Op shops: what they’ll take
Op shops want clean things in good condition that someone would be happy to buy. Salvos Stores, for example, take clothing and accessories, homewares, toys, books, CDs, DVDs and vinyl, and small electrical goods in good working order. Bigger stores also take quality furniture and working white goods (Salvos Stores).
- Drop off during opening hours. Don’t leave bags outside a closed shop or next to a full charity bin. They get rained on and picked through, the charity pays to dump what’s ruined, and councils can fine people for illegal dumping.
- No broken, stained or torn items. If you wouldn’t buy it, the shop can’t sell it.
Free furniture pick-up
Salvos Stores offer free collection for items that won’t fit in your car, though not in every state. Call 13 SALVOS (13 72 58) to check your area and book. Vinnies and other charities run pick-ups in some areas too, so ask your local store.
- It needs to be in good condition: no rips, stains or broken parts.
- If no charity will take it, your council may run a bulky waste collection. See where to sell furniture if you’d rather try selling it first.
Old phones, tablets and laptops
Even an old phone may be worth something, so check a trade-in price on the phones page first. Whatever you do with it, back it up, sign out of your accounts and wipe it, and take out the SIM.
To recycle a phone, use MobileMuster. It’s free, takes any mobile phone plus chargers and accessories, and has over 3,000 drop-off points, including Optus, Telstra and Vodafone stores and Officeworks. You can also post phones free with a MobileMuster satchel from Australia Post. Never put phones in a household bin: their batteries can start fires.
Glasses
Lions Recycle for Sight collects glasses for reuse, with drop-off boxes at Specsavers and HCF Eyecare stores. Call ahead to check the store has a box. Designer frames can be worth selling on eBay or Vinted first.
Books
- Op shops take most books in good condition.
- Lifeline collects books for its book fairs in many areas. Check your local Lifeline for drop-off points.
- Street libraries and community book swaps are happy to have popular fiction and children’s books.
Bedding, towels and pillows
Animal shelters often welcome old towels, blankets and doonas for bedding. Ring your local shelter first, because their needs change.
Give it away locally
- Buy Nothing groups and Freecycle are free local giveaway groups.
- On Facebook Marketplace or Gumtree, list it as free.
- Arrange a pick-up time, and don’t post your full address until you’ve agreed one.
What not to donate
- Medicines: take them back to any pharmacy, which will dispose of them free through the Return Unwanted Medicines program.
- Batteries: use a B-cycle drop-off point, found in many supermarkets and hardware stores.
- Paint and chemicals: take them to a Paintback or council drop-off point.
- Children’s car seats: charities won’t take them, because nobody can tell if one has been in an accident.
Not sure what to sell and what to give away? The declutter list helps you score everything room by room.