Spring Cleaning

What do you do and where do you go when it is time to clean out the house? Here’s a complete guide to selling, donating and recycling your way to a fresh start

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Everyone has that light-bulb moment. You creak open a closet door and belongings come crashing down. You try to put something away but realize there is absolutely nowhere to put it. You look for a long-lost item only to trip over a zillion others you had forgotten you owned and hadn’t missed in years. You are overwhelmed by possessions—wrong size, wrong color, wrong style or simply wrong. You can’t deal with a garage sale, but you desperately need to clear the clutter. Here’s where to sell, toss or donate your items.

Albums/Compact Discs

Resell:

Donate:

Appliances

Resell:

Recycle:

  • Appliance Recyclers, 314-832-4581, will pick up any appliance. If it is a refrigerator or freezer (anything with Freon), the cost is $25; all other items are $15. However, you need to haul it to the curb for pickup. If you are not able to do so, call (the higher-priced) 800-Got-Junk.
  • Good Folks Appliances, 8548 State Rte. 30 in Dittmer, 636-274-2878.

Donate:

Books

Resell:

  • The Book House, 9719 Manchester, 314-968-4491, www.findbooks.com (Very selective, prefers very new or very old. Call for an appointment.)
  • Dunaway Books, 3111 S. Grand, 314-771-7150, www.dunawaybooks.com (Rare books in good condition.)
  • Hammond’s Books and Antiques, 1939 Cherokee, 314-776-4737, www.hammondsbooks.com  (Very selective, very high end.)

Recycle:

  • The nearest library (including St. Louis Public Library, 1301 Olive, 314-241-2288, www.slpl.lib.mo.us; St. Louis County Library main branch, 1640 S. Lindbergh, 314-994-3300, www.slcl.lib.mo.us)

Donate:

  • Books and Badges, Karen Kalish, 314-727-2727 (Children’s books, including chapter books.)
  • Greater St. Louis Book Fair, 314-533-0671, www.stlouisbookfair.org (The fair, to be held April 28-May 2, also takes magazines, sheet music, cassettes and videos.)
  • Ready Readers, 10 Bon Aire, 314-991-1903, www.readyreaders-stlouis.com (Looking for picture books in good condition.)

Cars, Vans, Trucks or Boats

Resell:

  • At your corner auto (or boat) dealer

Recycle:

  • Through an auto salvage

Or get a tax write-off from:

  • American Heart Association, 4043 Lindell, 888-242-2271, www.americanheart.org (Also takes RVs.)
  • Humane Society of Missouri, 1201 Macklind, 314-647-8800, www.hsmo.org
  • National Kidney Foundation, 1-800-488-CARS
  • St. Vincent De Paul Cars for a Cause, 4127 Forest Park, 800-240-4225, www.svdpstl.org (Just cars and trucks, no boats.)

Clothes

Children’s (as well as baby equipment, toys, books)

Resell:

  • Kangaroo Kids, 10090 Manchester, 314-918-9100
  • Once Upon a Child, six locations in St. Louis, www.ouac.com
  • Purple Cow Kids Resale, 11543 Gravois, 314-843-3888

Donate:

  • Faith House, 5355 Page, 314-367-5400, www.faithvillage.org
  • Haven of Grace, 1225 Warren, 314-621-6507, www.havenofgracestl.org
  • Nurses for Newborns, 7259 Lansdowne, 314-544-3433, www.nursesfornewborns.org (Especially seeking cribs, bassinets, strollers, up-to-date car seats, receiving blankets, onesies, formula and diapers. Clothes up to size 2.)

Men’s

Resell: 

  • Lutheran Resale Shop, 6901 W. Florissant, 314-389-9970

Donate:

Teens’

Resell:

  • Plato’s Closet, four locations in St. Louis, www.platoscloset.com
  • Wombats, 10090 Manchester, 314-918-9100

Donate:

Women’s

Resell:

  • Back on the Rack, 2535 S. Brentwood, 314-963-7575
  • Upscale Resale, 9993-A Manchester, 314-821-8161
  • Women’s Closet Exchange, 11557 Gravois, 314-842-8405

Donate:

Clothing Recycling:

  • Holy Redeemer Church, 341 E. Lockwood, 314-962-1487
  • Remains Inc. bins at Kirkwood Recycle Center, 350 S. Taylor, 314-822-5828
  • Remains Inc. Warehouse, 4168 Meramec, 314-865-0303
  • WAC Industries, 8520 McKenzie, 314-631-8300

Furniture/Home Accessories

Resell:

Donate:

Oriental Rugs

Resell:

  • Asadorian Rug Co., 8466 Natural Bridge, 314-382-6605, www.asarug.com
  • Bendas Oriental Rug, 7505 Delmar, 314-862-4410

Donate:

Sports Equipment

Resell: 

Donate:

  • Herbert Hoover Boys and Girls Club, 2901 N. Grand, 314-652-8300, www.hhbgc.org (gently used board games and sports equipment, except wooden bats.)
  • KidSmart, 12175 Bridgeton, 314-291-6211, www.agift4teaching.org

Videos & DVDs

Resell:

  • The nearest library (including the main St. Louis Public Library, 1301 Olive, 314-241-2288, www.slpl.lib.mo.us; and St. Louis County Library, 1640 S. Lindbergh, 314-994-3300, www.slcl.lib.mo.us.)

Donate:

Computers

  • St. Louis Teachers’ Recycle Center, 636-227-7095, www.sltrc.com. On or before April 23, go to Yucandu Art Studio (20 Allen, 314-963-4400, www.yucandu.com) and buy a $5 sticker to place on your computer monitor. Then on April 23 (Earth Day), drop off your computer and its components at the Webster Groves Pioneer Bank and Trust at 135 W. Lockwood.

Packing Peanuts

Paint

Athletic Shoes

  • Go online to www.nikereuseashoe.com to find the local drop-off point. Through October, it’s Remains Inc., at 4168 Meramec (314-865-0303). Nike grinds the used shoes into material fit for the surface of, say, a football field.

Patio Furniture

Cell Phones

  • Call to Protect (for victims of domestic violence) welcomes the donation of your old, no-longer-in-service cellular phone. Cingular Wireless locations and The Body Shop (in the Galleria, Union Station and Crestwood Plaza) are drop-off sites. For more information, go to www.wirelessfoundation.org.

Corrugated Cardboard, Boxes, Gift Boxes Etc.

  • Earth Circle Recycling, 1660 S. Kingshighway, 314-664-1450
  • Kirkwood Recycling Depository, 350 S. Taylor, 314-822-5828
  • Southside Recycling, 4067 Bayless, 314-521-9914

Finding Freecycle

Find a happy home for whatever it is you are getting rid of by simply giving it to a person looking for it. The way it works: You post your item on www.freecycle.org, and those interested in it e-mail you back.

Originally the brainchild of Deron Beal, who organizes recycling for downtown businesses in Tucson, Ariz., Freecycle was brought here by J. Buck Caldwell. Currently, there are more than 6,600 members in the metro St. Louis area. It’s free to join. The only catch (in an incredibly catch-free set-up): The person who wants the goods has to pick them up. Not only can you post items you want to be rid of, you can also check out others’ e-mails regarding items they want. The credo: Nothing for sale. Nothing for trade. It’s just one person handing off their no-longer-needed stuff to another. And it covers absolutely everything from clothing to construction materials.

School Time

Turn your trash into a treasure trove for teachers across the city.

A wish list for the Reusable Resource Association (314-623-3809) covers everything from buttons to lids, china, foam core, stamps, old tickets, sheet music, old encyclopedias, dictionaries, children’s books, colorful paper napkins, old magazines, architect drawings, cabinet doors, hardware, vintage jewelry, Mardi Gras beads, keys, wire and latex house paint. St. Louis Teachers’ Recycle Center Inc. (three locations, including the main location at 3120 St. Louis Ave., www.sltrc.com) is a member of the association.

KidSmart (12175 Bridgeton, 314-291-6211, www.agift4teaching.org), a free store for teachers, is looking for all arts and crafts materials, children’s books, dictionaries, construction supplies, any kind of container (baskets, boxes, cups, crates, etc.), bookcases, chairs, lamps, picture frames, shelving, markers, carpet squares, door mats, musical instruments, office supplies, sewing materials (fabric, buttons, needles, pins, polyfill stuffing, thread), toys, puzzles and puppets.

Miscellaneous Places to Donate

  • Annie Malone Children and Family Service Center, 4411 N. Newstead, 314-382-5560, www.anniemalone.com. Looking for children’s movies, televisions, clothing (newborn to 18 years), child-sized beanbag and lounge chairs, tables, Ping-Pong table, shelves, appliances.
  • Children’s Home Society of Missouri, 314-968-2350, www.chsmo.com. Needs towels, sheets for twin beds, kitchen towels, sweatpants and sweatshirts (all sizes), blankets (from baby to adult size), throws, oversized pillows and stuffed animals.
  • Humane Society of Missouri, 1201 Macklind, 314-647-8800, www.hsmo.org. Seeking towels, newspaper, pet supplies.
  • Mathews-Dickey Boys’ and Girls’ Club, 4444 Union, 314-389-1511; 4245 N. Kingshighway, 314-382-5952; www.mathews-dickey.com. Accepting very gently used youth and adult clothing, especially coats and jeans, as well as furniture (tables, couches, living room sets).
  • New City Free Store, 1483 82nd, 314-726-2302, www.newcity.org. Needs household items (blenders, toasters, microwaves), towels, blankets, comforters, furniture (couches, beds, kitchen tables) and non-perishable food. Call ahead.
  • New Life Evangelistic Center, 1411 Locust, 314-421-3020, www.hereshelpnet.org. Takes just about everything—clothes, household items, bedding, appliances and food.
  • The Haven of Grace (1225 Warren, 314-621-6507, www.havenofgracestl.org), Places for People (4130 Lindell, 314-535-5600, www.placesforpeople.org) and St. Martha’s Hall (314-423-1117, www.saintmarthas.org) are all looking for household goods (bedding, tableware, glasses, cooking utensils, kitchen and bath towels) and small appliances.

Pickup Services

Drop-Off Donations

  • Goodwill Industries, locations throughout the city, www.mersgoodwill.org. Accepts just about everything except large appliances, mattresses, box springs and gas tools.

The Bottom Line on What’s Tax Deductible

For starters, if you want your largesse to translate to a break on your taxes, you must keep track of your donations and you must file an itemized return. The IRS suggests you first figure if your donations (plus mortgage interest and real estate taxes) exceed the standard deductions of:

  • $4,850 for single taxpayers or those married filing separately
  • $7,150 for heads of households
  • $9,700 for married couples who file joint returns

Your donations can include both cash and contributions, but they must have been made to qualified organizations. You are allowed to claim fair market value on goods, as determined by you (except for autos, boats and planes valued over $500, for which the deduction is now determined by the gross proceeds the charity receives if it sells the item). You must have written receipts for contributions of $250 or more. When you donate more than $500 worth of goods to charity, you must include with your tax return Form 8283, Noncash Charitable Contributions.

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