Donating Clothes How Charities Are Making The Process Easier Than Ever

Almost everyone has things that they don’t actually need or use anymore in their homes. It’s become an unspoken fact that many of us have more space taken up by clutter than we have of things we actually need and use. You don’t have to be a compulsive hoarder to be disorganized. On the contrary, it’s all too easy for the average person to become used to having certain things in the house, even when they serve no particular purpose. That space could certainly be better used, or even left clean and empty. And perhaps the most likely culprit for taking up space that could be better used, are clothes. This is because clothes are so easily outgrown — and sometimes even more quickly, clothes we once treasured fall out of style. You might think that you can give away these clothes, or even sell them online. Unfortunately, finding friends who can both fit into such clothes and want them is easier said than done. Additionally, it can be difficult to sell brand new clothes online — let alone clothes that have been discarded. Listing them probably isn’t worth the time and money. The best way to both get rid of clothes you don’t want anymore and do something productive with them is through donating clothing to charity. Not only do clothes donations do a lot of good — but thanks to charities that pick up donations, they’re easier to make than ever. Let’s look into a few of the things you might not know about turning old clothes into charitable donations.

How Much Do We Waste Old Clothes?

You might not think that throwing away old clothes has that much of a negative impact, in the big picture. This view is understandable — and, unfortunately, not the case. It’s estimated that about 12 million tons of clothing and textiles are thrown out in the United States each year. Indeed, the average person generates about 4.5 pounds of trash each day. This ads up to 1.5 tons on an annual basis. The fact is that many people throw out clothes, but that doesn’t man that these clothes have to be thrown out. Gently used clothes can be reused or recycled. In fact, it’s believed that about 90% of the clothes and textiles thrown out in the U.S. in 2011 could have reused and recycled. To be more specific, many of them could have been donated. Charities that pick up donations are grateful for all of the donations they could possibly get.

What Are The Benefits Of Donating Clothes?

So, what are the benefits of donating clothes to charities that pick up donations? There is obviously the more obvious benefits. Donating clothes — and other items for that matter — not only gives people a good feeling about themselves; it has a real, positive effect on the beneficiaries of the charity in question. Often, these charities donate their proceeds to specific groups in need. These groups could include at-risk children, wounded veterans, and many more people. Another thing to take into consideration are the potential positive tax benefits that you can potentially reap, depending on the type of donation and its monetary benefits. But there is more to the benefits than just that. In fact, donating clothes is environmentally friendly. All of the clothes and textiles thrown away end up in landfills. This has a negative environmental impact in a major way. The more clothes are donated, the less negative your impact will be on the environment.

How Do Charities That Pick Up Donations Simplify The Donation Process?

One of the main reasons why people who would have donated clothes end up throwing them away is that it’s just easier. We’re all busy; some of us don’t have the time to take clothes to charities. Luckily, some charities now pick up donations themselves. All you have to do is have the clothes ready for pickup!