What Counts as Accepted Media for Donation Pickup

People ask us this constantly. "Can I include my old CDs?" "What about VHS tapes?" "I've got a box of audiobooks on cassette from the '90s." Here's the simple answer: if it's a DVD, CD, Blu-ray, audiobook, or similar physical media, go ahead and include it with your pickup.

We see all kinds of collections across Seattle. A family in Ballard clearing out a basement full of concert DVDs. Someone in the University District finally letting go of a massive anime collection. Box sets, workout videos, kids' movies, music albums, documentary series. All of it counts. You don't need to separate DVDs from CDs or pull audiobooks out of the mix. Just pack everything together in boxes or bags that aren't too heavy, and our local Pick-Up Partners handle the sorting after collection.

What about cases? Keep them. Loose discs are fine too. Nine times out of ten, people overthink this part. You don't need to organize anything by genre or format. You don't need to check if discs still play. That's our job to figure out after we pick them up.

A few things that don't belong in the mix: old electronics like DVD players or stereos, broken plastic cases with no media inside, and random cables or adapters. We're collecting the media itself, not the hardware.

So what happens to all of it? After pickup, partners sort through the items. Many get redistributed to readers, organizations, schools, and libraries. Some may be resold to help support the partner's business and keep this free pickup service running in Seattle. Items that truly can't be reused may eventually be recycled, but that's always a last resort. The goal is keeping media in circulation and out of landfills.

Not sure if something qualifies? Just include it. Our partners would rather sort through a few extra items than have you something useful in the.

How to Prepare Your Media Collection for Pickup Day

You don't need to do much. That's the part people overthink the most.

There's no need to sort or separate anything before pickup. DVDs, Blu-rays, CDs, audiobooks, VHS tapes. They can all go together. Just pack them into boxes or bags that are sturdy and not too heavy. A medium-sized moving box works great. So do reusable shopping bags or those canvas totes everyone in Seattle seems to have three of. The goal is simple: keep things contained so nothing spills across your porch.

Plenty of people spend an hour organizing their DVDs by genre or pulling out cases they think are too scratched. You really don't have to do that. Our Local Pick-Up Partners handle all the sorting after collection. Your only job is getting everything packed and placed outside.

Speaking of placement, leave your items out starting at 8 AM in a safe, dry spot. Your front porch, a covered entryway, inside your garage with the door cracked. Anywhere a partner can access without needing to knock. The pickup window runs from 8 AM to 8 PM, so the exact time varies. But nobody needs to be home. You won't need to wait around or coordinate a handoff. Just set it out and go about your day.

A few quick tips that make things smoother. If it's been raining around Ballard or anywhere else in Seattle, tuck your boxes under an overhang or slip a bag over the top. Water-damaged cases get heavy fast, and wet paper sleeves fall apart. Also, tape your boxes closed if they're full. A box of DVDs that tips over on a front step turns into a mess nobody wants to deal with.

Got a huge collection? Multiple boxes are totally fine. Stack them together so they're easy to spot. And if you're not sure whether something counts as "media," it probably does. Educational discs, workout DVDs from 2009, that box set you watched once. Pack it up.

Need help figuring this out? Give us a call.

What Happens During a DVD and Media Donation Pickup in Seattle

The whole process is simpler than most people expect. You schedule your pickup, set your items outside, and a local Pick-Up Partner handles the rest. No awkward waiting around. No rearranging your Saturday.

Here's how it actually works. You enter your ZIP code on our site. If a Pick-Up Partner already serves your area, you'll see their available service days right away. Pick a day that works for you, and the pickup lands on their schedule automatically. Done. If no partner currently covers your ZIP code, your request still goes through. It enters our out-of-area pickup system, where nearby partners can claim it. So even if you're out in Magnolia or another part of Seattle that's newer to the network, you can still submit a request.

On your scheduled day, just place your DVDs, CDs, Blu-rays, and other media in boxes or bags. Pack them well so nothing spills, but don't make the bags too heavy. Leave everything in a safe, dry spot starting at 8 AM. Your front porch works great. A covered garage entry is even better, especially during Seattle's rainy stretches. The pickup window runs from 8 AM to 8 PM, so your partner has a full day to swing by.

You don't need to be home.

Some folks stress about sorting their DVDs from their audiobooks or separating cases from sleeves. You don't need to do any of that. Just bag it up and set it out. Our partners handle all the sorting after collection. That's their job, not yours. Nine times out of ten, the folks who call us worried about prep work are overthinking it. A few sturdy boxes near your door is all we need.

Once your items are collected, your partner sorts through everything. Many items get redistributed to readers, schools, libraries, nonprofits, and organizations that request materials through the Give ME Books program. Some items may be resold to help sustain the free pickup service and support the partner's operations in Seattle. Items that truly can't find a second life may eventually be recycled, but that's always a last resort. The goal is keeping your media in circulation as long as possible.

Where Donated DVDs and Media Go After Pickup

People always ask us this. "So what actually happens to my stuff?" Fair question. You're handing over boxes of DVDs, CDs, maybe some old Blu-rays. You deserve to know where they end up.

Once our Local Pick-Up Partner collects your items in Seattle, sorting happens after the fact. You don't need to organize anything beforehand. The partner goes through everything and figures out the best path for each item. That's the part most people don't realize. It's not one-size-fits-all. Different items take different routes depending on their condition and demand.

Many items get redistributed to readers, schools, libraries, nonprofits, and organizations that request them. The Give ME Books program is one way organizations can specifically ask for materials they need. So your old documentary collection or that stack of kids' movies sitting in your Ballard apartment? They could end up on a classroom shelf or in a community center lending library. Libraries and educational organizations that accept donated media apply the same review standards used for any acquisition — the American Library Association explains this in its Gifts and Donations policy guidance, which applies to books, DVDs, and other materials alike.

Some items may be resold by the Pick-Up Partner. That's how the free pickup service stays free. It supports the partner's family, their team, and the cost of running pickups across Seattle neighborhoods day after day. People sometimes worry that reselling means their donation doesn't matter. It does. Reselling keeps the whole system running so more people can donate and more items stay in circulation.

Not every DVD or CD can find a second life, though. Scratched discs, cracked cases, water damage. Items that can't be reused after real effort may eventually be recycled. But that's always the last resort. The priority is always reuse first, then redistribution, then donation, then recycling only when nothing else works.

The goal is simple. Keep media out of landfills and in the hands of people who'll actually use it. Your old collection doesn't just disappear into a void. It moves through a system designed to extend its life as long as possible.

How to Schedule a Media Donation Pickup with Give My Books Network Seattle

Booking a pickup takes about two minutes. Seriously. You enter your ZIP code on the Give My Books Network site, and if a Local Pick-Up Partner serves your area, they'll show up right on the screen. Pick them, choose from their available service days, and you're done. The pickup lands on their schedule automatically.

No back-and-forth emails. No waiting for approval.

Now, what if no partner currently covers your ZIP code? That happens sometimes in parts of Seattle, especially in neighborhoods like Magnolia or Rainier Beach where coverage is still growing. Your request still goes through. It enters an out-of-area pickup system where nearby partners can claim it. Once someone picks it up, they'll schedule a day and handle the rest. So don't let a missing partner card stop you from submitting.

A question that comes up often: "Do I need to be home?" Nope. Nobody needs to be present. Just place your DVDs, CDs, Blu-rays, and other media in boxes or bags that are well packed and not too heavy. Leave them in a safe, dry spot starting at 8 AM. Your front porch works great. A covered garage is even better, especially during Seattle's rainy stretches. The pickup window runs from 8 AM to 8 PM, so your Local Pick-Up Partner has a full day to swing by.

One thing people overthink is sorting. Don't bother separating DVDs from books or CDs from audiobooks. Put everything together. Partners handle all the sorting after collection. Your only job is getting the items outside in something sturdy enough to carry.

Got a big collection taking over your Capitol Hill apartment? Maybe you cleaned out a media cabinet in your Ballard bungalow and filled six boxes? That's completely fine. Schedule the pickup, set the boxes out, and go about your day. You don't need to contact anyone unless there's a special circumstance like a gated entrance or a tricky access point. Otherwise, the process runs on its own.

Ready to get those DVDs off your shelf? Schedule a pickup and let your Local Pick-Up Partner take it from there.