Donating in Nova Scotia

Where to donate used goods in Halifax

11 organizations in and around Halifax that take donated furniture, clothes, appliances, kitchenware and household goods. For each one: what they take, what they refuse, and whether they will come and collect it.

Verified 2026-09-24 from each organization's own website. Hours, fees, pickup areas and what is accepted change without notice — call or check their site before you load the car. We are not affiliated with any organization listed here and we receive nothing if you donate to them.

If you cannot move it yourself

These 4 will come to you in Halifax. Everyone else on this page is drop-off.

  • Habitat for Humanity Nova Scotia ReStore — Verified on their donation page: "drop off your items at our store during business hours or schedule a free donation pickup for larger items." To book, fill in the ReStore Dartmouth pickup form or email donate@habitatns.ca with a description, photos and your contact information. They also remove full kitchens: "we will remove them free of charge and give you a tax receipt." No geographic boundary for pickups is published, so confirm on the donation line.
  • Mission Thrift Store Halifax — The chain's donate page says pickup is "Not available for every location, please check if you can get a pick-up near you." Their own store finder tags the Halifax store with "Offers Pickup" — but no fee, service area or booking method is published for this store, so call (902) 461-2364 to arrange it.
  • NS Resettlement Society — Nova Horizons — Their page states: "Volunteers are available to pick-up donations and deliver items to their new homes." No fee, service area or booking timeline is published for donation pickups, so use the "Arrange to donate household items" link and expect to confirm details with them.
  • Parker Street Food and Furniture Bank — They do collect: their donation form asks for a "Furniture Pick-Up Location" street address and states that items are "subject to final inspection by drivers." You must upload clear photos of every item or the form will not submit. Their site does not say whether the pickup is free or whether there is a service-area limit — ask when you call 902-425-2125.

Furniture banks in Halifax

They furnish homes for people leaving shelters, resettling, or starting over. They want good furniture and they are the most likely to collect it.

NS Resettlement Society — Nova Horizons

Will collect, conditions apply
TakesFurniture and household goods, redistributed free to newcomers who have lived in Nova Scotia 12 months or less. Their page does not publish an item list — use the "Arrange to donate household items" link on their site.
CollectionTheir page states: "Volunteers are available to pick-up donations and deliver items to their new homes." No fee, service area or booking timeline is published for donation pickups, so use the "Arrange to donate household items" link and expect to confirm details with them.
Where380A Bedford Highway, Halifax, NS B3M 1L2
Visit their site →

Parker Street Food and Furniture Bank

Will collect, conditions apply
TakesBedroom — single/double/queen mattresses and box springs, bedding, dressers, night tables, Living room — couches, love seats, arm chairs, end tables, coffee tables, shelves, TV stands, lamps, TVs, Kitchen — kitchen tables, kitchen chairs, microwaves/toasters, pots and pans, dishes, Clothing
Won't takeSoiled, torn or broken items — "donated items are subject to final inspection by drivers and items that are soiled, torn or broken may not be taken", Items from homes that are not smoke-free and pet-free — "all donated items must be from a smoke-free and pet-free home"
CollectionThey do collect: their donation form asks for a "Furniture Pick-Up Location" street address and states that items are "subject to final inspection by drivers." You must upload clear photos of every item or the form will not submit. Their site does not say whether the pickup is free or whether there is a service-area limit — ask when you call 902-425-2125.
Where2415 Maynard Street, Halifax, NS B3K 3V2
Visit their site →902-425-2125

Thrift stores in Halifax

The workhorses. Wide range, many locations, and the most predictable place to take a carload.

Mission Thrift Store Halifax

Will collect, conditions apply
TakesGently used clothing, Designer labels, Housewares & linens, Furniture, Books, Toys & games, Hardware & tools, Sports equipment, Electronics & gadgets, Jewellery, Antiques & collectibles, Pet supplies
Won't takeFood, Damaged furniture, Animals, Hazardous materials (e.g. batteries, paints, cleaning products), Automobile parts, Large appliances, Flammable products (e.g. gas, cans, torches), Construction materials, Mattresses, Infant products (e.g. car seats, cribs), Swing sets, Marine vessels (e.g. boats, canoes, kayaks)
CollectionThe chain's donate page says pickup is "Not available for every location, please check if you can get a pick-up near you." Their own store finder tags the Halifax store with "Offers Pickup" — but no fee, service area or booking method is published for this store, so call (902) 461-2364 to arrange it.
Where31 Temple Terrace, Lower Sackville, NS B4C 0A7
Visit their site →(902) 461-2364

Salvation Army Thrift Store

Drop off only
TakesClothing & linens, Footwear, Accessories, Housewares & small appliances, Computers & electronics, Books & media, Toys, Antiques & collectibles, Valuables
Won't takeFurniture, Beds, mattresses & boxsprings, Large appliances, Construction materials, Automobile parts & tires, Infant equipment (car seats, cribs, strollers), Paint & flammable/hazardous materials (e.g. torches, propane tanks), Pianos
CollectionStated verbatim on their donation page: "Please note: We are unable to offer donation pick-up services." Everything must be brought to a Thrift Store or Donor Welcome Centre.
Where190 locations Canada-wide. Five are in the Halifax area, all confirmed on their own store finder at thriftstore.ca/locations: Strawberry Hill Thrift Store, 3667 Strawberry Hill Street, Halifax B3K 5A8; Lake City Thrift Store, 125 Main Street, Dartmouth B2X 1R6; Cole Harbour Thrift Store, 971 Cole Harbour Rd, Dartmouth B2V 1E8; Bedford Commons Thrift Store, Suite 101 – 205 Damascus Road, Bedford B4A 0C2; and the Halifax Donor Welcome Centre, Unit 9 – 65 John Savage Ave, Dartmouth B3B 2C9. Check current hours per store on the finder.
Visit their site →1-855-984-8378Tax receipt on some donations

Souls Harbour Rescue Mission — Mission Mart

Not stated - ask them
TakesNot published. Their site lists donation drop-off hours at the Susie Lake Crescent store but gives no list of accepted or refused items — email MissionMart@shrm.ca or call before you load the car.
CollectionNeither missionmart.ca nor soulsharbour.ca says whether they collect donations from homes. Ask when you contact them.
Where265 Susie Lake Crescent, Halifax, NS B3S 0J5
Visit their site →1-902-405-4663

Value Village Community Donation Centre

Drop off only
TakesBackpacks & purses, Bed & bath, Books & media, Clothing & shoes, Electronics, Exercise & sporting goods, Games & toys, Housewares, Small appliances, Small furniture
Won't takeAppliances (large), Automobile parts, Construction materials, Damaged furniture, Flammable & hazardous materials, Food, Infant products, Mattresses, Swimming pools, TV & computer monitors, Weapons, Money
CollectionTheir donation page describes drop-off at a Community Donation Centre only and offers no home collection. Their own warnings: "Please donate when the centre is open. Leaving donations when the centre is closed is illegal," and attendants "may politely decline items we are unable to accept on behalf of local nonprofits." They suggest donating mornings or weekdays to avoid lines, and bagging or boxing donations.
WhereTwo Community Donation Centres in the Halifax area — Halifax (Bayers Lake) and Bedford (Bedford Commons). Those two are named on Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Halifax's own donation page. Value Village's store finder would not render, so I could not confirm street addresses, phone numbers or hours: link readers to the finder at valuevillage.ca rather than printing an address.
Not a charity. A for-profit retailer, not a charity. It pays a nonprofit partner for donated goods — the partner differs by store, so ask at the door if that matters to you.
Visit their site →

Clothing and textiles in Halifax

Clothes, shoes, linens and soft goods, including items too worn to resell that get recycled as fibre.

Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Halifax

Drop off only
TakesClothing and household items
CollectionTheir own page states in capitals: "HOME PICK-UPS HAVE BEEN DISCONTINUED." Instead: "Check out the map below to find a donation bin, or use the drive-through at Value Village's Community Donation Center/Centre Halifax (Bayers Lake) or Bedford (Bedford Commons)." They add that "100% of the proceeds from your clothing donations support programs for local youth."
WhereDonation bins across the community — use the bin map on their clothing donations page. Office: Suite 110, 1595 Bedford Highway (Sunnyside Mall), Bedford, NS B4A 3Y4.
Visit their site →902-466-5437

Venture Thrift Boutique (Affirmative Ventures)

Drop off only
TakesGently-loved adult clothing, Shoes, Accessories, Out-of-season items — "We will accept items that are not currently in season"
Won't takeChildren's items, Housewares, Anything not "in clean, gently-used condition with no stains, holes, or broken hardware"
CollectionStated plainly on their donation page: "We do not arrange pick-ups at this time." Drop off at either boutique during opening hours.
WhereTwo shops: 1595 Dresden Row, Halifax, NS B3J 2K4 (Mon–Fri 11:00 am–5:30 pm, Sat 10:00 am–5:00 pm, Sun 11:00 am–4:00 pm) and 942 Cole Harbour Road, Dartmouth, NS B2V 1E6 (phone 902-404-1650). The Dartmouth hours are laid out ambiguously on their site and differ from Halifax's — link to their location page rather than printing them. Their homepage describes Venture Thrift as "a social enterprise that is owned and operated by Affirmative Ventures, a non-profit that provides job development to individuals experiencing barriers to work."
Visit their site →902-406-2499

Building materials and renovation in Halifax

Doors, cabinets, fixtures, lumber, tools and appliances pulled out of a renovation.

Habitat for Humanity Nova Scotia ReStore

Will collect, free
TakesAppliances in working condition, Portable air conditioners and window units, Bathroom fixtures — sinks, toilets, shower heads, Building supplies — lumber, insulation, roofing materials, siding, Cooktops, ranges and ovens, Electrical supplies — wires, outlets, switches, fixtures, Fans, New flooring — tiles, hardwood, laminate, carpet rolls (clean, undamaged, unused), Furniture, new and gently used — sofas, chairs, tables, dressers, Interior and exterior doors, Hardware — doorknobs, hinges, locks, handles, Home décor — wall art, vases, decorative accessories, Kitchens — full kitchens, cabinets, countertops, sinks, Lighting — light fixtures, lamps and bulbs, New nails, screws and fasteners in manufacturer's packaging, Unopened cans of paint, Televisions in working order, with remote controls, Toilets, Hand tools, power tools and toolboxes, Tubs, Plumbing — pipes, fittings, faucets, Windows, new or gently used
Won't takeBlinds, Building refuse, Cabinet doors, Flat panel doors, Garage doors, Knick-knacks, Media (books, CDs, records, DVDs, VHS tapes), Mixed hardware, New flooring with less than 4 boxes, Office furniture, Opened cans of paint, Pianos/organs, Playground equipment, Pools, Used carpeting, Used clothing, Used flooring, Used shower and tub doors, Watercoolers, Dangerous or hazardous materials
CollectionVerified on their donation page: "drop off your items at our store during business hours or schedule a free donation pickup for larger items." To book, fill in the ReStore Dartmouth pickup form or email donate@habitatns.ca with a description, photos and your contact information. They also remove full kitchens: "we will remove them free of charge and give you a tax receipt." No geographic boundary for pickups is published, so confirm on the donation line.
WhereTwo ReStores in Nova Scotia. The Halifax-area one is ReStore Dartmouth, 81 Wright Avenue, Unit H, Dartmouth, NS B3B 1H4 (the other is in New Glasgow, well outside the metro). Store hours Mon–Fri 9 AM–6 PM, Sat 9 AM–5 PM, closed Sundays. Donation hours 10:00 AM–4:30 PM, Monday to Saturday. Store phone (902) 405-3755; donation line (902) 403-1381.
Visit their site →(902) 403-1381Tax receipt available

Electronics in Halifax

Working devices for reuse, and dead ones for responsible recycling.

EPRA Nova Scotia (Recycle My Electronics)

Drop off only
TakesDesktop and portable computers, computer peripherals, external storage drives and modems, scanners, Desktop printers and multi-function devices, Display devices, Home audio/video systems, personal/portable audio/video systems, home-theatre-in-a-box systems, Aftermarket vehicle audio/video systems and aftermarket/portable GPS, Electronic readers and video game devices, Corded and cordless telephones, answering machines, cellular phones, smartphones, PDAs and pagers, Countertop cooking appliances and microwave ovens, Personal care appliances, garment care appliances, floor or carpet care appliances, Air-treatment appliances, Devices for measuring time and weight scales
Won't takeAir conditioners, Dehumidifiers
CollectionResidents drop off at a collection site or participating retail partner. The "Book My Pick Up" link on their site sits under their Business section, not residential. I could NOT confirm on their site that residential drop-off is free of charge — do not print a fee claim either way.
WhereMany approved drop-off locations across Nova Scotia — link to the "Where Can I Recycle?" locator at recyclemyelectronics.ca/ns/where-can-i-recycle/ rather than naming sites. They describe themselves as "an industry-led, not-for-profit organization that operates regulated recycling programs across Canada."
Not a charity. A regulated recycling programme, not a charity. Electronics are dismantled and recycled, not reused.
Visit their site →

Books and media in Halifax

Books, records and games, which most general thrift stores take only in small quantities.

Halifax Public Libraries

Drop off only
TakesRecent bestsellers and books in any language published in the last 5 years, Classics in new editions, Local history titles, DVDs, Blu-rays and music CDs — must have their original liners, Musical instruments — strings, keyboards and hand drums only
Won't takeItems that are out-of-date or soon to be — older computer models, VHS tapes and cassettes, magazines, textbooks, travel guides, Low-demand items such as encyclopedias and Reader's Digest Condensed Books, Damaged items, Items already well-stocked in their collection, More than 20 items per household — "Because of storage space, we will accept a maximum of 20 items per household"
CollectionDrop off at any branch; no collection service. Two things people get caught by: "The Library is unable to return donations" and "We don't provide tax receipts for books and other donated items."
WhereDrop off at any branch across Halifax Regional Municipality — link to their branch list at halifax.bibliocommons.com/locations rather than naming branches.
Visit their site →

Before you load the car

  • Phone first if it is bulky. Capacity changes week to week, and a sofa that cannot be accepted is a wasted trip for you and a wasted hour for them.
  • Clean it. Most refusals are about condition, not category. Textiles must be dry and odour-free or they get thrown out at the back door.
  • Take the parts. Bed frames need their hardware, and a dresser without its drawers is scrap to almost everyone.
  • Do not leave it outside after hours. Anything left at a closed door usually gets rained on, and the charity pays to dispose of it.
  • Ask about the receipt before you hand it over, not after.

Not sure it should be donated at all?

Some of what people give away is worth real money, and some of it will cost a charity money to dispose of. Photograph it and we will tell you which — including when the honest answer is that it is worth nothing and a thrift store is exactly the right place for it. We earn nothing when you donate.

See what it's worth Where to sell it in Halifax

Common questions

Will any of them pick it up from my house in Halifax?
4 of the 11 organizations on this page collect from your home: Habitat for Humanity Nova Scotia ReStore, Mission Thrift Store Halifax, NS Resettlement Society — Nova Horizons, Parker Street Food and Furniture Bank. Collection usually depends on what the item is, what condition it is in, and whether you are inside their catchment. Phone first.
Do I get a tax receipt for donated goods?
Registered charities can issue a receipt for the fair market value of a gift in kind, but many thrift operations do not issue receipts for ordinary household donations because valuing them individually is not practical. Ask before you drop off if the receipt matters to you, and do not assume.
What will nobody take?
Stained or torn upholstery, mattresses in most of the country, broken particleboard furniture, exercise equipment, cribs and car seats past their expiry, and anything that has been in a fire or a flood. Most organizations list their refusals on their own site, and the list above repeats them where they do.
Is my stuff worth money instead of donating it?
Sometimes, and it is worth thirty seconds to find out. A dead car, a garage of tools or mid-century teak can be worth real money. A sofa is usually worth nothing, no matter how good it looks. We will tell you which one you have got before you decide.

Other cities

Same guide, different metro.

Calgary10 placesEdmonton11 placesHalifax11 placesHamilton9 placesKitchener–Waterloo13 placesLondon9 placesMontréal10 placesOttawa14 placesQuébec City12 placesSaskatoon9 placesToronto13 placesVancouver13 placesVictoria8 placesWinnipeg13 places