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Come and explore!

Please review our donation guide before bringing items to donate.

HOURS

LOCATION

125 Lincoln Square, Urbana, IL 61801

We are located in the southwest corner of the Lincoln Square Mall in Urbana, accessible from the South parking lot.

Map of parking lot showing separate paths to get to donation receiving zone and store entrance.

Questions?

Give us a call during store hours at (217) 352-7878

or leave us a message at donations@the-idea-store.org

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Who we are, what we do, and our role in the community.

Stay tuned for classes, special sales, and more!

A great idea for a gift!

Donate Your Stuff!

What are you donating?

Cartoon person emptying a drawer, throwing a pair of scissors, a ball of yarn, a paint brush, and a pencil into a paper sack.

We aren't your average thrift store! Collect your lightly-loved items and pack them into a container you can part with.

Items we love:
☑ Arts and crafts supplies   â˜‘ Yarn & fabric   â˜‘ Jewelry  ☑ School supplies  ☑ Toys & games  ☑ Electronics & media

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We currently cannot accept:
  • Binders

  • Cardboard tubes

  • Carpet, flooring, & countertop samples

  • CD covers

  • Christmas decorations (crafts are okay)

  • Foam

  • Glass Jars

  • Greeting cards

  • Magazines

  • Neck ties

  • Photo paper

  • Photo slides and carousels

  • Plastic bottle caps

  • Plastic containers

  • Post-it notes

  • Rubber Stamps

  • Tiles

  • Tins

  • Trophies/Trophy parts

  • Wine corks

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We NEVER accept:
  • Aerosol cans

  • Clothing & clothing scraps

  • Clothes hangers

  • Cosmetics

  • Egg cartons

  • Household recyclables (junk mail, tin cans, plastic bottles, etc.)

  • House paint

  • Light bulbs

  • Medical supplies and equipment

  • Pill bottles

  • Pine cones

  • Printer ink cartridges

  • Toilet paper tubes (paper towel tubes are fine)

  • Toothbrushes/Toiletries

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Donations containing these items will be rejected

Please make sure your items are free of mold and rust, have not held food or been used for personal care, and are culturally appropriate. Items like clothes, furniture, & appliances would be better appreciated by another local resale outlet.
For more information about what we can
accept, see our official donation policy.

How much
do you have?

A large paper bag

One grocery bag or less

No appointment needed!

Read further.

Up to three boxes or bags

Two large boxes and a full trash bag

To help us manage the rate that donations come in, please sign up for an appointment below.

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If you have more to donate, please make multiple appointments, or give us a call.

Leave it to us!

Donations are only accepted at our outdoor receiving zone, during donation hours. Please come at your scheduled time, if you had to make an appointment.

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Pull your car up to our donation drop-off spot, and call the number on the door to let us know you're here. Pop your trunk and our donation staff will take care of the rest!

 

Thank you for supporting our community through creative reuse!

☒ NO DUMPING ☒ NO DONATIONS IN-STORE

A happy donor waving goodbye to a staff member holding a box of donations

Support Us

Your donations allow our community to create, experiment, teach, and learn! You also help keep reusable items out of the trash and give voice to kids, artists, craftspeople, and creative entrepreneurs.

Collage kits
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