As warmer months are rolling around again, you might be itching to do a lil spring cleaning—especially if you live in New York City. I mean, the closet sizes here are downright atrocious, so you’re kind of forced to constantly clear clothes out anyway to, at the very least, keep your shelves and clothing racks from collapsing under all your sh*t.
That said, if you live in NYC—yes, that includes all five boroughs—and need to purge any clothes or accessories (or even furniture or household items if you’re really going for a full cleanse), then you can check out this list of 14 places to donate items year-round.
You’ll feel so much better knowing someone else is getting more use out of it than you. These organizations and services can really make a difference in another person’s life and have a positive impact on the environment. A win-win!
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CEO Patrick Metellus and his partner Paloma combined their interests of donating clothes and fashion to create SCRAP NYC. Their company differs a bit from other clothing donation spots. Not only do they give their donated items to second-hand stores, but they also put some items into the production cycle as textiles for new clothing. But don’t worry about anything heading to the landfill! Even the pieces that can’t be recycled are used as stuffing or insulation. You can either take clothes to their drop-off location in Queens or schedule a pickup appointment.
Location: 3038 Steinway Street, Queens, NY 11103
Hours: 11 a.m. – 7 p.m., Tuesday through Sunday
Contact: 929-325-4404
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Give your shoes another life with Soles4Souls. This organization donates pre-loved shoes to people who need them as well as those trying to launch a small business selling donated shoes. They accept all styles and sizes, as long as they’re not in unwearable shape. You can either drop off at one of their drop-off stations near you or ship for free with Zappos For Good.
Location: See the complete list of drop-off addresses here
Hours: Vary by location
Contact: 615-619-1632
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There’s nothing more empowering than wearing an outfit that makes you feel unstoppable. And that’s exactly the mantra of Dress for Success. This organization wants to ensure that women are thriving in their careers by providing them with professional attire that’ll boost their confidence. If you have any lightly-used solid or neutral business fashion pieces (apparel, shoes, and accessories) that you don’t want anymore, consider donating here. Keep in mind they only accept laundered/dry-cleaned and ready-to-wear clothing.
Location: 32 East 31st Street, 6th Floor New York, New York 10016
Hours: 9 a.m. – 5 p.m., Monday through Thursday
Contact: 718-832-6201
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Your donations to this organization benefit low-income women who are trying to find work and get back on their feet. It asks that handbags should preferably be large enough to fit a resume or portfolio and it accepts professional clothing and accessories like cardigans, blazers, pants, and shoes. Click the link and just read over the list carefully because they won’t take everything you might want to get rid of.
Location: 16 East 52nd Street, 15th Floor
Hours: 9 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. and select evenings Monday through Thursday
Contact: 212-563-2499
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Drop off clothing at any one of the locations across Brooklyn, Manhattan, the Bronx, and Queens, and they’ll be sorted into different grades at a facility and then redistributed to second-hand markets. (I’ve personally donated clothes at my local farmer’s market in Fort Greene—it’s SO convenient.) GrowNYC accepts clean, dry clothing, shoes, linens, bags, and more. Any items that are not in a suitable condition for reuse will be recycled into cleaning rags or fiber products like insulation. There’s a use for everything, people!
Locations: See the complete list of drop-off addresses here
Hours: Vary by location
Contact: 212-788-7900
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Members of the Dominican Sisters of Amityville started Trinity Human Services Corporation to help those in need in the Brooklyn neighborhoods of Williamsburg, Greenpoint, and Bushwick. (Though their doors are open to people throughout New York City.) One of the three main programs they offer is their Trinity Thrift Shop, which provides gently-used clothing and small household items at a very affordable cost. You can donate any clothes you’re ready to give up and even any relatively smaller furniture and/or decor pieces.
Location: 153 A Johnson Ave. Brooklyn, NY 11206
Hours: 9 a.m. – 4 p.m., Tuesday through Friday
Contact: info@trinityhumanservices.nyc
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The shop’s founder, Liz Wolff, was diagnosed with type 1 (juvenile) diabetes when she was 11 years old, and turned her passion of hunting around garage sales and thrift stores into a non-profit that gives 100 percent of proceeds to benefit type 1 diabetes research and advocacy. Yes, clothes are accepted, but so are furniture items, housewares, accessories, jewelry, and art pieces. The store’s an eclectic-person’s dream, and if you find yourself shopping there after dropping off your goods, you’ll score some pretty unique things.
Location: 111 East 12th Street
Hours: 12 p.m. — 9 p.m. daily, call or email before bringing in items
Contact: 212-505-SHOP
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This program takes and sells your unwanted clothing and the proceeds go toward local, state, and national programs that give veterans the support they need. It accepts clothing, household goods, books, shoes, small appliances, and electronics if you’re in spring-cleaning mode. You can also contact Pickup Please if you want items picked up right from your home within 24 hours from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. So simple!
Locations: See the complete list of drop-off addresses here
Hours: Vary by location
Contact: 1-800-775-VETS
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Donating clothes can be a hassle (even if you know you’re doing a good thing!), so this service provides a prepaid shipping label that makes getting rid of unwanted items way less stressful. You’ll have to provide your own box, but once it’s filled with clothes, jewelry, shoes, and other acceptable donations, you slap the label on it, and drop it off at any UPS location in NYC. Anything you send helps fund the Vietnam Veterans of America.
Locations: See the complete list of UPS drop-off locations here
Hours: Vary by UPS location
Contact: 1-800-775-8387
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I’ve scored some great pieces at this thrift store (including a vintage Dooney & Bourke crossbody I wear all the time), and the proceeds benefits people living with HIV/AIDS so that they have access to housing, healthcare, legal protections, and other life-saving services. Drop off any gently used (or new!) donations, including men’s and women’s clothing, jewelry, shoes, housewares, books, furniture, movies, and more.
Locations: See the complete list of drop-off addresses here
Hours: Vary by location
Contact: 1-888-HW-DONATE
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The Salvation Army is a staple in almost every neighborhood—there are tons of drop-off centers or you can schedule a pickup and have a driver come to you. Proceeds from purchases help “fund rehabilitation programs that heal addictions, change lives, and restore families” according to its website. In addition to clothing and accessories, you can also drop off appliances, furniture, household goods, and even your car?!
Locations: See the complete list of drop-off addresses here
Hours: Vary by location
Contact: 1-800-SA-TRUCK
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This program is an official partnership with the NYC Department of Sanitation and Housing Works, but it works in a slightly different way. You can contact the Department of Sanitation so they’ll visit your apartment or office building, commercial business, or school and set up drop-off bins. (Tax receipts for up to $250 are available on each bin.) Then you can load any clothes, accessories, towels, curtains, bedding, or even damaged clothing into them, and afterwards the bins are collected and sorted at the Housing Works warehouse in Queens.
Locations: N/A, drivers come to you
Hours: N/A
Contact: donate@dsny.nyc.gov
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Then, of course, there’s Goodwill, which accepts clothing, shoes, jewelry, accessories, handbags, luggage, household goods, and tons of other stuff. Some stores even have cool curated selections of stylish designer items—shout out to the one on Livingston Street in downtown Brooklyn! Any sold merchandise goes toward programs that “empower individuals with disabilities and other barriers to employment to gain independence through the power of work.”
Locations: See the complete list of drop-off addresses here
Hours: Vary by location
Contact: info@goodwillnynj.org
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Helpsy is a certified B Corp (i.e., a “businesses that meets the highest standards of verified social and environmental performance, public transparency, and legal accountability”), so you can bet when you’re dropping off any items in the labeled bin that they’re being recycled responsibly. Although free home pickup isn’t available in all boroughs, it is offered in Westchester County and Bronx County and will expand to other areas soon. In the meantime, you can donate in person to the location on 10th Ave. (There are also way more locations just across the Hudson in New Jersey if that’s more convenient for you.)
Locations: 466 10th Avenue, BP Gas Station
Hours: 7 a.m. — 5 p.m. for home pickups, any time in person
Contact: 877-382-7417
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Homeless and hungry New Yorkers seek refuge here and get meals, housing, and gain access to life-saving programs and community resources. Donations of clean, new, or gently-used casual and professional clothing and accessories will go towards those who need it the most. Items like coats, scarves, gloves, and hats are especially appreciated during colder months if you’re cleaning out your winter wardrobe.
Locations: 227 Bowery
Hours: 7 a.m. — 4 p.m., Monday through Saturday
Contact: 212-674-3456
