Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, THRIFT!

Posted on April 11, 2019

One of the greatest lessons we can take away from Earth Day is the potential for humans to have an incredibly positive effect on the environment. The theme for Earth Day 2019 is “Protect Our Species,” and that’s a great reminder that all living things have value, and each one has a unique role on this planet.

More than 1 billion people across 192 countries will celebrate Earth Day on April 22, and America’s Thrift Stores is proud to be among those celebrants.

Our entire business model dovetails with the ideals of Earth Day, as we help our customers reduce, re-use, and re-purpose gently used items. Using resources like America’s Thrift Store is a great way to keep items out of our landfills. With the help of our customers, we were able to keep over 21.3 million pounds of textiles–clothing, tools, electronics, etc.–out of our local landfills, as well as recycling 725,205 pounds of paper and cardboard.

Every little bit of recycling we do helps our environment!

This month, to celebrate Earth Day, we’re hosting a Up + Recycle Donation Drive, Saturday, April 27 for items that can be re-purpose and re-use. Making a donation is simple, and can be done in several different ways: You can call to request a FREE pickup, drop off your donations at one of our stores or community donation centers, or find one of our convenient donation bins.

So what kinds of items are we looking for when it comes to donations?

It’s pretty easy, really: Here’s a quick list of donations America’s Thrift Stores accept:

CLOTHING

  • Men’s, Women’s, Children’s Clothing
  • Men’s, Women’s, Children’s Shoes
  • Nylons, Socks, Underwear
  • Accessories such as: Hats, Mittens, Scarves, Ties, Purses, Wallets, Fanny Packs, Bags

HOUSEHOLD ITEMS

  • Bed sheets, blankets, pillows, curtains, tablecloths, and similar items
  • Bath towels, hand towels, wash clothes, bath rugs
  • Sports equipment, exercise equipment, bicycles
  • Kitchen Ware such as pots, pans, utensils, china, vases, dishes, cutlery, glassware, silverware
  • Small electrical appliances such as power tools, irons, blenders, mixers, stereos, CD players, speakers, DVD players & VCRs, lamps, fans, humidifiers
  • Miscellaneous Items such as jewelry, crafts, mugs, candles, pictures/frames, baskets, ornaments, hand tools

FURNITURE

  • Chairs, sofas, couches, loveseats, recliners, foot stools, storage dressers, armoire, bookcase, cabinets, entertainment centers, dining tables, kitchen tables, coffee tables, end tables, computer tables, night stands, patio sets

VEHICLES

  • Cars, trucks and RV’s (must be able to drive it to the store / do not call for home pick up)

ENTERTAINMENT

  • Hardback and paper books
  • Magazines
  • Records, tapes, CDs
  • Videos, DVDs, Blu-rays
  • Toys, games, and puzzles

Sadly, we do draw the line at some items. Here’s a list of donations we cannot accept:

  • Mattresses/box springs for sanitary reasons
  • Hazardous waste/materials
  • Pepper spray/mace
  • Used children’s car seats
  • Used major appliances
  • Mini-fridges
  • PC’s / Computers / Printers
  • Box TVs (tube, cabinet, console). We will only accept flat monitor style that can be easily mounted on a wall.
  • Construction remains (i.e. carpet scraps, boards with nails, etc.)
  • Items recalled by the CPSC
  • Liquids
  • Firearms, stun guns and firearms accessories

We hope to you at our Earth Day Celebration, Saturday, April 27th!

Written by Misty Matthews