So, ideally you spent some time yesterday going through your closet weeding out the keepers from the duds. If you are anything like me, you have a pile on your bedroom floor of castoffs–and you’re anxious to get them out of sight and out of mind. Well, luckily there are many charitable organizations ready to take your new or gently used clothing. Some options are highlighted below.
Dress for Success is looking for new or nearly new and CLEANED professional clothing. You can visit the site for more parameters. They help women when interviewing for a job by gifting her with a suit. If she gets the job, she can return and get a small professional wardrobe to help build her confidence. I love the idea behind this charity, and I would imagine the demand is very high in the current economy.
The Cinderella Project is an idea that looks to have many independent arms. The general idea is that donated evening gowns are given to underprivileged high school students so that they may enjoy prom without worry about money.
Goodwill, Salvation Army, and AmVets will all take donations of clothes of any kind. AmVets will even pick up your donation if you are within their area.
Other Options you may want to consider are local homeless shelters, and crisis pregnancy centers may take gently used maternity clothes. Some churches operate clothing banks or are in touch with overseas missions that are looking for bulk clothing donations. One last option is giving certain clothing to daycares or preschools as dress up clothing. The children enjoy practicing buttoning dress shirts and walking in shoes that are much to big. :)
One More Idea, if you have friends that are approximately the same size as you it may be a great idea to hold a clothing swap. I am planning a whole post on clothing swaps, but if you think this is something you’d be interested in, make sure to set aside your most stylish castoffs (things that are still in style and in good condition, but that are no longer a good fit for you for whatever reason).
AND, because I like to be informed and am fascinated by the ways the United States interacts in the global economy. Here is an article about where donated clothes really end up.
**What did you think about that article? What do you do with your clothes when you no longer wear them? Donate them? Pass them along to friends? Sell them at a consignment shop or garage sale? Please share your thoughts in the comments! I am constantly purging clothes (both mine and the kids’) and I often wonder the best way to let go of them.**
Previous posts in 31 Days to a No Brainer Wardrobe: day 1 a manifesto, day 2 the plan, day 3 defining your style, day 4 picking out pieces, day 5 for all women, and day 6 purging your closet.
23 Comments on "no brainer wardrobe :: day 7 where to donate"
i usually purge at the beginning of each season (and with the arrival of fall it’s probably time for another round!). Our clothes end up at Goodwill since it’s closest to our house. But I may have to look into local homeless shelters. I’ve never considered that option.
interesting article. I am glad to see that all the articles that are worthy to sell are used and not going in the dump but sad that it takes jobs away from the African people.
i normally donate my clothes to a charity and then they sell it to goodwill. its easy they come pick it up on my porch once a month. lately tho i’ve selling them on a local buy and swap group, trying to make a little extra income on the side. its surprising what people will pay and buy
Since we are military we donate to the Airman’s Attic, which is basically a free thrift store for the lower ranking troops. It’s a great thing and really helps, they do not just take clothing so we can take our no longer needed household items as well, it’s a win, win!
I also finally started the Pinterest thing, My link is http://pinterest.com/mogal65/ I am having a tough time of actually finding things to pin that I would really wear…I will keep trying though. I think part of it is I don’t have a style that I am aware of (HENCE, why I am so carefully following your series!). I am, not trendy and dress pretty conservatively. My desire is to feel comfortable but very pulled together…it’s a journey I know but I am trying!
I normally donate to the Goodwill or DAV, but my co-workers and I are planning a garage sale to beneifit an acquaintance with breast cancer and no insurance, so I’m saving my stuff for that.
One place that hasn’t been mentioned is a family crisis center – or a battered women’s shelter, whatever it is called in your town. Most of the time these women escape their abusive husbands with only the clothes on their (and their kids) backs. So they need everything to start over.
i’m dying to read these posts but for some reason your posts are showing up as jiberish on my monitor….but i can read the headers & comments…any clue what’s going on – techiness is not my forte :)
Penelope, I have the same problem. Subscribe via email and you’ll be able to read them in the meantime.
Thanks leslie – i’ll give that a try!
We take our household goods and clothing to goodwill, value village (a local chain of thrift stores), or other independently operated thrift stores that benefit local charities (children’s hospital, women’s sheleters, etc.). Oh, we’ve dropped off at St. Vincent de Paul, too.
Ok, today I finally made my pinterest page – all from shopping the comments from day 3! My core items are jeans, comfy skirts, cute/fitted tees and shirts, a few dresses and layers! I’d love to wear them all with boots, but tennies are my every day. I also got into my closet – removed a few items, put the rest into the categories I just mentioned. Oh and an entire hanger drowning in scarves. I was glad to see many of my pinned items were similar to things I already have.
For now I’m not donating (just storing) since I am nursing and my baby is only five months old! My size will change a bit more in the next months. I usually take things to the local thrift stores who I know sell most of them.
Here’s my link. https://pinterest.com/abbieknaub/my-style/
I am loving your posts and your plan. My issue is that I have difficulty reading what you post. I can read from others just fine, but your info is difficult, alsays an “X” before each word. Can this be remedied?
Thanks
Some friends and I just had a girls weekend and did a clothing swap. It was so FUn, and everyone left with some awesome new things that cost nothing!!!
Both of my daughters have called me several times to say I would love your 31 day series and to recommend it. One calling from Chicago and the other from England. So I finally made it over and look forard to reading the entire series.
Fondly,
Glenda
31 days of Christmas wonder
My friends and I always do a clothing swap first and then take whatever’s left to Goodwill or a similar thrift store. It’s a fun way to connect with friends (especially the months after when we see each other in our castoffs!) and a good way to clear out our closets and help others at the same time.
Salvation Army.
RCG
I often donate my “trendy” items to a local Second Hand store that gives you store credit for clothing that they take. It’s a great way to shop frugally, as the clothing I give away allows me to buy “new clothes” at their store. Look around your area to see if you have a consignment store.
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