Six Ways to Donate Your Mattress
Posted By irjacoby on Sep 3, 2018
Where To Donate A Mattress – You got a new mattress and you’re excited. There’s nothing more exciting than a new mattress for better sleep and less achy mornings, but unfortunately, now comes the tough part where you say goodbye to your old mattress. After all, you don’t want your room too cluttered. Is donation an option? Charities? You search online for where to donate a mattress around you, but it’s been hours and you’re still coming up with blanks. Where to donate a mattress near me is a question that can plague you until you don’t feel comfortable figuring out mattress recycling for yourself.
Luckily we’ve got you covered, from the condition your mattress needs to be in, to a list of NGOs and charities that are ready and willing to take that old mattress off your hands. Here’s where to donate a mattress. Paying it forward to charities is the name of the game when it comes to sleeping, and knowing that you did some good in someone’s life is a great way to sleep peacefully at night.
Where Can You Donate an Old Mattress?
Where to donate a mattress really depends on three things — the condition of the mattress donation, the charities and charitable organizations around, and the area you live in. The first is kind of a no-brainer; don’t try to give away something you wouldn’t sleep on yourself — that’s mattress recycling 101. Make sure that your mattress doesn’t have any glaring problems before donating it. Check old box springs, make sure the cover is firmly attached, and look it over for any stains. We get that you want to remove that old mattress from your life, but it’s only going to help someone if it’s in good working order.
Many charities can be good for mattress recycling, but only if that mattress is in good condition. While a non-profit organization will take a good condition mattress, many charities will turn you away if you’re bringing in sub-par furniture. Don’t take advantage of women’s shelters or homeless shelter’s need by bringing them an old mattress. That’s rude, disrespectful, and frankly won’t do much for recycling — they’ll just have to throw the bed out after you leave. Instead, when thinking about mattress recycling, think thrift stores, would they like to have it? If so, it’s probably a good bet that local charities will too. Just remember that your bed should be in a good condition that makes it comfortable to sleep on, hygenic, and doesn’t have any items that make it undesirable (like bed bugs).
Third, you’re going to have to find a place to take it and then haul it there. That’s a huge problem when thinking of where to donate a mattress near me. Mattress recycling is easier in big cities where more NGOs and charities have facilities equipped to handle mattresses. More on this in a second, but suffice to say that there are tons of places that will be willing and grateful to take that older mattress off your hands. Try checking Donation Town, a non-profit that focuses on hooking up charities with people who have a need for an old mattress or bed. Donated items like this often can be delivered to a furniture bank, where people in need can pick the bed they want. This means keeping that donated furniture in good shape. Are your mattresses box springs still springy? Good, then it could be of use to needy families. If they aren’t in good shape, perhaps it’s better to go the mattress disposal route. In those situations you’re still recycling your bed, it just is being used for composite parts instead of that old mattress being reused. Luckily there is a recycling center near you, a quick google search will reveal where you can take your bed and how you can best do some mattress recycling.
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Does the Salvation Army Take Mattresses? Can They be Donated to Goodwill?
Unfortunately, the Salvation Army does NOT take mattress donations. Their website explicitly states that beds and mattresses are a no-go for mattress recycling (though they do say that you can donate your old bed frame). While the Salvation Army is a great place to get rid of other furniture, they just aren’t equipped to handle the sort of space that a lot of mattresses provide.
On the other hand, Goodwill is one of the organizations that DOES take mattress donations and furniture, providing they are in good shape. Goodwill says on their website that any donated item should be “free of rips and stains so that they can provide the most use to people who need them.” They also recommend that for larger specialty items (like a mattress) that you contact your local Goodwill first to make sure that they have the space for such an item. As long as it’s in good shape, Goodwill represents a great way to recycle.
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Habitat For Humanity Represents a Less-Traditional Option
Habitat for Humanity is known for building low-income, quality housing for those less fortunate, but did you know that they also furnish these houses with household goods and donated furniture too?
That’s called the habitat for humanity restore and they specialize in getting local mattress and box springs to the homeless and people who need them.
In fact, they’re often looking for mattress donations to help round out those new houses.
Giving to Habitat For Humanity is a great local option, as it’s a highly visible charity with great transparency.
When you’re looking for where to donate items, it’s good to know that it’s going someplace that will use it for good.
The habitat for humanity restore is a great way to recycle and help with a rescue mission for local homeless and needy families who could use a donated mattress in good shape.
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Donation Town Will Hook You Up With a Local Charity in Need
Sometimes it can be hard or confusing to find a local charity when you’re looking for where to donate a mattress. In that case, give Donation Town a try. Not only do they have a really straightforward guide on how to prepare your mattress for donation, they have a super handy database that will tell you all the local charities and agencies that accept mattresses. Sometimes they can even find surprising results like the Vietnam Veterans of America, places you might not think of on your own. Not only that, it’s a totally free service, and many of the charities listed actually pick up your mattress for you. If you’re stumped by where to go next, and the yellow pages are out of date and unhelpful, maybe it’s time to give Donation Town a try.
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Take Matters Into Your Own Hands on Craigslist or Facebook
Listing your bed under the free section of Craigslist or Facebook marketplace is always an option if none of the above charities are readily accessible to you and there are no stores that take a donated mattress. While you might have to put in a little more work to make sure it goes to a deserving home, there’s just something about the personal interaction that makes it a really worthwhile experience. If you’re on a strict timetable for getting rid of it, then maybe this isn’t the best option, but if you’re able to be a little more flexible on the timetable of where to donate a mattress this can work well.
Not only will you get to meet the people getting your mattress in person, often it will be a college kid, needy families or someone who’s day is made by the prospect of a free, nice mattress. That’s enough to warm anyone’s heart. Just remember to be careful and not give out your address to freely when listing your item or responding to emails. It’s best to load it up and meet in a neutral location. That ensures everyone walks away happy and safe.
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The Nectar White Glove Delivery Service Does All the Work For You
Some mattress companies will actually take your old mattress when they deliver your new one. That’s one benefit of not going to mattress stores — they recycle for you and your families.
The Nectar White Glove program does exactly that. Schedule a pick-up, the White Glove Service will pick up your old mattress, from whatever room it’s currently in, and make sure that it is used or recycled so that it can find a second use. That’s a great way to recycle for families who need it as your family gets a new mattress and box springs, an option you won’t find in many mattress stores.
This is a great, stress-free option that can assure you’re doing your part to help the homeless too. Unlike most mattress manufacturers, we donate using the Mattress Recycling Council to make sure each mattress donated is in compliance with state law. Very rarely is there a win-win in this world, but the Nectar White Glove service is the rare combination of convenience and stewardship that can warm even the coldest heart — that’s the power when you recycle a mattress. Sleep well knowing your old mattress is in a better place. We hope this information was helpful for figuring out how to donate a mattress, and that you’ll come away from this experience with a bigger heart, and a softer bed. Happy sleeping!
