Top Reasons to Donate Clothes

A lot of us like to give back to our communities and help those who need it. Many people feel they cannot help anyone else because they do not have time to volunteer nor money to spare. There are other ways we can help improve the community and help people who need it. One great way to help others is to donate clothes. By making clothing donations for veterans, for instance, we can give things to them that they need and will use right away.

Top Reasons to Donate Clothes:

• It is good for the environment. Every year, Americans put about 10.5 million tons of clothing to landfills. A lot of that could be used by someone else. Depending on the condition, nearly all of household textiles and used clothing that ends up in landfills could have been used by someone else. That is a lot of wasted landfill space. Also, when clothes are recycled, fewer clothes need to be made so the effect is a two fold benefit for the environment. So, if you have clothes you do not want, consider donating them to a charity.


• They can be used almost immediately. Up to 45% of used clothing that is donated ends up being worn. Some of the used clothing that is donated is sold to pay for the operating expenses of the charities who receive it but a lot also goes directlty to people who need it. After a major disaster, such as a hurricane, many people are left with nothing but what they were wearing when the storm hit. Clothing that is donated can be given directly to needy families and people who need new clothes.
• It gives you a great reason to clean out your closet. Organization experts recommend cleaning out your closet at least once (or twice, depending on the climate where you live) a year. They say if you have gone two seasons without wearing an item, it is time to say goodby to it. Just because you no longer want to wear some of your clothes does not mean someone else might not love them. If you have children and cannot or do not want to pass their hand me downs to someone else in the family, you can donate their clothing and really make a difference in other people\’s lives. This is especially true in winter months.
• You can save money on your taxes when you donate clothes. Anytime you donate to charity, you can take that off of your taxes. This is just as true when you donate clothes or other items. Keep a receipt because if your donation is worth more than $250, the Internat Revenue Service does require you to send that in with your returns. A used men\’s winter coat can typically be worth about $60 on your taxes. Ask the non-prfot if you are not sure. They can let you know how much you should take off for all of your donated items.

It is very easy to donate clothes. All charities have drop off locations but many also have pick up services for used clothing donations. Some people try to maximize their giving by holing clothing drives at their school or work. Friends and colleagues can all bring their clothes to one location and you can then arrange a pick up there for everyone. This gives everyone a chance to get rid of those clothes and other items that are still usable but not wanted.

Before you donate clothes, make sure you wash them or have them cleaned. This will save the non-profit a lot of time and energy when they process your donation and no one wants to make someone else do their laundry. Go through and sort your clothes by type. This will speed up the process for the staff who take in your donation and make it a lot easier for them to give you accurate receipts.

Giving back to the community is a great way to help others, improve your karma and get rid of unwanted (by you) items. Giving back is also good for you. Numerous studies show that people who donate to charity are healthier overall than people who do not.