Your town is also having a textile recycling which includes stuffed animals in addition to clothing and linens and towels...perhaps for those poor stuffed creatures who are not in the "best of health". Keeps it out of the landfill anyway.

As an alternative, we always give our old towels to the vets who are happy to have them.

I don't have children, so no stuffed animals, but thought I'd add something. Here, the big city near us (where I work) - the local fire department takes new/lightly used stuffed animals. They give them to children who are displaced by fire, or (they are first responders to traffic accidents, etc.) children in emergency situations.

Tina, Yes, there is an organization called SAFE that does that, and, in Mass., Project Smile. That was my first choice, but both of them now say only NEW stuffed animals. I know a lot of times people donate musty old junk,which makes accepting used things really a problem!

Annie, I am on a delayed "spring cleaning" binge and I gave two big boxes of towels to the local shelter. I bought all new ones.

You're inspiring me. On my trips to England, I've enjoyed browsing charity shops and bringing home stuffed bears that were extra cute, extra special - a cut far above the typical thrift shop toy. Surprisingly, I found a good number and have amassed quite a collection that I really have no place to use in our new home. I thought I might bring them out at Christmas, but where would I put them? Donating them is an excellent idea. Thanks for these ideas!

I think that's a great idea. It sounds like a nationwide charity my now adult children donated stuffed animals to, called Project Night Night. Found a local chapter near me. They also take gently used books.

Yep just fixing to ship a box to VA from TX of about the same amount. They will take lightly used ones too. I'm sending them to the Stuffed Teddy Bear Brigade and they take all stuffed animals except for what they classified as scary ones such as snakes, or anything that holds batteries.

My sons were never interested in stuffed toys. Sounds like a nice place for no-longer-loved stuffed animals.

I don't have kids at home either...but thought this a good opportunity to suggest your local women's shelters for giving as well, especially clothes and those household items we usually give to Good Will. Most all of the women are coming from abusive situations with kids and little more than the clothes they have on. They need all the help they can get.

I've heard police departments will take them too for the same reasons Tina stated...to give to kids in emergency situations.

Would you believe I have a box or two in the basement of not only stuffed animals I had as a kid but also my mom's from the 20's and 30's. I'm sure some of my kids' animals are down there too. I haven't looked at them in years. I know they are not donatable but I'm glad Annie mentioned textile recycling...I wouldn't have thought of that....and our county (huge) recycling center is 10 minutes away. One of these days we'll get back to cleaning that $&@%£!! basement.

I came into this thread for taxidermy and got a lot of great ideas for donating instead. ☺️

Does anyone have any ideas about who would want some clean but leaky down comforters. I have several to give away as my son seems to have developed another allergy. And, I am switching our house and our ski condo.

I wish I'd have known of this when our daughter finally gave up all her stuffed critters. I can't remember what we did with them.

Thank you for sharing this- I believe I may still have 2 or 3 huge bags full of like new stuffed animals in the attic (mom of 2 grown girls). I do remember in the past that when I had looked, no place was happy to have them. I won't mind sending them off to a place that will actually use them and enjoy them. Really- what great info to share.

And yes to the towels, sheets, all sorts of linens (including old bath mats etc) to animal shelters. I believe they can never have enough rags.

Great idea for re-homing stuffed animals. Mtn! Wish i had known About that place when we had the big basement cleanout of 2007.

Always check with your local agencies first before hauling them off-I tried the police, fire dept, womens shelters, Boys & Girls Club...loads of places, before I found a church that used them for foster children. All required them to be new with tags, but these WERE all new, just tagless as they were gifts my (then) teen daughters had received from their beaux. Glad there is a place they can be shipped to-that shipping price wasn't bad, especially considering they're going to a very good cause.

local -- when we had our dog put down, the very nice vet brought out a comforter for her to lay on and a blanket as well. Both were obviously used but clean. I assume they must have had a stash of them in the back for these situations, so maybe any vet hospital would take donations of comforters and blankets.

And now I am inspired to do a stuffed-animal clearout!