An item earns the "keep" designation only if it meets all three criteria: you have used it in the past 12 months, it fits in the new home (physically and aesthetically) and it serves a clear purpose in your next chapter. If it fails any one of these tests, it does not come with you. Sentimental items get a separate evaluation (see the sentimental items section below). The "keep" pile should be the smallest of the four. If your keep pile is larger than your donate pile, you are not being honest with yourself about what you actually need.

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The test is simple: would you give this to a friend? If yes, donate. If you would be embarrassed to give it to a friend because of its condition, it is not a donation. It is a dump item. Charities spend their own money disposing of items they cannot use. Donating junk is not generous. It is a burden. Donate only items that are clean, functional and in good repair. My Richmond Hill donation guide and Markham donation guide list every local option.

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Stained furniture, broken appliances, torn clothing, cracked dishes, worn-out mattresses, tangled Christmas lights, dried-out paint brushes, deflated sports equipment. If it is broken and not worth repairing, it is dump. Curbside bulk pickup (free), York Region transfer station ($10 to $80) or junk removal service ($80 to $800+ depending on volume). My Richmond Hill disposal guide and Markham disposal guide cover every option.

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Paint, chemicals, solvents, motor oil, antifreeze, propane tanks, batteries, fluorescent bulbs, medications, electronics (e-waste) and anything that cannot go in regular garbage due to environmental or safety regulations. These items must go to designated depots: York Region Household Hazardous Waste Depot (free for residents), Best Buy or Staples (electronics), any pharmacy (medications). Never put hazardous items in regular garbage, at the curb or down the drain.

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Keep: The cookware you use weekly. One complete set of dishes for your household size. Your best knife set. The appliances you use at least monthly (coffee maker, toaster, blender).

Donate: Duplicate sets, the "good china" you never use, extra pots you have not touched in years, specialty appliances (bread maker, ice cream maker, fondue set) gathering dust. Charity thrift stores always need kitchenware.

Dump: Chipped dishes, scratched non-stick pans, cracked plastic containers, stained cutting boards, broken appliances. Non-working small appliances with electronics go to e-waste (dispose).

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Keep: Unopened, unexpired pantry items you will use before the move. Current cleaning products you need during the cleanout.

Donate: Unopened, unexpired canned goods and dry goods to a local food bank.

Dump: Expired food, opened spice jars older than 2 years, expired condiments. Dispose: Cleaning chemicals you are not keeping go to the hazardous waste depot, not down the drain.

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Keep: Clothing you have worn in the past 12 months that fits, is in good condition and suits your current lifestyle. If you are moving from a house to a condo, you need fewer clothes (less closet space).

Donate: Clothing in good, wearable condition that you no longer wear. Wash and fold before donating. The Salvation Army, Diabetes Canada (free curbside pickup) and Goodwill all accept clothing.

Dump: Stained, torn or worn-out clothing not suitable for wearing. These can go to textile recycling bins (not charity bins).

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Keep: Furniture that fits in the new bedroom (measure first). A king bed may not fit in a condo bedroom. A dresser that works in a 14x12 room may overwhelm a 10x10 room.

Donate: Extra bed frames, dressers, nightstands and mirrors in good condition. Habitat for Humanity ReStore accepts furniture with free pickup.

Dump: Mattresses (most charities do not accept them), broken bed frames, furniture with structural damage.

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Keep: Two sets of sheets per bed, two sets of towels per person, one set of guest linens. That is it.

Donate: Extra sets in good condition. Animal shelters accept used towels and blankets for bedding.

Dump: Stained, threadbare or musty linens. Textile recycling bins, not charity bins.

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Keep: Furniture that fits and functions in the new living space (measure). The TV and electronics you currently use. Books you will re-read or reference. Art and decor that suits the new home.

Donate: Sofas, chairs, tables and shelving in good condition that will not fit. Working electronics you are replacing. Books you have read and will not re-read (library book sale or Goodwill).

Dump: Stained or broken furniture, CDs and DVDs (most have no resale value), outdated electronics nobody wants (VCRs, old stereo receivers).

Dispose: Old TVs, computers, printers and electronics go to e-waste recycling (Best Buy, Staples, York Region CEC). Not regular garbage. My emotional downsizing guide covers letting go of furniture that tells your story.

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Keep: Current toiletries and medications you use daily.

Donate: Unopened, unexpired toiletries (shelters accept these).

Dump: Expired toiletries, old makeup, worn-out towels, empty containers.

Dispose: Expired and unused medications go to any pharmacy (free). Sharps (needles) go in a puncture-proof container to the pharmacy. Never flush medications or put them in garbage.

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Keep: A basic toolkit (hammer, screwdrivers, pliers, wrench set, drill, tape measure). If moving to a condo, you need even less (no lawn tools, no snow shovels, no ladder).

Donate: Working power tools you no longer need, duplicate hand tools, garden tools. Habitat for Humanity ReStore accepts tools.

Dump: Rusted, broken or dull tools beyond repair. Dried-out paintbrushes, bent screwdrivers, cracked hoses.

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Keep: Equipment you actively use. One or two bins of favourite holiday decorations.

Donate: Outgrown children's equipment, sports gear nobody has used in 2+ years. Community sports programs accept equipment.

Dump: Broken equipment, cracked helmets, deflated balls, tangled light strings, water-damaged decorations. My garage and basement cleanout guide covers every category in detail.

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If you packed it during your last move and never opened it, you do not need what is inside. Open it, pull out anything genuinely valuable or irreplaceable and donate or dump the rest. If you survived 5, 10 or 20 years without it, you do not need it in the next home.

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Scan the best 50 to 100 photos. Keep handwritten letters in one archival box. Let go of duplicates, blurry shots, generic greeting cards and outdated documents. My emotional downsizing guide covers every strategy for letting go of sentimental items while preserving the memories.

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You do not need the entire china set. Keep one representative piece. Offer other heirloom items to family members. If nobody wants them, donate to someone who will use them. Keeping items out of guilt while they sit unused in a closet does not honour the giver. The love was in the giving, not the keeping.

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York Region Household Hazardous Waste Depot at a Community Environmental Centre. Free for residents with proof of address. Includes latex and oil-based paint, stains, varnishes, paint thinners, motor oil, antifreeze, pesticides, herbicides, pool chemicals, gasoline and propane tanks.

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Old TVs, computers, monitors, printers, phones, tablets, cables, chargers and non-working small appliances with electronic components. Drop off for free at Best Buy, Staples or a York Region CEC. Wipe personal data from devices before dropping off.

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Batteries (all types) go to retail collection points at grocery stores and hardware stores. Fluorescent tubes and CFL bulbs go to the hazardous waste depot or Home Depot. Expired and unused medications go to any pharmacy. Sharps (needles, syringes) go in a puncture-proof container to the pharmacy. Never put any of these in regular garbage.

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Fridges, freezers, air conditioners and dehumidifiers contain refrigerants that must be removed by a certified technician ($50 to $150) before disposal. Once the refrigerant is removed, the unit can go to curbside bulk pickup or a CEC. Some retailers offer haul-away when you purchase a replacement.

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Garage, basement storage areas, laundry room, guest bathroom. These spaces hold functional items with low emotional attachment. Clearing them builds momentum and gives you practice with the four-category system before you reach the emotionally loaded rooms.

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These rooms contain the items you use daily plus the sentimental items that require emotional processing. Take one room at a time. Do not try to sort the entire house in a weekend. Give each room a full day.

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Schedule charity pickups. Bring hazardous waste to the depot. Schedule curbside bulk pickup or hire a junk removal company. Get everything out. By the end of week 6, the home should contain only items you are keeping and the home should be ready for staging and listing.

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