Where to Donate Clothes, Furniture, Books, Toys and Almost Anything Else in Brooklyn

First: What Kind of Donation Do You Want to Make?

Not every donation organization works the same way. For this guide, we use three broad categories:

Direct aid: Donated goods are provided directly to people or distributed through community and social-service programs.

Reuse: Items are kept in circulation through reuse centers, community exchanges or similar programs instead of being discarded.

Resale that supports a mission: A nonprofit sells donated goods through a thrift store and uses the proceeds to support its programs.

There isn’t necessarily one “best” model. A winter coat given directly to a neighbor has an obvious immediate impact, while a donated vintage lamp sold by a nonprofit might generate money that pays for housing, health care, employment programs or other services. What matters is knowing where your things are going and choosing the option that fits your priorities.

Where to Donate Clothes in Brooklyn

Clothing is probably Brooklyn’s most common donation category — and fortunately, there are several options.

Big Reuse

Best for: Clothing, shoes, accessories and mixed household donations
Model: Reuse
Brooklyn locations: Gowanus and Bushwick

Big Reuse is one of the easiest places in Brooklyn to bring a mixed load of reusable belongings. Its Gowanus reuse center accepts a broad range of goods, including clothing, furniture, books, kitchenware, appliances, toys, building materials and home goods. Its Bushwick location focuses on smaller items and does not accept furniture or building materials.

Because Big Reuse handles so many categories, it can be especially useful when you’re cleaning out an apartment and don’t want to make five different donation stops. You can also learn more about Big Reuse through Brooklyn Gives.

Housing Works

Best for: High-quality adult clothing, shoes, accessories, housewares, books and selected furniture
Model: Resale supports mission

Housing Works operates nonprofit thrift stores whose proceeds support services including housing and health care. Its thrift shops welcome gently used clothing, accessories, jewelry, shoes, housewares, books and other saleable goods.

Furniture policies vary by location. The Brooklyn Heights shop currently does not accept furniture, so call ahead before bringing a large piece. Housing Works also limits thrift-store book drop-offs to two boxes per customer.

Goodwill NYNJ

Best for: Everyday clothing and assorted household goods
Model: Resale supports mission
Brooklyn location: 258 Livingston Street, Downtown Brooklyn

Goodwill accepts donated goods and uses its retail operations to support employment and community programs. Donation categories can vary, so check current guidelines before arriving with unusual or bulky items.

Out of the Closet

Best for: Adult clothing, shoes, accessories and other saleable goods
Model: Resale supports mission
Brooklyn location: 475 Atlantic Avenue

Out of the Closet thrift stores support AIDS Healthcare Foundation programs. Its Atlantic Avenue location makes it a convenient option for people in Boerum Hill, Cobble Hill, Brooklyn Heights, Downtown Brooklyn and surrounding neighborhoods.

St. Mary’s Clothing Drive

Best for: Clothing, shoes and household textiles, especially if you need pickup
Model: Free community clothing distribution plus some resale to support operations
Brooklyn drop-off: 230 Classon Avenue

St. Mary’s Clothing Drive offers free home pickup across New York City and also accepts drop-offs in Brooklyn. It accepts clothing, jackets, shoes, linens, towels, bags and accessories, among other small items. It does not accept furniture, electronics or books.

The organization says clothing is made available free through its Brooklyn clothing bank and that a portion of collected clothing is sold to help cover operating costs and support community resources.

Wearable Collections

Best for: Clothing, shoes and textiles that may not be suitable for a traditional thrift donation
Model: Textile reuse and recycling

That stretched-out T-shirt or worn pair of jeans may not belong in a thrift-store donation bag — but it still doesn’t necessarily belong in the trash. Wearable Collections operates textile collection programs around New York City and says it keeps more than 95% of what it collects out of landfill.

Where to Donate Baby Clothes, Baby Gear and Children’s Items in Brooklyn

Parents know how fast children cycle through clothes, toys, books and gear. Several Brooklyn organizations specialize in keeping those items in use.

Little Essentials

Best for: Baby and toddler essentials
Model: Direct aid
Brooklyn location: Brooklyn Navy Yard

Little Essentials distributes essential children’s goods through a network of shelters, social-service agencies and community organizations. Its programs serve children ages 0 to 5 and distribute items including diapers, strollers, clothing, books and toys.

Its current in-kind list is more specific than that broad program list, so use its donation page to confirm exactly what is being accepted and to schedule an appointment. Safety rules are especially important for car seats, cribs and other baby equipment.

Brooklyn Book Bodega

Best for: Children’s and teen books
Model: Direct aid

Brooklyn Book Bodega works to increase book access so children and young people can build home libraries. It currently accepts new and gently used books for ages 0 to 18, including foreign-language, dual-language and nonfiction books, as long as they are in giftable condition.

It does not accept adult books, textbooks, encyclopedias, activity books or damaged books. Check its current list of drop-off sites because locations and dates can change.

Community Swaps

Neighborhood swaps can be one of the best ways to keep kid stuff hyperlocal. Town Square’s Greencycle Swaps in North Brooklyn periodically accept categories such as gently used clothes, shoes, books, toys, household goods and working electronics.

Brooklyn Public Library branches also periodically host clothing and community swaps. Accepted items depend on the individual event, so check the calendar before bringing donations.

Where to Donate Toys in Brooklyn

For toys in clean, safe and usable condition, good places to start include Little Essentials, Big Reuse and neighborhood swaps.

Local gifting groups can be especially useful for toys that another family can use immediately. The Buy Nothing Project is one place to explore neighborhood-based gifting.

Keep in mind that organizations may have limited toy storage, and recalls, missing pieces or safety concerns can make some toys unsuitable for donation.

Where to Donate Books in Brooklyn

Brooklyn Book Bodega

For children’s and teen books, Brooklyn Book Bodega is one of the clearest options in the borough. It accepts new and gently used books for ages 0 to 18 that meet its condition guidelines.

Big Reuse

Big Reuse accepts books and is a practical choice for general-interest titles as part of a larger household donation.

Housing Works

Housing Works accepts books at its thrift shops but currently limits drop-offs to two boxes of books per customer.

Mil Mundos En Común

This Bushwick community organization supports free books, learning resources and essential-goods distribution. Check its current donation guidance before bringing books or other goods because program needs can change.

Little Free Libraries and Neighborhood Book Exchanges

For a small quantity of popular fiction or children’s titles, a well-maintained neighborhood book exchange can be one of the simplest forms of reuse.

Where to Donate Furniture in Brooklyn

Furniture is one of the trickiest donation categories because organizations need storage space, trucks and staff to handle large pieces.

Big Reuse Gowanus

Best for: Reusable furniture, appliances, home goods and renovation materials
Model: Reuse

Big Reuse’s Gowanus center is one of Brooklyn’s broadest destinations for reusable furniture and home materials. The Bushwick location does not accept furniture or building materials.

Housing Works

Best for: High-quality furniture in excellent condition
Model: Resale supports mission

Housing Works accepts selected furniture and provides information about qualifying furniture pickup on its donation site. Acceptance varies by store, and the Brooklyn Heights shop currently does not accept furniture.

Neighbor-to-Neighbor Gifting

For one desk, bookcase, table, chair or other bulky item, direct gifting may be easier than finding a nonprofit pickup. Neighborhood gifting networks can also save charities the cost of transportation because the recipient often handles pickup.

Where to Donate Housewares and Kitchen Items in Brooklyn

For dishes, cookware, lamps, home décor and similar household items, start with Big Reuse or Housing Works.

Mil Mundos En Común is also worth checking for community-distribution needs in Bushwick.

For low-value household goods or a single oddly specific item, a neighborhood swap or local gifting group may be the most direct route back into use.

Where to Donate Art and Craft Supplies in Brooklyn

Brooklyn Creative Reuse

Brooklyn Creative Reuse in Industry City accepts used art and craft supplies during designated donation hours. Its accepted-materials list includes many items that traditional thrift stores may not want, such as paint, brushes, ink, clay tools, markers, pencils, fabric scraps, yarn, sewing supplies and frames.

Check the current list before visiting, especially for liquids, specialty materials and large quantities.

Materials for the Arts

For larger or unusual creative-material donations, New York City’s Materials for the Arts is another useful resource. Its warehouse is in Long Island City rather than Brooklyn, but it redistributes approved materials to thousands of nonprofit organizations, public schools and city agencies across the five boroughs.

Where to Donate or Recycle Electronics in Brooklyn

Start by asking one question: Does the device still work?

If yes, reuse is usually preferable to recycling. Big Reuse and periodic community swaps may accept certain working electronics, depending on current rules.

If the device is broken or obsolete, it should be handled through an appropriate e-waste program rather than put in household trash or regular curbside recycling. The New York City Department of Sanitation says usable electronics should be donated for reuse when possible and non-reusable electronics should be recycled properly.

Use donateNYC and DSNY’s electronics guidance to find current options.

Before donating a computer, tablet or phone: back up anything you need, sign out of accounts and erase personal data.

Where to Donate Musical Instruments in Brooklyn

Brooklyn Music School

Brooklyn Music School accepts selected instruments and equipment, but its needs change with inventory. Its current page invites donations of grand pianos, acoustic or electric guitars and drum sets and asks donors to call about other instruments.

At the time of this update, it says it is not accepting upright pianos, violins, violas, cellos or double basses because of existing inventory. Check before arranging transportation.

Where to Donate Diapers and Other Essential Goods in Brooklyn

Little Essentials

Little Essentials is one of Brooklyn’s strongest options for baby and early-childhood essentials. Its current donation page lists diapers and selected goods for children ages 0 to 5 and provides appointment information for in-kind drop-offs.

CHiPS

Community Help in Park Slope, better known as CHiPS, operates a community kitchen and women’s shelter. Its in-kind needs are intentionally specific. Current standing needs include items such as coffee, eggs, snacks, cleaning wipes and diapers in sizes 4, 5 and 6.

CHiPS asks donors to use its current wish list and designated drop-off information rather than arriving with general household donations.

Mil Mundos En Común

Mil Mundos En Común supports essential-goods distribution and other community programs in Bushwick. Check its current site or contact the organization before bringing a larger donation so your items match current community needs.

What If No Charity Wants My Item?

This is one of the realities of donating: an item being usable does not automatically mean a nonprofit has room for it.

Storage, staffing, safety rules and transportation all affect what organizations can accept. If your item gets turned down, try one of these routes before throwing it away:

Try a Neighborhood Gifting Group

Post a clear photo, describe the condition honestly and let a neighbor pick it up. This works particularly well for furniture, plants, kitchen items, toys, books and oddly specific things that a thrift store may not want.

Look for Community Swaps

Town Square, Brooklyn Public Library branches, schools and other community organizations periodically organize swaps where neighbors exchange useful goods.

Check donateNYC

The New York City Department of Sanitation operates donateNYC, which helps New Yorkers find donation and reuse options.

Recycle What Genuinely Cannot Be Reused

Reuse is ideal — but passing along a broken, stained or unsafe item simply transfers the disposal problem to a nonprofit. Textiles, electronics and some other materials have specialized recycling options in New York City.

Before You Donate: A Five-Minute Checklist

• Clean it. Wash clothing, wipe down toys and household goods, and empty bags and pockets.
• Test it. If it plugs in, switches on, rolls, folds or has moving parts, make sure it works.
• Check for recalls. This is especially important for baby gear and children’s products.
• Keep sets together. Tape hardware to furniture, bag puzzle pieces and include chargers with electronics.
• Be honest about condition. If you wouldn’t give it to a friend, think twice before giving it to a nonprofit.
• Check current rules. Needs, hours and storage capacity change.

And never leave bags outside a donation center when it is closed unless the organization explicitly provides an after-hours collection point.

Quick Guide: What to Donate Where in Brooklyn

Use the table below as a starting point, then click through to confirm current acceptance guidelines. Select a column heading to sort.

Frequently Asked Questions About Donating in Brooklyn