Congratulations on conquering the clutter! But now, where to donate them?
If your decluttered items are gathering dust in the basement, they haven’t quite completed their journey. Letting them linger is a common oversight, yet it’s crucial to move them swiftly and thoughtfully to their next destination.
Donating responsibly means ensuring your items serve a second life where they’re most needed. To help you achieve just that, I’ve curated a list of stellar places in Calgary, each ready to welcome your donations. Organized by category, this guide ensures your items find the perfect new home.
Variety of items
Donation pick up
Construction materials & large appliances
Health equipment
Hygiene items & medical supplies
Car seats & baby items
Youth sports equipment
Books & textbooks
They accept pretty wide variety of stuff with only small limitations, such as:
The Salvation Army has many drop off locations and little limitations on what you can donate, which makes it super convenient.
They are a very good not for profit organization, helping children and families, often tending to the basic necessities of life, provides shelter for homeless people and rehabilitation for people who have lost control of their lives to an addiction.
They accept lots of categories for donation, although they also have an extensive list of items that won’t be accepted, so check before you go.
Items that will be accepted:
Items that will NOT be accepted:
General items:
Babies & kids items:
Electronics:
Lots of locations around the city. Goodwill employs people with disabilities and cares about the environment. They recycle or repurpose donations that cannot be sold to keep them out of landfills.
Women in Need Society accept a large variety of items for a good cause of helping women and children in need. Lots of drop off locations around Calgary but few things to keep in mind:
Items that will be accepted:
Items that will NOT be accepted:
Babies & kids items:
Women in Need Society (WINS) support vulnerable women and their children, through their community programs that provide basic needs, emotional support, and vital resources. They care for environment and strive to minimize waste.
Don’t want to drop off your donations? No worries, these organizations below will come to your location and pick up donations from your porch.
Diabetes Canada accept a lot of items, similar to donation centres mentioned above, and there are a few thing they won’t take:
Diabetes Canada is very convenient as they pick up from your porch on a scheduled day. You can schedule time online.
They lead the fight against diabetes by preventing the onset and consequences of diabetes, helping those affected by diabetes to live healthy lives amd working to find a cure.
Like Diabetes Canada, Kidney Clothes will come to your house and pick up your donations from your porch.
They will take all the typical donations, plus yarn and fabric. You can also include ripped or worn out items for recycling as long as they are clean, dry, and free of contaminants.
Items that will NOT be accepted:
The Kidney Foundation is very convinient as they pick up from your porch on a scheduled day. You can schedule time online.
The Kidney Foundation is a leading investor in kidney research and provides programs and services to those living with and at risk of developing kidney disease.
Habitat for Humanity ReStore has two locations in Calgary and they will do pickup for your furniture, kitchen cabinets, or appliances that are in good condition.
Items that will be accepted:
They have extensive explanation on their website, of what exactly they will and will not take. So you better check before going there, for example, they will not take appliances 10 years old or more.
Habitat for Humanity ReStore accepts items that other cantre do not. It is good for environment as these materials would otherwise end up in the landfill.
Canadian Red Cross will accept health equipment that other donation placed often do not:
They accept lots of items, not only hygiene and medical supplies, but because there’s only one drop off location it’s not as convenient.
Calgary Drop in Centre accepts items other donations centres don’t, like medical supplies and hygiene items, computers.
Calgary drop in centre provides free furniture, household items, kitchenware, and other essentials to Calgarians who need them.
Women’s centre of Calgary accepts:
Women’s Centre of Calgary accept cosmetics that other donations centres don’t.
Women’s Centre of Calgary helps women with issues as diverse as poverty and hunger, family breakdown, parenting, homelessness, unemployment, health and education, immigration and settlement, domestic violence, isolation and loneliness, life transitions and discrimination.
Car seats must not be within 12 months of expiry, have never been in any kind of accident, have no recalls, have no signs of wear/tear, must be clean and should include the manual if available.
Made by momma also accepts donations of:
Made by Momma accept car seats and baby items, food and cosmetics that other donations centres don’t.
Provide wholesome nourishment and nurturing care to mothers and young children facing situations of adversity and crisis.
They accept donations of equipment for all different sports.
All equipment be placed in a clear plastic bag when being dropped off at one of the 8 locations. They collaborated with The Wood Automotive Group and all the locations are actually dealerships.
Clear bags are available at the dealership if you don’t have one.
The Calgary Flames Sports Bank distributes all used sports equipment to children who would otherwise be denied the opportunity to participate in sports.
Any large donation centre accepts books, but if you recently decluttered your book library and have only books to donate, you may consider donating to these wonderful organizations that only specialize in books.
Note: New textbooks can be donated, outdated textbooks should be recycled.
Peakbooks accept all different types of books/media. Including but not limited to:
Peakbooks accept textbooks and wide variety of books that other places may reject.
As much as 95% of books donated will not be sold by Peakbooks, and instead, they will look for a new home for the books.
They will accept all books in good condition, for the exception of these items:
Proceeds from book sales go towards supporting several local organizations, including B.C. and Alberta Guide Dogs, Bethany Care Society, Calgary Cerebral Palsy Association, and Veterans Food Bank of Calgary.
These are just a few of the many organizations that accept donations in Calgary. When choosing a place to donate, consider the types of items you have and the causes you want to support.
By donating your unwanted items, you can help those in need, reduce waste, and protect the environment. So next time you declutter your home, be sure to consider donating your gently used items to a local organization.
Need help decluttering? Check a professional organizers method to decluttering clothes in 9 simple steps.
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