Where Can I Donate Office Furniture?

Local Charities and Thrift Stores

If you are aware of any non-profits in your area, check to see if they accept furniture donations. Charities rely on donations to improve their work conditions.

Because they do not profit from the operation, money often goes toward their mission before they will consider buying suitable office furniture.

Office furniture makes it easier for the non-profit to accomplish daily tasks and it gives them a more professional appearance. This improves productivity and success in reaching their goals.

Some charities may not need the office furniture for their work, but they can sell it in thrift shops run by the charity.

You may not even know that your favorite local resale store is actually how the non-profit pays for its operations, and the office furniture can bring about a windfall.

Check with them before bringing your furniture for donation; some areas are too saturated with office products, and the furniture can be more burdensome than anything.

Offices and Small Businesses

Small offices or small businesses benefit from furniture donations just as well.

The cost of office furniture adds up, even for small-scale operations, and it can be difficult to offer everyone high-quality accommodations.

Some workspaces do not mind mixed furniture, while others need to maintain a uniform appearance.

You can check with office buildings or small businesses in your area to see if they have a use for any furniture you want to donate. This gives the furniture a new lease on life, and it can give the business a leg up.

Schools and Universities

Schools and universities also need to accommodate the office conditions of several individuals, but there is less focus on uniformity when traveling from room to room.

K-12 school teachers get little help to furnish their classrooms, and some may be stuck with outdated or uncomfortable office furniture.

Donating the furniture takes the burden off of them and lets them focus more on providing quality education.

Colleges and universities have professors that need to furnish their offices and classrooms, but they also have students on tight budgets.

Donated office furniture to any of these settings can benefit:

• Office spaces
• Clubs and organizations
• Student government
• On-site work conditions

In a pinch, you can post flyers in student common areas and you may get a few individuals who need to update their home office.

Organizations that Offer Furniture Pickup

Office furniture is bulky and difficult to transport, but many organizations want to make donating as easy as possible for you.

Check with your local charities to learn whether they offer this when accepting donations.

Reputable organizations known for furniture pickup include:

• Habitat for Humanity
• Goodwill
• Furniture Bank
• AMVETS

This is not a definitive list, but you should have some of these local to you. Make sure you call ahead to make sure they accept office furniture and to inquire about their pick-up processes.

Habitat for Humanity:

Habitat for Humanity is a nonprofit that aims to build homes that are safe and affordable for families.

They operate in all 50 states as well as 70 countries worldwide. This means they have a lot of ground to cover, and they appreciate contributions to their cause.

Habitat for Humanity has several donation drop-off centers, but many offer furniture pickup.

They sell these items in ReStores alongside appliances, building materials, and other items. The profits from your donation go to building homes and making repairs.

Goodwill:

Goodwill centers work locally to provide job training and employment to needy individuals.

They operate in 165 local retail stores across the US and Canada.

While Goodwill is best known for clothing and small item drop off, certain locations offer free pickup for furniture and other large items.

Proceeds from your office furniture donation go toward employment training and job placement for deserving individuals.

Furniture Bank:

Furniture Bank collects items ‌they can redirect to those in need, including:

• Battered women and children
• Immigrants
• Unemployed and the working poor
• Previously homeless individuals

These items help others get a better hold on their life and build a comfortable and safe environment.

Furniture donations and pickup are available in 34 states, but certain areas charge a small fee for large-item pickup.

AMVETS:

American Veterans gather donations to support vets and their families in your area.

Their proceeds go to provide assistance, jobs, and other service programs to these individuals where other services fail.

The AMVETS website features a donation form for you to fill out, and it should state whether your local chapter offers pickup.

While smaller items pack easily into boxes, you need to clear larger office furniture with them before pickup.

Just leave labeled items outside the day of pickup by 7:30 AM. This is convenient for anyone who can’t wait around to babysit their office furniture donation.

How to Donate Office Furniture

Once you decide you no longer need your office furniture and you want to donate it, you need to:

• Evaluate the furniture condition
• Find a place to accept the office furniture
• Make a plan to transport or schedule a pickup

Donating is not always possible, but taking these steps in your endeavor ensures you don’t create any futile plans.

Evaluate Furniture Conditions:

Make sure you are not donating furniture just to get broken items off your hands. If something is in poor condition, you are more likely to donate a burden than a gift.

Details that indicate an item should be recycled, upcycled, or thrown away include:

• Damage to the structure
• Major cosmetic damage
• Difficult or costly repairs

If you know an item can be fixed, consider doing this before donating.

Minor repairs improve the quality of your furniture donation, ensuring the donation gets more use and even more funds from your generosity.

Make sure you clean all the items before donating to ensure they look their best.

Find a Place to Accept Them:

Not all thrift stores, resale shops, or nonprofits accept office furniture donations.

While they might appreciate the gesture, some areas are over-saturated with office furniture. This leaves them with large items taking up space for longer periods.

This is why it is important to check with your tentative donation destination before loading everything up.

Even larger operations that list office furniture as acceptable on their website may defer to the local chapter for the final decision.

Transport or Schedule Pick Up:

Office furniture is often bulky and difficult to move. Once you have decided to who you will donate the furniture, it's often in your best interest to see if they’ll pick it up for free.

This isn’t always an option, so have a backup plan to make sure you can follow through on your offer.

If you have multiple pieces of furniture, look to office moving companies or consider renting a moving trailer large enough to fit everything.

You can always recruit the help of a friend with a truck or van to help you complete your office furniture donation.