Every short let refit leaves a pile of things that still have plenty of life in them. The sofa that no longer suits the new look. A full set of plates you've replaced with a new range. Lamps, mirrors, side tables and the paperbacks guests left on the shelf. A skip is expensive, the tip may not accept waste from a letting business, and most of it is too good to throw away.
Zugrow makes a monthly donation to Shelter, the housing and homelessness charity (you can read why on our Giving page). So before writing this, we checked exactly what Shelter's shops can and can't take. Some of the answers matter a lot for hosts, so they're all below.
What should you do with old furniture after a short let refit?
Sort everything into three piles before the builders arrive: good enough to sell or donate, bulky but reusable, and genuinely finished. Take the first pile to a charity shop that accepts that kind of item, pass bulky furniture to a charity that collects, and send only true waste to a licensed carrier or your council's recycling service.
The order matters. Once the refit starts, the old furniture gets moved, stacked and scuffed, and anything that ends up in a corridor full of plaster dust usually ends up in the skip. A little planning the week before saves most of it.
Plan the clear out before the refit starts
Walk the property room by room with your phone and make a simple list. For each item, note what it is, its condition and where it could go. A few minutes here makes every call to a charity quicker, because they will ask what you have and whether it is in good condition.
- Photograph each larger item. Some collection services ask for photos before they confirm.
- Check upholstered furniture for its fire label (more on this below). No label usually means no donation.
- Measure anything bulky and note which floor it's on and whether there's a lift.
- Book collections early. Charities with a collection service run on set days, so book at least a week ahead of the refit.
- Close the calendar for the work. If the property is out of action, block the dates once in Zugrow's calendar and they close on Airbnb and Booking.com together, so no guest books into a building site.
What can Shelter shops take from a holiday let?
Shelter runs around 80 charity shops. They take good quality ceramic tableware, books, jewellery, accessories, branded clothing and shoes, and vinyl. They don't take used bedding, towels, duvets or pillows, CDs or DVDs, or anything broken, dirty or damaged. If you have a lot to drop off, phone the shop first to check they have room.
For a typical short let refit, the best fits for a Shelter shop are:
- Tableware. Plates, bowls, mugs and serving dishes in good condition, ideally in matching sets. Hosts often replace a whole range at once, and complete sets sell well.
- Books. The shelf of paperbacks and guidebooks that builds up in every holiday let.
- Accessories. Bags, hats and similar items in resaleable condition.
Smaller items can also go by post for free. Shelter provides a free label for Yodel drop off points: each parcel can weigh up to 10kg and measure up to 60cm by 50cm by 50cm, and the label is valid for 28 days. That's handy for a box of tableware or books from a property that isn't near a Shelter shop.
Can Shelter collect a sofa or a bed?
In some areas, yes. Shelter's furniture shops in Erdington (Birmingham), Sunderland and Preston collect good quality second hand furniture, and its house clearance service also covers Rutherglen and Glasgow Stockwell Street in Scotland. A partial clearance is free; a full house clearance is charged. You can book by phone or through Shelter's online form.
A few conditions apply, and they're worth knowing before you book:
- Items need to be good quality and complete, with no rips, holes, stains or odours.
- Upholstered furniture must have its fire safety label.
- The clearance service doesn't take white goods.
- Shelter confirms within two working days whether your items qualify, and drivers can still turn down anything unsuitable on the day.
Everything raised from the sale of donated furniture goes towards Shelter's work on the housing emergency. Details and booking are on Shelter's house clearance page.
The fire label rule every host should know
Upholstered furniture such as sofas, armchairs, upholstered headboards and cushions must carry a permanent fire safety label under the Furniture and Furnishings (Fire) (Safety) Regulations 1988. Without that label, a charity cannot resell the item, so it will not accept it. Check the label before you arrange a collection, not on the day.
The label is usually sewn into a seam underneath the seat cushions or on the base. If it has been cut off, the item generally cannot be donated, however good it looks.
The same regulations apply to upholstered furniture you supply in a let, so check the labels on anything new you buy for the refit too. It's one of the things worth keeping a record of alongside your other safety checks.
What about bedding and towels?
This is the one that catches most hosts out. Shelter shops can't take used bedding, towels, duvets or pillows, and most charity shops have a similar rule for hygiene reasons. That doesn't mean they have to go in the bin.
- Animal rescue centres often welcome old towels and blankets. Call first, as needs change.
- Textile recycling banks take worn linen that can't be reused.
- Unused spares still in their packaging are a different matter. Ask your local charity shop whether they can take them.
If you're not near a Shelter furniture shop
Most properties won't be within reach of Erdington, Sunderland or Preston, and that's fine. The Reuse Network lists local reuse charities across the UK that take furniture and household items, helping people in need and keeping good items out of landfill. Many will collect.
For everything else, the Shelter plan still works: tableware and books go to your nearest Shelter shop or by post, and the bulky pieces go to a local reuse charity.
Is what you throw away business waste?
If you run your let as a business, what you get rid of in a refit is generally treated as business waste. Household recycling centres can turn it away, and you're expected to use a registered waste carrier and keep a note of where it went. Check your council's rules before loading the car.
That's another reason to donate first. Every item a charity takes is one less thing to pay a carrier to remove.
After the refit: make the new look count
Once the property is back together, the work isn't quite done. A refit is only worth it if guests can see it.
- New photos. Your listing photos now show furniture you've given away. Reshoot every room, and if the light isn't on your side, photo enhancement can brighten them up.
- Update your guidebook. A new oven, coffee machine or TV needs new instructions. Put them in your digital guidebook so guests don't have to message you.
- Update amenities. Add anything new to your amenity lists on Airbnb and Booking.com.
- Check the listing. Run it through our free listing score to see what to improve next.
Why we're writing about this
Every host we work with has opened their home to guests, and not everyone has a safe, secure place to call home. That's why Zugrow supports Shelter. Donating the good things from a refit is a small, practical way for hosts to help too, and it usually saves money on the clear out as well. Read more on our Giving page.
Frequently asked questions
Does Shelter take furniture donations?
Yes, at its furniture shops in Erdington, Sunderland and Preston, which also collect. Its house clearance service covers those shops plus Rutherglen and Glasgow Stockwell Street. Shelter's other shops focus on smaller items such as tableware, books and clothing.
Will a charity take a sofa without a fire label?
Almost certainly not. Upholstered furniture must carry a permanent fire safety label to be resold, so charities have to turn away sofas, armchairs and upholstered headboards without one.
Can I donate used towels and bedding to a charity shop?
Not to Shelter, and most charity shops have the same hygiene rule. Animal rescue centres often take old towels and blankets, and textile recycling banks take the rest.
Can I send donations to Shelter by post?
Yes. Shelter provides a free label for Yodel drop off points. Each parcel can weigh up to 10kg and measure up to 60cm by 50cm by 50cm, and the label is valid for 28 days.
How far ahead should I book a furniture collection?
Book at least a week before the refit starts. Shelter confirms within two working days whether it can take your items, and collection services run on set days.