It can be so much easier to let go of items in our home when we know that they’re going to a good home. Here are some organisations which we discuss at our downsizing seminars. These definitely fit the bill when it comes to finding a good home for accumulated possessions!
Furniture and household items
Migrant and Refugee Settlement Services is always in need of donations, both cash and physical goods. 100% of donations will go towards helping migrants and refugees in Canberra. The Salvation Army and St Vincent de Paul also provide pickup services.
Good quality pushbikes
Girls on Bikes helps migrant and refugee women how to ride.
Musical instruments
Grow the music runs musical education programs for Aboriginal communities and accepts your unwanted instruments from all major cities and regional areas to continue to provide access to quality instruments for all community members.
Gently used kids books, educational materials
Buk Bilong Pikinini collect items for schools and kids in Papua New Guinea.
Other books
Lifeline provides pickup service for books in wine boxes or green bags.
Fabrics and craft supplies
Paper & the Works accepts a variety of craft and sewing items – it’s run by social enterprise The Paperworks out of the Green Shed at Mitchell.
Work and special occasion clothes
Best Dressed in Tuggeranong Hyperdome will take donations of gently used work-ready and special occasion clothes to help people break the poverty cycle.
Bras
For women in disadvantaged communities a bra is often unobtainable or unaffordable. Uplift collects new and second hand bras and sends them wherever they have requests.
Kids clothes and recently purchased baby items
Roundabout Canberra collects donations on behalf of Karinya House, a womens refuge in Canberra.
Recent computers
The Tech Shed (formerly Charity Computers) refurbishes computers for pensioners and low income earners.
Specific items
Givit matches specific donations you’d like to give to a worthy cause with items needed by specific charities and non-profits throughout Australia. Your local Buy Nothing Group can also be a great way to find a home for a “hard to place” item. There are several of these groups active in Canberra.
Historically significant items
Consider giving to a museum or local historical society.
Please do contact us if you know of other worthy organisations needing donations which I should add to the list. I’d love to hear from you!
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