furniture · British Columbia

Where to donate furniture in Vancouver

5 organizations in and around Vancouver that take donated furniture — what each one accepts, what it turns away, and which will come and collect it.

Verified 2026-09-24 from each organization's own website. We are not affiliated with anyone listed here, nobody pays to be included, and we receive nothing if you donate to them.

With furniture, value runs opposite to bulk: the sofa you most want gone is the hardest thing in the house to give away, and the plain brown dresser you were going to put on the curb may be the only thing in the room worth money. Before you call anyone, pull a drawer out and look at the joint. Solid wood or particleboard is the one fact that decides whether you are making calls or filling the bin.

How to tell what you have got

Before you call anyone, two minutes with the object settles most of it. None of this needs an expert — it needs a flashlight and a look at the back.

  • Mid-century teak or walnut carrying a maker's markTip the piece forward or pull the bottom drawer right out and look at the underside and the back panel. You are looking for a branded or stamped maker's mark, a metal tag, or a paper label - often on the underside of a drawer bottom, inside the carcass back, or under a table top. Photograph it before anything moves, then search the exact wording of the mark.
  • Teak or rosewood sideboards and credenzasSolid wood, not veneer over particleboard: look at the top edge and the door edges. Real teak shows continuous grain wrapping around the edge. Veneered particleboard shows a thin facing line and a different-coloured core underneath.
  • Solid hardwood chests, dressers and dining tables with dovetailed drawersTake one drawer right out and look at the front corner. Interlocking wedge-shaped fingers cut into the wood is a dovetail. Staples, or a dowel-and-glue butt joint, or a stapled-on plywood bottom, means it is not in this category.
  • Matched sets of four or more dining chairsCount them and check they genuinely match: same wood, same wear, same upholstery batch. Turn one over and look for a maker's stamp under the seat rail.
  • Real leather seating that is intactPress the seat with your thumb. Leather warms, creases into fine lines, and the grain varies across the hide. Vinyl and bonded leather stay cool, show a repeating embossed pattern, and peel or flake at the wear points.
  • Solid wood bed frames and headboardsLift one side rail. Solid hardwood rails are heavy and show end grain. Hollow metal or wrapped particleboard rails are not worth moving.
  • Oak filing cabinets, barrister bookcases, drafting tables and workbenchesWeight and fasteners. If it is heavy, held together with bolts or mortise-and-tenon joints rather than cam locks, and the drawers run on steel rather than plastic, it is in this category.

What this list turns away

Counted from what each place says on its own site, not from what is generally true. Most refusals are about condition and completeness rather than category.

  • 4 of 5 will not take mattresses and box springsBC SPCA Thrift Stores, Habitat for Humanity Greater Vancouver ReStore, HomeStart Foundation, Shelter to Home
  • 2 of 5 will not take upholstered furnitureHomeStart Foundation, Union Gospel Mission (UGM)
  • 2 of 5 will not take large appliancesHomeStart Foundation, Union Gospel Mission (UGM)
  • 2 of 5 will not take hazardous materialBC SPCA Thrift Stores, Habitat for Humanity Greater Vancouver ReStore

Rarely worth anything

Not a rule, and not a reason to bin something without asking. These are the things people most often expect to be worth money and find are not.

  • Particleboard and MDF flat-pack, once it has been taken apart
  • Used mattresses and box springs
  • Sofa beds
  • Entertainment units and armoires built for tube televisions
  • Worn upholstered recliners and fabric sectionals
  • Futons and futon frames
  • Anything that smells
  • Desks and shelving with printed paper woodgrain surfaces
Cribs made before September 1986 should not be used, and non-compliant products cannot be sold or given away Canada (federal)

Health Canada states that cribs made before September 1986 should not be used and that they do not meet current safety regulations, giving slat spacing as an example. Its second-hand shopping guidance adds that cribs made before September 1986 are likely not to meet current regulatory requirements and should not be purchased. Combined with the rule below on giving away non-compliant products, this covers a garage sale, an online listing, a charity donation and passing it to family alike.

Read the rule →
Consumer product safety law covers used goods and free giveaways, not just retail sales Canada (federal)

Health Canada states that "Any person who sells, distributes, or gives away consumer products not complying with the current regulatory requirements is breaking the law in Canada", and that "The CCPSA and its regulations do not distinguish between new and used products." Second-hand status is not a defence, and neither is giving the item away rather than selling it.

Read the rule →
Mattresses must meet a cigarette combustion-resistance standard Canada (federal)

The Mattresses Regulations (SOR/2016-183) under the Canada Consumer Product Safety Act require testing to CAN/CGSB-4.2 No. 27.7. The definition of mattress expressly excludes mattress pads, parts of upholstered furniture, and crib, cradle and bassinet mattresses. There is no equivalent general federal flammability standard for upholstered furniture in Canada - do not apply US state rules such as California's TB117 here.

Read the rule →

5 places in Vancouver that take furniture

BC SPCA Thrift Stores

Not stated - ask them
TakesClothing and accessories, Housewares and kitchen items, Books, media and toys, Small furniture items, Home decor, Seasonal items, Electronics in working condition
Won't takeBroken or unsafe items, Mattresses or heavily damaged furniture, Hazardous materials, Recalled products, Soiled or heavily worn items, Anything restricted by health or safety regulations
CollectionNo pickup service is mentioned anywhere on their thrift store page. Their own instruction: "Because donation needs, storage space and staffing can vary by location, please call ahead before bringing items to a Thrift Store location." They also ask that items not be left outside locations after hours.
WhereEleven BC SPCA thrift stores province-wide. The Metro Vancouver ones are Vancouver (East), Vancouver (West), North Vancouver, New Westminster, Richmond and Surrey. Each store has its own phone number - get it from the list at spca.bc.ca/thrift-stores and call that store, not a central line.
Visit their site →

Habitat for Humanity Greater Vancouver ReStore

Not stated - ask them
TakesAppliances, Cabinets, Flooring (unused), Furniture, indoor and outdoor, Insulation (unused), Lawn & garden, Lumber and trim, Framed mirrors, Roofing, Sheet goods (plywood, OSB), Hardware & tools, Home decor, Painting supplies, Heating and ventilation, Lighting & electrical (new), Plumbing, Windows & doors
Won't takeUsed mattresses and box springs, TVs and electronics, Drywall, Paint, Propane tanks, Exercise equipment and basketball hoops, Used clothing and toys, Linens and soft goods, Countertops (bathroom vanity tops are OK with base cabinets), Hazardous materials - all chemicals, grout, mortar, caulk, Household cleaners, Ladders, Cement roof tiles
CollectionTheir site mentions collection but gives no service area, minimum or booking line we could confirm. Ask when you call.
WhereFour ReStores, two of them in Metro Vancouver: Burnaby, 7977 Enterprise St, 604-420-1618, and Langley, 20104 Logan Ave, 604-514-1223. The others are Abbotsford and Chilliwack. Full list: habitatgv.ca/restore-locations
Visit their site →604-681-5618

HomeStart Foundation

TakesNight tables and dressers, Kitchen and dining tables, Chairs and sofas under 80 inches long, Armchairs, Coffee tables, Bookcases, TVs under 5 years old, and radios, Computer desks, Microwaves, Telephones and lamps, Rugs
Won't takeBeds - frames, mattresses, box springs, headboards, Sofa beds and futons, Recliner couches, Large exercise equipment, Oversized office furniture, Entertainment units, China cabinets, Large appliances - stoves, washers, dryers, fridges, Hard-wired lighting fixtures
CollectionPickup for a minimum $100 donation. Drivers accept cash, cheque or credit card, or you can donate online in advance. Service area as written on their page: "Vancouver, Burnaby (west of Royal Oak) and Richmond". Book by emailing coordinator@homestart.ca to arrange pickup days and times. Note: pickup days/hours and a same-day policy were NOT found on the page read - do not publish specific hours.
WhereNo public warehouse address; arrange by email at coordinator@homestart.ca. Charitable registration 872814504RR0001. No phone number appears on their donations page - do not publish one.
Visit their site →

Shelter to Home

TakesCouches, sofas and love seats, 78 inch maximum, Mattresses, box springs and metal bed frames - twin, double and queen, Bed linen and sheet sets, blankets and comforters - twin, double, queen, Pillows, pillowslips and protective pillowslips, Towel sets, Dishes and cutlery, sets of 4 or 6 preferred
Won't takeTVs - "We are no longer accepting TVs", King-size bedding and king-size mattresses, Coffee tables
CollectionTheir page states: "Once approved, we can pick up from your location for a minimum $130 donation (to cover moving costs)" and "we are able to pick up furniture only from North and West Vancouver locations." Email Info@sheltertohome.ca or phone 778-653-9669 with photos and dimensions to get approval first.
WhereDrop-off is at a North Vancouver storage facility whose address is given once a donation is approved, not published.
Visit their site →778-653-9669

Union Gospel Mission (UGM)

Will collect, conditions apply
TakesWeather-appropriate clothing - shirts, sweatshirts, fleece, shorts, pants, jeans, jackets, coats (larger sizes preferred), Socks and underwear, new and unused only, Shoes - sandals, sneakers, boots, work boots, Bags, belts, cold and hot weather accessories, Linens, Pillows and cushions, new and unused only, Small appliances, lamps, knick-knacks, decorations, pictures, wall decor, Small furniture - night tables, coffee tables, small dressers, small bookcases, small dining tables with up to 4 chairs, accent chairs, Books (no textbooks or encyclopedias), Children's toys, new and unused only, Small musical instruments, New, unopened hygiene items, sleeping bags, emergency blankets, rain ponchos, reusable water bottles
Won't takeUsed socks and underwear, Used pillows and cushions, Used children's toys, Baby and children's gear, Large furniture and large appliances, Tools, Fitness equipment, Bicycles, Pianos, organs and record players, Textbooks and encyclopedias, Technology more than 10 years old, Bulk garage-sale or church-sale lots
CollectionTheir page states: "Due to capacity, we are not able to fulfill every request for donation pick-ups." Requests go through the donation coordination form on that page. A pickup is not guaranteed and no terms, area or fee are published.
WhereFour drop-off points, all listed on ugm.ca/donation-items: UGM Distribution Centre, 8346 St. George St, Vancouver V5X 3S7, Mon-Fri 9am-4pm; UGM Vancouver reception, 601 E. Hastings St, 604-253-3323, 8am-7pm daily; UGM Thrift Store, 671 E. Hastings St, 604-254-8721, Mon-Fri 9:30am-4pm; Found Thrift Boutique, 641 Columbia St, New Westminster, 604-553-0604, Mon-Sat 10:30am-5:30pm. Tax receipts via Donor Relations, 778-731-1611.
Visit their site →604-253-3323

Not sure what you have got?

Photograph it and we will tell you what it is and what it is worth — including when the honest answer is that it is worth nothing.

See what it's worth Sell it instead → Everything in Vancouver →

Other things in Vancouver

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Furniture in other cities

Calgary3 placesEdmonton5 placesHalifax5 placesHamilton4 placesKitchener–Waterloo7 placesLondon4 placesMontréal3 placesOttawa5 placesQuébec City6 placesSaskatoon3 placesToronto4 placesVictoria4 placesWinnipeg5 places