Talk to me about Charity Shops...

[jewel1968]

I have had some amazing finds in charity shops over the years. Recently I have picked up some lovely jewelry. It got me thinking what are the stories behind the donations. Wondering what motivates people to donate some lovely stuff to charity shops.

Anyone got any insight to share?

I donate loads because I have a short attention span and get bored easily . My best friend died of cancer and I think I'm helping us all by donating so more research can be done .
A lot of the time it's house clearances when people die .

I'm a charity shop volunteer - I see a LOT of donations. Obviously we don't hear the stories behind every donation but there are a few main groups.

Sale bargains - we see a lot of stuff still with tags on, usually bought in the sale. Priced an M&S per una dress the other day, the original selling price was £45, it had been down to £4.99 in the sale, someone had obviously got it home and decided it didn't fit or they didn't like it that much after all. We're very suburban and they obviously felt that the trek back into town wasn't worth it for a fiver. So in the charity shop bag.

Wear it once and move on - we see a lot of party clothes, prom dresses, wedding outfits. (Although not so much this year obviously). People don't want to wear the same outfit for repeated weddings, and only go to prom once, so buy an outfit then sent it to the charity shop. This does mean on the flip side we always have lots of these outfits, worn once, as a massive bargain for other people.

Seasonal clear outs - lots of people appear to have big clothing clearouts twice a year, end of summer and end of winter, ditch what they don't want to keep for the next year. Tends to be "younger" brands like topshop, zara, h&m where the wearer knows fashion will have moved on and doesn't want to be wearing "last year's stuff".

People going into care / dying - we often get big bags of stuff from people who are moving parents into residential care or clearing houses after a death. Lots of it goes for recycling but there are often some very good vintage pieces which sell very well, jewellery made with precious metals/stones or good quality pure wool coats.

I found a tweed jacket this summer with the World War 2 CC41 label. It was moth eaten and filthy but it's scrubbed up pretty well. If we hadn't only just come out of lockdown I'd have hung around and asked if they knew anything about the donor - I'm guessing relatives of an old lady.

The vintage stuff is noticeably better quality than current. Even the 80s or 90s labels like Clockhouse at C&A, St Michael or Richard's Shops. Better fabric, better finish. Clothing quality has gone seriously downhill in the last 30 years.

I manage a large charity shop and we get regular donations of beautiful clothes from certain people. Labels on or nearly new.
I don't know why they buy so much really but obviously welcome whatever we get!
We do furniture and have some superb stuff. Recently, we were given a sofa which cost the donators £2000 but they just didn't get on with it. I sometimes think when people have already bought it, they see it as an opportunity to donate without actually giving money, knowing that one man's trash is another's treasure so to speak.
The bath/shower gifts are my favourite. It's obviously just that the person only uses certain things but I get really excited when the unwanted Christmas presents come rolling in. It's decent money for the charity and they always sell well.
Of course, on the other hand, some people donate ridiculous things that really should have gone in the bin!!!

I've bought 3 good quality sterling silver pendants from my local charity shop, all at under a fiver each, in a vintage place next door the same items would sell for £30 a piece.

Sometimes charity shops don't seem to know what they've got!!

I donate because I shop a lot at charity shops myself. I also buy a lot of clothes from ebay and often get given bits and pieces from older family members. Some things I sell on ebay, but some things that are really decent and that I know will sell well in a charity shop, I'll donate as a sort of future pledge to the universe that I'll get something decent the next time I'm in

And yes to the vintage stuff being better quality. We've absolutely shafted ourselves in the quest for cheap, fast fashion. I bought the most gorgeous vintage plaid midi dress the other day - so well cut, absolutely beautiful hard-wearing fabric, so it's in pristine condition. The difference between it and a similar dress I picked up on a whim from New Look is shocking. Having worn both, I now feel practically naked in the spit thin New Look one.

What annoys me is that paying more no longer equals quality,something I feel is clear when you buy second hand as much as I do. I mean you expect it from New Look, but pick up a lot of the better high street brands second hand, it's often last season so I can still check it out online - so for example I've got a dress from Whistles that is good quality and worth the RRP, but I've another dress from Whistles, same season and honestly I've had better from George at Asda

This is such an interesting thread.

I don't buy as much as I should from charity shops as lack the free time to browse these days (full-time job + 2 kids) but do donate quite a lot. I sell some things on eBay too, to fund my purchasing habit (though getting that under control and yes I do buy a lot from eBay). But there are always things I know won't appeal much online and will be much better IRL, so to the charity shop they go.

Also donate a lot of non-clothing stuff, and Freecycle things that wouldn't sell (I always ask myself if I'd buy it in a charity shop, and if not it goes to Freecycle).

I don’t donate many clothes to charity shops these days because the DC are no longer growing out of things, DD now wears all my clothes that I feel I’m too young for and DH wears his clothes until they literally fall to pieces (whereupon I wash them and put them in the ragbag for recycling).

But we did donate all my late DM’s clothes to the charity shop she used to volunteer at, which coincidentally supported the hospice where she spent her final days. It included many lovely garments she’d originally bought with her volunteers discount from that very shop. Emotionally it made things so much easier for my DF to know that these personal items were going to a good cause which she’d have approved of.

@Tehmina23 unfortunately we do usually know what we've got but people just don't want to pay the money for it.
It's really hard to get the balance between value and price.
We get quite a few mother of the bride type outfits donated which you know cost a fortune at the time but have sat in someone's wardrobe for 15 years until they decide to get rid of them. The label says it's worth a fortune but the style says otherwise and it's probably only been worn once.
You sometimes feel that it's better to get something rather than nothing.
You just get to know what will sell and at what price.

I donate some of the mid range labels like marant , Zimmerman..etc because It’s such a faff to sell , at charity shops they can be sold for £60-£80 and the money goes for a good cause, win-win.

Thanks so much for the insight. I do think of it as recycling and supporting whatever charity they represent. I go to about 4 or 5 charity shops in a fairly well to do area. They all have a slightly different vibe - some lovely jewelry, some books and some ornaments. My DD calls it 'thrifting' which apparently the young like to do.

I do donate too but mostly kids stuff. And I do recognise the feeling that someone else can benefit.

And as I’m sure abstract will vouch we do have to wade through A LOT of shite to get the good stuff!
I think I’ve seen it all (good & bad)

I rarely buy a new item now, love browsing our local charity shops and have picked up plenty of bargains, especially items to wear for work. I love having an eclectic wardrobe, lots of different pieces and variety. however I also donate a lot, routinely having a clear out, it's one big circle of recycling, and the everyone benefits.

@jewel1968 I donate a lot of my son's baby clothes where I can. In honesty, I tend to try and find a way to donate where they will go directly to a family in need for free (shelters, little village, that sort of thing). Mainly because I can't bear the thought that someone will struggle to clothe their baby. Equally the stuff that those organisations don't need/have surplus of get donated to charity shops. Unless it has sentimental value I would rather someone got a bargain than it sit in the loft as a shrine to my ever growing toddler.

@abstractzebra @SoLongFurlough

What are the items that you wish people would stop donating? Ive always wondered
Equally - can you give advice on what to do with items that are beyond donation ... I've always wanted to know the best way to recycle old clothes and shoes!

Whenever I declutter it's throw out, sell or charity shop. I think a lot of bereaved families dump the stuff too. A lot now goes on ebay so good to know there are still some treasure still being donated.

Change of lifestyle . Don’t wear suits etc after kids, rural area more casual so don’t wear fancy off duty stuff. Heels etc. No point being reminded of a life I don’t lead any more. If I go back to office life I’ll want more up to date styles.

I buy loads from charity shops. I can't afford to spend huge amounts on clothes, particularly for work, and I like a bargain!

I also like to recycle rather than throw away.

I donate things that don't fit any longer (yo-yo dieter).

We will take old clothes and shoes as rags but not getting a lot for them at the moment. Also bags and belts.
Items I wish people wouldn't donate?
Half used beauty products
Candles which have been lit
Ancient electricals (particularly hostess trolleys as no one has used them since the seventies)
Dirty clothes (we have absolutely no facilities to wash them)
Handfuls of little nic nacs from the toy box which fell out of games/play sets
Crossword/colouring books which have been used

I'll add more as I think of them!

It's worth remembering that most charity shops only have access to a bin (apart from the rags), so if you donate poor quality/broken items, they won't be recycled, they will have to go to landfill so by putting everything in a bag as 'it might do someone a turn' is usually creating a huge amount of waste.
HOWEVER, we really appreciate everyone who donates and I absolutely love my job!

I’m not on the breadline but as a single parent I couldn’t afford to keep us all in ‘nice’ clothes if I had to buy it all new. My local charity shops are great, lots of lovely children’s clothes, books, brand new items I can give as gifts to help keep to birthday and Christmas budgets. It’s great that I’m giving the money I do have to charities too rather than a corporation.

They are absolutely wonderful I think!

I buy from charity shops, tkmaxx and outlets
Sometimes I buy on impulse or hoping will lose weight or for an occasion that then doesn’t happen
Whilst I do sell stuff on eBay it’s only worth the hassle if I sell for £5 plus anything less or if it doesn’t sell first time I donate to charity shop
Anything other than clothing eg unwanted gifts or household stuff - when I’m having a clear out always goes to charity shop
I love jigsaws but put in recycling if pieces missing or charity shop if complete

I've had some great underpriced items (they are getting better at pricing) from charity shops.

A gap wool duffel coat for 6.99
A next single breast boucle coat for 9.99
A radley dark brown leather handbag for 4.99

Good shops in yummy mummy towns, also in run down places there is often a good find. In my small town there is an M&Co and about 5 charity shops so I do have a browse.

I also donate when I am clearing out for ease/do my bit.

I volunteered for a while in a shop. Sometimes we got end of range items from chain stores.. often in small sizes so maybe just too small for customers... also got bags of dirty clothing that should have gone in the bin and not left outside the shop ..just lazy...using charity shop as a dump...once I unfolded a pair of dungarees that looked quite smart and then I actually screamed and slung them down...covered in diarrhea .... I wore gloves after that for sorting !!

I love charity shops, you never know what you might find. Most of the lamps, mirrors and photo frames in my home are from two hospice charity shops. The last item I bought from one of these hospice shops, was a large,and beautiful silver letter rack, with scrolls and a leaf design on it..it is quite heavy and looks like a special antique letter rack. It cost me £4 only.