How does a Furniture Bank pickup work?

In brief: Five steps: request a quote online, review the price and book a date, make the items accessible, and a two-person crew arrives and carries everything out from inside your home. You pay and receive a tax receipt for each item. Pickup starts at $150, and the typical wait from booking to pickup is 1-2 days. You do not lift anything or move it to the curb.

The whole process at a glance

A Furniture Bank pickup is designed so you never touch the furniture again after you book. You list your items, you get a price, you pick a date, and a crew does the lifting. Here is the full sequence.
Step What happens When
1 Request a quote online with a list of your items Today, in a few minutes
2 Review the price and choose a pickup date 1-2 days, up to a week for further service areas
3 Have the items accessible and clear a path to the door Before the day
4 Two movers arrive and carry each item out from inside On the day
5 Pay, and receive a charitable tax receipt for each item 1-2 days
 

Step 1: Get a quote online

You start on the online quote form, where you list the pieces you want removed. Because Furniture Bank prices by item, the quote comes back to you before anyone visits your home, so there is no in-person estimate and no surprise number at the door. This is a real difference from the junk-removal model, where a crew has to see your items before naming a price, and you are committed to their visit before you know the cost. Be accurate when you list. An honest item list means the crew arrives with the right truck space and the right expectations, which keeps the pickup quick and avoids a piece being left behind because it was not on the manifest.

Step 2: Book your date

Once the price works for you, you choose a pickup date. Furniture Bank is not a same-day service, so plan a little ahead: the typical wait from booking to pickup is 1-2 days, up to a week for further service areas. If you are on a tight deadline, this is the step where you find out whether a pickup fits your timeline or whether a same-day junk hauler is the better call. The day you decide a piece is leaving is the day to book, because the calendar only fills up.

Step 3: Prepare

Before the day, make sure the items are accessible and there is a clear path from where they sit to the door. Empty drawers and check under cushions for anything personal, because once a piece leaves it enters the sorting stream and is hard to reach again. What the crew will and will not do, including whether they disassemble beds or take items apart, is worth confirming when you book. A little preparation keeps the pickup to a few minutes rather than a slow negotiation in your hallway.

Step 4: The crew arrives

On the scheduled day, two movers arrive and carry each item out from wherever it is, including upper floors. (Note: If there is no elevator, we limit movement to 2 floors  (i.e. 3rd floor to 1st floor) for the safety of our crews.) You do not carry anything to the curb, and you do not lift. This in-home removal is the part you are paying for, and it is the part most other free options do not include. If you are in a condo or a walk-up, having the service elevator booked and the path clear is what lets the crew work quickly.

Step 5: Payment and your receipt

Your credit card will be charged, with no HST because the service is charitable, and you receive a charitable tax receipt for each accepted item. From there, your furniture goes to the warehouse and on to a family furnishing a home. The receipt is a genuine benefit at tax time, though it is a credit rather than a refund, and it does not make the pickup free. If you intend to pay with cash or cheque, please let us know when you book so that our crews can be notified and prepared.

What it costs

Pickup starts at $150 in the GTA, built from a set fee per item, with the final price depending on how many pieces you have and how large they are. There is no HST, and each item generates a tax receipt that offsets part of the fee. If you can move the pieces yourself, free drop-off avoids the fee entirely.

If an item is declined at the door

Occasionally a piece that looked fine in a photo does not pass inspection in person, for example a stain that was not visible or a frame that turns out to be cracked. This is why running the friend test before you book matters. Checking honestly up front is the best way to avoid a declined item on the day, and it keeps a wasted slot from going unused when a family could have received a good piece instead.

A few common questions

Do you need to be home? Generally yes, so the crew can access the items, though the exact requirement is worth confirming when you book.  Can you add an item on the day? Better to update your quote in advance, since the crew plans truck space around your list. Please note that last minute additions may be declined based on the space on the truck.  Is there a minimum number of items? There is no minimum number of items, but you will have to pay the minimum fee. Ask when booking if you have only one small piece, since drop-off may be the cheaper route.

Your next step

List your items in the online quote form to see your price and available dates. If you can move the items yourself, free drop-off is the cheaper route; if you need it gone the same day, a junk hauler is faster.

Related questions

How much does Furniture Bank charge for pickup? How far ahead do I need to book a furniture pickup? Can I just drop off furniture at Furniture Bank? How do I prepare furniture for a donation pickup? What does Furniture Bank not accept? What happens to my furniture after I donate it?
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