Refuse, Reduce, Reuse, Repurpose, Recycle!

Call or email your local animal shelters before dropping donations off. Gently used items include collars, leashes, bowls, toys, brushes, blankets and beds. In addition, most shelters accept food, cleaning supplies, towels and blankets. Check out the following link to find your local shelter: https://www.petfinder.com/animal-shelters-and-rescues/search/

Check out https://www.call2recycle.org/locator/
to search for a location that accepts coin and rechargeable batteries. Home Depot and Staples generally take rechargeable batteries for recycling. Alkaline batteries generally go in the trash as they lack heavy metals to recycle but local municipalities may have drop sites to collect them.

Check out local town waste management as they sometimes know who locally may rehab bikes for charity. Check local colleges as students that cannot afford to bring a usable bike to college may need a bike. The following two links are charities that handle bikes: https://www.bikesfortheworld.org/ and https://www.pickupplease.org/ as alternatives.

Check out More Than Words https://mtwyouth.org/donate-books/ , Better World Books https://services.betterworldbooks.com/individuals/ Check out local libraries near you, ask friends & families and then donate to a local charity such as Salvation Army (https://www.salvationarmyusa.org/usn), Goodwill (https://www.goodwill.org/donors-old/donate-stuff/) and Savers.

Check out https://www.habitat.org/restores/donate-goods Donation my include Kitchen cabinets, doors & windows, flooring, unused lumber, lighting, fencing, bricks and blocks. Call or email ahead to verify local sore has the ability to accept your donation. Some stores also will pickup donations but you need to call/book ahead.

Check out https://www.habitat.org/restores/donate-goods if the area rugs are in good shape. Your local waste area drop site may take carpeting and carpets but it is best to call. If it must go in the trash, most likely it will have to be cut up to dispose of. Companies like Junk Luggers will donate into is vast listing of charities where possible, textile recycle and dump only as a last resort. Junk Lugger is a fee-based pickup of items but will seek to get as much donated as possible.

Clothing can be listed through social media listings such as local listings below, local church donations, consignment shops, and many of the charities included in this list.

Big Brother Big Sister Foundation (small toys and bikes, too)
https://www.bbbsfoundation.org
Vietnam Vets of America
https://vva.org/donate/

Check out https://e-stewards.org/find-a-recycler/ By searching zip code, you can get a local site such as Staples & BestBuy that takes electronics and E-waste. Please review what they take on their listings to ensure proper disposal. BestBuy also has a trade-in program for some electronics. Remember to backup your data and where possible erase your personal information. Places like Miller Recycling Corporation (https://millerrecycling.com/recycling-services/data-destruction/) offers fee-based data destruction / recycling with a certificate of security.

Check out https://www.allaboutvision.com/resources/donate.htm lots of information on where and how to donate old eyeglasses. Pearle Vision always has a drop slot for old eyeglasses that also get donated to those in need.

All furniture donation locations should be called before dropping off as many locations have limited space. In addition to the charities listed below you can check: Habitat Restore
https://www.habitat.org/restores Furniture Banks Nationwide
https://furniturebanks.org

All dry clean hangers can be returned to any dry cleaner. Wooden and plastic hangers can be donate to a local charity such as Salvation Army, Goodwill and Savers. REMEMBER: hangers should not be put in your recycle bin. Hangers go in the trash if they are not donated or given away. Sometimes schools, churches and charities are in need of hangers.

Mattresses that are clean and functionally usable, can be listed on your local community boards. For Massachusetts residents the rules for mattress disposals change on November 1, 2022, check this link for guidance https://recyclingworksma.com/how-to/materials-guidance/recycle-mattresses/ For those in Southeastern MA, please check out https://www.handupus.org/our-services/mattress-recycling/ to recycle/donate your mattress. Some towns have a sticker pick-up process that can also be used. Many mattress delivery stores will also take away your old mattress at no additional cost. Another option that you can check out to buy a new mattress and recycle your old mattress is https://amerisleep.com/blog/mattress-donation/

Check out https://paintcare.org search for a location that accept lates, oil-based, varnishes etc.
- Check local recycling for hazardous waste days near you.
- For latex paints they can be dried using kitty litter or left open to completely dry before putting in normal trash or can to metal recycling

One local resource for volume shredding is Mansfield Shredding Services https://mansfieldshredding.com/ Mansfield Shredding is a not for profit business that offers a variety of paper shredding services for commercial and residential customers of all sizes.

Dry cleaning bags, newspaper sleeves, bubble wrap, and produce bags. Check out https://nextrex.com/ put in your zip code and a listing of places that accept plastic bags / wrapping recycling. Please review what they accept and must be clean.

Check out https://med-project.org search for local sites for prescriptions and take back events. Many local hospitals and pharmacies have a drop box to accept prescriptions drugs for disposal.
- Some animal shelters accept empty bottles, check your ASPCA or local animal shelter.

Check out https://soles4souls.org/give-shoes/ national donation via drop off or Zappos. There are lots of local donation spots and you are helping the environment and social causes. In addition, you can also donate shoes to local charities that accept them.

Check out https://www.playitagainsports.com/home/sell-us-your-gear they accept a wide variety of sporting and workout equipment. For places like Salvation Army, Goodwill and Savers you need to call and ask the location closest to you as space is limited.

Check out https://www.togethershecan.org/about and https://www.new-hope.org/, These are all non-profit organizations that take most of the basic necessities that are supplied to those in need. Please look at each website for donation needs and locations. Most accept food donations as well as personal hygiene products. In addition search for your own local food pantry using https://www.findhelp.org/

Check out https://www.habitat.org/restores/donate-goods to donate tools, building materials and some furniture items. It is best to research locations accepting donations. This category is also a very quick mover on Facebook Marketplace and BuyNothing (https://buynothingproject.org/) . Your local Nextdoor (https://nextdoor.com)community is also another place to list your items.