Are there any good options for shedding books, clothes, and other goods that one doesn't need anymore before or after a move in NYC? I am about to move and have a lot of books, clothes, CD's, and other items that I'd like to sell or donate. The problem with the Salvation Army in NYC is that it doesn't pick up, and transporting boxes of heavy goods to their office is difficult. I know of Craigslist, but are there other options?
We actually have had Salvation Army pick up items we wanted to donate when we lived in Astoria. To arrange a pick up of donations, call 1-800-95TRUCK. One thing to keep in mind, however, is there is really no guarantee with them. When we lived in East Flatbush, they didn't have a driver anymore for that area so we were stuck. If you have time, you can try to spread it out over a few weekends of making trips to the donation centers. Or rent a car for a day. Perhaps you can attend to other errands at the same time, or find other people in your same situation that would be willing to chip in to cover rental costs.
Other options are to have a sidewalk sale and coordinate with your neighbors who are also looking to shed some unwanted things. You can try a swapping party, where people can bring their unwanted stuff and it can be traded amongst the party-goers. At the end, you'll have lots of able bodies to help transport the rest to a donation site. We have never tried out Freecycle, but it looks like a great way to hook up unwanted goods with new owners.
The NYCWastele$$ web site gives a listing of other opportunities for making donations in the city.
Any other creative solutions to shedding bulk in NYC?
