Donating to Goodwill can feel like an easy win. You clear out things you no longer need, someone else may get some use out of them, and the items don’t end up in the trash.
But there are some donations that create a lot more work for employees than people realize.
In a recent online discussion, current and former Goodwill workers shared some of the donation habits that frustrate them. Most employees are happy to see people donating useful items. The problem is what happens when donations are left in the wrong place, brought in after hours, or include things that are broken or unsafe.
A little thought before heading to the donation center can make the process much easier for everyone.
Leaving Donations Outside After Hours
Leaving bags or boxes outside the donation doors after the center closes might seem harmless, but employees say it causes plenty of problems.
Rain can ruin clothing, furniture, books, and other items. Animals can get into bags, and people may pick through the donations overnight. By the time employees arrive, what started as a usable donation may already be damaged.
If the donation center is closed, it’s better to come back during its posted donation hours.
Showing Up Minutes Before Closing
Nobody wants to turn away a donor, but arriving right before closing can put employees in a tough spot.
A small bag of clothes may be easy enough to handle. A car full of boxes or a large piece of furniture is another story. Employees may have to unload, sort, and move everything after they’re supposed to be done for the day.
If you have a large donation, try to arrive earlier rather than making it a last-minute drop-off.
Using Goodwill as a Free Dump
Goodwill isn’t a replacement for the landfill.
Workers say they sometimes receive bags filled with broken household items, damaged furniture, unusable electronics, and other things that were clearly headed for the trash.
Donating something doesn’t automatically make it a donation. If nobody could reasonably use or sell the item, it may be better to find the right way to dispose of it.
Donating Broken or Unusable Items
Used doesn’t mean perfect, and Goodwill employees aren’t expecting everything to look brand new.
There’s a big difference, though, between an older item that still works and something that’s falling apart. Broken furniture, damaged electronics, stained household goods, and items with missing pieces can create extra work because someone has to sort them out and figure out what to do with them.
Before donating, ask yourself whether you’d actually consider buying the item in its current condition.
Related: 8 Items Goodwill Refuses to Accept and Where You Can Donate Them Instead
Leaving Furniture Exposed to the Weather
Leaving a sofa or chair outside in the rain can ruin it before an employee ever gets the chance to bring it inside.
Workers have described arriving to find furniture soaked after a storm. Once upholstered furniture becomes wet, develops mold, or picks up a strong odor, there’s usually little they can do with it.
If you’re donating furniture, make sure you’re dropping it off while the donation center is open and staff can receive it.
Ignoring Posted Donation Hours
The retail store’s hours aren’t always the same as the donation center’s hours.
There may be specific times for dropping things off, and those hours are there for a reason. Employees need enough time to receive, sort, and move donations.
If a sign says donations close at a certain time, showing up after that time and asking someone to make an exception can put the employee in an awkward position.
Donating Items the Store Doesn’t Accept
Goodwill locations have rules about what they can take. Those rules can vary from one location to another, so it’s worth checking before loading up your car.
Employees often have to deal with prohibited items, recalled products, unsafe goods, or things the store simply doesn’t have the space or equipment to handle.
A quick check of the location’s donation guidelines can save you a wasted trip and save employees from having to turn things away.
Related: 5 Items Food Pantries Wish People Would Stop Donating
Assuming Every Donation Makes It to the Sales Floor
It’s easy to assume that everything you donate gets priced and put out for someone else to buy.
That’s not how it works.
Items can be pulled because they’re damaged, dirty, unsafe, recalled, incomplete, or simply not something the store can sell. Some donations may also be sent elsewhere.
So if you’re donating something, don’t assume it will automatically end up on a shelf. The condition and type of item still matter.
Forgetting Employees Are the Ones Handling It
Goodwill employees are often the people who have to deal with whatever arrives at the donation door.
They’re lifting boxes, moving furniture, sorting through bags, checking items, cleaning things, and deciding what can move on to the next step. They also don’t set all the company’s policies or decide what items people should donate.
If you’re frustrated with Goodwill’s prices, policies, or corporate decisions, taking it out on the person at the donation door isn’t going to fix the problem.
Dropping Off Oversized Furniture Without Warning
A large sectional or entertainment center can take up a lot of space.
Donation areas aren’t always equipped to handle several huge pieces at once, especially when multiple donors arrive with furniture at the same time. Large items can also require several employees to move safely.
If you’re donating something bulky, check whether the location accepts it before you load it into your vehicle. Some places may also have specific rules for large furniture.
Related: Don’t Rent a Dumpster Yet—ReStore May Pick Up Your Old Cabinets and Building Materials for Free
Using Donations to Avoid Disposal Costs
There’s a difference between donating something and trying to get rid of something for free.
If an item is broken, heavily damaged, moldy, or unusable, dropping it at Goodwill doesn’t necessarily solve the disposal problem. The store may end up paying someone to haul it away or dispose of it.
Before putting something in your donation pile, ask whether it still has some reasonable use left. If the answer is no, look for a proper disposal option instead.
Assuming Someone Else Will Clean Up the Mess
This may be the habit employees find most frustrating.
Leaving bags, boxes, or loose items outside because “someone will take care of it” means that someone is usually the employee who arrives for the next shift.
They may have to pick everything up, move it out of the way, sort through damaged items, and clean up the area before they can get on with the rest of their workday.
If you’re donating to Goodwill, the easiest thing you can do is follow the donation hours, bring items employees can actually accept, and hand them over to the staff. That small bit of consideration can make the whole process easier for everyone.
