Jason Hitchick, Retail Operations Manager for Vinnies (St Vincent de Paul) in Canberra/Goulburn, says leaving donations outside a store overnight can turn a bag of perfectly good clothes into unusable items by the next morning; due to safety and quality concerns, the organisation often has to deal with food and clothing left outside during non-trading hours, staff cannot monitor donations left outdoors overnight, clothing is easily damaged by rain or weather, and once bags and boxes are rummaged through, the contents can also be damaged.

Key points

  • Jason Hitchick, Retail Operations Manager for Vinnies Canberra/Goulburn, points out that donations left outside overnight are unattended and can get wet, dirty, rummaged through or damaged.
  • Donations may contain unseen hazards such as needles, broken glass, leaking batteries and chemicals, and rummaged donations pose safety risks to volunteers and staff.
  • Vinnies recommends delivering items during the store's published donation hours and handing them directly to staff where possible; the Goodies Junction reuse facilities in Mitchell and at Mugga Lane can also accept items suitable for reuse.

Hitchick explains that not all donations left overnight are thrown away, but if you want to ensure items are accepted, the safest approach is to deliver them during store trading hours. He stresses that the vast majority of people who donate after hours have good intentions and simply want to help everyone donate in a more appropriate way so that these items have a greater chance of being reused.

The problem lies in the receiving and storage process. He says that if items are left outside all night, no one can receive them promptly, store them properly or protect them: a bag of good clothes can get wet, dirty or scattered everywhere, food can spoil or even attract pests; boxes can be rummaged through, and household items can be smashed. Sealed bags may also contain needles, broken glass, leaking batteries, chemicals or other unseen hazards, and rummaged donations pose safety risks to volunteers and staff, often ending up soiled and unusable.

Beyond delivery time, the quality of the donated items themselves also needs to be assessed. Hitchick says many of the support services Vinnies provides, including food hampers and emergency assistance, are funded by proceeds from selling donated goods, and poorer-quality items are often harder to sell. He suggests donors ask themselves before donating: Is it clean and dry? Is it safe? Does it still work? Is it complete? If I were giving it to a friend, would I be willing to give it away?

He admits he has recently felt pressure regarding clothing quality. With the rise of fast fashion, more and more low-priced clothing is circulating, and some garments arrive at stores already heavily worn or with very limited remaining useful life. But he also notes this does not mean clothing from budget brands will be rejected—as long as it is clean, tidy and still wearable, affordable clothing is equally important in stores; the issue is the condition of the item, not the brand label. The same standard applies to household goods: jigsaw puzzles missing pieces, chipped tableware, broken chairs, unsafe electrical appliances, or heavily worn household items may look like donations, but may not have a safe, realistic "second chance" at use.

On how to ensure donations are accepted smoothly, Hitchick offers specific advice: take clothing and household items to Vinnies stores during their published donation hours, and if possible, hand them directly to staff; if there is a donation bin on site, use it only if there is still space inside and the items can be placed in safely; never leave bags beside a full donation bin or outside a store that has already closed. The Goodies Junction reuse facilities in Mitchell and at Mugga Lane can also accept items suitable for reuse. If something is damaged, unsafe or truly unusable, taking it to an appropriate recycling point, e-waste facility or government waste service may be more suitable than bringing it to a charity shop.

He concludes by saying that people should donate what others genuinely need, not just what you no longer want.

Source: Don't let donations become dumping: why Vinnies advises against leaving items outside overnight · Originally published 2026-09-25