Free Donation Pickups for Hand Tools, Power Tools and Workshop Supplies
DonateYourStuff.ca provides free scheduled donation pickup for qualifying tools and workshop supplies across the GTA and select surrounding communities. We accept hand tools, working power tools, small toolboxes, organized hardware, painting tools and handheld garden tools.
Tools should be safe, functional and in good condition. Hand tools should have secure handles and working parts, while power tools should turn on and include the guards, handles, batteries, chargers and other important parts needed to use them safely.
Submit a pickup request with your location, the approximate number of toolboxes, boxes, power tools and larger handheld tools and a general description of what you have. We will review your request and contact you by email about pickup availability.
Tool Donations We Accept
Tool donations can include basic household tools, portable power tools, woodworking tools, automotive tools, painting supplies, organized hardware and handheld garden tools. Some can be checked on their own, while power tools, tool sets and workshop equipment may have cases, guards, batteries, chargers or matching accessories that need to stay together.
The sections below explain the types of tools and workshop supplies we accept and what to check before adding them to your pickup request.
Why Condition Matters
Tools need to be safe and usable because damaged or non-working tools cannot simply be passed along for continued use.
Broken handles, exposed wiring, missing guards, leaking batteries and other serious damage can also create safety problems during pickup, sorting and handling. Tools that cannot be reused create additional disposal work and take space away from tools that are still useful.
Taking a few minutes to check your tools before donating helps make sure more of what we collect can stay in circulation instead of being discarded.
We reserve the right to decline tools at pickup if they are broken, unsafe, heavily rusted, contaminated, incomplete or otherwise unsuitable for reuse.
Hand Tools
We accept qualifying:
- Hammers
- Mallets
- Screwdrivers
- Screwdriver sets
- Pliers
- Locking pliers
- Adjustable wrenches
- Combination wrenches
- Socket sets
- Ratchets
- Hex-key sets
- Clamps
- Hand saws
- Files
- Chisels
- Pry bars
- Utility scrapers
- Staple guns
- Hand drills
- Planes
- Levels
- Squares
- Measuring tapes
- Stud finders
- Small inspection tools
- Tool sets
- General household repair tools
Hand tools should have secure handles and functional moving parts.
Wooden handles should not be badly split, loose or heavily damaged. Metal tools should be free from severe corrosion, sharp fractures or structural damage.
Keep matching tool sets together whenever possible.
Portable Power Tools
We accept qualifying working portable power tools, including:
- Power Drills
- Portable sanders
- Orbital sanders
- Belt sanders of manageable size
- Jigsaws
- Circular saws
- Reciprocating saws
- Portable routers
- Rotary tools
- Heat guns
- Electric staplers
- Electric nailers
- Small polishers
- Small buffers
- Portable shop lights
- Other manageable household power tools
Power tools must turn on, remain powered and perform their main functions properly.
Switches, triggers, cords, plugs, handles, guards and housings should be intact. Tools with exposed wiring, cracked electrical housings, missing safety guards or unsafe modifications cannot be accepted.
Cordless tools should include their compatible batteries and chargers whenever available. Batteries must not be swollen, leaking, cracked or heavily corroded.
Keep detachable handles, guards, dust bags, guides, cases and other required accessories with the correct tool.
Drills, Drivers & Accessories
We accept qualifying:
- Corded drills
- Cordless drills
- Impact drivers
- Hammer drills
- Drill cases
- Compatible chargers
- Compatible batteries in safe condition
- Drill-bit sets
- Driver-bit sets
- Hole-saw sets
- Chuck keys
- Depth guides
- Detachable handles
- Other clearly identified drill accessories
Drills and drivers must operate properly. Chucks, triggers, direction switches, handles and battery connections should remain functional.
Place drill bits, driver bits and small accessories inside secure cases or rigid containers. Do not place loose sharp accessories inside open bags or unmarked boxes.
Woodworking & Carpentry Tools
We accept qualifying portable woodworking and carpentry tools, including:
- Claw hammers
- Mallets
- Hand saws
- Coping saws
- Chisels
- Planes
- Rasps
- Files
- Clamps
- Squares
- Levels
- Measuring tools
- Portable drills
- Portable sanders
- Jigsaws
- Circular saws
- Portable routers
- Nailers
- Staplers
- Woodworking hand-tool sets
- Small woodworking accessories
- Portable tool cases
Woodworking tools should be clean and free from heavy sawdust, hardened adhesives, wet finishes or other contamination.
Cutting surfaces should not be broken or severely damaged. Required guards, handles, guides and adjustment parts must remain with powered tools.
Large stationary woodworking machinery cannot be accepted through regular pickup.
Automotive & Mechanical Hand Tools
We accept qualifying:
- Socket sets
- Ratchet sets
- Combination wrenches
- Adjustable wrenches
- Torque wrenches
- Pliers
- Locking pliers
- Hex-key sets
- Screwdriver sets
- Breaker bars
- Small pullers
- Inspection mirrors
- Magnetic pickup tools
- Small mechanic tool sets
- Portable automotive toolboxes
- Clearly organized mechanical hardware
Automotive and mechanical tools should be cleaned before donation.
Tools should not be covered in heavy grease, fuel, oil or other automotive fluids. Containers holding liquids, fuel, chemicals or unidentified substances cannot be accepted.
Keep sockets, adapters and matching components organized inside their original cases or labelled containers whenever possible.
Plumbing Tools
We accept qualifying:
- Pipe wrenches
- Adjustable wrenches
- Basin wrenches
- Pliers
- Tongue-and-groove pliers
- Tubing cutters
- Small pipe cutters
- Deburring tools
- Manual drain tools
- Faucet installation tools
- Plumbing hand-tool sets
- Small plumbing repair tools
- Clearly organized plumbing accessories
Plumbing tools should be clean, dry and free from sewage contamination, mould, standing water and chemical residue.
Do not include opened plumbing chemicals, drain cleaners, sealants or unidentified liquids with donated tools.
Electrical & Home-Repair Tools
We accept qualifying:
- Screwdrivers
- Insulated hand tools in good condition
- Wire strippers
- Cable cutters
- Crimping tools
- Fish tapes
- Voltage testers
- Multimeters that work properly
- Stud finders
- Small inspection lights
- Extension cords in safe condition
- Work lights
- Electrical tool sets
- Small home-repair tools
Electrical tools and testers must be safe, complete and functional.
Extension cords should be free from exposed wires, cracked insulation, damaged plugs, melted areas and unsafe repairs.
Battery-operated testers should include clean battery compartments. Remove leaking or corroded batteries before including the tool in a donation request.
Measuring, Layout & Precision Tools
We accept qualifying:
- Measuring tapes
- Folding rulers
- Levels
- Laser levels that work properly
- Carpenter squares
- Combination squares
- Speed squares
- Chalk lines
- Stud finders
- Angle finders
- Calipers
- Measuring wheels of manageable size
- Marking gauges
- Small layout tools
- Protective storage cases
Measuring and layout tools should be complete and functional.
Electronic measuring devices must turn on and operate properly. Include required batteries, chargers, cases and accessories whenever available.
Painting Tools
We accept qualifying clean painting tools including:
- Paintbrushes that remain usable
- Paint rollers
- Roller frames
- Clean paint trays
- Extension poles of manageable size
- Scrapers
- Putty knives
- Drywall knives
- Caulking guns
- Wallpaper tools
- Drop cloths that are clean and dry
- Small painting tool kits
- Clean sanding blocks
- Clean portable work lights
Painting tools must be cleaned before donation.
Brushes and rollers should not be hardened with old paint. Trays, scrapers and knives should be free from heavy dried material that prevents normal use.
We cannot accept opened paint, stain, solvents, thinners, adhesives, chemicals or unidentified liquids with a tool donation.
Toolboxes, Organizers & Hardware
We accept qualifying:
- Small portable toolboxes
- Plastic tool cases
- Metal toolboxes of manageable size
- Tool bags
- Small parts organizers
- Drill cases
- Power-tool cases
- Socket cases
- Bit cases
- Small hardware organizers
- Screws
- Nuts
- Bolts
- Washers
- Anchors
- Brackets
- Hinges
- Hooks
- Cabinet hardware
- Small quantities of clearly organized fasteners
- Complete repair kits
Toolboxes and hardware organizers should be clean, functional and small enough to be safely handled by one person.
Latches, handles and hinges should remain secure. Do not overfill toolboxes until they become too heavy to lift safely.
Loose hardware should be separated by type and packed inside closed containers. Do not mix nails, screws, blades, drill bits and unrelated hardware loosely inside open boxes.
Large quantities of mixed, unidentified or heavily rusted hardware may be declined.
Extension Cords, Work Lights & Workshop Accessories
We accept qualifying:
- Extension cords
- Power bars
- Portable work lights
- Rechargeable work lights
- Clamp lights
- Small task lights
- Portable tool stands of manageable size
- Dust-collection accessories
- Small shop-vacuum accessories
- Tool cases
- Battery chargers
- Compatible power-tool batteries in safe condition
- Clearly identified power adapters
- Small workshop organizers
Electrical accessories must be safe and functional.
Cords must not have exposed wiring, cracked insulation, melted sections or damaged plugs. Work lights should turn on and remain stable during normal use.
Identify chargers, batteries and adapters whenever possible. Keep them with the tools they belong to.
Handheld Yard & Garden Tools
We accept qualifying handheld yard and garden tools, including:
- Hand trowels
- Hand cultivators
- Weeding tools
- Pruning shears
- Loppers of manageable size
- Hedge shears
- Garden forks
- Small shovels
- Small spades
- Rakes of manageable size
- Hoes
- Soil scoops
- Bulb planters
- Garden hand-tool sets
- Small watering tools
- Portable garden tool bags
- Other handheld garden tools
Garden tools should be cleaned before donation and should not be covered in heavy soil, plant matter, chemicals or moisture.
Handles should be secure and free from major splitting. Metal components should be free from severe rust, cracks or dangerous damage.
Powered lawn equipment, fuel-powered equipment and large outdoor machinery cannot be accepted through regular tool donation pickup.
Tool Donations We Cannot Accept
We cannot accept tools that are broken, unsafe, contaminated, heavily damaged, unusable or improperly prepared.
Please do not donate:
- Power tools that do not turn on
- Power tools that do not perform their main functions
- Tools with exposed wiring
- Tools with frayed or damaged electrical cords
- Tools with broken or melted plugs
- Tools with cracked electrical housings
- Tools with missing required safety guards
- Tools with broken triggers or switches
- Tools with unsafe modifications
- Tools missing essential structural components
- Cordless tools with swollen or leaking batteries
- Batteries that are cracked, leaking or heavily corroded
- Chargers with exposed wires or damaged plugs
- Hand tools with loose or badly split handles
- Tools with severe rust or corrosion
- Tools with broken cutting surfaces
- Tools with sharp structural damage
- Tools covered in heavy grease, oil or chemicals
- Tools affected by sewage or biological contamination
- Tools affected by mould or mildew
- Tools exposed to pests
- Tools with strong smoke or chemical odours
- Gas-powered tools or equipment
- Tools or equipment containing fuel
- Propane cylinders
- Compressed-gas cylinders
- Opened paint
- Paint thinner
- Solvents
- Automotive fluids
- Drain cleaners
- Pesticides
- Unidentified chemicals or liquids
- Large stationary workshop machinery
- Oversized shop equipment
- Large air compressors
- Construction debris
- Scrap metal
- Broken tools intended only for parts
- Tools intended only for recycling
- Loose sharp accessories packed without protection
- Open containers of loose nails, screws, blades or drill bits
- Used protective equipment with uncertain safety history
- Toolboxes that are too heavy to lift safely
- Items mixed with garbage
- Tools packed in wet or collapsing boxes
- Items that have not been prepared for pickup
Items that do not meet our donation standards may be declined at pickup.
How Many Tools Are Needed for a Pickup?
Our pickup service is intended for tool donations large enough to reasonably justify sending a vehicle to your location.
One hammer, one drill, a small screwdriver set or a few loose tools will usually not qualify for pickup on their own.
A donation is more likely to qualify when it includes:
- Several toolboxes or tool bags
- Multiple portable power tools
- A complete household tool collection
- Several organized boxes of hand tools
- Power tools with related accessories
- Workshop tools from a garage or basement cleanout
- A larger collection of handheld garden tools
- Tools and hardware from an estate
- Surplus tools from a business or contractor
- Tools combined with other accepted donation categories
How to Prepare Tools for a Donation Pickup
Please inspect, organize and prepare all tools before your scheduled pickup.
Inspect every hand tool: Check handles, joints, adjustment mechanisms and working surfaces. Remove tools with major cracks, severe rust, loose handles or dangerous structural damage.
Test every power tool: Confirm that each corded or cordless power tool turns on and performs its main functions. Do not include a tool that sparks, overheats, cuts out repeatedly or appears unsafe.
Check cords and plugs: Inspect electrical cords, plugs and strain-relief areas. Tools and extension cords with exposed wiring, cracked insulation, melted sections or damaged plugs cannot be accepted.
Check safety components: Make sure required guards, handles, switches, covers and adjustment components are attached and functional.
Inspect batteries: Do not include swollen, leaking, cracked or heavily corroded batteries.
Match chargers and batteries: Keep cordless tools with their compatible batteries and chargers whenever available. Label accessories when it is not immediately clear which tool they belong to.
Clean the tools: Remove dirt, heavy dust, sawdust, cobwebs, grease, plant matter and other residue. Tools should be dry before packing.
Do not include hazardous materials: Paint, solvents, fuel, chemicals, compressed-gas cylinders and unidentified liquids cannot be packed with tool donations.
Secure working edges: Place hand saws, chisels, scrapers and other tools with sharp working edges inside their original cases or suitable protective containers.
Secure small accessories: Place drill bits, driver bits, sockets, fasteners and other small components inside closed cases, organizers or rigid containers.
Keep sets together: Keep socket sets, wrench sets, drill sets, tool kits and matching accessories together.
Organize hardware: Separate screws, bolts, nuts, washers, anchors and other hardware by type whenever possible.
Check toolboxes: Make sure every toolbox closes properly and has secure handles and latches.
Do not overpack: Use several manageable boxes or toolboxes instead of one container that is too heavy to lift safely.
Protect power tools: Use original cases whenever available. Otherwise, pack power tools so switches, cords, guards and housings are protected from damage.
Group tools by type: Separate hand tools, power tools, electrical accessories, hardware, painting tools and garden tools whenever possible.
Label every container: Use labels such as Hand Tools, Power Tools, Drill Accessories, Hardware, Painting Tools or Garden Tools.
Photograph larger collections: Take clear photos showing the overall quantity, toolboxes, power tools and larger handheld items.
Keep everything dry: Store prepared tools indoors, in a dry garage or in another protected location until pickup.
Separate unusable tools: Do not mix broken tools, scrap metal, leaking batteries, chemicals or recycling with tools that are ready for continued use.
For complete instructions, review our how to prepare your donations page before pickup.
How a Tool Donation Pickup Works
Step 1: Submit your pickup request: Complete the online form and provide your location, approximate number of boxes, toolboxes, power tools, garden tools and hardware organizers. Mention whether other accepted donation categories are included.
Step 2: Provide photos and details: Send clear photos of the overall collection and any larger tools. Identify the main tool types and confirm whether portable power tools work properly.
Step 3: We review your donation: We review your location, estimated donation volume, tool types, condition, included accessories, how everything is packed, available vehicle space and current route availability. We may request additional information by email.
Step 4: Receive email confirmation: Your pickup is only scheduled after you receive confirmation by email. Preferred dates and times submitted through the form are requests and are not automatically secured.
Step 5: Prepare and stage the tools: Clean, inspect, test and organize all approved tools. Secure sharp working edges, pack small accessories and keep batteries, chargers and cases with the correct tools.
Step 6: We collect the approved donation: Once your pickup is confirmed, our team collects the approved tools. Tools that are broken, unsafe, heavily rusted, contaminated, improperly packed or significantly different from what was described may be declined.
How Your Donations Help
Donating used tools does more than clear space from a garage, workshop, basement or storage area.
It helps:
- Keep usable hand tools and power tools in circulation
- Give unwanted tools another opportunity to be used
- Reduce waste from tools that still have practical value
- Keep reusable workshop equipment out of landfills
- Support responsible reuse of household and business equipment
- Create local work connected to pickup, sorting, preparation and distribution
- Support the continued expansion of the Thrift Society reuse network
- Support the Family Relief Program through a portion of the value created
- Build a stronger culture of reuse in Canadian communities
Tool Donation Pickup Areas
Schedule Your Free Tool Donation Pickup
Have several toolboxes, boxes or a larger collection of used tools ready to donate?
Submit a pickup request with your location, approximate number of containers and a general description of the tools.
Tell us if the donation includes hand tools, power tools, toolboxes, hardware, painting tools, handheld garden tools or other accepted items.
We will review your request and contact you by email regarding availability.
Once approved, clean and inspect the tools, test all powered equipment, keep batteries, chargers and accessories together, secure sharp working edges, pack everything safely and prepare the donation for collection. We handle the pickup so you do not have to transport the entire tool collection to a donation centre.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where can I donate tools near me?
DonateYourStuff.ca provides scheduled tool donation pickup in select Ontario communities.
Check our donation pickup service areas page to confirm whether pickup is available in your city.
Can I drop off tools instead of requesting pickup?
DonateYourStuff.ca provides a scheduled pickup service and does not operate a public tool donation drop-off location.
Submit a pickup request with your location, approximate number of toolboxes, boxes and power tools so we can determine whether the donation qualifies.
Can I choose where my donated tools go?
No specific recipient, organization or destination can be guaranteed.
Accepted tools are directed through the Thrift Society reuse network based on their condition, usefulness and current opportunities for continued use.
Can I donate tools with a name or company marking on them?
Engraved names, initials and company markings do not usually need to be removed.
Personal information such as addresses, phone numbers, employee identification numbers or ownership labels should be removed whenever possible before pickup.
What should I do with broken tools you cannot accept?
Broken, unsafe or unusable tools should not be included with your donation.
Recycling and disposal options vary depending on the tool, battery, material and municipality. Check your local municipal waste guidelines or an appropriate tool, electronics or battery recycling program for the correct option.
Do you accept tool donations throughout the year?
Pickup requests can be submitted throughout the year.
Approval depends on your location, donation volume, tool condition, available vehicle space and current scheduled routes.
Who We Are
DonateYourStuff.ca is the official donation pickup arm of Thrift Society, a Canadian social reuse initiative that keeps useful goods in circulation while creating local employment, supporting family relief and reducing waste.
Every qualifying tool donation helps:
- Keep usable hand tools and power tools in circulation
- Give unwanted household and workshop tools another opportunity to be used
- Create Canadian work connected to pickup, sorting, preparation and distribution
- Reduce waste by keeping reusable tools out of landfills
- Support the continued expansion of the Thrift Society reuse network
- Support the Family Relief Program through a portion of the value created by donated items
A portion of the value created through donated items helps support the Family Relief Program and other work connected to the continued growth of the initiative.
Other Donations We Accept
- DVDs & Blu-rays
- VHS Tapes
- Cassette Tapes
- Vinyl Records
- Books & Learning Materials
- Household Items & Small Furniture
- Kitchen & Dining
- Clothing & Accessories
- Baby Items
- Arts, Crafts & Sewing
- Tools & Home Improvement
- Electronics
- Musical Instruments & Audio Gear
- Fitness & Exercise Equipment
- Sporting Goods
- Camping & The Outdoors
- Holiday, Costumes & Seasonal
- Mobility & Medical Aids
- Pet Supplies
- Office & School Supplies
- Jewelry & Accessories
- Collectibles & Memorabilia
- Wall Art & Home Décor
- Bedding, Linens & Textiles