Have Items to Giveaway?

Thank you for thinking of Overflow for donation of your gently-used items. We accept donations Monday through Saturday from 10:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. at all our locations.

Donate Furniture

Items We Cannot Accept

  • Mattresses and box springs
  • Items that are damp, mildewed, have a smokey or strong mothball smell, or contain excessive pet hair
  • Pianos and organs
  • Car seats and booster seats
  • Cribs
  • Outdated exercise or workout Equipment
  • Outdated or broken appliances
  • Helmets
  • Building materials (damaged or unassembled particle board, windows, drywall, lumber)
  • Printers
  • Tube TVs
  • Large Metal Desks
  • Opened personal hygiene or personal health items (donated items must be new and in unopened packages)
  • Hazardous Materials (chemicals, paint, etc.)
  • Textbooks
  • Broken or significantly damaged furniture
  • Gas Appliances

Our donations receiving team will work with you to evaluate items. We appreciate your understanding when we are unable to accept an item because of its condition or our anticipated ability to sell the item in our stores.  

FAQs

Can I get a donation receipt?
Yes, we are a 501(c)3 and are able to provide a tax receipt for any donation.
 What happens with my donations?

We strive to sell or recycle as many donations as possible.  We work with a variety of organizations in Iowa and the Midwest to recycle items that cannot be sold in our stores, including clothing, linens, shoes, stuffed toys, glass, metal, plastic and wood. We price items using a pricing philosophy and guide that balances the two parts of our mission - affordability and giving to our partner agencies.
What happens to items we are not able to sell in store?

We are currently able to recycle all unsellable cloth materials (clothes and linens), books, stuffed animals, and metal and glass items and broken electronics. There is, of course, always some items that end up in the garbage, but we actively seek new recycling programs and give many items away for free to our volunteers!

We hope to start repurposing and repairing furniture in the near future!
What if I have furniture to donate and no way to drop it off?
Overflow provides free furniture pick-ups a few days a week to the Ames and surrounding communities. To schedule a donation, fill out the form at the link below. 
I found an item I like but it is too big to take home today. Can I still buy it?
Items can be held for 1 business day. At the end of the hold period, unclaimed purchased items will be considered donated to Overflow and returned to the sales floor to be available for purchase. No refunds or exchanges will be given for purchased items resold after holding period.
What payment methods do you accept?
We accept most major credit cards, Apple pay, and of course, cash! We do not accept checks.