What We Don't Accept
Raba Thrift Store cannot accept mattresses and bedding, sofas and beds, phones and computers, hazardous materials, recalled products, soiled textiles, or broken items. Here's the honest reason for each one — and where to take it in Chilliwack instead, so you don't waste a trip. Big furniture that isn't a sofa or a bed is a maybe, not a no — send us a photo.
The short version
Raba Thrift Store says no to seven groups of items: mattresses and bedding, sofas and beds, phones and computers, hazardous materials, recalled products, stained or torn textiles, and anything broken.
Furniture is the one grey area. Only four categories are a hard no — mattresses, box springs, sofas and couches, and beds. Everything else, including large dressers, armoires, wardrobes, entertainment units and patio furniture, is ask first — send a photo and we'll confirm.
Not sure about a specific item? Call (778) 551-2023 or message the same number on WhatsApp before you load up. We answer during store hours — Open 10 AM – 7 PM, 7 days a week.
What items does Raba Thrift Store not accept?
Every crossed-off item below is a no at both drop-off and pickup. We've listed the reason and, wherever we could verify one, a place in Chilliwack that will take it. Where people commonly assume a no and the real answer is “send us a photo”, we say so instead of turning you away.
Can I donate a mattress or bedding?
No. Raba Thrift Store never accepts mattresses, box springs, pillows, or used bedding. This is a hard no with no exceptions, and it applies to drop-off and pickup alike.
- Mattresses of any size, including crib and bunk mattresses
- Box springs and mattress toppers
- Pillows and pillow inserts
- Used duvets, comforters, and sleeping bags
- Mattress protectors and used sheets
Why we can't take it
Hygiene and pest risk. Soft bedding can't be cleaned to a resale standard, and a single bed-bug incident would put every other donation on our floor at risk.
Where to take it instead
The City of Chilliwack's Bailey Sanitary Landfill takes mattresses and box springs, charged by weight. Check the City of Chilliwack's waste and recycling services for current rates and hours before you drive out.
Do you take couches, sofas, or beds?
No. Raba Thrift Store cannot take sofas, couches, sectionals, beds, headboards, or box springs. We are one storefront on Yale Road, not a warehouse, and large upholstered pieces do not fit. Other big furniture is not an automatic no — see the ask-first list below.
- Sofas, couches, loveseats, and sectionals
- Beds, bed frames, and headboards
- Box springs and futons
- Broken or water-damaged furniture of any size
Why we can't take it
Floor space and resale reality. One sofa eats the same space as several racks of clothing, upholstery is hard to clean, and those four categories sit unsold for months.
Where to take it instead
The City of Chilliwack runs a Residential Large Item Pick Up once a year in the spring, operated by local non-profit groups on a suggested-donation basis (building materials excluded) — check the City's website for this year's registration dates. Year-round, the Bailey Sanitary Landfill takes large furniture by weight. If your piece is in good shape and you want a tax receipt, a registered charity thrift store such as the Salvation Army Thrift Store or the MCC Chilliwack Thrift Shop is the better fit.
Ask first — send a photo, don't assume no
- Large dressers, armoires, and wardrobes
- Entertainment units and wall units
- Cabinets, sideboards, china hutches, and buffets
- Outdoor and patio furniture
- Any hard-surface piece not on the no list above
These are not a no — they are a maybe. Send a photo on WhatsApp with a rough size and we'll give you a straight answer, usually the same day. We might still decline a piece because of its size or because our floor is already full that week, but a big dresser or armoire in good shape is often an easy yes. Please don't send it to the landfill without asking us first.
Do you accept phones, laptops, tablets, or computers?
No. Raba Thrift Store does not accept or sell phones, laptops, tablets, or desktop computers — donated or otherwise. Please don't include them in a pickup load or leave them at the door.
- Cell phones and smartphones
- Laptops, notebooks, and Chromebooks
- Tablets and e-readers
- Desktop computers, monitors, and towers
- Hard drives, SSDs, and USB storage
- Smart watches and fitness trackers
Why we can't take it
Personal data. We have no way to verify a device has been wiped, and we won't take responsibility for someone else's photos, accounts, or banking logins.
Where to take it instead
Return-It runs BC's electronics recycling program and there is a Return-It depot in Chilliwack that accepts end-of-life electronics free of charge. Recycle My Electronics also lists authorized collection sites in Chilliwack. Wipe or remove your storage first, whichever depot you use.
Can I donate paint, chemicals, batteries, or propane tanks?
No. Raba Thrift Store cannot accept any hazardous material — paint, solvents, household chemicals, motor oil, batteries, propane tanks, or aerosols. These are never accepted at drop-off or on a pickup.
- Paint, stain, solvents, and thinners
- Household and garden chemicals, pesticides, and cleaners
- Motor oil, antifreeze, and fuel
- Batteries of all types, including car batteries
- Propane tanks, camping fuel, and aerosol cans
- Fire extinguishers, flares, and ammunition
- Smoke detectors and fluorescent tubes
Why we can't take it
Safety and legality. We're a retail storefront with no hazardous-goods storage, and reselling these items isn't something we're set up or permitted to do.
Where to take it instead
The Return-It depot in Chilliwack accepts paint, batteries, used oil, smoke detectors, and lamps and lighting through BC's stewardship programs, at no cost. For propane tanks and anything you're unsure about, check the City of Chilliwack's waste and recycling services — never put these in curbside garbage.
Do you take car seats, cribs, or bike helmets?
No. Raba Thrift Store does not accept car seats, cribs, playpens, or helmets. Canadian second-hand product rules on children's safety gear are strict, and we won't resell anything we can't verify.
- Car seats and booster seats
- Cribs, cradles, and bassinets
- Playpens and play yards
- Bike, ski, and sport helmets
- Baby walkers and infant carriers
- Any product under an active manufacturer or government recall
Why we can't take it
Legal and safety. Health Canada's rules for second-hand goods make it illegal to sell or give away cribs that don't meet current requirements — including any crib made before September 1986 — and car seats that are cracked, broken, missing parts or labels, or have been in a collision should never be resold. Helmets are single-impact by design, and we have no way to know a used one's history.
Where to take it instead
Check Health Canada's recalls and safety alerts before you pass any children's product on to anyone. Items that fail should be taken out of use and disposed of through the City of Chilliwack's waste and recycling services, not resold or given away.
Can I donate clothes that are stained, torn, or soiled?
No. Raba Thrift Store accepts clothing that is clean, dry, and ready to wear. Permanently stained, torn, mouldy, or strong-smelling textiles can't be sold, so we can't take them.
- Clothing with permanent stains, holes, or tears
- Items with strong odours, smoke damage, or mildew
- Wet, mouldy, or pest-affected clothing
- Single shoes and unmatched pairs
- Underwear, socks, and swimwear (hygiene — no exceptions)
- Heavily worn linens and towels
Why we can't take it
Resale reality and hygiene. Anything we can't put on the rack we still have to sort, store, and pay to dispose of — which takes staff time away from the donations we can sell.
Where to take it instead
Genuinely unwearable fabric is waste, not a donation. Check the City of Chilliwack's waste and recycling services for how textiles are handled in your household collection, and keep an eye out for retailer take-back bins for worn-out clothing and shoes.
Do thrift stores take broken or non-working items?
Raba Thrift Store does not. Everything we take has to work and be complete — electronics and appliances must power on, and sets, games, and dishware must have all their pieces.
- Appliances and electronics that don't power on
- Items with frayed cords or damaged plugs
- Chipped, cracked, or broken dishware and glass
- Games, puzzles, and sets with missing pieces
- Furniture with broken legs, joints, or water damage
- Items missing remotes, chargers, or key parts
- Anything we would need to repair before selling
Why we can't take it
Resale reality and safety. We're a small team with no repair shop, and a damaged item costs us disposal fees while taking up space a sellable donation could use.
Where to take it instead
The Return-It depot in Chilliwack takes small appliances and lamps and lighting through BC's recycling programs. Scrap metal can go to a local metal recycler, and anything left over goes through the City of Chilliwack's waste and recycling services.
Hours, fees, and program dates at municipal and depot sites change — check the City of Chilliwack's waste and recycling services or the depot's own website before you make the trip.
What about furniture that isn't on the “no” list?
Furniture is case-by-case at Raba Thrift Store. Mattresses, box springs, sofas, couches, and beds are always a no. Everything else — small tables, chairs, shelves, desks, nightstands, accent pieces, and yes, large dressers, armoires, wardrobes, entertainment units and patio furniture — depends on size, condition, and how much floor space we have that week. Send a photo on WhatsApp and we'll confirm before you load anything up.
We would rather answer a photo than have you skip asking. A big dresser is not automatically too big for us; some weeks we have the room and some weeks we don't, and the only honest way to find out is to ask. If the answer is no, you'll have it in writing before you rent a truck.
Furniture? Send us a photo first
We take selected furniture only — what we can accept depends on size, condition, and what we already have on the floor. Send a photo on WhatsApp and we'll confirm before you load anything up.
So what does Raba Thrift Store accept?
Plenty. Raba Thrift Store takes clean, working, complete items — and we take things a lot of charities turn away, including partial loads, mixed boxes, and odd bits of décor.
Clothing, shoes, and accessories in wearable condition
Books, DVDs, Blu-rays, CDs, and vinyl records
Small working appliances, audio gear, and gaming consoles
Dishes, cookware, utensils, and storage containers
Home décor, lamps, wall art, mirrors, and frames
Vintage, retro, and collectible finds
Clean linens and towels in good condition
Selected furniture — confirmed by photo first
Can you give me a tax receipt?
No. Raba Thrift Store is a for-profit business, not a registered charity, so we cannot issue charitable tax receipts — and we won't pretend otherwise. If a tax receipt is what you need, donate to a registered charity instead. In Chilliwack, the Salvation Army Thrift Store and the MCC Chilliwack Thrift Shop are both charity-run; ask them about their receipt thresholds and what they currently accept.
What donors do get from us: a 30% off coupon for their next purchase, drop-off 7 days a week with no appointment, free pickup with no minimum, and a store that takes plenty of items charities often reject. We also support Archway Community Services and Ruth & Naomi's Mission through donations based on our sales.
What Can't You Donate? Questions, Answered
What items will thrift stores not take?▼
Can I donate a mattress to Raba Thrift Store?▼
Why won't you take my laptop or phone?▼
Do you take large dressers, armoires, or entertainment units?▼
What do I do with furniture Raba Thrift Store can't take?▼
Can I donate clothes with a small stain or hole?▼
Do I get a tax receipt for donating to Raba Thrift Store?▼
How do I check whether you'll take a specific item?▼
Got the good stuff? Bring it by.
Drop off at 46191 Yale Rd, Chilliwack, BC V2P 4X5, Canada during store hours — no appointment needed, park out front or around back, and our staff will help you unload. Can't get out to us? We pick up free, 7 days a week, with no minimum.