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Inspecting Donations

Guidelines for Inspecting Furniture

Look for the following:

  • Rips or tears in the fabric, even if they are on the underside of the cushion or back of a couch that are large.
  • Leather or paint that is peeling/chipping off - hazardous to kids
  • Poorly refinished/painted pieces of furniture
  • Broken zippers on cushions so that foam is sticking out
  • Stained or dirty - no stains on cushions that are noticeable
    • If the cushion can flipped over to a side with no stains, we may accept it
  • Not covered in pet hair
  • Claw marks from pets – should be nothing noticeable
  • Must function as designed
  • Missing pieces
  • Mold, strong, musty smell/cigarette smoke or water damage
  • The item should be sturdy and not fall apart when trying to move it
  • No items that need more than 2 men to lift
  • No excessively tall items
  • Veneer is missing – use your judgment
  • Inspect for bed bugs
  • Lift up all cushions
  • Open drawers to look for visible evidence of bugs or rodents. If you see any evidence, turn it down immediately.
  • If the furniture is large or oversized and won't fit in a truck easily, please turn it down. Most of our clients live in small apartments, and/or items have to go up staircases.

*** If your first reaction when you see the furniture is not good, go with your gut as it is what most others will think too.***

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