Spring Cleaning

By Sylvie Briber

Glorious April! With winter over and the sun getting up earlier, we are starting to feel spring in our hearts!

It may be time to clean out that garage, attic, drawer or closet! And what to do with all that stuff we no longer want or need? We can donate it to different organizations and/or set it aside in boxes to sell at our Stockade Sidewalk Sale on Saturday, June 7.

Our Spy team put their heads together (with help from friend, Phyllis Ochs, who brings stuff to places all the time) and came up with this list:

YWCA – Right in our backyard at 44 Washington Avenue, drop in the Big Blue Bin in the back of their parking lot – Clothing, sheets, blankets, towels, shoes, and belts.

Habitat for Humanity ReStore – 115 N. Broadway, www.habitat.org 518-395-3412 Good, used furniture and building materials. (No bedding). Call first before donating.

City Mission – Downtown – M-F 8am-4pm 425 Hamilton St. 518-346-2275 wwwcitymission.com. Red Box outside for clothing and shoes. Glenville/Route 50 – household items. Call first – 346-2275, ext. 391.

Historic Albany Foundation Warehouse – 89 Lexington Ave, Albany, 518-465-2987, warehouse@historicalbany.org, Wed. & Fri. 12-6, Sat. 9-4. architectural things – historic doors, window hardware, shutters, glass, balusters, stair railings, radiators, mantels, bathroom fixtures, tiles, etc.

Salvation Army – stores: Route 50, Route 5, Route 7. Clothing, household goods, appliances.

Ruth’s Place – 1910 Broadway – 518-631-1121. clothing, house goods, sheets and blankets, jewelry, kid stuff.

Bethel Thrift Store – Clothes and Knick knacks. 1400 Altamont Ave. in the Plaza

Repair Café – Volunteers help repair broken items. Held quarterly, next one in spring, at Electric City Barn, 400 Craig St. See Repair Cafe Schenectady on Facebook for schedule

Books – Donate or exchange at the Stockade’s four Little Libraries. Donate for the Friends of the Library book sales. Also, leave boxes of books on the loading dock by the downtown library parking lot.

Prescriptions/drugs – National Prescription Drug Take Back Day: April 26, 2025, 10am – 2pm , but you can dispose of unwanted prescription and over the counter drugs at any time at many pharmacies, including CVS and Walgreen’s. To dispose of controlled substances, check the Drug Enforcement Administration website at: https://www.deadiversion.usdog.gov/drug_disposal/takeback/index.html

Children’s Needs – Things of My Very Own – 249 Green St. Call ahead. 518-630-5143. thingsofmyveryown.org.

Hazardous Waste – recycling@schenectadycounty.com or call (518) 388-4775 to be added to the list for future hazardous waste disposal dates.

Waste Disposal – Please consult the City website if you are unsure of the collection process. TV’s and building materials are just two examples of items NOT collected.