If you’ve got too much stuff at home and you don’t know how to get rid of it all, perhaps the below donation resources will be helpful to you. Need more options to donate clothes? see another whole resource page here.
Websites to sell / give away items
Ebay, Freecycle, Facebook Marketplace, Gumtree , Zilch.
Book donation points –
- Brotherhood Books
- Vinnies
- Aboriginal Literacy Foundation
- Little Libraries (there are a lot more of these popping up than are on this list, I know there is one out front of the Alamein Neighbourhood Learning Centre)
- Give Now
- University Textbooks
- Secondary School Textbooks (Melbourne):
- Books for Children and Teenagers:
- Footpath Libraries
-
Street Libraries – tiny community libraries (take one, give one idea) and people put them at their front gate, at their school front gate, etc.The relevant details are below, plus the closest Street Libraries to Ashie.When you donate, you don’t have to make contact with anyone, just place the donated books in the little library.
Our libraries are run and maintained by the students of Canterbury Primary School. We appreciate book donations, direct to the street libraries or to the school office during school hours. As the libraries have been constructed by 9yr olds, we would also appreciate that great care is taken when interacting with our libraries. Happy reading!
110 Wattle Valley Road Camberwell Victoria 3124
This article may also be of interest to you if you love books – it explains some of the reasons we are so attached to books – https://www.nytimes.com/2018/10/08/books/review/personal-libraries.html
ACT – Canberra region to donate to the Lifeline Book Fairs
Medical Stuff
Xray disposal – https://recyclingnearyou.com.au/xray/
The Lions Club gives refurbished prescription glasses, hearing aids and contact lens to people in developing countries.
You can also put your pre-loved glasses, including sunnies, into the recycling box at your local Specsavers store and they’ll get them to the Lions Club.
Individuals can post old X-rays to Ecocycle and they’ll recover the silver on it in an environmentally friendly way and any first-aid kit-style medical supplies will be distributed to countries in need via Airborne Aid.
Craft, fabric and textiles
Reverse garbage – https://reversegarbage.org.au/contribute/donate-your-stuff/
Corks – https://recyclingnearyou.com.au/corks/MelbourneVIC and https://www.givenow.com.au/otherways/corks
Wool – https://reversegarbage.org.au/contribute/donate-your-stuff/ or search “donate wool Melbourne” for more ideas
Feather pillows – I have been unable to come up with places to recycle feather pillows… anyone got any ideas?
“Green” Shopping Bags (the old style, green fabric ones) – here are some great ways to use them for things other than shopping – https://www.thekitchn.com/heres-what-to-do-with-all-your-reusable-shopping-bags-252560, or if they are badly damaged can be recycled through the redcycle collection at your local supermarket – https://recyclingnearyou.com.au/bags/ and
Big Stuff
Places to sell furniture – Abbey’s Auctions, Mrs Secondhand,
Mattress Recycling – Melbourne
Furniture Recycling – Sydney, Adelaide, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth & Gold Coast
White Goods Recycling – Melbourne
West Welcome Wagon – Over 500 households of asylum seekers from over 30 different countries living in Melbourne’s west are assisted by West Welcome Wagon which helps furnish their homes. Televisions, washing machines, beds, fridges, dining tables, drawers, rugs and many more household items will be accepted as long as they are in good working order with no tears, stains, chips or broken pieces.
Bathroom Stuff
The plastics in makeup packaging, brushes, hair bands, clips, shampoo and conditioner bottles (minus their contents) can all be recycled in TerraCycle Zero Waste Boxes, which you can also get through Flora & Fauna. Brands such as Kiehl’s and MAC will also accept their packaging back and give you some bonus product as an incentive to keep recycling.
Baby stuff
The Nappy Collective collects unused nappies and redistributes them to the quarter of a million children in 140,000 families around Australia experiencing nappy stress.
Pre-loved nursery equipment, clothes and toys for babies and children (aged up to 16) can be donated to St Kilda Mums, and in NSW Second Chance Toys give gently-used, unbroken plastic toys to children in need.
Garage stuff
Bikes 4 Life give bicycles to people in developing countries.
Kids Tennis Foundation accepts used tennis balls and racquets; while
Paintback takes unwanted paint while batteries can be recycled here.
Tools can be donated by contacting Reverse Garbage , Mens Shed, Brunswick Tool Library , Sharing Shed and letting them know what you have or try your luck at the Camberwell Market.
Battery storage – https://m.wikihow.com/Store-Batteries
Pet stuff
Pets Haven will take cat scratching poles, dog beds and even horse floats to help look after abused and neglected animals.
RSPCA will take some things. “Items we will gratefully accept
- Blankets
- Towels
- Sheets
- Polyester doonas
- Pillow cases
- Face washes
- Pet beds
Stationery stuff
Terracycle – drop-off points around Australia or if you’re wanting to collect pens in larger quantities you can also earn cash for your chosen charity.
In Sydney, the Stationery Reuse Centre at UNSW accepts once-loved and re-purposed pens, highlighters, rulers and provides them free for students.
Officeworks will recycle your old IT equipment, ink and toner cartridges and mobile phones.
Shredding – Office works also have a shredding service if you have personal paperwork you need to get rid of.
Shredding – Iron Mountain also pick up personal paperwork for shredding.
Overhead transparencies can be recycled through Red Cycle,
Wardrobe stuff
Got some work clothes in excellent condition that would help a disadvantaged woman look and feel great at a job interview? Wear for Success and Fitted for Work will accept everything from handbags, scarves and jewellery plus clothes of all styles and sizes. Dress for Success offers a similar service and have chapters in almost every state. Secondhand bras in good condition can be donated to Uplift Bras or Support the Girls.
Coat hangers – Sacred Heart Mission
Need more options to donate clothes? see another whole resource page here.
Travel stuff
Who hasn’t come home with a few teeny-tiny toiletries from a hotel stay before? Depending on how often you travel for work or pleasure, you can end up with quite the collection. Every Little Bit Helps and Share the Dignity will redistribute unwanted hotel toiletries – plus in-flight amenity kits, cosmetic and makeup samples – to the homeless, asylum seekers, troubled youths and victims of domestic violence.
Kitchen stuff
Enjoy some vino and got a cork collection? Grassroots artist reuse organisation Reverse Art Truck will give them to art educators, artists and crafters. Plastic bottle tops will become prosthetic hands for children via Envision and plastic bread tags can ultimately become wheelchairs.
Foil trays can be put in your recycling bin according to Sustainability Victoria. Check with your local council.
Loungeroom stuff
CDs and vinyl: contact Dixons , Planet Ark, Audio Recycle, Revolve Records and Relics or contact 3MBS and ask them about their music drive – 3MBS holds 2 music sales a year. CD’s, LP’s and all sheet music except church music. Contact 95392199 for donating. They have all year round storage and collection in some areas..
Sheet Music – try contacting Da Capo Music in Sydney, they may have contacts for Melbourne. Music Australia may also take donations of music books and sheet music. See also 3MBS above.
Paintings – op shops, auction houses, try an art show in your front yard with “free to good home”
VHS Video Cassette Recycling – Melbourne – (Services – Recycling and Waste Services) Yarra City Council have e-waste recycling banks that also accept VHS tapes.
Bedroom stuff
If you’re updating your bedding, the RSPCA will take polyester doonas, blankets, sheets, pillowcases plus towels and face washers, which will then become bedding for animals in their care.
Donate Direct will take bed frames, and also create matches between exactly what’s needed and what’s being donated.
National social enterprise Soft Landing salvages and recycles metal, foam and timber from old mattresses.
Repairs at little or no charge
Can’t find a donation point for something you have – check out these other Recycling Directories
Planet Ark – http://recyclingnearyou.com.au/
Recycle Now – http://www.recyclenow.com/
Sustain Me – http://www.sustainme.com.au/
Sustainability Victoria – https://www.sustainability.vic.gov.au/You-and-your-home/Waste-and-recycling/Recycling/What-you-can-and-cant-recycle