Things donated to Value Village While I Worked There

[gremcint]

I dealt with furniture and miscellaneous, and was also in general the store's bitch. I haven't worked there in several years so I don't mind saying where.

Here are some of the items I saw during the time there:

- leather bondage gear
- soiled mattresses
- porn
- more porn
- vhs of the old batman serials
- weird african style instruments that I now think came from an art place nearby
- a set of stocks (like the middle of the village square but these were the kind you would walk in) couldn't find a good picture
- several electric pianos (they are really freaking heavy for their size)
- cricket bat (we're in canada)
- lots of old microwaves (the really big kind, would always have to drag them across the parking lot to the metal bin)
- washing machine and dishwasher but like really small ones that wouldn't even handle a full load
- lots of wicker furniture (which always sold well)
- the same damn rocking chair every couple weeks (similar to this http://rilane.com/wp-content/uploads...king-Chair.jpg)


Also people just couldn't understand that we did not do trade ins towards items just accepted donations, this one guy in particular would ask every week in a very mumbly voice.

[greek_jester]

I can sympathise, my mum used to be manageress of the warehouse that collected for the local hospice. Some of the stuff they found included:

- Dildoes/vibrators (used, on multiple occasions)
- Underwear (very obviously used)
- Leftovers (yes, I do mean leftovers)
- A box of dolls missing their heads (very creepy!)
- A haunted clock (the locked, alarmed shop had stock thrown in a circle out from the clock, which was all that was left on the set of shelves)
- A used samuri sword + severed arm (not actually in a bag, just near the entrance)

Mum was actually on first-name terms with the cops who investigated the last one; the area the warehouse was in was just a tad rough. Ever heard of the Marsh Farm riots? Yes, that area. We moved out of the town in 2006.

[fireheart]

Some of the things I've seen in my formerly local Savers (what Value Village is known as down here):

-A kid's colouring book (partially used)
-Knitting needles that were frequently just one needle out of the pair.
-A bag of latch hook rug "ends".
-Tunics that for some reason wound up being labelled as "dresses." (most of them were too short to be worn as actual dresses)
-A notebook that was clearly brought from the Big W nearby.
-WAY too many copies of the 50 Shades series. (I'm keeping mine )
-Some random copies of Take 5 and That's Life! (two "real life" magazines over here that are actually quite interesting. These particular ones had the recipes and whatnot cut out)
-Toys that were missing parts to be actually functional.

Oh and for some reason, this particular savers had no issue selling bras and other forms of lingerie. Underwear seemed to obviously be avoided, but still....EW. I also discovered that for some weird reason, apparently strapless formal dresses/bridesmaids dresses come in 2 parts. What's up with that? (that is, the bust is one part the skirt is another)

[greek_jester]

I also discovered that for some weird reason, apparently strapless formal dresses/bridesmaids dresses come in 2 parts. What's up with that? (that is, the bust is one part the skirt is another)

Actually, sometimes that's pure practicality. It means that the bride/bridesmaid can put on the top and pull a shirt over it so that they can do their hair/makeup without worrying about getting anything on the top (covered) or hopelessly creasing the skirt (not on yet).

Also, some like to have a proper built in corset (which always looks awesome) for the ceremony/photos, then change into a camisole version for the reception (much comfier). Since the corset part is usually custom (and, again, look great even with jeans) that part is often kept while the more practical parts are given away.

Regarding the lingerie, at mum's place if the original tags were still on it would be "sold" to the volunteers (can't put it through the books as a sale as it's not legal to resell undies, but they'd "donate" £1-£2 and take them for themselves), but if it was missing tags it went in the bin.

[KellyHabersham]

Not quite the same as a thrift store, but just thought I would share some of the things which have been "donated" at the library via our bookdrop (some of these from when we had an "outdoor" book bin"):

- striped dress shirt (adult size, not sure if it was a man's or woman's)
- banana
- bags of beans and rice
- boxes of cereal
- scissors
- piece of glass
- parts of plants
- flower in a pot

[Seanette]

My husband and I have worked at the same thrift store (his tenure about eight years before mine). He reported large cans of dried goods coming through, as well as arriving one morning to find a box of kittens near the donation door. It worked out for the kittens, they all had new homes, with employees or customers, by the end of the day.

During my own stay, I haven't been processing incoming donations (I've either been a phone receptionist or on the sales floor), but I'm friendly enough with various people who do that I've heard a couple of stories. Apparently, partially consumed bottles of liquor show up at times, and one girl I know was a bit squicked out by a (presumably used) sex toy. I know of a box of prescription meds, and have heard rumors about marijuana plants.

[Seshat]

A fitted bodice for a dress of that type needs to be customised to the woman: torso length and shape, bust size and shape: it's very detailed work. The skirt, however, just needs to fit at waist and hip, and be the right length.
So a company which makes a lot of such gowns probably makes a bunch of skirts in common sizes (and colours and fabrics); and makes the bodices custom when orders come in.

[Kit-Ginevra]

We have had donated(in the broadest sense of the word)
Sacks of garden rubble
Grass and weeds
And the entire contents of someone's cupboard-a guy's mother died and he just emptied everything out and donated them.We had old prescriptions,glasses,medicine bottles to be sorted through...

[EvilEmpryss]

- washing machine and dishwasher but like really small ones that wouldn't even handle a full load

Hey! I'm buying a house built in the 50's that has a kitchen that simply won't handle a full-sized dishwasher. I'm actually haunting the discount places now and I would love to find one of those.

And you should check out the latest in portable countertop dishwashers. If you think what you found was small, these'll basically do a single person's (maybe a couple's) dishes from a single meal. You stick it on the kitchen counter next to the sink and hook it up when you need it, letting it drain into the sink.

[EvilEmpryss]

The thrift store manager purposely put them aside for me to go through, and I found three nice, properly fitting bras (brand new, with tags). They did not sell bras at the thrift store, but any of these new, packaged bras were not taken by the volunteers were sent to the main shelter.

If I heard that this is what happened to stuff I donated intending it to go to the battered women, I wouldn't donate to that organization anymore. If the manager had made you pay for them, okay, but that stuff was donated for the good of people who need them a heck of a lot more than the volunteers.

I'm a big busted woman, and I have a hard time finding bras that cost less than $50 a piece, but I would have passed on those; I know how hard it can be to find them when I haven't got any extra money to spend.

[bhskittykatt]

I would never buy undies, but I actually bought a bra from a thrift shop once. It was purple with black lace, in near new condition, and it was my size! I'm a 42DDD; I'm usually stuck with boring beige and white as color options, so forgive me if I seized the opportunity.

Besides, if you think about it, a used bra isn't too different from a used T-shirt. With panties there's, like, orifices and fluids and stuff down there, so yeah that would be gross used, but a bra isn't really that bad. (At least, that was how I justified it to myself.)

- a set of stocks (like the middle of the village square but these were the kind you would walk in)

OMG I would so want that! I have no idea what I would do with them, but I would probably try to find a justification to buy them if I saw something like that at a thrift store!

[Kit-Ginevra]

Quoth gremcint
- a set of stocks (like the middle of the village square but these were the kind you would walk in)

OMG I would so want that! I have no idea what I would do with them, but I would probably try to find a justification to buy them if I saw something like that at a thrift store!

Oh come on!You know what you would do with them-you put the SCs in them with a big sign over stating their misdemeanour and then announce it over the tannoy-'Ladies and gentlemen,now punishing a customer who leaves their melted icecream tub in the lettuces.Learn from their example'

[XCashier]

- a set of stocks (like the middle of the village square but these were the kind you would walk in)

OMG I would so want that! I have no idea what I would do with them, but I would probably try to find a justification to buy them if I saw something like that at a thrift store!

The local SCA or other historical reenactment societies might be interested.

Oh come on!You know what you would do with them-you put the SCs in them with a big sign over stating their misdemeanour and then announce it over the tannoy-'Ladies and gentlemen,now punishing a customer who leaves their melted icecream tub in the lettuces.Learn from their example'

Your idea is a good one, too.