Recycling & Donation Resources Donating Clothing & General Items: Goodwill Industries accepts your new or gently used items — like clothing, appliances, electronics, and furniture — and sells them in their retail stores. The money raised helps provide jobs. There are many donation drop-off locations near you. The Salvation Army has drop off locations, as well as a truck that will pick up at your home. They take clothes, household goods, appliances, and small furniture. Vietnam Veterans will pick up clothing, housewares and small furniture from your home. Go to their site to schedule a pickup. Funds programs to help all veterans throughout the country. Out of the Closet Thrift Stores accepts donations of “saleable” clothing, housewares and furniture and proceeds go to treatment and care of HIV/AIDS. Several drop off locations, and you can schedule a pick up for larger items. Specific Items: Athletic Shoes - A good resource for athletic shoes is the Nike's Reuse a Shoe Program. Take your shoes to a Nike or Converse store (The Grove or Citadel) and they will soon be turned into a new track or playground surface, or even a new zipper pull! Baby Items – Baby2Baby accepts gently used baby gear for Babies & Toddlers. Drop off locations all around L.A. Batteries & Cell Phones – Call 2 Recycle will properly recycle all rechargeable batteries and cell phones. There are drop off locations all over town. Apple Stores, Radio Shacks, and Home Depot’s are among a few. Books - Most Libraries have a “Friends” group that takes donations. Check with your local Library. The Friends of the Pasadena Public Library will take your used books to sell at their Book Sale, and the proceeds go to Library programs. Leave donations at the Central Library circulation desk or at the loading dock on the North side of the building. Books (Children’s) - Children’s Book World takes new or gently used children’s books and gets them to children in need. You can drop them off on West Pico Blvd. in Los Angeles. Books (Children’s) - Access Books needs elementary level children's books and educational magazines to give to school libraries. Check out their Wish List and drop off locations. Business Suits - Clothes the Deal will take your business suits and get them to someone who needs them for a job interview. Click on the link and then on “Drop-off Locations” to find one near you. Donations need to be on hangers, and clean, pressed and ready to wear. Cars - Habitat for Humanity's Cars for Homes program accepts your unwanted vehicle. They resell it to help build affordable housing in your area. Cell Phones - NCADV recycles old cell phones, and the proceeds go to help domestic violence victims. They will pay shipping, or you can donate the shipping charge. Many local schools also have programs where they earn money from your old cell phones. Call your local school. Prom Dresses - LA’s Prom Closet accepts prom dresses and bridesmaid dresses for low-income high school girls. Crayons - Ship them off to Crazy Crayons, which recycles unusable crayons into brand new ones. DVDs - Kid Flicks creates video libraries for children’s hospitals and pediatric wards all over the country. Mail in your DVDs, or drop off at a Wilshire address or at Boulevard Pediatrics in Encino. Eyeglasses - Lions Club International accepts glasses, which they recycle and use in developing nations worldwide. Check their website for several drop off locations. Eyeglasses and non-prescription sunglasses - One Sight will get gently used eyewear to someone in need in a developing country. Donate at any LensCrafters, Sears Optical, or Target Optical. Jeans - Cotton. From Blue to Green is a National recycling campaign for denim. Donated jeans are reduced to their natural state (cotton) and reborn as cutting-edge eco-friendly insulation for communities in need. Mail in your jeans, or find a drive near you. Magazines - Donate to your local hospital to be used in the waiting rooms. Office Related– LA Shares takes donations of office furniture and supplies and matches them up with needy schools and non-profits. Office Supplies - I Love Schools - Click here, and type in your zip code and find dozens of nearby classrooms in need of pencils, paper, markers, notebooks, etc). Shoes - Soles 4 Souls is a great organization that takes all gently worn shoes and takes them to other parts of the world where people are in desperate need of shoes. Check the website for current drop off locations. Soccer Shoes - Peace Passers collects gently used soccer equipment (balls, shoes, team jerseys) and distributes to communities in need around the world. Shipping required. Stuffed Animals - Send them to SAFE, which donates gently used stuffed animals to children in need during emergencies. Drop off locations around Southern California. Wedding Dress - Donate your gown to Brides Against Breast Cancer, a program that sells new and used dresses to help fund the wishes of metastatic breast cancer patients hoping to share memorable experiences with loved ones. Currently accepting only contemporary gowns. Disposal / Recycling If your items are not in good enough condition to donate, then they need to be recycled or disposed of. Here are some options: Curbside Pickup - Most cities have a service for picking up bulky items curbside. Click here for Los Angeles or call 311. Check with your city for specifics. You may have to bundle things, and there might be a limit to how many times you can use this service each year. Often the pick up will happen on your next trash day after you order service. It is free, and easy. Junk Hauler - If you have more than your city will pick up, or if it is construction debris, then using a junk hauler is another option. You will pay for this service – anywhere from $75 up to $578. It is based on how much you have, and most companies will give you a quote when they arrive. Be sure to find a company that will donate or recycle most of the load – you don’t want one that will just dump it at the local dump. Let me know if you would like a recommendation for a local junk hauler. Bagster - Another option is Bagster, which you buy at Home Depot or Amazon for $30, and then schedule a pick-up once it is full. It holds 3 cubic yards, and pick up prices vary depending on your location. You have to have a flat area where it is convenient for you to load and is within their specifications of where they can pick it up. It is often cheaper, but you do have to get everything into the bag, as opposed to having a junk hauler load it for you. Toxic and E-waste - It is very important to dispose of this type of waste properly. They should not go to the dump, and most junk haulers won’t take them either. This includes all electronic waste, batteries, light bulbs, medications, as well as oil, paint, cleaners, and anything toxic. Don’t put it down the drain! In Los Angeles County the solution is a simple drive-thru disposal. It is open on weekends from 9am – 3pm, and they unload it directly from your car when you drive through. There are several S.A.F.E. Centers around L.A. I use the one near Glendale. E-waste Options- Many Goodwill locations now accept e-waste, as well as GreenSpot Drop Off and All Green Electronics Recycling. Click on these names for locations near you. Happy Recycling!!

Recycling & Donation Resources

Donating

Clothing & General Items:

Goodwill Industries accepts your new or gently used items — like clothing, appliances, electronics, and furniture — and sells them in their retail stores. The money raised helps provide jobs. There are many donation drop-off locations near you.

The Salvation Army has drop off locations, as well as a truck that will pick up at your home. They take clothes, household goods, appliances, and small furniture.

Vietnam Veterans will pick up clothing, housewares and small furniture from your home. Go to their site to schedule a pickup. Funds programs to help all veterans throughout the country.

Out of the Closet Thrift Stores

accepts donations of “saleable” clothing, housewares and furniture and proceeds go to treatment and care of HIV/AIDS. Several drop off locations, and you can schedule a pick up for larger items.

Specific Items:

Athletic Shoes - A good resource for athletic shoes is the Nike's Reuse a Shoe Program. Take your shoes to a Nike or Converse store (The Grove or Citadel) and they will soon be turned into a new track or playground surface, or even a new zipper pull!

Baby Items – Baby2Baby accepts gently used baby gear for Babies & Toddlers. Drop off locations all around L.A.

Batteries & Cell Phones – Call 2 Recycle will properly recycle all rechargeable batteries and cell phones. There are drop off locations all over town. Apple Stores, Radio Shacks, and Home Depot’s are among a few.

Books - Most Libraries have a “Friends” group that takes donations. Check with your local Library. The Friends of the Pasadena Public Library will take your used books to sell at their Book Sale, and the proceeds go to Library programs. Leave donations at the Central Library circulation desk or at the loading dock on the North side of the building.

Books (Children’s) - Children’s Book World takes new or gently used children’s books and gets them to children in need. You can drop them off on West Pico Blvd. in Los Angeles.

Books (Children’s) - Access Books needs elementary level children's books and educational magazines to give to school libraries. Check out their Wish List and drop off locations.

Business Suits - Clothes the Deal will take your business suits and get them to someone who needs them for a job interview. Click on the link and then on “Drop-off Locations” to find one near you. Donations need to be on hangers, and clean, pressed and ready to wear.

Cars - Habitat for Humanity's Cars for Homes program accepts your unwanted vehicle. They resell it to help build affordable housing in your area.

Cell Phones - NCADV recycles old cell phones, and the proceeds go to help domestic violence victims. They will pay shipping, or you can donate the shipping charge.

Many local schools also have programs where they earn money from your old cell phones. Call your local school.

Prom Dresses - LA’s Prom Closet accepts prom dresses and bridesmaid dresses for low-income high school girls.

Crayons - Ship them off to Crazy Crayons, which recycles unusable crayons into brand new ones.

DVDs - Kid Flicks creates video libraries for children’s hospitals and pediatric wards all over the country. Mail in your DVDs, or drop off at a Wilshire address or at Boulevard Pediatrics in Encino.

Eyeglasses - Lions Club International accepts glasses, which they recycle and use in developing nations worldwide. Check their website for several drop off locations.

Eyeglasses and non-prescription sunglasses - One Sight will get gently used eyewear to someone in need in a developing country. Donate at any LensCrafters, Sears Optical, or Target Optical.

Jeans - Cotton. From Blue to Green is a National recycling campaign for denim. Donated jeans are reduced to their natural state (cotton) and reborn as cutting-edge eco-friendly insulation for communities in need. Mail in your jeans, or find a drive near you.

Magazines - Donate to your local hospital to be used in the waiting rooms.

Office Related– LA Shares takes donations of office furniture and supplies and matches them up with needy schools and non-profits.

Office Supplies - I Love Schools - Click here, and type in your zip code and find dozens of nearby classrooms in need of pencils, paper, markers, notebooks, etc).

Shoes - Soles 4 Souls is a great organization that takes all gently worn shoes and takes them to other parts of the world where people are in desperate need of shoes. Check the website for current drop off locations.

Soccer Shoes - Peace Passers collects gently used soccer equipment (balls, shoes, team jerseys) and distributes to communities in need around the world. Shipping required.

Stuffed Animals - Send them to SAFE, which donates gently used stuffed animals to children in need during emergencies. Drop off locations around Southern California.

Wedding Dress - Donate your gown to Brides Against Breast Cancer, a program that sells new and used dresses to help fund the wishes of metastatic breast cancer patients hoping to share memorable experiences with loved ones. Currently accepting only contemporary gowns.

Disposal / Recycling

If your items are not in good enough condition to donate, then they need to be recycled or disposed of. Here are some options:

Curbside Pickup - Most cities have a service for picking up bulky items curbside. Click here for Los Angeles or call 311. Check with your city for specifics. You may have to bundle things, and there might be a limit to how many times you can use this service each year. Often the pick up will happen on your next trash day after you order service. It is free, and easy.

Junk Hauler - If you have more than your city will pick up, or if it is construction debris, then using a junk hauler is another option. You will pay for this service – anywhere from $75 up to $578. It is based on how much you have, and most companies will give you a quote when they arrive. Be sure to find a company that will donate or recycle most of the load – you don’t want one that will just dump it at the local dump. Let me know if you would like a recommendation for a local junk hauler.

Bagster - Another option is Bagster, which you buy at Home Depot or Amazon for $30, and then schedule a pick-up once it is full. It holds 3 cubic yards, and pick up prices vary depending on your location. You have to have a flat area where it is convenient for you to load and is within their specifications of where they can pick it up. It is often cheaper, but you do have to get everything into the bag, as opposed to having a junk hauler load it for you.

Toxic and E-waste - It is very important to dispose of this type of waste properly. They should not go to the dump, and most junk haulers won’t take them either. This includes all electronic waste, batteries, light bulbs, medications, as well as oil, paint, cleaners, and anything toxic. Don’t put it down the drain!

In Los Angeles County the solution is a simple drive-thru disposal. It is open on weekends from 9am – 3pm, and they unload it directly from your car when you drive through. There are several S.A.F.E. Centers around L.A. I use the one near Glendale.

E-waste Options- Many Goodwill locations now accept e-waste, as well as GreenSpot Drop Off and All Green Electronics Recycling. Click on these names for locations near you.

Happy Recycling!!

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