Sorting it forward
Many belongings still have life, value, and purpose beyond our homes.
Whenever possible, we encourage donation, reuse, recycling, and responsible disposal to help reduce what goes into our landfills while supporting people, families, and animals in need. As part of the decluttering process, we can help clients think through where items may do the most good — whether that means clothing for a neighbor in need, furniture for a family starting over, craft supplies for creative reuse, or linens and pet supplies for local animal organizations.
| Category | Organization | Best For | Notes / Donation Link |
|---|---|---|---|
| General donations | MUST Ministries Donation Center | Food, clean clothing, hygiene items, household items, towels, bedding, books, school supplies, and toys | A Cobb County option in Marietta supporting local individuals and families in need. Donation guidelines → |
| General donations | Goodwill of North Georgia | Clothing, housewares, books, furniture, small appliances, toys, linens, jewelry, sporting goods, and more | Convenient donation centers throughout the area. Accepted items list → |
| General donations / thrift | St. Vincent de Paul Georgia Thrift Stores | Clothing, shoes, furniture, lamps, décor, books, dishes, cookware, linens, toys, games, sporting goods, bicycles, and small electronics | Donations help support people experiencing hardship or crisis. Donation guidelines → |
| General donations / animal rescue thrift | Mostly Mutts Market | Furniture, home décor, housewares, clothing, books, tools, toys, pet supplies, office supplies, linens, jewelry, lamps, media items, and more | A local thrift store supporting animal rescue. Donation information → |
| General donations / thrift | The Salvation Army — Atlanta Area | Clothing, furniture, household goods, working appliances, books, toys, bicycles, computers, phones, and sporting goods | Pickup may be available for some items. Donation scheduling → |
| Furniture & home improvement | NW Metro Atlanta Habitat for Humanity ReStore — Smyrna | Furniture, appliances, cabinets, lighting, tools, building materials, home improvement items, and home décor | Serves Cobb, Douglas, and Paulding Counties. Donation information → |
| Furniture | Furniture Bank of Metro Atlanta | Beds, tables, chairs, sofas, dressers, and other essential household furniture | Helps provide furniture to families in need. Donation information → |
| Household setup items | Simple Needs GA | Essential furniture, bedding, towels, small appliances, kitchen items, dishes, pots, pans, coats, and home setup items | Marietta-based nonprofit helping people emerging from homelessness and hardship. Donation information → |
| Food, clothing & personal care | Helping Hands of Paulding County | Nonperishable food, clothing, shoes, accessories, hygiene items, baby supplies, pet food, and cat litter | A helpful East Paulding / Paulding County resource. Donation information → |
| Domestic violence support | LiveSafe Resources | In-kind donations for survivors, families, shelter needs, and pets in crisis | Storage and needs may vary, so check before donating. Donation information → |
| Professional clothing | Dress for Success Atlanta | Career-appropriate women’s clothing, accessories, and gift cards | Best for interview-ready or workplace-appropriate items. Donation information → |
| Baby & family essentials | Helping Mamas | Diapers, wipes, bottles, formula, feeding supplies, period products, blankets, bibs, toys, and select baby items | Helps families with baby and period supplies. Donation information → |
| Craft & art supplies | Scraplanta Creative Reuse | Art supplies, classroom supplies, party supplies, craft materials, office supplies, fabric, paper goods, and creative reuse items | A good option for craft rooms, homeschool supplies, and leftover project materials. Donation information → |
| Books & media | Cobb County Public Library | Books, audiobooks, DVDs, Blu-rays, music CDs, vinyl LPs, comic books, graphic novels, and monthly magazines | Donations may support book sales, Book Nooks, or library collections. Donation information → |
| Books | Better World Books Drop Boxes | Used books | Useful for moving books along through donation, resale, or recycling channels. Donation information → |
| Pet food | Cobb County Animal Services Pet Food Pantry | Unopened and unexpired cat and dog food, both dry and canned | Supports Cobb County pet parents who are struggling to feed their pets. Information → |
| Animal rescue supplies | Atlanta Humane Society | Pet care supplies, fleece blankets, puppy pads, paper towels, trash bags, litter boxes, cat toys, KONG toys, and wish list items | Maintains a current wish list for needed items. Donation information → |
| Medical equipment & thrift | FODAC — Friends of Disabled Adults and Children | Home medical equipment, clothing, books, electronics, furniture, housewares, linens, shoes, and other thrift donations | Helpful for mobility and accessibility-related items. Donation policy → |
| Cobb County recycling | Keep Cobb Beautiful / Cobb County Recycling | Electronics, metal, tin, hard-to-recycle plastics, and other recycling guidance | Useful for items that should not go to charity but should not go straight to the landfill. Recycling information → |
| Paulding County recycling | Paulding County Recycling Locations | Scrap metal, appliances, bikes, grills, lawn mowers, motor oil, batteries, tires, and paint disposal guidance | Helpful for East Paulding clients needing county-specific recycling options. Recycling information → |
| Hard-to-recycle items | Live Thrive CHaRM | Electronics, chemicals, books for recycling, cardboard, household goods, clothing, shoes, metals, mattresses, glass, appliances, and more | Appointment-based recycling option for items needing responsible disposal. Accepted items → |
General donations
MUST Ministries Donation Center
- Best for
- Food, clean clothing, hygiene items, household items, towels, bedding, books, school supplies, and toys
- Notes
- A Cobb County option in Marietta supporting local individuals and families in need.
General donations
Goodwill of North Georgia
- Best for
- Clothing, housewares, books, furniture, small appliances, toys, linens, jewelry, sporting goods, and more
- Notes
- Convenient donation centers throughout the area.
General donations / thrift
St. Vincent de Paul Georgia Thrift Stores
- Best for
- Clothing, shoes, furniture, lamps, décor, books, dishes, cookware, linens, toys, games, sporting goods, bicycles, and small electronics
- Notes
- Donations help support people experiencing hardship or crisis.
General donations / animal rescue thrift
Mostly Mutts Market
- Best for
- Furniture, home décor, housewares, clothing, books, tools, toys, pet supplies, office supplies, linens, jewelry, lamps, media items, and more
- Notes
- A local thrift store supporting animal rescue.
General donations / thrift
The Salvation Army — Atlanta Area
- Best for
- Clothing, furniture, household goods, working appliances, books, toys, bicycles, computers, phones, and sporting goods
- Notes
- Pickup may be available for some items.
Furniture & home improvement
NW Metro Atlanta Habitat for Humanity ReStore — Smyrna
- Best for
- Furniture, appliances, cabinets, lighting, tools, building materials, home improvement items, and home décor
- Notes
- Serves Cobb, Douglas, and Paulding Counties.
Furniture
Furniture Bank of Metro Atlanta
- Best for
- Beds, tables, chairs, sofas, dressers, and other essential household furniture
- Notes
- Helps provide furniture to families in need.
Household setup items
Simple Needs GA
- Best for
- Essential furniture, bedding, towels, small appliances, kitchen items, dishes, pots, pans, coats, and home setup items
- Notes
- Marietta-based nonprofit helping people emerging from homelessness and hardship.
Food, clothing & personal care
Helping Hands of Paulding County
- Best for
- Nonperishable food, clothing, shoes, accessories, hygiene items, baby supplies, pet food, and cat litter
- Notes
- A helpful East Paulding / Paulding County resource.
Domestic violence support
LiveSafe Resources
- Best for
- In-kind donations for survivors, families, shelter needs, and pets in crisis
- Notes
- Storage and needs may vary, so check before donating.
Professional clothing
Dress for Success Atlanta
- Best for
- Career-appropriate women’s clothing, accessories, and gift cards
- Notes
- Best for interview-ready or workplace-appropriate items.
Baby & family essentials
Helping Mamas
- Best for
- Diapers, wipes, bottles, formula, feeding supplies, period products, blankets, bibs, toys, and select baby items
- Notes
- Helps families with baby and period supplies.
Craft & art supplies
Scraplanta Creative Reuse
- Best for
- Art supplies, classroom supplies, party supplies, craft materials, office supplies, fabric, paper goods, and creative reuse items
- Notes
- A good option for craft rooms, homeschool supplies, and leftover project materials.
Books & media
Cobb County Public Library
- Best for
- Books, audiobooks, DVDs, Blu-rays, music CDs, vinyl LPs, comic books, graphic novels, and monthly magazines
- Notes
- Donations may support book sales, Book Nooks, or library collections.
Books
Better World Books Drop Boxes
- Best for
- Used books
- Notes
- Useful for moving books along through donation, resale, or recycling channels.
Pet food
Cobb County Animal Services Pet Food Pantry
- Best for
- Unopened and unexpired cat and dog food, both dry and canned
- Notes
- Supports Cobb County pet parents who are struggling to feed their pets.
Animal rescue supplies
Atlanta Humane Society
- Best for
- Pet care supplies, fleece blankets, puppy pads, paper towels, trash bags, litter boxes, cat toys, KONG toys, and wish list items
- Notes
- Maintains a current wish list for needed items.
Medical equipment & thrift
FODAC — Friends of Disabled Adults and Children
- Best for
- Home medical equipment, clothing, books, electronics, furniture, housewares, linens, shoes, and other thrift donations
- Notes
- Helpful for mobility and accessibility-related items.
Cobb County recycling
Keep Cobb Beautiful / Cobb County Recycling
- Best for
- Electronics, metal, tin, hard-to-recycle plastics, and other recycling guidance
- Notes
- Useful for items that should not go to charity but should not go straight to the landfill.
Paulding County recycling
Paulding County Recycling Locations
- Best for
- Scrap metal, appliances, bikes, grills, lawn mowers, motor oil, batteries, tires, and paint disposal guidance
- Notes
- Helpful for East Paulding clients needing county-specific recycling options.
Hard-to-recycle items
Live Thrive CHaRM
- Best for
- Electronics, chemicals, books for recycling, cardboard, household goods, clothing, shoes, metals, mattresses, glass, appliances, and more
- Notes
- Appointment-based recycling option for items needing responsible disposal.
Please remember: Donation guidelines, hours, pickup availability, and accepted items can change. Please check with each organization before loading your vehicle or arranging a drop-off. Items should generally be clean, safe, complete, and in usable condition unless the organization specifically states otherwise.
Helping others while helping yourself
What you relinquish can improve the life of someone else. We will support you through the hard decisions, so your home feels lighter, and nothing good goes to waste.
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