How To Donate Clothing to Charity
Donating clothing to charity helps those in need and creates closet space at the same time. Clothes that no longer fit or items that are now out of style are ideal for a charitable donation. Choose multiple charities to donate to or find the most popular charity in the area and make a large, single donation.
- Gather the clothing you want to donate to charity and launder the items. Fold the clothes neatly after drying and put the items into stacks. Make separate stacks for shirts and pants and keep socks together in pairs.
- Tie any shoestrings if you are going to donate shoes. Fasten and fold belts so you can store them easily in a box. Fold the arms of jackets or sweaters across the front and then fold the top of the item over the arms. Arrange any miscellaneous clothing into piles for transportation.
- Place the clothing into boxes and label the sides of each box with a marker. Close the top of the box and fold the top edges of the box under each other to keep the clothing in place. Put the boxes in your vehicle if you are taking the clothing to the charity, or stack them by the door if the charity is sending someone to pick up the donation.
- Contact the charity and advise the representative that you have some clothing you want to donate. Find out the hours of operation for the charity if you plan to deliver the items or arrange a time for curbside pick up. Get a receipt for the clothing so you can deduct the value on your income taxes.
- If you intend to donate the clothing to a charity that is not in your area, find the address for the charity for shipping purposes. Secure the boxes with tape and place an address label on the top. Contact the charity to confirm the shipping address and leave your mailing address with the representative so you can receive a receipt in the mail.