Where to Recycle, donate and consign; the ultimate guide to sustainable decluttering in Kingston
As we head into spring there is often an urge to declutter to start the new season fresh. The most frequently asked question I get as a home organizer is where can I donate so that my items go to people who need them or so that the proceeds stay in the community. This list is focused on community minded organizations as well as consignment options so that you can make a little back too!
A friendly reminder that you should only be donating gently used items. If things are soiled, threadbare, have been in a home where someone has smoked, are damaged, or they don’t work, consider recycling, fixing or discarding the items instead. Also, please remember these are community organizations and small businesses, please read their wishlists and follow any rules provided before donating.
We all love a one stop donation so the first section is filled with places to donate many different items, from clothing to books to furniture these spots are your place.
A good first stop is the Acts of Kindness facebook group You can post the items you want to give away or see what people are in need of and comment if you have an item to give away.
They are a group of volunteers who work in collaboration with local shelters & other nonprofit agencies. They often post what is needed on facebook- check out the link above
844 Division St
They accept donations during weekdays from 9am-4pm. The Goodway has an amazing track record that over 95% of all donated items get re-sold or re-cycled. Your donations help Kingston and area people get back to school, back to work or trained in a dynamic retail environment. All profits generated through The Goodway will be reinvested into Kingston through community partnerships. By simply donating goods and shopping at The Goodway, Kingston residents are directly helping their community and diverting unused items away from landfill. They accept everything from food, to clothes to small furniture items.
85 Stephen St
The WearHouse is an amazing place where people in need can go and pick up anything they need for free. They take clothing, housewares, furniture, electronics and games/ sports equipment. They request that donations are made keeping in mind the needs of the upcoming season because of limited storage space and want to ensure that appropriate clothing is available to their clients. Drop-off time is 9 am-1 pm. They even accept large furniture donations and can pick up. Head to the website above to find out more.
The Neighborhood Sharing Centre
670 Days Road
They accept donations of good used clothing, bedding, dishes, knick-knacks, paperback books and small housewares..
All proceeds help community programs .
277 Bath Road
They accept clothing, Kitchenware, Home decor, bedding & linens and Leisure & other
They offer a Voucher program for clothes and furniture for those in need to shop at the store free of charge. Donations of non-perishable food items are always welcome for the community choice pantry.
2455 Princess St
Another all purpose thrift store with proceeds staying in the Kingston community, You can donate Tuesday - Friday from 10-4. They accept most household and clothing items.
They accept donations and all items go directly to local homeless and those in need. Their facebook page is frequently updated with things that they need.
The Kingston youth shelter will accept gently used clothing, books, games, crafts and puzzles as well as unopened toiletries and personal care items. See their website for the wishlist
Dawn house accepts gently used clothing, household items, unopened toiletries and personal items. Please see the website above for their current wishlist and to get in touch with the team.
Please note that although they do accept used items, it is dependent on need and space to store such items. Please email donations@kingstonintervalhouse.com to discuss your donation**
Multi Category Consignment
Canadian saving mom consignment Lisa takes adult and kids clothing, games, toys, and household items
There is currently a waitlist to consign but if you can wait it's a great opportunity for selling a variety of things without having to do the hard work of listing the items yourself! Plus she has a large audience so things tend to move faster than doing it on your own. If you have questions about what’s accepted - please contact Lisa.
Places to donate specific categories
Books, Games, & Entertainment
Donations are gratefully accepted at the Central, Isabel Turner and Calvin Park Branches. Please drop off no more than one to two bags or boxes at a time. All items must be in good condition and suitable for resale. Money made from the sale goes towards programming at the library!
These items are accepted for donation:
Recently published paperbacks
Recently published hardcover fiction and non-fiction items
Large-print fiction and non-fiction books
DVDs
Children's books
Puzzles
Little libraries these neighborhood libraries are the perfect place to pick up a new to you book and donate your old books for your neighbors
Clothing
845 Princess St
Your fabulous suits and other professional apparel could furnish another woman with the confidence to enter or return to the workplace, make a great first impression and land a job that could change her life. They have specific donation days- you can find details on their website- ensure you are donating current season clothing. They are currently looking for clothing sized large - 5x
165 Princess Street
YGK Thrift offers quality vintage and modern clothing at low prices. All sale proceeds will be donated to Almost Home in Kingston to support families with children receiving medical care.
Clothing Consignment
This is your opportunity to make a little money back on your gently used or the clothes that still have the tags on that you never got the chance to wear
94 Brock street
A great option for selling your gently used high end and sustainable brands. The goal of ClosettCandyy Consignment is to offer customers the best quality, style and price (within reason) for second-hand clothing, shoes, and accessories while ensuring as much clothing as possible is diverted from landfills. Before reaching out, please inspect all items closely to make sure they are in sellable condition. Items require pre- approval and an appointment for drop off. Head to the website above to find out more
39 Montreal St
Another amazing thrift store. This one features curated collections from different vintage collectors, They have housewares, clothes and some new items from local makers. What’s even better, anything they don’t take to sell they will donate to YGK Thrift!
500 Gardiners Road
Consign your high end items with the revolving door. They accept items under 2 years old that are the current season You can take in up to 20 items at a time and you don’t have to make an appointment to take your items. To learn more about consigning with the revolving door check their website above,
Wedding and occasion wear
95 Clarence Street
One of my favourite new stores and the first preowned bridal store in kingston! Moxie and Mine is a consignment + thrift shop with a few local vendors as well. Kendra accepts wedding dresses from 2015 or newer as well as some vintage. To see what she takes and how to consign check out the website above.
Ahead of the prom season Montreal street collective buys formal wear to resell.
Maternity clothes
The only dedicated maternity store in Kingston! Anna accepts donations to her shop and she also buys lots, which means you don’t have to wait for your payout! She also donates to community partners for items she is unable to sell! Follow the link above to find out more about donating and selling your maternity items.
Kids clothes and toys
Donate your gently used kids clothes and small toys to these pop up markets. Prices are kept low to pass on the savings to community members in need. Drop off and porch pick up are available. And bonus they donate unsold toys to Tiny toy co to keep the cycle going.
Baby Items
The Care Closet is stocked with new and used baby and maternity items including clothes, diapers, formula, and other baby items. Clients can access the Care Closet once a month. All items are free.
Kids Sale and Consignment
620 Gardiners Rd
New to Kingston this winter, Once upon a child has quickly become a favourite for selling gently used kids clothes toys and books. They buy items up front so you don’t have to wait for items to sell for a payout.
1440 Princess Street
Simply New to You buys and sells brand-name kids’ clothing, accessories, shoes, and baby products. Customers can also join their VIP group on Facebook to view new products.
For items that are no longer wearable Textile recycling program green bins Renewal squared inc are an option
Furniture & Housewares
Restore Habitat for Humanity store
607 Gardiners Road,
Habitat for humanity will accept furniture and other household items in good condition. They even have a pick up option for large items. See their website above for more details.
Furniture and Housewares Consignment
1640 Bath Rd
Let the experts at The Carson House do all the pricing, marketing, and selling, while you just relax.
They accept all consignment items by appointment only on Tuesdays & Thursdays...
Vintage, antique and unique items
To ensure a smooth and transparent process, they request that you provide them with detailed information about each item (including photographs, descriptions, item's condition, any notable features/flaws and history if available). Items are reviewed independently due to space limitations.
In terms of pricing, they would like you to share the price you are looking to consign or sell each item for. This will help them better understand your expectations and evaluate whether it aligns with their business. At this time, they do not send offers or engage in researching items without a starting price point.
Grocery
140 Hickson Avenue or at many local grocery stores
If you have perishable items that you would like to donate, please call and speak to office staff (613) 544-4100. Non perishables can be dropped into donation barrels at the back of our warehouse location (contactless)
Grocery Bags
I don’t know about you but the amount of times i’ve forgotten my reusable bags and had to buy more is a bit shocking. But what do you do with the perfectly good bags that you don’t need anymore?
The memorial centre farmers market or the salvation army have drop off bins for gently used bags. Tara's Natural foods has a recycling bin for Polypropylene non-woven reusable bags and coated polypropylene reusable bags.
Pet Supplies
They have a wishlist posted to their website , they also will accept towels and blankets for the animals.
They accept the following items
Donate an item from our wish list:
Vinyl sheet flooring (not individual tiles) at least 5' x 5' in size
Metal exercise pens (x-pens) at least 30" tall
Heavy ceramic food and water dishes
Cat litter (clumping)
Wet and dry cat food - Go brand
Wood stove pellets (no additives)
Carefresh or recycled newspaper bedding
See the website to arrange drop off
Musical Instruments
Joe’s Music Mill is here to help everyone unlock the potential and benefits that music can bring to their lives and to their communities by putting the ability to play music directly into their hands. You can donate gently used musical instruments that then go into the library to be used by the community.
For items you want to fix
Repair Cafe Kingston is an initiative of Kingston Unitarian Fellowship sharing knowledge of repairing. They run sessions at the central branch of KFPL on the first Saturday of every month.
E-waste recycling
The last category is e-waste. Below are some drop off bins so you can recycle your e-waste responsibly.
Kimco 1325 John Counter Blvd
E-cycle habitat for humanity323 Bath Road
Broken item or things that no longer work
1187 Princess St #14
They accept everything from dishes to small and large appliances. They even pick up!
This list will continue to be updated so if I’ve missed any amazing organizations please let me know at info@poppedcloset.com.
If you need help decluttering or organizing book a free consultation here
Happy Decluttering!
-Jocelyn