Donating items to charity is a great way to get rid of things that you no longer use while also helping people in need. Choosing to donate clothing is a much better option than simply throwing it out.
Each year, Americans donate about 4.7 billion pounds of clothing. Used clothing purchases kept 2.5 billion pounds of old fabric from being sent to landfills in 2006.
The issue can come when trying to decide the best charities to donate to. If you want to donate your items but are unsure where to do so, these tips are here to help.
Deciding on what to Donate
Even if you have the desire to donate, the process can still become overwhelming when it comes to deciding on what to give away. Household donations are relatively easy to decide on because people generally have no use for their old refrigerator or coffee maker, making these easy donation items to think of.
Knowing when to donate clothes can be a little bit more difficult. A good rule to go by for people that live in a climate that has one to two seasons is that if you haven’t worn something in over six months, you should probably donate it.
Should You Donate the Items or the Proceeds?
When deciding on the best charities to donate to, you should consider if items would be more appreciated or if it would be better to sell the items and then donate those proceeds.
You may find a charity that you feel very passionate about that only accepts proceeds, in which case selling your items would make more sense. However, you may decide that the value of charitable donations would be greater if you gave chose household or used clothing donations.
The choice is up to you, the most important thing being that you are helping out a charity that you care about, whether it be by giving items or proceeds.
Consider Keeping the Donation Local
There are many reasons why the best charities to donate to are the ones that are near you. Donating locally not only makes the process of dropping off your items more convient, but you also do so knowing that you are helping families in need within your community. The next time you are looking for the best charities to donate to, consider choosing local clothing donations.
Donating to charity is a helpful and rewarding experience. Not only are you helping out those who need it, but you are also eligible for a tax write off. For donations that have a worth greater than $250, a receipt is required for the write off.
Now that you have these tips to help you find the best charities to donate to, you can start sorting through your items and researching local charities that you think could benefit from your help.
