What Does Goodwill Accept? Full 2026 Donation List

✍️ LargestCharities Editorial Team | 📅 Last updated: June 2026

A Goodwill donation drop-off with boxes and bags of clothing, books and housewares

Goodwill takes most gently used clothing and household goods to resell in its stores, funding job-training and employment programs. Like other thrift charities, it also refuses a set of items for safety, health, and resale reasons, and exact policies vary by local Goodwill. This guide covers what Goodwill generally accepts and will not take in 2026, with a quick "does Goodwill take ___?" lookup table.

What Goodwill accepts

Most Goodwill organizations accept gently used:

Clothing, shoes, and accessories for all ages, clean and wearable.
Housewares: dishes, glassware, small kitchen items, decor.
Books, media, and games.
Working electronics: cell phones, laptops and desktops, gaming systems, and flat-screen (non-CRT) TVs.
Furniture, at many but not all locations. Acceptance is set by each independent affiliate and can differ between two stores under the same organization, so see does Goodwill take furniture before loading a couch.
Hangers, both plastic and metal, which Goodwill resells.

What Goodwill will not accept

Commonly refused, mainly for health, safety, or resale reasons:

Mattresses, box springs, bed rails, sleeper sofas, air mattresses, mattress toppers, bed pillows, and bean bag chairs
CRT and other non-flat-screen TVs
Recalled, damaged, or heavily soiled items
Hazardous materials: paint, chemicals, automotive fluids
Large appliances at many locations (policies vary)
Car seats and cribs at many locations (safety standards)

Local policies vary. Goodwill is a network of independent regional organizations, so furniture, large appliances, and electronics rules differ by area. Call your local Goodwill before a big drop-off. Worn-out clothing is better sent to textile recycling than donated.

How to donate to Goodwill

Goodwill takes donations at staffed Donation Centers and at many store locations, usually with a drive-up area where an attendant helps unload. Most Goodwills do not offer home pickup for general goods, so plan to drop items off during donation hours. Bring clothing in bags or boxes and keep electronics and their cords together.

Ask for a donation receipt when you drop off. Like other thrift charities, Goodwill provides a blank receipt and lets you assign the fair market value yourself, so keep a list or photos of what you gave for your tax records. For value ranges and the IRS rules, our donation value guide applies to Goodwill donations too.

Clothing, furniture and other goods you give to Goodwill are deductible only if you itemize. The limited deduction for people who take the standard deduction, which starts in 2026, covers cash gifts only, according to the IRS. To see whether itemizing makes sense and how the numbers work, use our guide to calculating your tax deduction.

Does Goodwill take ___? Quick table

Item	Accepted?	Notes
Hangers (plastic or metal)	Yes	Goodwill resells them; some stores ask you to remove hangers from clothes.
Mattresses / box springs	No	Refused on health and safety grounds.
Flat-screen TVs	Yes	Working flat screens; CRT/tube TVs are not accepted.
Computers and phones	Yes	Laptops, desktops, cell phones, gaming systems.
Clothing and shoes	Yes	Clean and wearable.
Books and media	Yes	Resold in stores.
Furniture	Varies	Many locations yes; confirm with your local Goodwill.
Large appliances	Varies	Policies differ by area; call ahead.
Car seats / cribs	Often no	Safety standards; many locations decline.
Paint and chemicals	No	Hazardous; use household hazardous-waste sites.

Comparing charities? See what the Salvation Army accepts, which has a similar but slightly different list.

Frequently asked questions

What does Goodwill accept?

Gently used clothing, shoes, housewares, books and media, working electronics (including flat-screen TVs, computers, and phones), hangers, and furniture at many locations.

What will Goodwill not take?

Mattresses and bedding like box springs and pillows, CRT or tube TVs, recalled or damaged items, hazardous materials, and, at many locations, large appliances and car seats or cribs.

Does Goodwill take hangers?

Yes. Goodwill accepts both plastic and metal hangers and resells them, though some stores ask you to remove hangers from donated clothing.

Does Goodwill take mattresses?

No. Most Goodwill locations cannot accept mattresses, box springs, or other bedding because of health and safety rules.

Does Goodwill take TVs?

Working flat-screen TVs are accepted at most locations. Older CRT or tube TVs are not.

Sources: Goodwill Industries donation guidelines (goodwill.org and regional Goodwill organizations), and reporting from National Tax Reports and regional Goodwill acceptance lists. Policies vary by local Goodwill. We are not affiliated with Goodwill. Errors: [email protected]

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