Where to Donate: The Surprising Items That Can Get a Second Life

Stuff—we all have way too much of it. And while decluttering feels amazing, the last thing we want is to add to already-overflowing landfills.

The good news: You can give a second life to many everyday (and even unexpected) items—from old bras to wine corks—keeping them out of the trash and putting them to good use.

“Reduce, reuse, recycle should be the guiding order for how we produce and consume goods,” says Anna Sacks, a waste expert known as The Trash Walker on social media.

“I donate to thrift stores sparingly since they're already overwhelmed by the amount of donations they receive,” she says. Sacks notes that many items, including breakable dishes or incomplete games and puzzles, often end up being tossed. Even most donated clothing is shipped overseas, sometimes causing “more environmental and social harm than good.”

Instead, Sacks suggests joining your local Buy Nothing Project, or town-specific version of it on Facebook, where neighbors are often eager to claim even your most random castoffs.

Where to donate in your neighborhood

If you’re unsure where to donate specific items, a growing number of companies, stores, and nonprofits can help keep items out of the trash. Most accept donations all year, but some may pause collection when they receive more than they can handle. Check their websites before donating.

• Beauty packaging: Bring empty makeup containers to Sephora, Aveda, or Nordstrom.
• Shoes: Drop off old shoes and sneakers at DSW stores for points in their rewards program, or mail them to GotSneakers for a check.
• Denim: Bring jeans (any brand) to a Madewell, Anthropologie, or American Eagle for store credit through the Blue Jeans Go Green Program. Gently used pairs are resold or transformed into insulation.
• Electronics and batteries:Staples and Best Buy recycle small electronics, wires, and batteries.
• Medications: Safely dispose of expired or unused drugs safely in drop boxes at pharmacies, including CVS and Walgreens.
• Eyeglasses: Donate old eyeglasses and sunglasses at any Warby Parker In partnership with Lions Clubs International, they’ll be cleaned, repaired, and distributed to communities in need worldwide. Also consider donating your old eyeglasses with the purchase of new ones at LensCrafters stores through a partnership with the OneSight EssilorLuxottica Foundation.

Unexpected items that can get a second life—and do good

If you’ve ever wondered where to donate things that seem too niche or unusual, some organizations specialize in exactly that. Many of them repurpose items you may not realize can help someone else.

• Marathon race medals: You ran the race, you’re proud of the finish, but maybe you don’t need the medal anymore—so what happens to it? Medals4Mettle accepts earned endurance marathon, half-marathon, and triathlon medals and awards them to children and adults fighting debilitating diseases and illnesses. The medals acknowledge the “mettle”—courage, bravery, and resilience—of the recipient, creating a meaningful human connection that symbolizes compassion and kindness. Donate through local chapters or by mail.

• Bras: The Bra Recyclers accept clean, gently used bras, as well as breast prostheses and new underwear. Their mission: reduce textile waste while supporting those in need.

• Costume jewelry, scarves, and turbans: Clean out your drawers of new or gently loved costume jewelry, fashion scarves, and turbans—and do good in the process. Chemocessories creates free feel-good accessory packages to lift spirits and boost the confidence of women going through cancer treatment.
• Wine corks: From bark to bottle to bin, and beyond. That’s the message of ReCORK, which collects and recycles natural wine corks into new materials used in sneakers, yoga blocks, and more. Look for collection boxes at grocery stores, restaurants, wine bars, and vineyards across North America. Since 2008, ReCORK has collected more than 136 million corks.

• Crayons: Don’t toss those crayon stubs your kids no longer use. They don’t biodegrade in landfills. Instead, send them to The Crayon Initiative, where they’re melted down and remanufactured into new sets for hospitalized children. The best part: The recycled crayons are large and three-sided, making them easier for small hands to grip and less apt to roll off hospital trays. Ship them directly or drop them off at a nearby Staples store.

• Holey socks: Your old socks—yes, even your worn and holey ones (as long as they’re clean)—can have a second life. Through a program by Smartwool, in partnership with Material Return, old socks are deconstructed and remade into new products, including beanies and dog beds.

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Sometimes, simply knowing where to donate can give your everyday extras new purpose, benefiting both others and the environment.