Let's DONATE!

Ep#6: Downsizing 101: Donate.

This week, our Downsizing 101 series, "Living Smaller & Loving It!" BLOG focuses on donating. Episode #5 blog post looked at gifting loved, but unwanted items, to family and friends. Episode #4 emphasized the importance of "you" and keeping (within reason) the things that have special meaning for you. Episode #3 focused on setting goals and creating a personalized plan tailored to your specific downsizing scenario, whether planning a move or staying in your current home. Episode #2's blog post covered the decision and commitment to downsizing and living a simpler life with fewer possessions. Episode #1: Hello!

The five categories to use when sorting.

Let's jump right in to Sorting Category #3: DONATE

If you've ever been to a thrift store, raise your hand. Raise your hand if you've ever donated anything to a thrift store. Have you ever purchased anything from a thrift store?

Raise your hand. Do you shop on discount days at your favorite thrift store? Raise your hand.

Thrift stores are a great place to donate the items you no longer want. For the most part, they will accept almost everything as long as the items fall within their donation guidelines. Some thrift stores still offer "curbside" pickup, but most require customers to drop off the items at their store. Many stores now provide drive-up service, which is convenient. Your donations are unloaded from your vehicle, and you're on your way! (Because of insurance/liability issues, pickup of donations cannot be made within the home.)

We make numerous donation trips for our clients who are unable to take the items themselves. As part of our sorting and paring down services, the donation items are loaded into our work van at the conclusion of the work session, and we're off! This service relieves the client of the task of drop-off and eliminates the need for making special arrangements.

A thrift store should never be used as a place to dump your unwanted stuff. All donated items, once sorted and examined, are placed on a retail floor and should be in purchase-ready condition. Knowing what the thrift store will accept is important. If you have any questions, please call the store you want to donate to or visit their website; most will have a section that lists the items they accept.

Here's a list of things that should not be donated:

• Broken furniture or broken anything in need of repair.

• Furniture or clothing in poor condition, having rips/tears/holes, or smells such as pet or cigarette smoke.

• Chipped or cracked glassware, dinnerware, or decor items.

• Burned cooking pans or skillets.

• Worn-out anything--shoes, towels, bed linens, clothing. If you have worn towels or blankets, please consider donating them to a local animal shelter. Additionally, items used for a previous pet, such as kennels, eating/watering dishes, leashes, beds, and collars, make wonderful donations to shelters.

• Bed pillows, unless they are new and still in their original plastic packaging.

• Jigsaw puzzles or board games, unless you know all the pieces are in the box.

• Sharp knives unless securely wrapped in paper (such as newspaper), taped, and labeled to prevent injury to employees as they sort.

• Mattresses (and box springs). If the thrift store accepts them, they should be in near-new condition and not soiled.

• Food-stained plastic containers (from microwaving) with or without lids.

• Outdated reference or textbooks.

• Child car seats, highchairs, strollers, baby beds, swings, and bike helmets cannot be donated due to Federal safety regulations.

• Loose anything that will take an employee/sorter time to gather and examine. Take the time to group like items together and place them in a box or bag.

• Expired pantry items. Donate edible, non-perishable pantry items to food pantries in your town/city.

A receipt will be provided, if requested, for you to complete after the donation.

Boxed or bagged items are easier to transport. As part of our sorting and paring down service, we've made numerous trips over the years to thrift stores and donation centers for clients.

There are times when clients simply don't want to donate items because they're certain their belongings have monetary value (usually a high value). And, it could be that some things do; however, most do not. When working with clients, we don't hesitate to point out items of value, as that's part of the knowledge we've built over the years, and we believe the right thing to do. Donation items are typically things in the home that are considered "everyday" household items, which are easily replaceable at a reasonable price. In the past, I have had to encourage some clients who were finding it difficult to donate items to visit a thrift store to see the types of items they sell and their pricing. It's a "see for yourself" exercise and usually very helpful. Consider the good that the donation can be for someone else. Our donations can bring someone joy! Let's DONATE!

Below are a few websites with brief descriptions of thrift stores and donation centers in the Kansas City area with wonderful "give back" missions. If you know of a thrift store or donation center you'd like to share, please let us know. (Click on the links to find out more about these businesses.)

Also listed below are additional thrift stores for you to consider for donations and shopping--click their links to find out more.

Habitat for Humanity

(from their website) Habitat for Humanity is a movement of people in your local area and around the world, working together to build more prosperous and vibrant communities by making sure everyone has a decent, safe, affordable place to call home.​

Habitat ReStores are home improvement stores that accept small and large donations of new or gently used furniture, appliances, housewares, building materials, and more. Proceeds from the sales of these items help Habitat’s work in your community and around the world. (Please check their website for what they accept for donations.)

Flourish: A Furniture Bank

(from their website) As Kansas City's furniture bank, Flourish empowers families overcoming housing insecurity with the safety, comfort, and dignity of a fully furnished home. Flourish serves guests by appointment only (not a retail setting), which must be made by case managers from approved agencies. (Please check their website for what they accept for donations and available pickup services offered for donations.)

Story Boutique

(from their website) Story Boutique (StoryB) is an upscale resale boutique that benefits families who receive services provided by Kansas City Hospice & Palliative Care. Filled with new and gently used donated clothing for women and men, jewelry, accessories, and other treasures, StoryB provides a charitable way to recycle, reuse, and repurpose pre-loved treasures.  The mission of Kansas City Hospice & Palliative Care is to bring expert care, peace of mind, comfort, guidance, and hope to people who are affected by serious illness or by grief. (Please see their website for donation information and hours of operation.)

Sleepyhead Beds

(from their website) Mission: to improve the quality of life by providing redistributed beds and gently used bedding to Kansas City area children and their families in need. We contribute to a healthy environment for our community by sanitizing beds and keeping them out of landfills. (To find out how to donate a bed, please see their website.)

Scraps KC

(from their website) Supporting Teachers. We provide educators in the Greater Kansas City metro with free classroom supplies to help them create well-stocked, inspiring learning environments. By reducing out-of-pocket expenses, we empower teachers to focus on what matters most—supporting their students’ success. 

Kids in Need. We are proud to support children and youth experiencing extreme poverty and homelessness through our Teacher Resource Center. By partnering with educators, we provide essential items like food, toiletries, feminine hygiene products, and clothing—ensuring students have the basic necessities they need to feel safe, supported, and ready to learn.

Equity in Education. Every teacher and student deserves access to the supplies and resources they need to succeed—regardless of income or background. We’re committed to leveling the playing field by providing free materials that support teaching, learning, and dignity in every classroom. (To find out how to donate or hours to shop, please see their website.)

Band of Angels

(from their website) Helping children in need find music through the generosity of others. Band of Angels has collected 3,100 instruments and has given them to students in need at over 60 school districts within a 100-mile radius of Kansas City, and across the country. (Please see their website for information regarding instrument donations.)

City Thrift

(from their website) City Thrift is owned by City Union Mission. City Thrift’s second-hand stores in the Kansas City area are non-profit thrift stores, and all proceeds benefit City Union Mission. Your donations to and purchases from City Thrift help to provide warm beds, nutritious food, and a place of safety for thousands of poverty-stricken and homeless men, women, and children in the Kansas City area. (Please see their website for donation and shopping information.)

Blessings Abound

(from their website) We are a community of volunteers, neighbors, friends, family, students and community leaders, collectively serving our community. Blessings Abound Thrift Store is a Christian not for profit organization called to serve the metro Kansas City Community by selling and recycling donated merchandise in order to provide aid to people in need.  Blessings Abound has three locations and offers free pickup. (Please see their website for donation information and hours of operation.)

MORE THRIFTS AROUND THE KANSAS CITY METRO--

Hillcrest Ministries, Goodwill, The Salvation Army, Savers, Red Racks DAV, Northland Clothing Center, The Resale Shop, My Best Friend's Closet, Thrift World, Eagles Community Outreach

AND...

If you've ever wondered what really happens to some of the donated clothing, here's an interesting and informative article from Green America.

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Coming up in Episode #7: SELL. RECYCLE. TRASH.

Included in this episode will be information on the different options on ways to sell—consignment, garage, moving or estate sale, auction, or online—and on recycling centers, and when a dumpster should be ordered.

Hope you'll stop in for this final episode in "Downsizing 101"!

If you, a friend, or family member could benefit from our "Living Smaller & Loving It!" blog posts or services, don't hesitate to get in touch with us through our website at: Contact | Downsizing Simplified

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Living smaller, or downsizing, is about making the necessary choices to redefine what it means to live a more condensed, refined, and purposeful lifestyle and love it.

It's a deliberate choice that simplifies your life, allowing you to enjoy your environment more fully. So, whether you are moving or looking to redesign your existing living space(s), we're here for you. We will cover many helpful downsizing topics and tips, which we hope will expand your knowledge and foster a healthy attitude toward living smaller.

Here are a few blog post topics we've got in store for our subscribers:

• Making the decision to downsize (moving or aging in place).

• Downsizing is a series of steps, a process. What are the steps to successful downsizing?

• How to craft a downsizing plan that works. Learn how to stay connected and on track with your plan.

• Sorting and paring down is the most time-consuming and challenging step in the downsizing process—planning it out, pulling it off.

• Avoid wasting time organizing your clutter. Understanding the chaos that clutter causes—the Chronic Keeper explained.

• Seasonal opportunities to declutter, organize, and donate. Sorting & paring down clothing, decor, and more.

• Finding a new home environment that meets your needs today and in the future. (Calling all retirement communities!)

• Redesigning and rethinking your current living space. Discover a new look that offers a fresh perspective on how you live.

• Making decisions about the things you no longer want or need. (Family, friends, sell, donate, trash.)

• Understanding the emotional side of leaving a longtime, memory-rich home. Asking for support when you need it.

• Talking to the family. Preparing for possible pushback. or embracing your downsizing decision with open arms.

• How to hire professional downsizing help. How do you know when the time may be right?

• Helping family members through the downsizing process. Adult children and parents—local and long-distance.

• Understanding how estate sales work (mostly). From a garage sale to selling online, explaining the choices available.

• Thrift stores can be our friends or not. Best practices for donating your items. Avoiding the thrift store traps.

• Packing, moving, and unpacking. Settling into your new lifestyle as quickly as possible.

• Selling your home. Getting the house buyer ready. Selecting the right real estate agent.

...and so much more!

Is there a topic you would like explored, or a personal downsizing story you'd like to share? Send us a message, we'd love to hear from you! (Your experience could help others.)

We recently completed our redesigned website, and we're incredibly excited about the additional content we've added, as well as the improved navigation to help you on your downsizing journey. We've added an FAQ section, and in November, we'll launch our "Stories, Snippets, & Shares" page.

Click here to take the new website tour or subscribe to the BLOG.

Please LIKE, COMMENT, and SUBSCRIBE; we appreciate your support.

As a reminder, our consultations are FREE. To schedule a consultation, please visit our Contact page on the website.

© Living Smaller & Loving It! Downsizing Simplified, 2025