Who Needs Your Mattress Donation
Unfortunately, many people cant afford a new mattress when they need one. Nearly 20 percent of people in the United States who own homes carry furniture-related debt, and many of these people arent willing to take on more once the couch and dining table are taken care of.
A used mattress can also provide people living in poverty with a safe place to sleep. Many nonprofit organizations have drop-off donation stations or even mattress removal services to help get beds to people who need them. You may find that local charities even offer free pick-up to deter folks from leaving usable beds in the dumpster.
How Do You Know When Its Time To Donate Your Mattress
How do you know if mattress donation is a viable option for you? For starters, your mattress needs to be in good condition. This means no bed bugs, obvious stains, or, in the case of a spring mattress, broken springs.
You might want to donate your mattress for a number of reasons:
- Youve had your mattress for over ten years, and you feel like its the right time for a change.
- Youve changed sleeping styles, and your bed is no longer supporting you.
- You might be dealing with chronic pain or a sudden injury.
- Youve gone from sleeping alone to sleeping with a partner, and require a more appropriate mattress size.
Give Away Online Or In
So you have a usable mattress, but it doesnt quite pass donation quality standards. Dont give up just yetcut out the middle man, and consider giving away your unwanted mattress by yourself.
There are countless ways to self-advertise your old mattress. But to avoid scams and shifty deals, its best to use verified online marketplaces or community connections. Some reputable ways to post your mattress for the taking:
- Facebook Marketplace With trackable profiles and direct messaging, Facebook makes selling your old household items simple. Make sure you post clear photos, an honest description, and a reasonable price for your mattress.
- FreeCycle This handy website connects you with nearby community members seeking free or used items. Try FreeCycle for mattresses with too much wear and tear to properly sell.
- Mercari Along with your mattress, you may be wondering what to do with old pillows or bedding. For a quick or small cash boost, consider posting your mattress, paired with old pillows or bedding on Mercari. This resale site is an easy source for used household goods, bedding, and more.
- Family or friends Lend a hand to loved ones by asking friends or family if they need a mattress. Odds are, someone could reuse or repurpose your old model.
Keep in mind that if you decide to sell your mattress, certain states have laws around selling a used mattress. Be sure to check if your state prohibits the sale of used mattresses first.
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Bonus: Can I Donate Luggage
This one gets a green light. In fact, many shelters are actively seeking good-condition suitcases, backpacks, duffel bags and cloth totes. These are considered dignity items. Instead of distributing items in plastic bags, its much more respectful to receive in a backpack, suitcase or tote, says Glancy. Participants really appreciate it.
Option : Recycle Your Mattress
Did you know that there is a large household object that can be recycled, but rarely is? Your mattress! Thats right, not only are they difficult to handle and dispose of but when you think about it almost every person goes through a few mattresses in their lifetime. Because more than 20 million are thrown away each year, that means we are talking about billions of mattresses choking our landfills. To make matters worse, even once compacted, each mattress takes up an average of 23 cubic feet of landfill space.
As mattresses begin to pile up, the springs inside start to break free and can clog the equipment used to compact the landfills waste. Then you have to deal with the fact that mattresses are filled with nasty chemicals that not only contaminate landfills but also can run off into local water supplies. This could hurt an entire citys eco-system if their water becomes spoiled.
This run-off not only damages our planet but also creates unsafe working conditions and pollution for workers. Not good!
Want to help create a safer earth in a simple way by recycling your mattress? Do your part to safely recycle your old, used and unwanted mattress. Then pat yourself on the back!
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How Do I Recycle My Mattress
Earth 911 is an online database you can use to help locate your local recycling center, and in some cases, can even arrange a pick-up for the same. They make mattress recycling pretty simple, are great if youre starting out but just arent sure where to begin.
is a service thats available to residents of California, Connecticut, or Rhode Island if you are looking to find the facility closest to you. They also educate communities on the job creation, waste reduction, and positive repercussions recycling can have on local and national levels.
If youre struggling to find a recycling center, check to see if your local Municipal Office accepts mattress donations, and can pick up your unwanted belongings and dispose of them as eco-friendly as possible. Its worth noting that most Municipal Offices charge a small fee in order to pick up your mattress, whereas the other services listed here often arrange for donation pick-ups free of charge. Review your options to find what works for you.
Habitat For Humanity International
HFHI is an international organization that works to offer affordable and sustainable accommodation for people worldwide. The people the HFHI help have a pressing need for somewhere to live and for affordable household furniture and other items, most of us take for granted.
Your old mattress could make a massive difference to the living standards of a mother and her young children. They may not use your actual mattress, but it could be sold by HFHI to provide the finance to allow that family the luxury of sleeping on a comfortable surface rather than on a floor. If you donate your mattress to Habitat for Humanity International it will be sold in a ReStore center. Contact your nearest ReStore home improvement facility and it may pick up your mattress. If not, you can drop it off yourself.
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Ways To Donate Your Mattress
By Geoff McKinnenCertified Sleep Coach
Your new, high-quality mattress has arrived at your doorstep, and you are ready to set it up and start getting a better nights sleep. But what about your old bed?
Your new, high-quality mattress has arrived at your doorstep, and you are ready to set it up and start getting a better nights sleep. But what about your old bed? Discarded mattresses harm the environment. In fact, Americans dispose of more than 50,000 mattresses a day, with the majority of these beds ending up in landfills. With one bed taking up about 40-cubic feet of space, this represents a significant burden on landfills.
This environmental strain makes it more critical than ever to find ways to donate or recycle your old mattress. Fortunately, several organizations make this process easy and convenient. Read on to find out 5 ways to donate your mattress and help it find a new home.
Can I Donate Mouthwash And Hand Sanitizer
Unfortunately, no. Due to the alcohol content in mouthwash and disinfectants like rubbing alcohol and hand sanitizer, most charities arent able to take them. On the other hand, says Glancy, First-aid items are high priority because its not something that gets donated a lot. So feel free to pass along packaged, non-expired gauze pads, bandages and ointments.
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Who Will Take Your Bed Frame Donation
Tons of non-profit charity organizations, you will find, are willing to receive your donation and make proper distribution. They work as a third-party who will come forward to address your unwanted mattress problem, surely analyze your bed frame condition, and later will aid the needy people distributing these.
However, these non-profit charity organizations are:
- The National Furniture Bank Association
- Vietnam Veterans of America
- Homeless Shelters
- Battered Womens Shelters
While donating your items, these organizations will check some required conditions. Dont worry, we will come out of this.
Who Picks Up Mattresses For Donation
While some charities do offer pickup of donated items like a mattress set or furniture, it can take several weeks before theyre able to get to you since so many people choose to donate their unwanted items.
Instead of having to constantly climb over that mattress in the hallway while waiting around for a charity to haul away your mattress donation, you can book a pickup with a green mattress removal company who will make sure your old mattress is donated or recycled instead of hauling it to the dump.
Mattress Disposal Plus is a nationwide mattress removal company that will pick up your used mattress, box spring, bed frame, furniture, and other unwanted items then haul them to a local charity for donation or recognized facility for recycling.
Theyre able to charge 20-30% less than most other furniture and mattress removal companies because Mattress Disposal Plus bases their prices on item count instead of volume.
You can completely avoid the hassle and frustration of mattress disposal by calling a professional mattress removal service like Mattress Disposal Plus to haul away and responsibly dispose of your old mattress set for you.
Because they give you a low, upfront and honest final price before you book your pickup, you dont have to worry about experiencing sticker shock when Mattress Disposal Plus arrives to haul away your old mattress or furniture, which is rarely the case with most other mattress removal companies.
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Option : Donate To Charity
After evaluating the condition of your old mattress and you find that it is still in usable condition, you might want to consider donating your used mattress to someone in need. If you were planning to just get rid of it anyway, why not do a good deed and let the mattress finish out its lifespan in good use. There are many charitable organizations that would be happy to receive a lightly used mattress such as homeless shelters and domestic violence centers. You could donate your unwanted bed to help a family that has lost everything in a fire, earthquake, hurricane, or other natural disasters. You can rest easy knowing your former bed is helping someone less fortunate have a good nights sleep. Learn what organizations accept mattresses and in what conditions.
Can You Donate A Bed Frame
- YES – most bed frames can be donated
- Most charities accept bed frames but they must be in good useable condition, but, if you want to donate box spring you may run into trouble as these may not be accepted
- The most widely accepted bed frame types are wood and steel
- Not all charities or non-profits will accept bed frames as they can be quite bulky items, contact your chosen charity to clarify directly
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Donate A Mattress To Habitat For Humanity
Habitat for Humanity is a crucial resource for low-income families. Not only do they offer services to build houses, but they also provide household goods for those homes through the thoughtful donations of people like you. Many locations will even offer pickup services, though there may be a minimum requirement of two or more large items being donated to qualify.
To make the added effort, throw in an additional $20 to cover the sanitation costs. Similar to the Salvation Army, donated items sell at lower costs in their stores to families who cannot afford them at retail prices. Where consumers may spend anywhere from $500 to over $1,000 on mattresses, this lowers the cost significantly for families in need.
A used queen mattress in a Habitat for Humanity Restore may be only $100. The proceeds from this sale are used to build more homes and to service families across the globe.
Habitat For Humanity Represents A Less
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?
Thats 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, theyre often looking for mattress donations to help round out those new houses.
Giving to Habitat For Humanity is a great local option, as its a highly visible charity with great transparency.
When youre looking for where to donate items, its good to know that its 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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Give It Away For Free On Kijiji Or Facebook Marketplace
- Cost: Free
- Method: Likely you drop off, possibly they pick up
If none of the charities in your area are accepting donated mattresses and there isnt a furniture bank near you, you can operate as your own by holding onto it until you find a home for it to go to.
Take a picture of each side of your mattress and listing it under the free section of Kijiji or Facebook marketplace. If youre not in a rush to get rid of it or want to cut down on the number of tire-kicking responses, you can try selling it for a nominal price .
It takes more work and time to respond to inquiries and make sure it goes to a deserving home, but the personal interaction can be quite rewarding as you get to see who will benefit from the bed. Be prepared to get requests for you to deliver/drop off the mattress from families in need who may not have access to a vehicle .
Where To Donate A Mattress To Charities
Several charities would love to receive a mattress in useable condition. Keep in mind that what might be lumpy and unsupportive to you could well be heavenly to others less fortunate than yourself. Nevertheless, most will require your mattress to be in reasonable condition and not an obvious health hazard to young children. Here are some suggestions for you to consider.
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Option Number : Find Someone In Need Of A Mattress Online
For those users who arent able to donate a mattress through a charitable organization, there are many places online to turn to. After all, even one of the neighbors might be having financial difficulties and cant get the mattress that they need.
So, here are the channels through which mattress owners can reach people and give their mattresses out for free:
- Craigslist
- FreeCycle
Places That May Take Box Springs In Your Area Include:
When it comes to where to donate a mattress, you likely want to be able to drop off both your box spring and mattress. Call ahead to ensure the organization or charity you choose can handle both.
Also consider whether you can gift your unused beds to friends and family. You can also list these items on services like Craigslist or Facebook. Many Facebook groups allow members to post and sell household items, so a free listing may interest some of your neighbors or other community members.
Plus, anyone who wants the free bed will need to pick it up themselves. This way, you dont need to worry about transporting the items.
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What About A Sagging Mattress
If you have a sagging mattress, sometimes the problem can be the mattress foundation. By placing a board over your existing mattress foundation, this can make your mattress perform better and reduce the sagging issue.
You can pick these up at Lowes or Home Depot and have them cut the wood/board to size for you. I would recommend cutting the wood at least an inch shorter both width and length-wise so that you don’t have any wood protrusions. If this doesn’t work, purchasing a new mattress foundation could extend the life of your mattress and improve its comfort quality. If it’s a foam mattress , you’ll need a solid, uniform bottom foundation.
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