (youth) with bigs (adults) to offer empowerment through mentorship. You may have read mention of this organization in a past newsletter from Copper Courier’s community editor, Jessica Swarner, when Aveda partnered with BBBS to offer makeup tutorials. The tutorials are just one example of the many fun and helpful programs that BBBS offers to help our youth find confidence and clarity while navigating growing up.
Donations to the BBBS fund programs that are foundational and vital to the health of the organization. If you wish to donate to them, donation pick-ups can be scheduled for free by filling out a form online. On this form, you can choose both the date and location–such as a driveway or a garage–for the pickup!
Where: Available in most of Arizona
Cost: Free
St. Vincent De Paul
St. Vincent De Paul “[harnesses] the power of our community to feed, clothe, house and heal all who are in need—whether in body or in spirit.” The website displays some amazing stats on how many meals, financial assistance, and medical visits were provided by this charity to help mitigate our homeless crisis, with dignity and respect at the forefront.
To donate, you can arrange a pickup according to when one of their trucks is scheduled to be in your area. They will not enter homes and donations must be on the first floor in a garage, driveway, or curbside.
Where: Northern and Central Arizona
Cost: Free
Help Vets
Present in eight states, Help Vets is associated with the Vietnam Veterans of America and sells donations to create funding for the programs that help veterans and their families. Most pickups are done within 24 hours of scheduling and are free of charge. To donate, or as the website says “honorably discharge” your belongings (gotta love military puns), schedule a pickup online, box your items, place the boxes curbside by 7:30 a.m., and call it a day. It’s that easy.
Where: Central and Southern Arizona
Cost: Free
Pick Up My Donation
Pick Up My Donation is different from the others as it isn’t a charity, but more of a bridge for making the donation process seamless. This organization has you fill out a form for either a free or paid priority pickup and then connects you with a local nonprofit that is in need of donations. This service has the vision of reducing the waste of perfectly good items while making it as easy as possible to donate. They work in all locations, so just type in your zip code and you will be on your way to easy donating!
Where: Everywhere
Cost: Free or for a Fee
Stepping Stones Thrift Stores
Stepping Stones Thrift Stores, located in the Prescott Valley, uses proceeds to provide job training, safe shelters, and advocacy programs for adults and children in the West Yavapai County communities. If you live local to the Prescott Valley and have furniture you would like to donate, call the donation center to schedule a free pickup.
The best part? There is no need to move your furniture curbside; if you don’t mind movers stepping through your door, they will move the furniture from the comfort of your home. Easy peasy.
Where: Prescott Valley
Cost: Free
Just for fun, here is a quick locals’ test: pronounce “Prescott.”
Habitat for Humanity
Relying on the help of volunteers, Habitat for Humanity builds houses for families that need an affordable, stable place to call home. They also have a storefront, called ReStore, where they resell donated home decor, appliances, building supplies, and furniture. Proceeds get put back into the program to fund future housing builds.
To donate to ReStore, fill out the online form where you can choose between a free pickup that will take place within seven days or a pickup with a fee that will take place within 48 hours. While the link provided will take you to Habitat for Humanity Central AZ, there is a Habitat for Humanity ReStore nearby in just about every Arizona county–and I can say this with confidence as there is even one local to my rural town (and that’s saying something because we don’t even have a Starbucks!).
Where: Arizona
Cost: Free or for a Fee
The Takeaway
Thanks to these eight companies, donating has never been easier. Use this listicle as an excuse to do some fall cleaning and decluttering. Heck, maybe throw on some Marie Kondo while you do it! When you’re done, consider scheduling a donation pickup and do some good for the community and the planet at the same time.
If you find that you enjoy fighting consumer culture by donating and thrifting first, make sure to also look into your local Buy Nothing Project (BNP). Most cities have Facebook groups linked to BNP that allow you to both give and receive things within your local community–at no cost! This made dressing my fast-growing kiddos a whole lot less costly while offering us a fun way to interact with our neighbors.
Schedule a donation pickup, join your local BNP, and have a happy decluttered home!
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