trying to decide what clothes to donate

We suggest maintain high standards for choosing what to donate. Too many people treat the donate pile as the trash pile, which completely defeats the purpose. Truly think about whether or not someone would find value in what you’re getting rid of. Make sure everything is in good shape. For clothes, this means no stain, rips, or disfigurement.

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What do you need to know before you donate clothes?

Typically, these organizations have donation drop-off bins, which make it super easy to drive up and drop off gently used articles of clothing. Just make sure to give your clothes to an organization that isn’t trying to profit from your goodwill.

When is the best time to donate your clothes?

Sep 18, 2017 · Only allocate something to the ‘Donate’ pile if: It’s in good condition and/or. It’s sell-worthy, but you can’t be bothered to sell it. 3. When To Throw Away Your Clutter. If you’re a seasoned declutterer, then by all means sell or donate your heart out. And if it doesn’t meet selling or donating standards, then toss it.

What is the best way to donate clothes?

Oct 21, 2015 · Donate. We suggest maintain high standards for choosing what to donate. Too many people treat the donate pile as the trash pile, which completely defeats the purpose. Truly think about whether or not someone would find value in what you’re getting rid of. Make sure everything is in good shape. For clothes, this means no stain, rips, or disfigurement.

Should you sell or donate your old clothes?

Take the time to truly evaluate the items you own, consider their condition, their worth, and the life they still have left in them before choosing the keep, donate, sell, or trash pile. In the end, you’ll be able to declutter while feeling confident about the afterlife of all your belongings!

How do I know which clothes to donate or keep?

Traditionally, you'll want three piles – keep, donate, and trash. Clothing that's ripped, torn, spotted with bleach stains, or otherwise unwearable should go straight in the trash pile. Your staple pieces that get constant use should go in the “keep” pile.May 25, 2018

What clothes shouldn't you donate?

No fabric items like bedding, towels, or clothes should be donated unless they have been cleaned. Dry clean or wash everything and treat any stains before donating.Jun 28, 2021

Why you shouldn't give to Goodwill?

If Goodwill can't sell your clothes, it ships them to sell to third world countries overseas — a practice that is widely documented as harming industry in developing nations by importing cheaply priced goods- or, if that doesn't happen, they go to a landfill.

What do charity shops do with clothes they can't sell?

Clothes which can't be sold in the shop will be sold to textile recycling companies, so they still make money for the charity. The Charity Retail Association has advice on donating unusual items.

1. Trick yourself into finding out what you will never wear!

I think we all buy clothes with the best of intentions. Some things are an amazing color! Some items go beautifully with exactly one pair of shoes we own. The list is endless for the good intentions lying around in my closet. Sometimes I have to trick myself into finding out what I actually wear and what to get rid of.

2. Use simple questions to guide your decisions

Since I’m a willing guinea pig, I’m going to show you how I worked through my scarves. I LOVE scarves ( you know you do, too! ). I wore them all summer, and I always want more. However, if I am being truthful with myself, I realize that I now prefer infinity scarves and don’t wear the others as much.

What is Thredup for women?

ThredUp is one of the most popular used clothing and accessory sites for women and children. They also make it easy for you to sell your clothes.

What is the best way to get rid of junk?

Yard sales are still a popular way to get rid of all your junk in exchange for cold, hard cash. Even though setting up a yard sale can take some time, you won’t have to worry about hauling your items to the post office or dealing with returns.

What to do when spring cleaning?

When spring cleaning, people often decide to get rid of clothes that no longer fit or CDs they don’t want. Instead of selling these individually, try bundling them together. Pair like items with like items —like all your action movie DVDs or size four Ann Taylor pants.

Is selling your stuff worth it?

Selling your stuff is only worth it if you make a decent profit. It’ll take more time than you realize to price and ship your items. If you don’t have the time or your items aren’t worth a whole lot, donating is always a great option.

Can you deduct donations on taxes?

As long as you keep your receipt, you can deduct any donations if you itemize your taxes. You can only deduct the fair market value of the items, not what you paid for them. If you calculate the market value, you might find that the deduction is more valuable than what you’d earn from selling those items.

Sell

This is the best case scenario, right? We’d all like to see a monetary reward at the end of our hard work! And there are many great marketplaces: consignment stores, CraigsList, Ebay, and so on. But before you allocate everything to the Sell pile, ask yourself a few questions:

Donate

We suggest maintain high standards for choosing what to donate. Too many people treat the donate pile as the trash pile, which completely defeats the purpose. Truly think about whether or not someone would find value in what you’re getting rid of.

Throw Away

If it’s broken or unusable, ratty or invaluable- throw it away! For many people this can be the hardest option. We want to see our stuff go to a good home instead of a landfill! But for many scenarios, simply tossing your unwanted items may be the best option.

Why do people throw away decluttered items?

Some people have a hard time throwing decluttered items away because they see value in everything. After considering what a thrift store can use and not use, hopefully you have a better idea about what is best going into the trash.

Can you sell decluttered items?

Selling your decluttered items is the most time consuming option, but sometimes an item we no longer need is valuable, and we don’t want to just give it away. That is OK! For items that you no longer want/need that are still worth money, you have the option of selling it.

It's time to clear out the clutter and revamp your wardrobe! We asked experts for the best steps to cleaning out and decluttering your closet

If you’ve ever uttered the phrase “I have nothing to wear,” while standing in front of an overstuffed wardrobe, it’s time to tackle the mess. The most challenging part of sprucing up your space is actually committing to the project.

1. Set aside time

Sometimes the hardest part is just getting started. Whether you decide to dedicate an entire weekend to the project, or just 20 minutes a day, make a plan and stick to it. Be realistic about your time so you don’t set yourself up for failure. Create goals that you know you can accomplish to avoid getting overwhelmed.

2. Clear everything out

There’s no way around it, experts say the best way to successfully declutter a closet is to take everything out first. “It’s always best to start with a blank slate so you can touch on each and every item,” Jamie Hord, founder of Horderly Professional Organizing, tells Reader’s Digest.

4. Choose what to save

Generally, the rule of thumb is if you haven’t worn something in a year, get rid of it. However, in 2021, due to the pandemic, change that to two years.

5. Edit and curate

When evaluating your own apparel, you need to be a little ruthless, because it’s easy to lie to yourself. “So many of our purchases are driven by emotions,” says Clauss, so be honest about whether you even like certain items any more. She advises getting rid of anything that is too big or small, as well as styles that are no longer flattering.

6. Separate items to sell

Now that you’ve settled on what to get rid of, your path to a closet catharsis continues. Jacobs suggests buying a box of contractor trash bags. “Clothing gets heavy, which is why thick bags are no-tear lifesavers,” she explains. First, figure out what you can sell. Some stores offer cash outright, while others take items on consignment.

7. Decide what to give away

You should donate anything that is wearable and in decent condition, plus things that are harder to sell (even designer pieces). “If you can donate your items to a good cause, you’re giving someone else the chance to love the pieces that you used to love.