Where to Donate in Toronto: Give Your Clutter a Second Life

Cathy Borg
Dec 28, 2025
4 min read

Caterpillar and butterfly on a branch with text "Where to Donate in Toronto." Background has soft colors. Words emphasize reuse and donation.

Where Can I Donate Household and Medical Items in Toronto?

In Toronto, reliable places to donate everyday household and furniture items include Furniture Bank (furnishing homes for people transitioning out of homelessness), Habitat for Humanity ReStores (furniture, appliances, home goods), and local Salvation Army Thrift Stores. For clothing, organizations like Oasis Clothing Bank and Dress for Success Toronto ensure your donations go directly to people who need them. For unexpired medical supplies, Not Just Tourists (based at Roncesvalles United Church) is a trusted option. If the logistics feel overwhelming, we can coordinate the donations for you.

Is Your Clutter Ready for a New Home?

Most of us aren’t drowning in junk; we’re holding onto memories. That blazer from your first big interview, the baby clothes too precious to part with. Or the chocolate fountain I bought for my daughter’s birthday and used exactly once — at my daughter’s birthday. Great idea at the time, but a bit too rich for my blood… and the cleanup was no treat either.

Things don’t come into our homes as clutter.

They only become clutter once we stop using or loving them.

And let’s face it — they’re not going to improve with age.

Keeping them packed away doesn’t help anyone. What if those things could be put back to work instead?

What if that chair went to someone who needs it? Or a comfy sweater you've stopped wearing helps a newcomer through their first Toronto winter?

Wouldn't that be nice? (We are Canadians after all.)

If you’re ready to give your belongings a second life, here’s how to donate with purpose in Toronto so your things continue serving long after they leave your home.

If you’re downsizing or helping a parent prepare for a move, donating is often part of a much bigger process. You can read more about that here: Downsize After Fifty.

Person in a brown sweater holds a relaxed black-and-white kitten, petting it gently. Warm, cozy mood.

Clothing: Donate in Toronto and Give Your Wardrobe a Second Act

General Clothing Donations

Oasis Clothing Bank supports addiction recovery programs.
Salvation Army Thrift Stores funds community services across Toronto.
Diabetes Canada Donation Bins: Proceeds support diabetes research and programs.

Clothing for Specific Needs

Dress for Success Toronto provides professional attire for women entering the workforce.
Suits Me Fine (CAMH): Helps individuals in mental health recovery access work-appropriate clothing.
Jessie’s Centre supports young mothers and families with baby clothes and maternity wear.

Think About This: When was the last time you wore half of what’s in your closet? If your clothes could talk, they'd probably be begging to go out more.

Organizer tip: When donating clothing, pack by category, not by room. One type of item at a time makes the process faster and less overwhelming.

Furniture & Household Goods: A Fresh Start for Your Extras

Furniture Bank furnishes homes for people transitioning out of homelessness.
Habitat for Humanity ReStores accepts gently used furniture and building materials to support affordable housing.
Matthew House Toronto provides furniture for refugees and newcomers settling into the city.

Look at It This Way: That extra chair in the corner? Someone else could be reading bedtime stories in it. (And if the thought of getting it out the door is what’s stopping you, remember that’s exactly what our team is for!)

These are just a few of my go-to donation spots in Toronto.

If you’d like a more complete list — including books, consignment, and specialty items — you can find it on my website here: Places to Donate or Consign in Toronto

When donations are part of a downsizing or estate clear-out, we handle the sorting and drop-offs so things keep moving.

Learn more about how we support clients through downsizing and estate cleanout Toronto.

📚 Books & More: Stories Worth Sharing

Even organizers have trouble parting with books — they hold memories and meaning. But donating them the right way keeps them in circulation and out of landfill.

Donate Differently – A Toronto-based pickup service that resells gently used books and donates a portion of the proceeds to CAMH’s mental-health programs. It’s a social-enterprise model, so you’re helping both readers and a good cause.

Second Life Book – A family-run business that rescues unwanted books from landfills. They donate and resell titles, supporting community literacy programs and schools. Over the past five years, they’ve donated more than 300,000 books.

Letting go of books can be tough, but at least this way your stories — and theirs — keep circulating instead of collecting dust.

Ceramic mug on wooden tray with open book and textured jar. Set on a dark tabletop against wooden floor. Cozy, relaxed ambiance.

Consignment & Resale: Declutter and Earn

Not everything needs to be donated—some pieces deserve a second life and a paycheck.

Common Sort buys trendy, high-quality clothing.
Fashionably Yours resells luxury fashion items.
Gadabout Vintage specializes in unique, vintage finds.

Beyond Clearing Space: This isn’t just about decluttering—it’s about making sure your items land in the right hands.

How to Donate Without the Headache

A few simple habits make donating easier — and more meaningful:

1. Check what’s accepted. Every organization has its own list. A quick look online saves you a wasted trip.

2. Sort by category. Clothing, linens, housewares — one type at a time keeps you from getting overwhelmed.

3. Be realistic about condition. If it’s broken, torn, or stained, it’s recycling or disposal, not donation.

4. Schedule the drop-off (or pickup). Mark it in your calendar so it actually happens.

5. Celebrate the space you’ve freed up. Every bag out the door is one less thing to trip over — and one more reason to feel proud of what you’ve shared.

Flowchart titled "Decluttering and Donating Items" with five steps: Check, Sort, Assess, Schedule, Celebrate. Colorful and organized.

About In and Out Organizing and the Writer

Cathy Borg is a Partner at In and Out Organizing and a member of Professional Organizers in Canada (POC). A former high school teacher, she brings an educator’s approach to downsizing and organizing, helping people make decisions at a manageable pace without being overwhelmed. She works with older adults, families, and executors across Toronto and the GTA.