WHERE TO DONATE

Where to donate your clutter for a good cause

Eyeglasses

Your old specs could mean the gift of improved vision for someone else. Onesight (onesight.org) collects eyewear donations that are then recycled for the raw materials. Funds collected help support eye-health programs in underserved communities worldwide.

Career clothes

The suit that never looked right on you might be the confidence builder another person needs. With 11 locations across Canada, Dress for Success (dressforsuccess.org) provides gently used clothes for disadvantaged women entering or returning to the workforce.

Electronics

Still hanging on to that broken VCR? The Electronic Products Recycling Association (epra.ca) operates 1,000 authorized collection sites (drop-off centres, return-to-retail locations and special collection events) across Canada to help keep e-waste out of landfill sites.

Furniture, appliances, building supplies

Habitat for Humanity’s (habitat.ca) 90 Canadian Restores will take almost anything in your home, new or vintage (and maybe even the kitchen sink). Check with your store to see what can be donated. Profits go toward funding your local Habitat affiliate.

Mobile devices

Unload unwanted mobile devices and chargers at Recycle My Cell (recyclemycell.ca) drop-off locations across Canada. Devices are refurbished or dismantled for use in other items. A donation to participating local charities is made for each device recycled.

Books

Promote literacy by helping Books With No Bounds (bookswithnobounds.com) refresh the shelves of aboriginal school libraries in remote Canadian communities. Or donate books that are in good condition to your local library. Sales help fund programs and services.

Hockey gear

The joy of lacing up a pair of skates and getting on the ice is an experience every Canadian kid should have. Skate to Great (skatetogreat.org) distributes gently used skates, hockey gear and sticks to schools and organizations across the country.

Fabric and yarn

Victoria’s Quilts Canada (victoriasquiltscanada.com) accepts 100percent-cotton fabric in order to provide handmade quilts to people with cancer. Blankets for Canada (blankets4canada.ca) accepts acrylic yarn for blankets it provides to those without shelter.

Tools

Give your no-longer-used tools a second life at a tool-lending library. For a small yearly fee ($50 to $75), members can borrow hundreds of tools for home renos, repairs and gardening at this space-saving alternative to owning. Less clutter for you and for them!