Most people love to buy new clothes. But what happens when your closet starts to overflow? The best thing you can do is donate clothes to your local charity foundations. Most cities have multiple clothing drop off locations that are easy and convenient to give to. No matter what time of year it is, chances are there’s at least a couple articles of clothing you haven’t worn in some time that could find a good home with someone who can really use it. Here are three reasons to do so.
1.) Volume: The sheer volume of clothes this country has is pretty astounding. Luckily, clothing donations keeps a lot of material out of landfills. Used-clothing purchases kept 2.5 billion pounds of fabric out of landfills in 2006 alone. In total, approximately 4.7 billion pounds of clothing are donated every year in the United States. On the other hand, the average american throws out about 70 pounds of clothing and other textiles every year so there’s plenty more that could be saved and reused.
2.) Good Cause: The number one reason you should donate clothes is of course because it’s a good cause. The people you’ll be helping come from all walks of life, but for one reason or another have stumbled upon hard times. Veterans, children, mentally disabled. Those are just some of the groups that frequently find comfort in the clothes donations of other.
3.) Money: If being a kind-hearted person isn’t a good enough reason for you, there is of course the monetary exemptions you can receive from donations. The IRS will give you tax breaks on many donations including clothes. However, they do require a qualified appraisal submitted for deductions of $500 or more with your tax return if you donate something that is not in good used condition or better.
Don’t wait for the holiday season to bring about a giving attitude. Donate clothes all year around and you’ll be doing yourself and the world a favor.
