The Quick Guide to Clothing Donations
CLOTHING CARE TIPS
If cleaning out your closet was on your list of New Year’s resolutions, right now you might be thinking about what to do with the clothes that you’re not keeping. If you don’t know anybody who needs or might want them and you’re not planning to hold a garage sale, donating the clothes that you don’t want is probably your best option. Take a look at some best practices for clothing donations so that you can be sure that your donations will be appreciated and put to good use.
Contact Organizations Before Dropping off Clothes
Some organizations accept clothing year-round, while others might only accept clothing donations at certain times of the year or when their current stock of donated clothing runs low. It’s generally a good idea to contact organizations ahead of time to find out what they need and ensure that they’re actually accepting donations at this time. You don’t want your donations to go unused or end up getting thrown out because you dropped them off with an organization that wasn’t prepared to deal with them.
Wash Clothing Before Donating
Even if you’re taking the clothes out of your closet and you haven’t worn them since the last wash, it’s still helpful to wash clothes before you donate them. If at all possible, use a fragrance-free detergent, and skip fabric softeners and other perfumed laundry products. The recipients of your donated clothes may have sensitivities to fragrances or chemicals, and this step helps ensure that they’re able to use the clothes they receive immediately, even if they can’t wash them right away themselves.
Perform Needed Repairs
It’s unlikely that a charitable organization accepting clothing donations has employees on hand to do small repairs, like replacing missing buttons or tightening a loose zipper. If they receive clothes that are damaged in small ways, they may simply be unable to use them at all, even if the clothing is otherwise good. Do the organization and potential recipients a favor by checking for small damages or flaws and repairing or having them repaired before donating.
Know What Not to Donate
Most organizations that accept used clothing have certain restrictions. Underwear and bathing suits are items that are commonly rejected. Someone has to sort through the clothing that you donate and remove items that don’t belong. Save them time by learning what the organization you’re donating to won’t accept and leaving those items out of your donation box. Furthermore, avoid donating items that are badly stained or damaged to the point where they can’t be repaired or won’t look good even if repaired. If the item is damaged enough that you wouldn’t wear it in public, you shouldn’t expect anyone else to do so.
Check the Pockets Before You Donate
You might be surprised by what volunteers and employees at charitable organizations sometimes find in the pockets of donated clothes. Money, credit cards, personal documents, and jewelry are all on the list. Do yourself a favor and check each item before putting it into the donation box.