Charity shops

Merylstreep I assumed that anything unsuitable was sold as rag I didn’t realise it was actually binned?

My mum and dad love charity shops and we donate unwanted items regularly but then we have a deluge of them in our village. They are always full of customers

I gave a Vax vacuum to BHF a few months ago. Almost new condition and I emptied and washed the filter and attachments. I much prefer my cordless.
I expect they have electricians go over electricals with a fine-tooth comb before selling.

I've noticed that over the years they seem to have more new stuff in than secondhand goods and prices have risen beyond inflation.
I do like some of them but find they're multiplying on every High Street whilst also benefitting from reduced rents due to their charitable status.

This is a little bit off topic but I run a charityplant stall outside my front gate to raise funds for the local Hospice.
I have 12 friends who give plants, vegetables, flowers and fruit. Some of themhaveallotments so I get the surplus produce.
This past 2 weeks sales have taken off - tomato plants have sold out within an hour. Last Saturday I sold loads of rhubarb, tomato plants and runner bean plants and took in over £60.
In total we have raised over £300 for the Hospice.

I enjoy visiting charityshops you neverknow what will be for sale. I buy clothes, cards, kitchen stuff and 1000 piecejigsaws.

MerylStreep what kinds of things go well in a charity shop, or does it depend on area?

My neighbour used to go up to London to shop for clothes in charity shops.

We usually ask before handing in donations; I know bedding goes to the ragman as they can't sell that, obviously, but the manager did accept duvets and said they are paid by weight.

I really have far too much already Charleygirl, thank you very much though!
The trouble is much of this stuff comes with memories attached.

I think they'll end up in a skip one day.
I daren't look at the china in the charity shops

Callistemon would you like some more? I have had them since my parents died in 1979 and they have moved 4 times since then and I could make better use of the space!

They are too good to throw out and who wants them now?

Meryl
No donation signs dont work. People just fly tip the doorway. Then you have WET waste to dispose of

So in a way, easier to take it as dry waste and quietly skip it out the back at a more convenient time than when youre trying to open the door in the morning.

I said this only yesterday to DP. I really miss exploring my favourite second hand shops.

I bought some nice wine glasses which match my dinner service.
And some nice china which I do not need.

I live fairly close to a charity shop and I love the books I buy there- they are in excellent condition and very cheap so there is a good turnover. One room is devoted to showing the books and they seem to do very well.

I have bought new or almost new wine glasses but never the clothes- they are clean but have had a good innings.

Yes, I used to volunteer in a charity shop. I was told that the rags are used to make carpet underlay. I have some charity bags on the go in the spare bedroom and have one labelled 'clean rags' so that the staff don't have to sort them out.

Our BRC charity shop said they do sell clothes etc to the 'ragman' if unsuitable for sale in the shop.

Thank goodness we took two unwanted pieces of furniture before this happened.
I hope they will make them some money and don't get skipped.

I have always thought anything unsuitable is sold by weight to a scrap company. Not thrown in a skip. Oh dear.

Ellylanes
I too am a volunteer. We have been discussing what we are going to do with our deluge of donations.
Probably, like many other charity shops we have to say no more donations for x amount of time
We know most of the people who donate to us so therefore know who brings in good/bad donations, I'm sure you know what I mean ?
Sad to say that a lot of donation bags will go straight in the skip. I know that might shock/offend some people but there is one very well known charity where nothing is left in the sorting room at the end of the day: it goes in the skip.
This is because they 'fear' putting a no more donations please sign.

I love charity shops too, and when taking bags in I rarely come out without an item or three. We benefit, the charity benefits. Double bubble.

Lucca yes you are right about the parking, rent and rates. It has had a dire effect on York also - a beautiful city, but so many empty shops.

The best charity shops obviously are in affluent areas.

I don’t believe all the blame can be put on online shopping, expensive parking, ruinous rent and rates etc contribute.

Yes, Lucca, its terribly sad , I mean I cant sit here and proclaim that I have never used online shopping, so I fall into the category of an Online shopper, despite the fact I can count on 1 hand the number of times..... but getting back to Harrogate yes, it's a beautiful place to visit, yes the little cafes are fabulous, my favourite part of Harrogate is Montpellier Quartners..... ( simply for its name )

Serendipity, my neck of the woods that ! Harrogate and ilkley are good ones plus great cafes marvellous scenery around,
Sadly Harrogate has shown signs of è economic downturn with many many empty shops and closed down restaurants

There are requests on a local social media page for nighties and pyjamas to send to local hospitals, as relatives cannot get in to wash the ones that patients are wearing.
Someone suggested the charity shops might be a good source, but unfortunately all closed of course and keys handed in to HQ.

As previously said, when they do eventually open, hope people are sensible and not overload them with ‘stuff’, as most of it will be outed if too much.

I love to scour charity shops for books and craft kits. I got an adorable cross stitch I made for my dad - it has a giraffe and says "A father is someone you look up to...no matter how tall you grow".

My mum likes to quilt and she often buys old flannel sheets at charity shops so she can use them as backing for her quilts. (She is very careful to wash them first.) They make her quilts very nice and warm!

All of the charities have suffered with lockdown, I'm a volunteer and very much miss the company.
We do greatly appreciate the time and thought behind donations we receive.
Storage for donations is limited to 'back of shop' so please GNs understand we can't take 6 weeks plus of everyday volume plus lockdown 'tidying up' within a few days of reopening. It would be a shame if all the effort went to waste, let's all work together.