Charity shop donations

[sbshannon]

Just reading some comments posted about a year or so ago on donating to charity shops. BHF do free collections; however they can be very picky. I have waited in all day for them to collect a mattress; about 2 years old, good condition, no tears, etc. The van drivers were not particularly friendly, and refused to take the mattress due to 'stains'. Apart from it not looking brand new, there were no stains, so not sure what standard it has to be for them to take it. Personally, as I live in a flat, I wonder if they didn't want to bother lugging it down the 3 flights of stairs!
Anyway, I wouldn't bother with BHF unless the item in question is 'nearly new'.

Last week I took 2 bags of clothes and 2 boxes of books to the local Mind shop (I am 36 weeks pg and you can park close to the shop). I got the 3rd degree on what was in the boxes and told they couldn't help me in with the stuff. 2 staff members watched me make 4 trips to the car! No thank you at all.
I usually take my stuff to a small community charity shop (can't park close to this one though). I doubt they make much as they sell stuff cheap but you actually get a sense that it serves the community better by selling these low cost items. I buy all my books there for 50p each compared the to the £3+ charged by oxfam (specialist book shop in university city). I read them pass them to family and donate any I'm left with back.

Our local Help the Aged shop is great - they always say thanks, have an easy drop off point and because we have signed up to Gift aid they write to us and say how much they have made selling our stuff

I donated my mattresses and imperfect furniture to a charity who provide furniture to domestic abuse rehousers. They were very pleased with it

I always hand in my good condition books to my local library.

It's not charity but if you'd rather see something going to good use rather than dumping it, try Gumtree Freebies. I've found that anything I've put on is usually gone within a day