Moving? Want to help someone with extra household items?
Whenever the moving process begins, inevitably there are items you don’t really want to move with you but are in good condition and could be valuable to someone else. You can try to organize a yard sale to help reduce the belongings but many times only the ultimately organized can make time for sorting, pricing, and answering ads on Craigs List during their own moving process. 
It is not uncommon to find yourself a week before the open house or a week before the moving van comes with a multitude of items that you wish could simply, “find another home for”. A home for items that could be appreciated and not simply wasted by being dumped into the over crowded landfill. A home for items with useful life that could help someone else start or re-start their lives.
With that in mind, I wanted to provide a list of resources of where you can consider donating items. This also takes time but will provide you with a good feeling when it is all done. This list is not complete and I hope that readers will comment below on other places they have used in the San Jose, Santa Clara County area for donations. Special thanks to Cyndie and Mario Le Chuga for sharing their homework and their friendship with me.
| Organization | Items they take? | Address/Phone | Web Site |
| Good Will | Accepts your new or gently used items — like clothing, appliances and furniture. | 1080 North Seventh Street, San Jose, CA 95112
(408) 869-9198 |
http://www.goodwillsv.org/ |
| Salvation Army | clothing, appliances and furniture | 359 North 4th Street, San Jose, CA 95112-5254
(408) 283-3864 |
http://bit.ly/cGbRv3 |
| Sacred Heart | food, blankets, clothing, baby diapers (sizes 4, 5, 6) | 1381 South First St.
San Jose, CA 95110 Todd Madigan – (408) 278-2180 |
http://www.shcstheheart.org/ |
| Second Harvest | Meals in a can (stew, chili, soup) Tuna and canned meat Peanut butter Canned foods with pop-top lids Low-sugar cereals100% fruit juices in single serving boxes Canned fruit packed in juice Canned vegetables (low salt) | 750 Curtner Avenue,
San Jose CA 95125 (408) 266-8866 |
http://www.shfb.org/ |
| Domestic Violence Council | Children’s clothing (for 9-12 year olds) Diapers Size 4, 5 and 6 Socks/Underwear Comforters and blanketsPillows (standard) TowelsFull and twin sheet sets2x3 throw rugs to place next to the beds | http://www.sjfamilyshelter.org/ | |
| Victory Outreach | Clothes, Furniture, Appliances, Tools | 590 Shawnee Lane
San Jose, CA 95123 408-578-0800 |
http://www.victoryoutreach.org/ |
| InnVision | Jackets, shoes, towels, toiletries, clothes, small appliances | 974 Willow Street
San Jose, CA 95125 Phone: 408-292-4286 |
http://www.innvision.org/donate_newlikenew.php |
| Santa Clara County Animal Shelter | cat toys(mousies, feather wands) dog toys and treats newspaper and bedding (towels, blankets, pet beds). | 2750 Monterey Rd
San Jose, CA 95111 or 12370 Murphy Ave., San Martin, CA 95046 |
http://www.southcountypets.com/ |
CJ – If I could add two local thrift stores that help kids in Santa Clara County.
The Happy Dragon is in Los Gatos: Clothing, housewares, books, collectibles, jewelry.
The Unicorn is in San Jose: Clothing, housewares, books, seasonal items (that big box of Christmas decorations you don’t want to take to your new place).
Both stores are 100% volunteer run with all proceeds going directly to help kids in crisis in Santa Clara county. In addition to helping support vital programs that aren’t covered by the state, the store volunteers also throw holiday parties for the kids in the 24/7 residential programs at EMQ FamiliesFirst.
Here’s a link:
http://emqff.org/help/shopping.shtml
Sue Anne –
Thank you so much for helping add to the list! These are great additions and will help spread the word to where folks can pass along useful items.
CJ,
I was just trawling the new for some moving, property related blogs and found your article on moving, cash and help with extra household items. In any case you might find this information very useful. It’s on Migration patterns throughout the UK and overseas for the first quarter this year.
If it can come in useful for your next blog post, then I hope it helps.
http://www.reallymoving.com/reports/
Thanks
Do you know of anyone who will take curtains? We have some from when we bought our current home 10 years. They’ve been sitting in a closet, perfectly good but not my style, since late 1999. My conscience won’t let me throw them out, and unlike Maria from the Sound of Music, I’m no good with sewing them into playclothes….
Oh wow. I thought Goodwill would take them if they were clean. I am wondering if InVision would because they help people get started in new homes. Tough one.
People deserve wealthy life time and mortgage loans or just small business loan will make it better. Because people’s freedom is based on money.