Does Habitat for Humanity Take Mattresses?

I've been recycling mattresses since 2011 — over 1.15 million of them. And one thing I've learned is that people cycle through donation options in a predictable pattern.

First they try Goodwill. No luck.

Then Salvation Army. Rejected.

Then they think: "What about Habitat for Humanity? They take furniture, right?"

This is usually where the donation dream dies completely.

Habitat for Humanity ReStore is a great organization. They sell donated building materials and home goods to fund affordable housing projects. But mattresses? They're not set up for that, and they don't want to be.

Let me explain why ReStore is different from other thrift stores — and why your mattress doesn't fit their model.

ReStore's Official Policy on Mattresses

From Habitat for Humanity of Greater New Haven:

"We do not accept BOX SPRINGS, MATTRESSES, TODDLER BEDS, CRIBS, OR ENTERTAINMENT UNITS."

From Habitat DC-NOVA:

"There are certain items (e.g. clothing, mattresses, bedding, stained or torn upholstered furniture, etc.) that we cannot accept due to state and local health regulations."

From Habitat for Humanity of Lee & Hendry Counties:

"No mattresses/box-springs, entertainment centers, armoires, or Murphy beds."

This isn't a case of "call ahead and ask." It's a standard policy across ReStore locations nationwide.

Why ReStore Is Different From Other Thrift Stores

Here's what most people don't understand about Habitat for Humanity ReStore: it's not a traditional thrift store.

ReStores primarily focus on:

• Building materials (lumber, doors, windows, tile)
• Kitchen and bath fixtures (sinks, cabinets, faucets)
• Appliances (working condition)
• Furniture (certain types)
• Tools and hardware
• Home improvement supplies

Their business model is built around items that help people build, renovate, and furnish homes — with an emphasis on construction and DIY materials.

Mattresses don't fit this model. They're not building materials. They can't be refurbished like a cabinet or a door. They come with significant health and liability concerns. And ReStore simply isn't set up to handle them.

Think of ReStore as a building materials store that happens to also sell some furniture, rather than a general thrift shop. That framing helps explain why mattresses are out of scope.

The Licensing Issue

Several ReStore locations cite state licensing requirements as why they can't accept mattresses.

From Habitat for Humanity Capital District in New York:

"We are not licensed with NYS to accept these items for resale."

This is a real barrier. Many states require special licensing to sell used mattresses. Retailers need to meet sanitization standards, use specific labeling (the colored tag system indicating used materials), and document their processes.

For a ReStore that primarily deals with building materials and furniture, getting licensed to handle mattresses would be a significant administrative and operational burden — one that doesn't align with their core mission.

It's not that they don't want to help. It's that accepting mattresses would require them to become a different kind of organization.

The California Exception

If you're in California, there's a workaround — but it's for recycling, not donation.

Some California ReStore locations accept mattresses through the Bye Bye Mattress program. For example, Habitat for Humanity East Bay/Silicon Valley in Oakland and Concord will take mattresses for recycling.

From their website:

"Mattresses and paint cannot be accepted as donations. However, those items are accepted for recycling at ReStore Oakland!"

If you're in California and your local ReStore participates in Bye Bye Mattress, this is a legitimate option. Just understand that your mattress is going to be torn apart, not given to another family.

Use the Bye Bye Mattress locator to find participating locations near you.

What ReStore Actually Accepts

If you're cleaning out a house or doing a renovation, ReStore can be incredibly useful for everything except the mattress:

Building Materials

• Lumber (minimum length requirements apply)
• Doors and windows
• Flooring (hardwood, tile, vinyl)
• Roofing materials
• Plumbing supplies
• Electrical supplies
• Hardware

Kitchen & Bath

• Cabinets
• Countertops
• Sinks and faucets
• Toilets (unused or sanitized)
• Bathtubs and shower units

Appliances

• Refrigerators (working)
• Stoves and ovens (working)
• Washers and dryers (working)
• Dishwashers (working)
• Microwaves (working)

Furniture

• Tables and chairs
• Dressers and nightstands
• Desks
• Sofas (clean, no stains or damage)
• Outdoor furniture

Not Accepted

• Mattresses and box springs
• Bed pillows
• Clothing and bedding (some exceptions)
• Entertainment centers
• Cribs and toddler beds
• Broken or non-working items

If you're donating furniture alongside a mattress, ReStore can take the furniture — you'll just need to find another solution for the mattress.

My Company's Relationship With ReStores

Here's something that might give you a sense of how this works in practice: my mattress recycling company partners with Habitat ReStore locations across the country.

We're not competing with them — we're filling the gap they can't fill.

Some ReStores refer customers to us when people call asking about mattress disposal. When someone shows up at a ReStore donation center with a mattress, staff can point them toward recycling options rather than just turning them away empty-handed.

Other partnerships are more direct. Some ReStore locations have us pick up mattresses that get dumped illegally at their facilities. People assume ReStore takes mattresses, dump them in the parking lot after hours, and drive away. Then ReStore has to deal with the cleanup. We help with that.

It's a reminder that even when an organization says "no," the mattresses don't just disappear. They end up somewhere. The question is whether that somewhere is a landfill, an illegal dump site, or a recycling facility.

What To Do With Your Mattress Instead

ReStore can't help with your mattress. I've written a full guide on how to get rid of a mattress with 7 nationwide options. Here they are:

1. Mattress Recycling Pickup Service — Professional recycling pickup available nationwide.
2. Municipal Bulk Pickup Service — Many cities offer bulk pickup that includes mattresses. Check with your local waste management.
3. Drop Off at Landfill or Recycling Facility — If you have a truck, you can haul it yourself. In EPR states (CA, CT, RI, OR), use Bye Bye Mattress for free recycling drop-off.
4. DIY Mattress Breakdown — Disassemble it yourself and recycle the components (steel to scrap, wood to yard waste, etc.).
5. Sell or Give Away — Facebook Marketplace, Craigslist, or Nextdoor if it's in genuinely good condition.
6. Junk Removal Companies — 1-800-GOT-JUNK, Junk King, LoadUp, etc. Convenient but pricier ($75-$200).
7. Donation — Local charities or furniture banks may accept mattresses in excellent condition, but most have strict requirements.

The Bigger Picture on Mattress Donation

After recycling over a million mattresses, here's what I've learned: the donation infrastructure for mattresses has largely collapsed.

Goodwill says no universally. Salvation Army technically accepts them but rejects most in practice. ReStore isn't set up for them. Local charities have mostly followed suit.

This happened for legitimate reasons — bed bugs, liability, sanitization costs, storage challenges. But the result is that consumers are left with very few options, and the ones that exist are often expensive or inconvenient.

The states that have figured this out — California, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Oregon — did so by passing laws that fund recycling infrastructure. Everyone else is still stuck navigating a broken system.

If you're frustrated by how hard it is to get rid of a mattress responsibly, you're not alone. The system really is this difficult.