With the new year arriving, it’s time to declutter all your excess items at home. Don’t just focus on decluttering, While you’re in the process, look for any goods that are still in usable condition and consider giving it away or donating it to charity and recycling drives. That way, you can make a difference in someone’s life or the environment!
After you’ve decluttered, remember to keep your home organized with our range of home organizers for your wardrobe, kitchen, bathroom and more!
Disclaimer: We do not represent any religious, charity, non-profit organisation and stand from an unbiased point of view.
Click on each category to navigate directly to the list of donation areas.
Updated as of 19 Jan 2022: Most of the donation centres have reopened with new COVID-19 precautionary guidelines in place. Guidelines may change progressively as of updating this article. Do check the relevant organization and centres to check their availability before heading down.
Donate Old Clothes, Garments & Shoes
1. Greensquare
What They Do: With the amount of clothing being discarded, Greensquare wants to make a difference by doubling the percentage of recycled textiles, from 7% to 14% by 2020. They provide textile recycling services and operate such that textiles are kept in a closed recycling loop in order to reduce environmental pollution and conserve natural resources.
What’s Accepted: They take in clean clothes, wearable paired shoes, household linens, and accessories such as belts and bags. Mouldy, torn, and stained items will be rejected.
Where & How To Donate: Drop off your items at any point that is part of Greensquare’s list. You can also schedule a collection appointment for doorstep pick up if you have more than 15 kg of clothing.
2. Society of St Vincent de Paul (SSVP) Shop
What They Do: The SSVP Shop is a social enterprise started by the Society of Saint Vincent de Paul (SSVP) to offer the underprivileged financial assistance. Items that are donated to the shop are sold and the proceeds are used to help the needy people in Singapore through charity programmes.
What’s Accepted: The SSVP Shop currently accepts: accessories/handbags/jewellery, electronics (eg. handphones, notebooks), kitchenware/household appliances, musical instruments and handicraft items. They are not accepting any apparel, shoe ware or bulky items (eg. books, discs and toys) until further notice. Soiled, broken or faulty items are also not accepted.
Where & How To Donate: Make an appointment by calling 6974 2480 to drop off your items during the shop’s operation hours (Tuesday to Sundays, 10am – 4 pm, closed on Mondays). You can also drop a private message on their Facebook or Instagram.
3. ZARA Clothes Collection
What They Do: ZARA Clothes Collection collaborates with local non-profit organisations (NGOs) and collects clothes that are no longer used. These clothes would then be donated to the needy, recycled or transformed into new textile pieces. Alternatively, it’d be marketed through charitable channels and the money earned would be used to fund social projects by these NGOs.
What’s Accepted: ZARA accepts clothing, household linen, footwear, accessories and jewellery from any brands. For clothes that aren’t in the perfect condition, you can still donate it as it’ll be recycled into new fabric.
Where & How To Donate: Pack all the items you’d like to donate in a well-sealed package and drop it off in these collection bins (as seen in the image above). These bins can be found in all ZARA stores throughout Singapore. Do approach the staff if you can’t find the bin in the store!
4. UNIQLO Recycling Program
What They Do: UNIQLO’s Recycling Program is a global initiative that aims to be sustainable and distribute used clothing that are in good condition to underprivileged peoples and people in need.
What’s Accepted: This recycling programme takes in any used UNIQLO-branded clothing. You must wash them first to ensure they are in the best condition before donating.
Where & How To Donate: Clothes can be donated at any UNIQLO store during operational hours. Look for the nearest store near your location here.
5. H&M
Are you a fashion addict who wants to embark on an eco-friendlier path?
What They Do: H&M’s Garment Collection Programme is a good start! It’s a global initiative that aims for a sustainable fashion future.
Essentially, the breakdown of the framework is Rewear, Reuse, and Recycle – clothes that are able to be reworn will be marketed as second-hand clothing, and damaged material gets converted into other products, such as cleaning cloths.
They’ll also get a new lease of life as textile fibres, or can be used in the auto industry as insulating and damping materials.
What’s Accepted: Clothing in any condition should be put into the H&M recycling bins located in 11 outlets across Singapore. Not only will you benefit the environment, but you also can do the same for your wallets. When you drop your used clothes into the bin, a 15% discount voucher is yours!
Where & How To Donate:
All 11 island-wide locations of the bins can be found on H&M’s website.
6. The Salvation Army
What They Do: With a comprehensive network of social services for children, families, the elderly and more, The Salvation Army reaches out to the needy and disadvantaged communities within society.
Their social enterprise arm, called Red Shield Industries, helps to reuse, recycle, and restore donations from the public for their Family Thrift Stores. The sale of the donated products at the Stores will in turn generate income to care for the communities they serve.
What’s Accepted: For donations-in-kind, The Salvation Army accepts used clothing, household goods, toys, books, and electronic devices.
Where & How To Donate: Due to an influx of items at The Salvation Army HQ and Hope Centre, all donations should be made at the Tanglin Donation Booth @ 356 Tanglin Road S247674 till further notice.
7. Ten Feet Tall
What They Do: Ten Feet Tall encourages its customers to bring and donate any old school or sports shoes when they visit their stores. With each pair of donated shoes, they’ll polish and pack it with a handwritten note before sending it over to schools in Indonesia, Cambodia, Thailand and India.
They hope that these shoes would protect the students from diseases – gastrointestinal issues – and also allow them to attend school and receive an education.
What’s Accepted: Any children or adult shoes that are in good condition with the soles intact.
Where & How To Donate: To drop off your donations, you can visit their store at Holland Road Shopping Centre, 211 Holland Avenue #02-16, Singapore 278967. You can also email them at [email protected] for any further inquiries.
8. Visio Optical
What They Do: Visio Optical aims to make spectacles available to the needy by collecting old and new eyewear and distributing it to people in need – elderly in nursing homes and day-care centres and needy families.
They conduct on-site eye tests at day-care and nursing homes and allow their guests to choose from a wide range of spectacle frames. Once their prescription glasses are ready, they’ll deliver it to the homes.
What’s Accepted: Old and new spectacles or sunglasses that are in usable condition. They do not accept unopened contact lenses, loose or in the box. They also don’t accept old lenses.
Where & How To Donate: Drop off your eyewear at their store – Visio Optical, 43 Holland Drive 01-67, Singapore 270043. Alternatively, you could mail it to the same address.
Now that all your unwanted clothes have been decluttered, it’s time to get your wardrobe organized! Explore our range of closet/wardrobe organizers to maximise space in your wardrobe and keep garments neat.
Also check out on StyleMag: 8 Walk-in Wardrobe Organization Ideas For HDB & Condo
Looking for a handy checklist with the full list places to donate, recycle, sell and swap in Singapore instead? Save our Instagram post here!
Household Items
9. Pass It On
Most of the time, you don’t really get to know who your donations specifically benefit. Pass It On begs to differ, with a board on the homepage having wish lists individually tailored to each donee’s needs!
What They Do: Pass it On was started by the Central Singapore Community Development Council, and managed by The Helping Hand. As it donates to the disadvantaged and needy, the website will match the item you’re offering to a particular wish list of the individual! Social workers also use this platform to benefit the families they are in charge of caring for.
What’s Accepted: A wide range of items, as long as they are in working condition. Furniture, electrical appliances, or medical aids – such products are common in the market. You can publicize your offer by posting a photo of what you’ll give away, and wait for someone to accept your donation. All the latest individual wishlists are on their homepage, and provides the donor with detailed information on what the beneficiary specifically needs. This is a good way to know that what you donate will directly benefit the recipient.
Where & How To Donate: Prior to donation, you will have to sign up as a member, then fill up the form on the website to confirm your address. Secondly, note that for some deliveries, the costs will have to be covered by the donor.
Drop off your donations at The Helping Hand, 819 Upper Serangoon Road, S534678.
10. Chen Su Lan Methodist Children’s Home
What They Do: Chen Su Lan offers temporary protection and shelter to boys and girls aged between 5 and 21, of different ethnic and religious backgrounds, who come from needy and disadvantaged families. The ultimate outcome from providing nurturing and care is for the children to be reunited with their families or return to society.
What’s Accepted: In order to keep the home running and provide for the children’s needs, CSL needs donations in-kind, especially household items such as toiletries. Groceries are also allowed to be donated. They only receive donations in-kind during their office hours, which is from 9 am to 6 pm, Mondays to Fridays. Public holidays are excluded.
Where & How To Donate: Before you donate, make sure to contact the staff beforehand to arrange an appointment and discuss what you can bring along, by sending an email to [email protected], or calling them 6713 9150.
The home’s needs vary weekly, and there is limited space. Check here for the current list.
Drop off your donations at 202 Serangoon Garden Way, Singapore 556057.
11. Singapore Freecycle Network
What They Do: Singapore Freecycle Networks aims to connect people who are giving away items to others who are looking for the same item. This is to reduce wastage in Singapore.
What’s Accepted: They accept a range of household items – from computers to furniture and clothing. You can check out their guidelines here.
Where & How To Donate: Snap a picture of the item you’re selling (as seen above) and give a short description of the item and where people can collect it if they’re interested. After that, simply post it onto the Facebook group and wait for interested takers to contact you!
Children, Baby, & Maternity Items
12. Blessings in a Bag
Young volunteerism is significantly on the rise, such as homegrown youth organization Blessings In A Bag!
What They Do: Blessings In A Bag aims to provide every child and family in challenging situations, such as lack of shelter and financial trouble, with sufficient help and tools to ensure they can thrive. Recently this year, they partnered with Amazon SG to raise funds, and got Lumiere Montessori House as a beneficiary!
What’s Accepted: As they mainly cater to young children, they accept children’s books, lego toy sets, as well as educational board and card games. If you plan to donate, it’s important to know that they have to be in new or almost new condition. Secondly, the team has a specific wishlist of items that are needed, so you can get a better idea of what to give.
Where & How To Donate: To arrange donations, you must schedule an appointment with [email protected] first before proceeding.
13. Dignity Mama
What They Do: Dignity Mama, under Project Dignity, gives young adults with disabilities the chance to learn entrepreneurial skills and begin independent lives. Using a micro-enterprise model and a steady supply of zero-cost products, they run kiosks stationed at a few parts of Singapore hospitals such as Khoo Teck Puat, NUH, and Ng Teng Fong. It’s a 3-in-1 method – the books offered are affordable, aim to foster a reading culture, and reduce waste by taking in unwanted books.
What’s Accepted: Used books that are still readable, but not published before 2000. They take in children’s fiction, including comics. As for adult fiction and non-fiction, they don’t allow science fiction. Magazines like National Geographic and Reader’s Digest are acceptable, but their issues have to be publications that are from 2015 and onwards.
Where & How To Donate: You’re required to fill up a form provided on their page, detailing which drop-off location you’d like, the preferred date and timing, and a brief description of the books you will be donating.
Drop off your donations at National University Hospital, 1 Lower Kent Ridge Road, #01-39, One @ Kent Ridge. Singapore 119082 or Ng Teng Fong, 1 Jurong East St 21, Tower A, NTFH Clinics, #02-10, S609606. Do take note that the Project Dignity office is no longer a drop-off point.
14. Mummybay
What They Do: Mummybay SG is an online marketplace that allows you to list donations of baby clothing and infant care items. The organization directly connects the donor to a receiving member to make the donation process easier.
What’s Accepted: You can donate baby clothes, as well as maternity clothing and other related infant care items (eg. nursery books, breast pumps, toys) using the website. Before donating, you must disinfectant and wipe down hard surfaces and wash soft surface items.
Where & How To Donate: Sign up to the website to start listing your items now! For any enquiries, contact their email [email protected] or message them at 85986578. It’s encouraged to opt for mailing/delivery instead of meet-ups.
15. School Kaki
What They Do: School Kaki is a Facebook group (they now have a Telegram group as well!) for parents who are looking to share their school items such as textbooks and assessments books with others. People can also put in requests if they need a certain item. There is no money involved as this is a platform for sharing and giving.
What’s Accepted: School supplies ranging from textbooks and assessment books to uniforms and stationeries.
Where & How To Donate: To donate, you can take a picture of the item, name and describe it accordingly before posting it onto the Facebook or Telegram group!
Now that you’ve passed on the toys and clothes that your children have outgrown to the needy children in Singapore, it is important to organize your kid’s room.
A few rules to abide by when it comes to kids organization – categorise similar items together and store them in storage boxes/containers, label them after so that it can be easily retrievable.
Also check out on StyleMag; 13 Space-Efficient & Unique Kids Room Organization Ideas
Electronic Devices
16. NEA E-Waste Collection Avenue
If you don’t know what to do with your dead electronic devices, don’t discard them just yet. Instead, put them in the e-Waste collection bins.
What They Do: The National Environment Agency (NEA) has deployed islandwide e-waste collection spots as a revamp method to manage e-waste production. This is also to replace StarHub’s RENEW and Singtel’s ReCYCLING programmes that are defunct as of 2021.
What’s Accepted: The following electronics can be donated:
- Printers
- Power banks
- Computers & Laptops
- Phones
- Tablets
- Network/Set-up Boxes
- TVs
- Desktop Monitors
- Battery (Only AA, AAA, AAAA, D, C, 9-volt, button cells are accepted)
- Lightbulb
Refer to this page for more info.Take note that each bin accepts specific types of electronics. Refer to this page for the different bin types.
Where & How To Donate: You can donate your items at any E-Waste Collection Points stated in this list.
17. Project Homecoming
If you thought your printers couldn’t take part in the environmental cause, Project Homecoming asks you to rethink that.
What They Do: Started by Epson, Project Homecoming supports recycling unwanted ink and toner cartridges, as part of the effort in environmental conservation. It is jointly led by Canon and Epson and supported by the National Environmental Agency and National Library Board. Using proper recycling methods, resources can be conserved and minimise the impact of environmental pollution.
What’s Accepted: Any used ink and toner cartridges, as long as they are functional.
Where & How To Donate: National Library Board is the first venue partner for this project.
Drop off your locations at any one of Project Homecoming’s 20 Donation boxes here.
Food
18. Willing Hearts
What They Do: Willing Hearts is a team of volunteers that operates a soup kitchen that prepares, cooks, and distributes 5,000 daily meals to over 40 locations around Singapore. Their beneficiaries include the elderly, disabled, migrant workers, and children from single-parent families.
What’s Accepted: The organization has a list of food they accept, including rice, bee hoon, and macaroni. If you have fresh or frozen ingredients to donate in large quantities, you have to fill up a form here.
Where & How To Donate: Drop off your donations at 11 Jalan Ubi Blk 6, #01-51, Kembangan, Chai Chee Community Hub, S409074 between their operating hours of 4:30 am to 3 pm.
19. Food From The Heart
Did you know that bakeries throw out their unsold bread, which adds to the pile of food waste?
What’s Accepted: They allow non-perishable items such as biscuits, baked beans, button mushrooms, and condensed milk. Before coming down to their warehouse, you should give Food from the Heart a call. You can also donate accordingly with FTTH’s wishlist.
Via a food distribution programme, they help various schools and welfare homes, such as Lions Home For The Elderly and MINDS Home, alleviate hunger and bring smiles to them.
Where & How To Donate: Drop off your donations at the FTTH warehouse: 130 Joo Seng Road, #03-01, Singapore.
They operate from Monday to Friday, from 9 am to 6 pm. Alternatively, you can buy items online to donate straight to FTTH, with free delivery.
20. Metta Welfare Association
What They Do: Metta Welfare Association operates 10 welfare centres in Singapore, in the areas of Children Care, Medical Care, Disability Care service and more. From the young to the elderly, the infirm to the terminally ill, Metta transcend racial and religious barriers to enhance the quality of life of their beneficiaries.
What’s Accepted: They are now accepting non-perishable groceries such as instant oatmeal. Please ensure that the food products are Halal and vegetarian before donating. You can refer to the full list of groceries needed here.
They also accept non-consumables like antiseptic germicide, antibacterial hand soap dishwashing liquid detergent and new electronics. However, due to the COVID-19 situation, they only take in wearable/usable clothing and not belts, bags, toys or books.
Where & How To Donate: You can drop off your donations in a tied bag at the recycle bins of Metta Building, 32 Simei Street 1, S(529950). Thereafter, they’ll sort it out and distribute it to centres and low-income families.
With that, here’s the ultimate list of charity organizations and recycling initiatives you can give to. We hope you feel inspired to donate your unwanted clutter to benefit the needier communities in Singapore. Spread the love by sharing this StyleMag article with family and friends!
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