we have an attended goodwill trailer in the local supermarket parking lot, so i'm golden.

I agree with both comments above! I usually donate to a local Habitat for Humanity. In addition to cabinetry, they will take old windows (dual glazed), old doors, paint, door and cabinet hardware as long as they are in decent and re-usable condition. For furniture and other items that they might not take, I would look up a local battered or homeless women's shelter, Goodwill or Salvation army.

Large household things to Habitat, little personal/household stuff to a local thrift that redistributes the things they can't sell. Sometimes kids clothes and toys to the Big Brothers/Sisters folks (who will come and get boxes!). Have ambitions to Craigs List things from rehab houses, but they tend to pile up instead, so I think I'm due for some more Habitat business! :)

Purple Heart, Big Brothers/Sisters, Shade Tree, Opportunity Village.

All of the above are great comments and ideas. Every major city, and plenty of smaller ones have organized charities as mentioned that would welcome donations of useable items. Smaller towns can be counted on to have local charity-run thrift shops that also love donations. Check locally to see what organizations are taking, and what their hours are. Some even offer pick-up service if your items are too large for you to move, or if they run a regular route in your neighborhood. Always ask around before you just "trash it" out of convenience!

I have donated to restore/Salvation Army/Vietnam veterans
Drop off stuff good will

We donated our old kitchen cabinets and bathroom vanities and sinks to habitat for humanity when we did a big Reno.

Many times we are able to find friends or relatives who can use our leftover materials, or items we no longer have a use for.

I have found the Salvation Army to be the most convenient way of donating any household goods, especially the larger items.

I often will post things to Kijiji (a Canadian buy/sell website for used items) for free. People who need the items come and pick them up and I get to see who I'm helping directly. But for something like a used kitchen, Habitat for Humanity.

We have two Christian based charity thrift stores in town with tremendous volunteers, mostly seniors who work really hard to display donated items to show their best. Items of high value are listed in a binder for bids by auction, it is fascinating to see the vintage and antique items. These shops are busy and addictive, I usually cruise through once a week and enjoy supporting them.

I donate to Veterans of America and Habitat for Humanity. They pick up so that's nice. I've also put free stuff on craigslist and have given a few items away. like an old frig, to someone who needed one.

Our contractor is taking our old kitchen to use in his church's outreach, they rehab homes. Otherwise, which ever charity is closest and will take the items, or will pickup the larger items.

Hope Ministries or Goodwill.

I just hoard them.

Occasional "Designer Open-Garage Sale" (or party) to benefit children and teens in foster care, also FORCE-Facing Our Risk for Cancer Empowered, Habitat Re-Store, Big Bro/Sis when I have items for pick-up, and hoping to do a sale soon for Nepal relief.

By the time I'm done with something, the dump doesn't even want them. Seriously, had "don't mention name" charity come for some household items and I was rejected. Oy.

When all other ideas fail or I get too lazy- I put stuff up on Freecycle.org. People have been unfailingly nice and almost everything goes. I'd rather donate to a charity but charities can be picky.

We donate to the Viet Nam Veterans. Schedule a pick up and they come directly to your house and pick up. Wonderful service.

ReStore for building materials and some household items, goodwill for clothing and books. I'm never organized enough for pickup services scheduled in advance; I prefer to drop things off whenever it fits my schedule and Goodwill is even open on Sundays.

often we find new homes for items by asking friends and neighbors if they know anyone in need of whatever we have going spare.

All our clothing, furniture, household items, small appliances, etc. are donated to the Women and Children's Alliance, our local shelter here in Boise for battered/abused women and children. When we remodeled our kitchen, we were able to recycle and donate everything to the Idaho Youth Ranch, an organization for at-risk juveniles. IMHO, I would rather support my local charities rather than those national charities that pay their CEO's huge salaries from the profits they make selling my donated merchandise.

Usually anything that we want to part with is still like new so my sisters want them and if not they go to Habitat for Humanity. We have been very fortunate so we hardly ever try to sell anything, we love to "pay it forward."

I used to haul/donate to Goodwill (no pick up service), Restore (have to set an appointment with them to pick up and fit into their schedule), but recently began with Big Brothers/Big Sisters. It's a great system. (Seems to be at a state-wide level as the flyer/postcard has information on state-wide programs of the organization. I also know the organization, like many others really needs the donations. I tend to have very nice/certainly usable items (I am an admitted shopaholic!) so I am pleased to have them recycled.

They mail a large postcard announcing their event, requesting donations and indicating their pick up day/time. I just set the bags/boxes at the curb with the card attached and they are picked up. They leave a Thank you/donation card for my records to put in date and value of donation. No fuss. No muss.

This regular collection system appears to be happening every couple of months, so having recently moved into my new house, it has been perfect for me and I hope they will continue to do pick ups for a while. I am still in the process of purging, even though I did a major purge before moving. The garage is almost done!

The local transfer station has a building that they reserve for swaps - drop it off and scrounge through for anything you can find...for free. The alternative is freecycle.

I wasn't happy living in Oregon, but they have a good list of things they do right. Lane County has B.R.I.N.G. (Begin Recycling In Neighborhood Groups). They set up a sort of catch-all on a piece of donated land and eventually grew to major reuse and recycling status. I bought some 12 foot 2x8s there for 40$ once and (after I pulled out all the old nails) used them to build a 10x12 deck for my home.

B.R.I.N.G. could serve as a model for other parts of the country. Check out their website -

http://www.bringrecycling.org/home/brg/smartlist_30/lane_county_transfer_recycling_sites.html

i live in a city center, with an alley nearby... so i put my old shoes, pants , work clothes out there, as well as small soaps, and hotel toiletries, they all go quickly.. better things goodwill, and my best things ... that dont fit usually go to a nice consignment store.

For some things that may need repair or for odds and ends, I put it out on my curb with a sign that says free and if it needs repair. We have many workers in my neighborhood (gardeners, delivery people and construction workers). If it doesn't get picked up in a day, I bring it back in but it is usually gone in an hour!

Goodwill

Goodwill, Habitat for Humanity and Vietnam Vets of America.