St. Vincent de Paul sells donated goods in its thrift stores and returns about 90 percent of revenue to its charitable mission, so it accepts items in good, sellable condition and turns away the rest. This guide gives the full accepted and not-accepted lists for 2026, plus a quick lookup table for the most common "does St. Vincent de Paul take this?" questions. Rules vary by council, so confirm anything unusual locally.
SVdP accepts gently used clothing for women, men, and children of all sizes, along with shoes, purses, and accessories. Everything should be clean, wearable, and free of rips, stains, or strong odors, because items that cannot be resold are a cost to the store rather than a donation.
All kinds of furniture are welcome when they are structurally sound and clean: sofas, chairs, tables, dressers, and bed frames. SVdP also takes unbroken dishes, glassware, cookware, utensils, and clean linens. These resell well and are among the most useful donations.
Small working appliances such as microwaves, toaster ovens, coffee makers, mixers, and air fryers are accepted. Major appliances, including washers, dryers, refrigerators, freezers, and stoves, are accepted if they are electric, clean, and under the council's age limit. That limit is commonly between five and ten years and varies by location, so confirm before you donate. Gas appliances are not accepted.
Power tools and hand tools are accepted when unbroken and in working order, and books and similar media are welcome. As with everything else, condition is the deciding factor: working, clean, and complete items get accepted.
Last updated June 2026. Errors: [email protected]
SVdP turns away items it cannot resell or that raise safety and handling concerns. Commonly refused:
| Item | Accepted? | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Clothing, shoes, accessories | Yes | Clean and wearable; no rips or stains. |
| Furniture | Yes | Structurally sound and clean. |
| Small appliances | Yes | Microwaves, coffee makers, mixers, air fryers, working. |
| Major appliances | Often | Electric, clean, under the council age limit (5 to 10 yrs). |
| Tools | Yes | Power and hand tools in working order. |
| Books and media | Yes | Resold in stores. |
| Old or console TVs | No | Outdated electronics do not resell. |
| Gas appliances | No | Safety and resale limits. |
| Exercise equipment | No | Large equipment generally refused. |
| Printers, old computers | No | Recycle through e-waste instead. |
| Mattresses | Varies | Often a fee for pickup; confirm locally. |
| Chemicals, auto parts | No | Hazardous or special handling. |
St. Vincent de Paul stores exist to fund the charity's direct aid, and the organization reports returning about 90 percent of revenue to its mission. Every donated item is either resold to raise money or given to a family in need through the local conference. Goods that are damaged or unsellable cannot do either job, and disposing of them costs the store money, which is why the accepted-condition standard is strict. Donating clean, working items keeps more of your gift working for the cause.
There are two main ways to give. You can drop off at an SVdP thrift store during open hours, which is the fastest route for clothing and small goods. For large items like furniture and appliances, you can schedule a pickup where a local council offers it. See our St. Vincent de Paul pickup guide for how that works, including the difference between free standard pickup and paid priority pickup.
A refused item often has a better home than the trash. For mattresses, see where to donate a mattress. For old computers, printers, and TVs, our computers and electronics guide lists recyclers and refurbishers. Worn clothing can go to textile recycling, and paint or chemicals belong at a household hazardous-waste site.