Since the pandemic, we are accepting donations by appointment. Call or email us to arrange a convenient day and time to drop off your items on Monday, Thursday or Friday.

PLEASE do not leave items outside the store when we are closed. Call us at 847-482-1705 or email to arrange a time to donate.

To help you prepare your donations, below is a list of preferred categories - what we know will sell in the shop - and what we can’t accept. Questions? Give us a call.

We Love Good + Used

Frankly speaking, we can't take everything you may be clearing out. Like a mini department store, we stock a variety of items we know our customers are looking for and we know we can sell. 

Also, like you, we're limited by space and time, and some of your items should be recycled at other places instead of Forest & Found. 

To recycle responsibly and efficiently, please refer to the lists below of items we can and can't accept. 

Items we gladly accept

Clothing for women, men and kids that are ready to wear without stains or tears
Jewelry, scarves, hats, gloves, mittens, handbags, backpacks and related
Kitchen tools such as cookware, bakeware, countertop appliances in working order
Tabletop dishes, glassware, china, crystal, flatware, serve ware
Decorative items our customers love to come in for a vase or new, interesting objects for the coffee table
Art work
Lighting
Furniture - small pieces such as coffee and side tables, footstools and occasional chairs. If you have larger furniture, call or email us a picture beforehand so we can gauge if we have space for it. 847-482-1705.

Items We can't Accept

Obsolete and broken electronics and desktop tech: printers, monitors, computers, cables and connectors, VHS and cassette tapes, remotes. Recycle these at your local municipal recycling center.
Personal medical equipment: crutches, walkers, boots and slings. No one wants to buy these.
Exercise machines: treadmills, stationary bikes, massage chairs
Baby Items: cribs, exer-saucers, bouncy chairs. They may have recall warnings and we don’t have room.
Common sense items such as mattresses, tires, pool equipment, carpeting pieces, paint
Books: Please donate adult books to the library and children’s book to Bernie’s Book Bank.
  

LOCAL RESOURCES FOR responsible RECYCLING
 

ELECTRONICS AND APPLIANCES

Best Buy Recycling Program
Best Buy will recycle old electronics, desktop technology and computers that we cannot accept. Its website provides a list of items to drop off for free or a nominal fee.
BestBuy.com/recycle

Staples Recycling
Staples will recycle office desktop technology as well as office furniture.
staples.com/sbd/cre/marketing/sustainability-center

ABT Recycling Program

Disposing of tube tv's has become rare. Abt will recycle tube, as well as flat screen tv's, for a fee. 

In addition, Abt will recycle wood pallets, electronics, appliances, cardboard, paper, batteries, plastic (industrial wrap only), Styrofoam (white only), and materials brought in by customers.

computers, printers, fax machines

Midwest Computer Recycling, Inc.
101 W. Skokie Blvd.Lake Bluff, IL 60044 (at Rtes 41 and 176)
Drop off hours: Mon - Fri 8AM to 4PM, Saturday 9AM to 3PM
847-582-1730
mwincrecycling.com/

UNwanted prescription drugs, Pet Meds, Vitamins and SUPPLEMENTS  

Lake Forest Police Department
255 W Deerpath, Lake Forest, IL 60045

Lake Bluff  Police Department
40 E Center Ave # 1, Lake Bluff, IL 60044

Lake County Sheriff's Office
25 S Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue
Waukegan, IL 60085

Check your local police department for other kiosk box locations

Area Walgreens Stores with metal prescription disposal boxes:
Buffalo Grove Walgreens at 15 N Buffalo Grove Road
Deerfield Walgreens at 780 Waukegan Road
Waukegan Walgreens at 1811 Belvidere Road

LATEX Waste PAINT Disposal

EPaint Recycling Solutions will recycle old latex paint into new
Various Ace Hardware Stores have partnered with EPaint to accept leftover latex paint
See the list of local stores at http://www.epaintrecyclingsolutions.com/dropoff-points/

plastic plant trays, pots and tags

Vernon Hills Lowe's 1660 N. Milwaukee Ave, Vernon Hills, IL

Northbrook Lowe's 1000 Willow Rd, Northbrook, IL

Gurnee Lowe's 7735 West Grand Ave, Gurnee, IL

CARPETING, WOOD, METALS, ASPHALT SHINGLES, DRYWALL, PLUMBING FIXTURES, GLASS and Leftovers from remodeling and construction

C&D Recycling
2300 Carlson Drive
Northbrook IL 60062
847-291-1222
Hours: Mon- Fri 6AM-4PM Saturday 7AM-12PM
cd-recycling.com

EXCESS CARDBOARD AND WASTE PAPER

Alan Josephson Company
Recycling Services for Lake County
847-949-0700
ajcoinc.com/