Clearing out your home, basement, or garage is a great way to declutter and refresh your space—but what do you do with the things you no longer need? In a city like St. Louis, where sustainability is becoming more of a community priority, knowing where to responsibly recycle or rehome items is key to reducing waste and making a positive environmental impact. Whether you’re preparing for a move, downsizing, or simply doing some spring cleaning, responsibly disposing of unwanted items doesn’t mean everything has to end up in a landfill. St. Louis offers a variety of recycling centers, donation sites, and community resources that make it easy to give your belongings a second life. In this guide, we’ll break down where and how to recycle or rehome different types of items in St. Louis.

Answering The Question: Where To Responsibly Recycle Or Rehome Items In St. Louis

Household Items and Clothing

If you have gently used furniture, clothing, or household goods, consider donating them to a local organization that serves families in need. Many nonprofits in St. Louis rely on donated goods to stock their thrift stores or to directly support low-income households.

• St. Vincent de Paul Thrift Stores: With multiple locations throughout the St. Louis area, St. Vincent de Paul accepts furniture, clothing, kitchenware, toys, and more.
• MERS Goodwill: One of the most recognizable donation centers, Goodwill has drop-off locations across the metro area and supports job training programs through the resale of donated items.
• The Salvation Army: A great place to rehome furniture and clothing. They also offer pickup services for larger items in good condition.
• Home Sweet Home: A local nonprofit that provides gently used home furnishings to families transitioning out of homelessness. They accept sofas, chairs, tables, and kitchen items.

Before donating, make sure items are clean and in good condition. Most centers will not accept broken or heavily worn items.

Electronics and E-Waste

Electronics can contain hazardous materials like lead and mercury, so they should never be thrown in the regular trash. Fortunately, St. Louis offers several options for responsibly recycling old electronics:

• STL City Recycles: The city’s official recycling program provides guidance and lists e-cycling drop-off locations.
• MRC Recycling (Midwest Recycling Center): Accepts TVs, computers, printers, and other electronics. Several drop-off events are held throughout the year in the metro area.
• Best Buy Recycling Program: Most stores in St. Louis will take back small electronics like laptops, phones, and cords for free.

If your electronics are still in working condition, consider donating them to local schools, shelters, or nonprofits that refurbish and reuse old tech.

Books, Media, and Toys

Books and toys in good shape can bring joy to others and serve an educational purpose. Here’s where you can take them:

• St. Louis Public Library: Many branches accept book donations for their collections or fundraising book sales.
• Little Free Libraries: St. Louis has a large number of Little Free Libraries throughout neighborhoods. These are perfect for dropping off books for community sharing.
• Ready Readers: A local nonprofit that accepts children’s books to distribute to underserved families and early childhood programs.
• St. Louis Crisis Nursery: Accepts donations of toys, games, and children’s books to support families in crisis situations.

Before donating toys, be sure they’re clean, not broken, and have all their parts.

Hazardous Materials (Paint, Batteries, Chemicals)

Some items require extra care when it comes to disposal, including chemicals, old paint, batteries, and household cleaners. Improper disposal of these materials can contaminate soil and water.

• HHWSTL (Household Hazardous Waste – St. Louis): Residents of St. Louis City and County can safely drop off items like pesticides, motor oil, gasoline, and cleaning chemicals. Appointments are required.
• Call2Recycle Battery Drop-off Locations: Many Home Depot and Lowe’s stores in the metro area offer battery recycling stations.
• Earth Day Action Items Drop-Off Events: Held seasonally, these events provide St. Louisans with opportunities to dispose of hard-to-recycle items responsibly.

Be sure to check specific rules on the HHWSTL website before dropping anything off.

Large Items and Appliances

If you have large items like refrigerators, mattresses, or couches that can’t be donated, recycling may still be an option.

• Appliance Pick-Up by Ameren Missouri: Ameren offers a recycling program for working refrigerators and freezers and may even provide a rebate.
• Mattress Recycling Council: While not local to St. Louis, they provide resources on how to responsibly dispose of old mattresses.
• Junk Removal Services: For items that are too large or too damaged to donate, a professional junk removal service like Clean Up And Clean Out can safely haul them away and ensure they are disposed of or recycled properly.

Building Materials and Tools

Leftover building supplies from a home renovation project? Don’t throw them away—donate them.

• Habitat for Humanity ReStore: Accepts tools, doors, windows, tiles, light fixtures, cabinetry, and other home improvement items. These are resold to help fund affordable housing projects in the St. Louis area.
• Perennial: A creative reuse nonprofit that accepts tools and other DIY materials to support their community craft workshops and reuse projects.

When Recycling or Rehoming Isn’t an Option

Sometimes, items are simply too worn out or damaged to be reused or donated. That’s where professional junk removal services come in. Companies like Clean Up And Clean Out don’t just haul your junk—they do it responsibly. We prioritize donation and recycling first, reducing what ends up in the landfill whenever possible.

Contact Clean Up And Clean Out Today for Deep Cleaning Services in St. Louis, Missouri

Getting rid of clutter is only half the battle. Once the junk is gone, a deep clean can truly transform your space. At Clean Up And Clean Out, we offer thorough deep cleaning services that make your home feel brand new. Whether you’ve just purged your attic, cleaned out your garage, or are preparing your house for sale, we’ll take care of the details. Contact Clean Up And Clean Out today for deep cleaning services in St. Louis, Missouri. Let us help you complete the process—cleaning, hauling, and giving your home the fresh start it deserves. Call or visit our website to schedule your service today!