If new clothes are on your holiday wishlist, you might want to clean out your closet before the gift-giving begins. And with the tenth annual Giving Tuesday coming up on November 29th, why not donate your gently used items to a charitable organization?
To ensure that your donation makes the best possible positive impact, follow these guidelines:
- Research the charitable organization to make sure it's legitimate. Use Charity Navigator or Charity Watch, or reach out to your state's charity registration office.
- Pay attention to which items are being accepted. If you donate items that aren't requested (such as out-of-season clothes), it can actually cause more harm than good—all you'll be doing is slowing the intake process and forcing someone else to dispose of your items.
- Always wash clothes before donating. No one should have to touch your dirty laundry!
- Only donate items that are in "new," "like new," or "gently used" condition (unless otherwise specified).
If clothes have holes or permanent stains, put them in a separate pile to be repurposed (into cleaning rags, DIY dog toys, etc.) or donated to a textile recycling program.
