Spring cleaning season often means facing down a mountain of stuff you no longer need. If you are ready to part ways with some of your belongings, donating them is a great way to extend their life and help out your community. But a quick PSA: donation centres are not meant to be a dumping ground for trash. If you would not gift it to a friend, chances are it should not end up in someone else’s hands either.
Here’s a quick guide to sorting it all out (plus, if you need suggestions on where to take your items, I am sharing some of my go-to spots for donating and consigning later in this post):
Consign it
If it’s in great condition, on-trend or designer, and you would feel comfortable seeing it in a boutique window, it might be worth consigning. Think gently used clothing, shoes, and accessories that is stylish, seasonal, and clean. Vancouver is lucky to have several fantastic consignment shops that will find your items a second life—and you might even make a little cash back. I am a consignment queen and part of being able to consign a lot of pieces is taking care of your clothing and buying brands that retain their value. Shitty brands like Shein and FashionNova can’t be sold secondhand because the margins are non-existant.
My personal picks:
- Front & Company (Main Street)
- Accepts womenswear and menswear
- Consignment by appointment only
- Offers 40% payment or 50% store credit
- More details here.
- Hunter & Hare (Main Street, Union Street and North Vancouver)
- Accepts womenswear at both locations; baby and toddler clothing accepted at Main Street only
- Consignment by appointment only
- Offers 40% payment
- More details here.
- The Main Exchange (Main Street)
- Accepts womenswear
- No appointment needed — walk-ins welcome Tuesday to Saturday, 11am–5pm
- Offers 30% payment or 50% store credit
- More details here.
Sell it on Marketplace
If it is functional, moderately priced, and too casual or common for consignment (think IKEA shelves, small appliances, or kids’ toys), posting it for a quick sale on Facebook Marketplace or even a local Buy Nothing group could be the way to go. Set a fair price, be honest about any flaws, and keep it local.
Offer it to your personal network
Another tool I love using is Instagram Close Friends. Before donating or posting things online, I will often give my own circle the first chance to claim something—especially when it comes to lightly used beauty products or random homewares. It is a casual way to rehome things, and sometimes your friends will be thrilled to give your old favourites a second life.
Toss or recycle it
If it’s broken, stained, ripped, missing parts, or smells suspiciously funky—please do not donate it. No charity wants to foot the bill for disposing of unusable items. Same goes for open food, used underwear, expired cosmetics, and anything with visible mould or damage. Instead, look into local recycling depots (especially for electronics, textiles and batteries) or, if all else fails, dispose of it responsibly through city waste services.
Donate it
Clothing that is clean and in good condition, household goods like dishes, small furniture, unopened personal care items, books, and non-perishable food are almost always welcome at donation centres. The golden rule: if it is something you would feel comfortable giving to someone directly, it is likely a good candidate for donation.
I have also donated to WISH Drop-In Centre in the past, which supports women and gender diverse people involved in Vancouver’s street-based sex trade. However, it is worth noting that their donation room is currently plentiful, so it is always a good idea to check with them first before bringing items by.
If you are looking for places in Vancouver where your donations will truly support the community, here are some of my suggestions:
- My Sister’s Closet (Commercial Drive & Main Street)
- Accepts gently used, laundered women’s and men’s clothing, shoes, handbags and jewellery
- Donation drop-offs accepted 7 days a week from 11am to 6pm
- Supports BWSS (Battered Women’s Support Services) programs and services
- Dress for Success Vancouver (Downtown)
- Seeks modern, professional clothing suitable for job interviews—think suits, blazers, dress pants, skirts, dresses, professional handbags, footwear, and long-sleeve blouses
- Donations must be clean, current, and in excellent condition—no sportswear, formal gowns, sleepwear, men’s or children’s clothing
- Drop-off by appointment at their office (booking required here)
- Alternate drop-off options: Turnabout Luxury Resale (consign under their account #66258) or Covenant House
- Downtown Eastside Women’s Centre (Multiple locations)
- Accepts new or gently used clothing (hoodies, leggings, jeans, jackets, socks, underwear, runners), toiletries (shampoo, body wash, razors, sunscreen), and essentials like blankets, towels, sleeping bags and bottled water.
- Staff assistance available at each location for donation drop-offs (loading zones or bell systems at some sites)
- Vancouver Women’s Health Collective (VWHC) (Downtown)
- Accepts donations to support free health and wellness services for women, non-binary, and gender non-conforming individuals
- Items needed: new underwear, bras, socks, deodorant, razors, casual women’s or unisex clothing and footwear, reusable tote bags, purses, mugs, new or gently used makeup (new mascara only), toiletries (toothbrushes, shampoo, body wash, lotion), menstrual pads and panty liners, jewellery, and perfume
- Also welcomes gift cards for drugstores, office supply stores, and grocery stores
