Junk Or Donation: How Do I Know?

One person’s trash is another person’s treasure, right?

Well… not always.

Sometimes, one person’s trash is another person’s… trash. 

The City of Calgary has a great Residential Recycling and Disposal Search Tool, which is a fantastic place to start. This tool is an A-Z directory that gives you disposal directions for nearly every item under the sun. When you search for a particular item, the tool will tell you whether the item should be recycled, donated, or taken to a landfill. 

For example, if you have a couch that you no longer want, you can search for “couch” within the tool. This search will bring you to a page titled “Where do I take sofas, chairs, tables and other furniture? That page then provides you with the following information:

• Furniture in good condition: Donate or drop-off items to participating charities
• Old and broken furniture: Take unusable furniture like couches, bookshelves, and beds to the landfill. Put smaller items like lawn chairs, stools, and tables in your black cart as garbage.

As you can see, if you are planning to part with your sofa, this tool gives you a pretty good idea of your next steps. 

To learn more about getting rid of trash responsibly, read our blog below.

Where To Donate Clothing and Household Items

There are a lot of really incredible organizations in the city that are dedicated to helping those in need. These businesses are doing truly amazing work.

Below is a list of our recommended Calgary clothing donation options. Keep in mind that many of these companies accept items other than clothes, such as unwanted household goods. 

Change Is Good

Change Is Good is a social enterprise owned and operated by The Calgary Dream Centre. As a donation-based second-hand clothing store, Change Is Good focuses on the curation of preloved clothing and housewares, as well as featuring products from local independent businesses. 100% of their profit is given to the life-changing addiction programs offered at The Dream Centre.

Women In Need Society

The Women In Need Society, aka WINS, is a local, homegrown thrift charity, providing basic needs resources and support to women and their families.

Among its many accomplishments since its inception in 1992, WINS’s 2020 impact alone includes:

• Provided 17,734 services with their 100+ community partners
• Diverted over 31,000 electronic and furniture items from the landfill
• Supported 3,573 individuals and their families
• Provided $580,424 in free basic human needs

Like BluPlanet Recycling, the Women In Need Society is also a Be Local member. 

For more information on what to donate to the Women In Need Society, click here.

Calgary Drop-In Centre

The Calgary Drop-In Centre welcomes adults who are at risk of or are already experiencing homelessness. They provide access to a spectrum of care that supports each person’s transition to the most independent living possible, including emergency shelter, programs and services, and affordable and supported housing. Their vision for Calgary is to create a community where everyone can find their home.

For more information on what to donate to the Calgary Drop-In Centre, click here.

Calgary Donations

The Calgary Donations Program helps fund the work of MOMS Canada, a non-profit organization helping single moms and their children. 

It’s also worth noting that Calgary Donations offers one of the most convenient and free donation pickup services in Calgary. When you schedule a pickup, they will come get your donations for free within a few hours. 

For more information on what to donate to Calgary Donations, click here.

Consign

If you would prefer to try and make a little bit of cash for your unwanted clothing, try consigning! Though different from the Calgary clothing donations that we’ve listed, consigning is still a great way to keep clothing out of the landfill and give your clothes a second chance at a happy home - all while putting some extra dough in your pocket.

Our #1 Pick: The Clothing Bar

The Clothing Bar is a community consignment store specializing in affordable, everyday styles. They have a passion for the community, the environment, and the amazing people that live within it. 

Upon your drop-off at The Clothing Bar, you are given the option to pick-up or donate any items that they choose not to sell. If you choose to donate, the items will be donated directly to the Women In Need Society. 

When it comes to getting rid of unwanted items in Calgary, there are so many donation options that will not only assist in Calgary’s landfill diversion efforts, but also make a difference in the lives of those in need. 

For information on how to properly dispose of other items, including hazardous household waste, check out Where Do I Take My Unwanted Junk.