How to Donate Shoes From Home, Step by Step
You can donate shoes to charity without leaving the house. Book online, pack your shoes in bags with each pair kept together, and leave them on the doorstep by 7am on your collection day. You don’t need to be in. This page walks through each step. For an overview of the service, see our free doorstep shoe collection.
- Six simple steps
- Pairs kept together
- Bags out by 7am
- No need to be in
Step by step
How to donate shoes from home
From the first look in the shoe rack to the van pulling away, it takes very little of your time. You can book from a phone or a laptop, and we do the rest.
Sort out what you’re giving
Go through the shoe rack, the hall cupboard and the bottom of the wardrobe. Pull out any shoes you no longer wear that are still in good, wearable condition. We take trainers, boots, sandals, heels, smart shoes, slippers and wellies, for adults and children. Shoes don’t need to be new or in fashion. Someone just needs to be able to wear them. Check what shoes can I donate? if you’re unsure about a pair.
Clean and dry them
Knock off any mud, especially from wellies and walking boots, and give the outside a quick wipe. Let wet shoes dry completely before you pack them. Damp shoes go mouldy once they are shut in a bag, and they spoil everything packed with them.
Pack them up
- Keep every pair together. Tie trainers and boots to each other by the laces.
- For shoes without laces, such as sandals, heels and slippers, put each pair in its own small bag or hold them together with an elastic band.
- Look inside each shoe and take out anything tucked away, such as keys or socks.
- Use strong bags, or boxes a driver can lift, and tie or close them.
- If you’re giving clothes too, shoes can go in with them as long as each pair is tied together. Keep things like books or kitchenware in a separate bag or box.
Book your collection
Book online and enter your postcode to see the dates we are collecting near you. Then:
- Pick a date. If we are near you tomorrow, you can book it until 4pm today.
- Tell us where your donations will be. That could be the doorstep, the porch, with a concierge, or somewhere else you describe.
- Tell us if you’ll have more than 20 bags or boxes, so we can make sure the van has room.
- Choose your charity. You can pick the RSPCA, Action for Children, Together for Short Lives or Advance, or plant trees with Ecologi.
You’ll get a confirmation email straight away, with a link to manage your booking.
The evening before
We email you an estimated arrival window for the next day. The email includes a link to follow the driver on a live map.
Collection day
Put your bags out by 7am. You don’t need to be at home. The driver picks them up, and we let you know once your donation has been collected.
On the day
Leave them out and get on with your day
Our drivers only visit the addresses that have booked. Yours will come to the place you described when you booked, pick up your bags and take them back to our warehouse.
If your bags can’t be left outside, tell us when you book that they’re in the porch. You can also ask the driver to knock.
Changing or cancelling
You can move your collection to another date or cancel it in three ways: use the “Manage my booking” link in your confirmation email, sign in to My Account, or use the Anglo Doorstep app.
What happens next
At our warehouse, your shoes are sorted by hand. We pass on what can be worn again. Follow the whole journey on what happens to my shoes.
Worth the effort
Why donate your shoes this way
It helps people and your charity
Your shoes can be worn by someone who needs them, and they raise money for the charity you choose. A large percentage of the proceeds goes to your chosen cause. Read who do my shoes help?
It helps the planet
Every pair worn again is a pair that doesn’t need to be made. We estimate that each kilo of shoes reused instead of made new saves around 3 kg of CO2e and 2,500 litres of water. Find out more on how donating shoes helps the planet.
We come to you, regularly
We collect across most of England and South Wales, and most areas have a collection every week or every fortnight. See the areas we cover.
Clearing out shoes your children have outgrown? Read about donating children’s shoes.
Questions
Questions about donating shoes from home
Do I need to be at home?
No. Leave your bags out by 7am on your collection day and the driver will pick them up.
Is it really free?
Yes. There is no charge for a collection.
Can I donate a single shoe?
We need shoes in pairs so they can be worn again. That’s why it helps to tie each pair together or bag it on its own: pairs stay together all the way to our warehouse.
How many bags can I put out?
As many as you have from a normal clear-out. If you have more than 20 bags or boxes, tell us when you book so we can make sure the van has room.
What if it rains?
Use strong bags and tie them closed, or leave them in a porch if you have one. Wet shoes can go mouldy, so keeping them dry really matters.
Can I book a collection for tomorrow?
If we are collecting near you tomorrow, yes. Tomorrow’s collections stay open until 4pm today. Enter your postcode on the booking page to see your dates.
More answers are on our frequently asked questions page. To see what else we can take, go to everything we collect.
Ready to donate your shoes?
It’s free, you don’t need to be at home, and you choose the charity your donation supports.