Items We Do & Do Not Accept
Your donations are the foundation of our mission's success.CONDITION – ACCEPTABLE ITEMS:
- Fully assembled & clean, in full working order with all parts & pieces (Item too large to transport it assembled? Call ahead!)
- Free of mold, mildew, mothball, smoke and pet odors, pet hair, evidence of pests
- Free of chips, breakage, food residue, grease, excessive rust, battery acid, missing pieces, or missing hardware
- Textile Items: free of rips, tears, stains, missing buttons, broken zippers, generally worn out condition (this includes upholstered furniture items).
- If your item(s) has any one of these conditions, we cannot accept it!
- Quick Tip: If your items have been stored in your garage or any other outbuilding, please check for pest and small rodent damage and droppings – not acceptable!
ITEMS WE ACCEPT:
- Collectibles: Antiques, vintage & collectible items, art, paintings, sculpture, old photos, ephemera
- Furniture: (must be assembled*) indoor & outdoor, home & office, upholstered furniture must be freshly vacuumed and cleaned under/around cushions – no stains, no odors, no pet hair. NO sleeper sofas. NOTE: Furniture items will be accepted or refused ONLY after an in-person inspection by a staff member. *Assembled furniture item too large to transport? Call ahead!
- Home Décor: Area rugs (freshly vacuumed and clean, accepted or refused ONLY after an in-person inspection by a staff member), vases, artificial flowers and plants, baskets, candles, candleholders, ceramics, knickknacks, framed mirrors, framed wall art. No frames or mirrors without protective backing
- Kitchen: dishes, china, flatware, glasses, kitchen utensils, pots, pans, baking, cast iron, cooking utensils, lunch boxes/bags, Tupperware & Rubbermaid – matched containers and lids only, no unmatched loose pieces
- Clothing and Footwear: including costumes, vintage, wedding and formal, bras, CLEAN and in RESELLABLE CONDITION (seasonally appropriate preferred), underwear – new in package only, no clothing hangers. No fabric face masks unless in new, sealed packaging
- Accessories: purses, wallets, ties, suspenders, belts, socks, tights, hats, gloves, scarves – in season
- Linens: comforters, quilts, blankets, curtains/drapes, curtain rods, (no traverse rods) window blinds (must be new in box/packaging only), sheets, towels, decorative pillows, table & serving linens, chair & couch covers (no used bed pillows, no mattress toppers)
- Health and Beauty: eyeglasses/sunglasses, hair accessories, scales, perfumes, unopened lotions & shampoos, new soaps, samples, and hotel size. Unopened First Aid supplies & face masks
- Craft items: Fabrics, patterns, sewing machines – must be in working order, with power cord and foot pedal, sewing accessories, yarn, arts/crafts supplies, scrapbooking supplies. Craft kits, craft themed magazines & books. No electric scissors or fabric samples
- Sporting Goods: Bikes, tricycles, wagons, small sports Items (in season) See unacceptable list
- Electrical/Electronics: cameras, DVD players, VCRs, stereos, turntables, speakers, clocks, radios, lamps (must have outlet plug), flat-screen televisions only (working, up to 5 years old or less), game consoles, gaming accessories, video games
- Small Appliances: fans, space heaters, clothing irons, mixers, food processors, microwave ovens (CLEAN working, up to 5 years old or less), coffee makers, ice-cream makers, waffle irons, electric grills, blenders, coffee and meat grinders, etc. No Bread makers
- Books: children’s and adults, (NO Encyclopedias, textbooks, computer and software manuals, Reader’s Digest, or magazines)
- Games, Puzzles, Toys: CLEAN with all parts and pieces. Limited quantities! No incomplete games. Please bag/box toy & game sets as individual units
- Gardening: hand tools, non-motorized garden tools, garden décor, plant pots – CLEAN, no soil,
- Holiday Items: All Holidays Please Note: Christmas items will only be accepted through January 31st, 2025, and then again November 1st, 2025 – January 31st, 2026.
- Luggage: fully-functional only, backpacks, trunks
- Medical: wheelchairs, walkers, (no hospital beds, no bedside commodes, no shower chairs)
- Musical: Instruments, Sheet Music, Vinyl records, CDs, DVDs, Audio Discs. No pianos, no organs
- Office Supplies: (no binders, no stackette trays), school supplies, teacher supplies, greeting cards, postcards, party supplies, wrapping paper, bows, gift bags
- Pet supplies: (no litter boxes or litter tools, no pet food/treats)
- Commercial Items: display fixtures, mannequins, shelving, shopping carts, clothing racks, overstock merchandise – Contact the Ann Arbor PTO Thrift Shop Manager at 734-996-9155 to review your items and quantities and your timeline
ITEMS WE DO NOT ACCEPT:
- NO: unassembled items, nothing dirty, not working, missing parts, pieces, hardware
- NO: items with mold, mildew, mothball, smoke and pet odors, pet hair, evidence of pests
- NO: items with chips, breakage, food residue, grease, excessive rust, battery acid, missing pieces & hardware
- NO: textile Items with rips, tears, stains, missing buttons, broken zippers, generally worn out condition
- NO: recalled items, unsafe goods, cleaners, household paints, spray paints, industrial solvents, lamp oil, kerosene, propane – NO TOXICS!
- NO: camp stoves, no BBQ grills
- NO: mattresses, box springs, mattress toppers, bed pillows, sleeper sofas, futon mattresses
- NO large appliances, items containing Freon, humidifiers, de-humidifiers, vacuum cleaners/carpet cleaners, breast pumps, nebulizers or tubing, sleep apnea machines, fire extinguishers
- NO baby equipment: car seats, booster seats, baths, cribs, highchairs, swings, play pens, pack ‘n plays, strollers, potty chairs (baby/adult). NO stuffed animals
- NO computers, printers, monitors, fax machines, scanners, toner, ink cartridges
- NO building/home improvement materials, no wire-into-circuit lamps/lighting/fans or electrical items with damaged/exposed wiring
- NO encyclopedias, textbooks, computer and software manuals, Reader’s Digest, magazines (unless craft related). NO VHS tapes and cassette tapes
- NO food (including decorative jars with oil/herbs), no living plants
- NO inflatable items, including mattresses
- NO firearms, no large exercise equipment/machines, no skis/ski equipment, no golf clubs or golf bags no inflatable flotation devices/life jackets, no roller blades, no ice skates, no hockey gear, no helmets (any kind), no tents, sleeping bags, yoga mats
- NO unbacked picture frames or mirrors, no glass panes
- NO televisions or microwave ovens more than 5 years old. No Bread Makers. No phone consoles & hand sets
- NO underwear unless new in package, no hankies, no clothing hangers
- NO personal care electrical items: Hair curlers, curling irons, shavers, trimmers, foot baths
Don’t see it listed here? Please contact the Ann Arbor PTO Thrift Shop Manager at 734-996-9155 to discuss your donation of unique or unusual items.
IRS Information for Donors
IRS Publication 561 Determining the Value of Donated Property
IRS Publication 526 Charitable Contributions
IRS Form 8283 Noncash Charitable Contributions
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Supporting enrichment for AAPS students at every school.
Taking students above and beyond.