I spent last summer (2019) working in a charity shop in the UK. If I was starting to use charity shops before, now I will happily sing their praises. They are basically a one stop shop that is essential when trying to live more sustainability and I'm here to debunk your myths and encourage you to frequent them more.
Disclaimer: This information is true in my experience, but if you are unsure, just ask the shop workers in your local charity store and I'm sure they will be happy to help!
Donate:
Did you know that you can donate almost anything! Please consider donating items before binning them! Not only will it potentially give them a second lease of life which is more sustainable but it will also help to raise money for the charity.
Here is a rundown of items that most charity shops will take. I hope this makes you realise that you can donate a lot more than you think you could:
Clothes in good condition will be resold. Please wash them before donating as most shops do not have washing facilities.
Clothes in non resell-able condition are usually stored and bought by organisations who recycle scrap fabrics. This therefore still helps to raise money for the chairty. If you know that clothes are obviously non resell-able, consider putting them in a separate bag and informing the shop worker that you give them to, so that they do not waste their time sorting them. However, if you are unsure, don't worry, shop workers now exactly what to look for and will sort your clothes for you.
Books, CDs and DVDs in good condition will be resold.
Books, CDs and DVDs in bad condition or books that are outdated and unlikely to sell may also be collected for recycling. Again this is more sustainable and generates a small amount of money so do not worry about the quality of books that you are donating. Make sure to ask if this happens in your local charity shop and try to find one where it does.
Household items and toys in good condition will be resold. This includes battery powered electronics as long as the batteries have not corroded inside the device.
Unfortunately, household items and toys in non resell-able condition will mostly likely go in the bin.
Small furniture items in good condition will be resold in the store, however most stores do not have the space for larger furniture items. In many towns there are now dedicated stores for large furniture items and they will often collect them from your house for free!
Old pairs of glasses may be able to be accepting for recycling. Please ask in your local charity shop.
Some stores can take mains powered electronics however they are usually required to test these and not all shops have the qualified staff to do this. Please ask in store and donate to a shop that will be able to resell them.
Buy:
Charity shops are a great place to head if you want to buy second hand clothes or see what household items they might have in stock. Charity shops will not sell clothes that are unclean although they won't have been washed by the store so you may want to wash them when you get home. HOWEVER, I want to assure you that buying second hand clothes is not at all gross. In my time volunteering I was actually surprised by the quality of the clothing that we stocked and how many designers could be found (middle levels brands such as M&S, Jack Wills, Superdry and GAP). The clothing stock will likely depend on the local area as the store is usually stocked by donations from local residents so charity shops in more affluent areas are likely to stock nicer clothes although they may charge more for them!
I also want to note that although clothing from charity stores may sometimes seem expensive, they are likely being sold for a reasonable value. The next time you find yourself thinking that an item in a charity store is too expensive, ask yourself the following questions before putting it back.
What would this item have cost first hand? And did that cost reflect the materials and time that were needed to make it in the first place?
Has it actually lost much of its value since it was sold first hand? (i.e. has the quality deteriorated)
How much would it cost me to buy an item like this from a vintage store or from a website such as Depop where I would have to pay shipping and wouldn't get to try on the item?
Why do I believe second hand clothing has less value? And if I don't, why do I want to contribute to the promotion of that idea?
How much does it cost for the charity to run their stores and how much do they need to charge to ensure that money is going towards their cause?
Why do I mind giving more money for this item when that money is going to a good cause?
Volunteer:
Hands on volunteering is one of the most rewarding things you can do. The great thing about volunteering in a charity shop is that you don't need any prior experience or specific skills. You can also choose to volunteer as little or as much as you like whenever suits you, although you will likely have to commit to your shifts in advance so that the shop can count on volunteers being present.
While volunteering I was usually either looking after the shop floor and serving customers or I was upstairs in the stock room organising donations.
In most charity shops, the shop manager is employed by the charity (and rightly so as they have responsibilities and lots of paperwork to do!) but everyone else is a volunteer. These shops would not be able to make enough more to be worthwhile without the selfless work of their volunteering team.
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