How to Donate Your Clothes

Once you purchase new clothes, it’s common for certain pieces in your closet to get left behind. So instead of throwing them away, consider donating them to a greater cause like your local shelter or charity center.

5-Minute Crafts will now tell you all about this act of kindness and how to do it.

1. Call or visit before donating.

Before donating, try to call or schedule a visit to the charity center or whichever organization you decide to donate to, and find out what is specifically requested or needed at the time.

2. Inspect the clothes.

While selecting pieces of clothing you plan on donating, inspect them thoroughly for stains, tears, rips, broken zippers, or missing buttons as charity centers may not have the resources needed to fix the clothes.

Tip: Don’t forget to check the pockets as well.

3. Wash and fix the clothing pieces.

Always wash or dry clean everything and fix any issues the clothes may have before giving them away. This includes other fabrics like bedding and towels too.

4. Organize and donate.

After deciding on all the pieces of clothing you’re going to donate and putting them in a box, consider organizing everything by category and using labels. Especially if you have several items of one specific category, like children’s clothing or coats. By doing this, your donation can get to people in need much quicker.

Bonus: What not to donate.

Another important thing to keep in mind is what not to donate — undergarments, swimwear, and fabrics that are very worn out or permanently stained all fall into this category.