Local Resource Guide for Decluttering
Decluttering can be physically tiring and emotionally challenging. Finding responsible places to donate, reuse, repair, recycle, or safely dispose of unwanted items can also take time.
Don’t let your progress stall at the disposal stage. Moving items out promptly can help you follow through on your decision to let them go. East Bay residents can use Stopwaste‘s online RE:Source guide to search for local reuse, repair, recycling, and safe-disposal options. We have also gathered several additional resources below to help make the process easier.
Acceptance policies, fees, service areas, and hours may change. Please contact each organization or check its website before visiting.
Helpful Hint: Once you have filled a donation bag or box, move it near the door or place it in your vehicle so it is ready for your next donation trip.
Downsizing and Retirement
The Gentle Art of Swedish Death Cleaning: How to Free Yourself and Your Family from a Lifetime of Clutter, by Margareta Magnusson, is described as a charming, practical, and unsentimental approach to putting a home in order while reflecting on the tiny joys that make up a long life. It is one of our absolute favorites. Please look for a copy at your local library.
The National Association of Senior Move Managers offers a helpful guide to rightsizing and relocation.
AARP offers advice on how to help your aging parents prepare for a manageable move.
Furniture and Household Donations
Furniture banks like Make it Home furnish homes for people in need using donated furniture and household goods. Donating through the organization can give your items a meaningful second life. Donations require review and approval, and drop-offs are by appointment.
Habitat for Humanity Restore accepts a range of household donations, including furniture, appliances, tools, and building materials.
Donation Town helps connect donors with charities that offer local pickup services. Enter your ZIP code to find participating organizations in your area.
The East Bay Depot for Creative Reuse turns discarded materials into useful resources for artists, teachers, and crafters. It is located at 4695 Telegraph Avenue in Oakland.
Urban Ore began at the Berkeley city dump in the 1980s as a way to salvage reusable items that might otherwise have gone to landfill. Today, it sells and accepts many categories of reusable goods. It is located at 900 Murray Street in Berkeley, and its website also includes a helpful list of local reuse stores.
Clothing and Textile Donations
Clean, gently used clothing and household linens may be donated to many local charities. But what about worn bedding, socks, underwear, and damaged clothing that may not be suitable for resale?
Some animal shelters accept clean sheets, blankets, and towels for use in animal care. Please contact the shelter first to confirm its current needs and donation requirements.
Goodwill accepts many clothing and textile donations, but acceptance policies vary by local organization. Check with your nearest donation center before bringing damaged or worn textiles. Goodwill supports reuse, upcycling, and textile-recycling efforts, but I would remove the specific claim that donated textiles are sold to recycling programs abroad because its current public guidance does not promise that outcome.
H&M also accepts clean, unwanted clothing and textiles from any brand through its garment-collection program. Items are sorted for resale, reuse, repurposing, or recycling according to their condition.
Hauling Services
The following local hauling services have been vetted by AON:
Clients should confirm current pricing, availability, service areas, and accepted materials directly with each provider. AON does not subcontract hauling services and is not responsible for the performance of independent third-party companies.
Electronics Recycling
For Berkeley and Oakland, the ewasteCollective is a helpful electronics-recycling resource. The organization also provides refurbished computers to schools, nonprofit organizations, and others in need.
Contra Costa County maintains a list of local e-waste recycling and disposal options.
San Francisco Recology offers curbside collection for certain electronic items. Residents should review current preparation requirements and collection limits before scheduling service.
County Recycling Guides
The RE:Source guide is a searchable online directory for reuse, repair, recycling, and safe-disposal options throughout Alameda County, Contra Costa County, and the greater East Bay. Search by item and location to find nearby services.
Contra Costa County Recycling and Waste Reduction provides county-specific information and links to local recycling programs, waste services, and the RE:Source Guide.
RecycleMore offers additional recycling, composting, reuse, and household hazardous-waste information for residents of West Contra Costa County.
Household Hazardous Waste
Use the following county resources to find current information about household hazardous-waste collection, accepted materials, appointment requirements, and drop-off locations:
Because accepted items, hours, and procedures may change, please review the county’s current requirements before visiting.
Paper Shredding
Use the following local resources to find current paper-shredding services, event schedules, fees, and preparation requirements:
Please review each organizations current guidelines before bringing documents for shredding.
Valuing Donated Items
The IRS offers guidance to help taxpayers determine the fair market value of donated property. Publication 561, Determining the Value of Donated Property, explains general valuation principles and documentation requirements for noncash charitable contributions.
Nolo also provides helpful, plain-language information about valuing noncash donations and understanding when additional documentation or a qualified appraisal may be required.
Tax rules vary according to the donated property, its value, and the taxpayer’s circumstances. Donors should keep their receipts and consult a qualified tax professional when necessary.
AON is not responsible for the availability, performance, conduct, workmanship, fees, or any resulting loss or damage involving an independent third-party provider.