Cut the Clutter: Donation & Recycling Locations Around the Sound

Spring is coming, and with it comes a chance to clear out the old and start fresh—whether it’s those ever-growing piles in your garage and attic, that closet you can barely close, or a horror-movie-inspired basement. Here are resources to reclaim your space and put your unwanted items to good use (or recycle and give them their own fresh start)…
Donations | Recycling | Disposal
Donations
CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL BARGAIN BOUTIQUE
Furniture/furnishings, jewelry, antiques, collectibles, and new or gently used men’s, women’s or children’s clothing. Be sure to check items they don’t accept.
seattlechildrens.org/giving/bargain-boutiques
Estates: (206) 327-3067
Vehicles: (888) 205-8941
Bainbridge Island: 1050 Hildebrand Lane, Suite G-1 | Bainbridge Island, WA 98110 | (206) 842-5567
Olympia: 2020 Harrison Ave. NW | Olympia, WA 98502-5097 | (360) 236-8245
GOODWILL
Accepts donations of a wide range of items, from exercise equipment, to clothes and home decor items and furniture. Net proceeds help fund job training and education programs.
evergreengoodwill.org/donate-goods
KIDVANTAGE
Donate your quality used children’s clothing, shoes, baby gear, toys, books, bedding, and maternity clothing. You’ll help to fill the nearly 4,000 orders of essentials that they provide to underprivileged children and expectant moms each week.
Issaquah: 1510 NW Maple St. | Issaquah, WA 98027 | (425) 865-0234
Shoreline: 17230 12th Ave NE | Shoreline, WA 98155 | (425) 209-1136
Bremerton: 1463 NE Dawn Road, Suite B | Bremerton, WA 98311 | (360) 616-0235
MARY’S PLACE
Gratefully accepts gently used clothing, luggage, twin size sheets/blankets, paperback books, and small household items (dishware, utensils, mugs, and small appliances such as microwaves) to distribute to families in need.
marysplaceseattle.org/get-involved/share-your-stuff
Donation Center: 4521 6th Ave S. | Seattle, WA 98108
Shelter (small donations only): 720 Blanchard St, Seattle
NORTHWEST CENTER
Big Blue Trucks accept clothing, household goods, sporting goods, tools, toys & more to support people with disabilities. Here’s what they do and don’t take.
bigbluetruck.org/drop-off-locations
NORTHWEST FURNITURE BANK
Furniture bank for homeless families in transition in South King County and Pierce County. Here’s what they accept and you can arrange a pickup if you live within a 25 mile radius of Tacoma.
117 Puyallup Ave | Tacoma, WA 98421 | 253-302-3868
SAINT FRANCIS HOUSE
Accepts clean, gently used clothing for men, women & children as well as kitchen & household items. All donations are passed on directly to those in need.
stfrancishouseseattle.org/support-us
169 12th Ave | Seattle, WA 98122 | 206-268-0784
SAINT VINCENT DE PAUL
Drop off your sorted donations of gently used clothing, housewares, toys, shoes/accessories, linens, books, and electronics to one of their thrift stores (here’s what they don’t accept). $0.89 of every dollar funds programs that provide neighbors with food, clothing, eviction prevention, case management, and more.
SEATTLE’S UNION GOSPEL MISSION
Accepts food, clothing, furniture, vehicles & housewares in their mission to support our homeless neighbors.
Distribution Center: 8226 South 208th Street, Suite G110 | Kent, WA 98032 | (206) 723-5700
Furniture Pick-Up: (507) 593-7024
Recycling/Disposal
E-CYCLE WASHINGTON
WA Department of Ecology’s free program for residents to recycle electronics (including TVs, computers, monitors, tablets, & more), with participating locations across the state.
FRIENDLY EARTH
Free recycling of electronics, flat screen TVs/monitors, appliances, BBQs, computers, lawn equipment/tractors, motorcycles, & more! Recycling with a fee for copiers/printers, refrigerators, A/C units, solar panels, & large rear-projection TVs. Paid data destruction available as well. Get the full scoop here.
1560 1st Ave S. | Seattle, WA 98134
(206) 367-4111
ONE GREEN PLANET
Free recycling of electronics, computers, copiers, printers, ink/toner, appliances, bikes/scooters, scrap metal, machinery, phones/chargers, & more. Recycling with a fee for appliances containing Freon, flat screen TVs, tapes/CDs/floppy disks, alkaline batteries, & X-ray film. Here’s the full list.
851 Houser Way North, Suite B | Renton, WA 98057
(425) 996-3513
RECOLOGY
With a zero waste goal, Recology stores accept hard to recycle items like CFL light bulbs, household batteries, hard-cover books, small electronics/appliances, block Styrofoam, and bicycles. Here’s the fee list for non-customers (if you’re already signed up for their curbside service, you can drop off limited quantities for free).
Issaquah: 317 NW Gilman Blvd, #22 | Issaquah, WA 98027
Highline: 15858 First Avenue S, #A100 | Burien, WA 98148
Shoreline: 15235 Aurora Ave. N | Shoreline, WA 98133
RUBBISH WORKS
Removal of nonhazardous materials for eco-friendly disposal—up to 50% of hauled away materials are recycled and the rest is donated when possible.
(888) 594-5078
We earn the trust and loyalty of our brokers and clients by doing real estate exceptionally well. The leader in our market, we deliver client-focused service in an authentic, collaborative, and transparent manner and with the unmatched knowledge and expertise that comes from decades of experience.
© Copyright 2025, Windermere Real Estate/Mercer Island.
What You Need to Know about the Washington State Seller Property Disclosure – Form 17

Washington State requires sellers of residential real property to thoroughly disclose material facts on a form called the Residential Real Property Disclosure Statement (often referred to as Form 17). Unless the buyer has expressly waived their rights, the seller must deliver this completed disclosure within 5 days after mutual acceptance. The buyer then has a window of time to walk away with their earnest money at their discretion.
While sellers have always been required to disclose material facts, the Form 17 has been required by law (RCW 64.06.020) since January 1, 1995. It has undergone ten revisions since its inception, the last of which went into effect in 2021. In addition to the residential disclosure, the state added an unimproved property (land) disclosure in 2007 (RCW 64.06.015) and a commercial property disclosure in 2012 (RCW 64.06.013). The current form is 6 pages long and includes most of the typical property issues requiring disclosure with a catchall question for anything left out.
Is every seller required to complete this form? Are there exemptions?
The statute allows very limited exceptions RCW (64.06.010) to completing the disclosure statement. They include transfers…
- by foreclosure or deed-in-lieu of foreclosure
- that are gifts to a parent, spouse, domestic partner, or child
- related to marital dissolution or dissolution of a state registered domestic partnership
- to buyers who had a prior ownership interest in the property in the last two years
- of an interest that is less than fee simple
- made by the personal representative of the estate or by a trustee in bankruptcy
- in which the buyer has expressly waived the receipt of the seller disclosure statement
However, if the answer to any of the questions in the section entitled “Environmental” would be “yes,” the buyer may not waive the receipt of the “Environmental” section of the seller disclosure statement.
What happens after delivery of the disclosure statement?
The buyer has three business days from receipt of the disclosure statement to cancel the agreement for the purchase of the property (unless they waived their rights to do so in writing).
This right to rescind is statutory, and the decision to revoke the offer may be made by the buyer at the buyer’s sole discretion. If the buyer elects to rescind the agreement, the buyer must deliver written notice of rescission to the seller within the three-business-day period.
Upon delivery of the written rescission notice the buyer is entitled to immediate return of all earnest money deposits and the agreement for purchase becomes void.
If the buyer does not deliver notice the disclosure statement is deemed approved and accepted by the buyer. The full provisions of this right are found in RCW (64.06.030).
What happens if the seller doesn’t deliver a completed disclosure?
If the seller fails or refuses to provide a disclosure statement to buyer within 5 days, the prospective buyer’s right of rescission extends until the earlier of three business days after receipt of the disclosure statement or the date the transfer has closed (unless the buyer has otherwise waived the right of rescission in writing). After closing, per RCW 64.06.040 (3) the seller’s obligation to deliver the disclosure statement and the buyer’s rights and remedies related to it terminate.
Some sellers are more forthcoming than others…
When sellers claim there are no issues to explain, you should be wary…very wary. In my years of practice, I have yet to see a perfect house. Whether a 10-million-dollar estate, a newly constructed home, or a $300,000 starter home, every house has a story and every buyer has a right to know about it so they can knowledgeably complete their due diligence.
Making full disclosure actually benefits the seller, too. By disclosing a condition, the seller shifts the burden of investigation to the buyer under Washington law. By remaining silent, a seller risks the appearance of concealment and a lawsuit. Think of it this way: disclose an issue and if the buyer accepts it you move forward with no worries since they are barred from seeking compensation later; fail to disclose it and you could be looking over your shoulder for years.
I like to see issues disclosed on a disclosure statement. It makes me feel like the seller has been honest and transparent. When I see a “perfect” disclosure, I know the seller is either in total denial or has decided not to disclosure the little (or big) issues they know about. Most buyers expect far more disclosure from the seller than the law requires. While sellers don’t have a duty to inspect their home or look for defects, they do have a duty to disclose defects that affect the value, physical condition, or title to the property. Sellers should consider disclosure to be a form of insurance.
Instead of minimizing disclosures, a prudent seller will try to consider the property from the perspective of a buyer and then disclose what a buyer would want to know. Many of the conditions that lead to lawsuits would have been acceptable to the buyer if they had been disclosed in advance. Other conditions simply are not important enough to the buyer to fully investigate before purchasing a property. To maximize the benefit of disclosure law, sellers may want to make full disclosure of the property and neighborhood even if they have no legal duty to do so. It is usually better to be over-insured than not insured at all.
Buyers have duties, too…
In addition to a thorough inspection, investigating issues raised in the seller disclosure statement is one of the most important parts of due diligence in a real estate transaction. Buyers have a duty of thoroughness and inspection that should not be taken lightly.
The buyer should evaluate each disclosed item, and (especially) those items not disclosed, but easily discovered during a walk-through and inspection. If there are many items identified and not disclosed, a buyer should be concerned about other unseen issues that might also not be disclosed. A savvy buyer will investigate a home with limited disclosure more thoroughly and/or make the decision not to purchase form a seller who is seemingly not transparent with the truth.
It is also important to note that sellers typically have no duty to disclose neighborhood conditions or past events at the property, even though these may be issues of concern to the buyer. For instance, sellers usually have no legal duty to disclose the following conditions either at the property or in the neighborhood:
- Death, murders, suicides, rapes or other crimes
- Ongoing criminal or gang activity in the neighborhood
- Registered sex offenders in the neighborhood (RCW 64.06.021)
- Future development in the area
- Political or religious activities in the area
If these or similar matters are of concern, buyer should conduct their due diligence prior to submitting an offer or include an inspection and “Neighborhood Review” contingency in the offer to allow them time to complete it as part of their purchase agreement.
What is the seller’s responsibility after delivery of disclosure statement?
The disclosure statute (64.06.040) states that if after delivering a completed disclosure statement, the seller learns from a source other than the buyer or others acting on the buyer’s behalf such as an inspector of additional information or an adverse change which makes any of the disclosures made inaccurate, the seller shall amend the real property transfer disclosure statement, and deliver the amendment to the buyer. The buyer then has the right to rescind the purchase agreement within three business days after receiving the amended disclosure statement.
No amendment is required if the seller takes whatever corrective action is necessary so that the accuracy of the disclosure is restored, or the adverse change is corrected, at least three business days prior to the closing date.
The seller disclosure statement is not a warranty
RCW 64.06.050 says the seller shall not be liable for any error, inaccuracy, or omission in the disclosure statement if the seller had no actual knowledge of the error, inaccuracy, or omission. This includes disclosures based on information provided by public agencies, or by other persons providing information within the scope of their professional license or expertise, including, but not limited to, a report or opinion delivered by a land surveyor, title company, title insurance company, structural inspector, pest inspector, licensed engineer, or contractor. This applies to the seller’s real estate broker as well.
This should give a conscientious seller the assurance that the statute provides for property disclosure only and is not a warranty of current or ongoing condition. Provided a seller discloses everything they know, or that a reasonable seller should have known, about their property, a seller should feel good in knowing they are not held liable for its condition.
Here are a few great online resources to add to your knowledge base:
Current local Form 17 Real Property Transfer Disclosure Statement: https://windermeremi.com/files/2024/05/17_SellerDiscl.pdf
The complete text of the Washington State Real Property Transfer Act: https://app.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=64.06&full=true
NOLO Article: https://www.nolo.com/legal-encyclopedia/residential-home-sellers-washington-what-the-law-requires-you-disclose.html
Of course, nothing tops having an experienced pro to guide you through the process. We’ve seen hundreds upon hundreds of homes and can help you identify the solid finds from the duds with gorgeous looking veneer.
Choosing the right broker can save you thousands on your home purchase. Whether through local market knowledge and pricing analysis allowing you to make a smarter offer, recommendations and resources to thoroughly conduct your due diligence and avoid costly mistakes, or savvy contract negotiation to help you get the terms you need, having a Windermere broker on your side is an advantage you can’t afford to sacrifice.
We earn the trust and loyalty of our brokers and clients by doing real estate exceptionally well. The leader in our market, we deliver client-focused service in an authentic, collaborative, and transparent manner and with the unmatched knowledge and expertise that comes from decades of experience.
© Copyright 2020-2024, Windermere Real Estate/Mercer Island. Originally written by Julie Barrows.