Helping families in need is a great way to usher in the holiday spirit.
While you’re gathering up gift ideas for friends and planning out the big family dinner, consider adding another happy note to your to-do list: charity clothing donations! Spreading a little cheer is easy to do when you have a few worn-out or ill-fitting clothes in your closet. A single visit to a clothing drop-off location will give local charities extra stock to put on the rack, provide the economy with useful materials, and free up your home for all the new goodies coming in. Never donated a box or bag to a clothing donation center?
Here are five easy tips to start helping families in need before the snow touches the ground.
Brush Up On Your Eco-Friendly Habits
Do you like to recycle newspaper or donate unwanted furniture once in a while? Helping families in need will be yet another benefit added to your eco-friendly resume. Americans send a staggering 10 million tons of clothing to landfills each and every year. Landfills are pretty harmful to the environment and contribute a lot of unneeded carbon emissions. When you send your clothes to a donation pick up instead of the nearest dump you’re keeping landfills smaller and circulating useful materials throughout the economy.
Keep The Economy Going Strong
It can seem a little out of your sphere of comprehension to be helping out the economy at large with your clothing drop off additions. Turns out clothing has a lot more potential than just keeping the cold at bay! Nearly 100% of household textiles and clothing can be recycled, irregardless of quality. That means even your most beat-up and gross pair of jeans can still do a world of good when sent to the right location. If you want to help out thrift stores, however, you’ll have to be a little more discerning…
Give Families And Individuals Something To Cheer About
Secondhand clothing is an smart way of looking good on a budget. In fact, as much as 45% of recycled clothing today is worn secondhand! Clothes that can be put on the rack should be gently used. That means no major burns, huge stains, or a set of missing buttons. It might even help to give your charity of choice a call and ask if they have any clothing articles they’re looking for. Winter is a prime time to donate scarves and socks, for example, and you can always find a better use for that jacket you no longer feel like wearing.
Shave Some Money Off Your Taxes
Could you even enjoy a future gift to yourself? With charitable clothing donations anything seems possible. The total giving to charitable organizations was $350 billion back in 2014. Just a few years before that over two and a half million pounds of fabric were kept from landfills thanks to used clothing donations. Keep your receipt next time you visit your local Purple Heart and put that toward your next tax return to enjoy some savings once spring rolls around.
Helping Families In Need Just In Time For The Holidays
Let’s be honest…donating to charity just feels good. Knowing that your unwanted clothes could make someone’s day a little brighter, whether it’s a sweet find on the rack or a textile worker that’s getting more materials to work with. Spreading the cheer is as simple as sharing your experience on your social media account. A recent study on the impact of viral word-of-mouth found 70% of social media users stating they would take some kind of action in response to a co-worker or friend sharing their charitable donation online.
The holidays should be a time where everyone is feeling the love. Call for a clothing drop off service or swing by your charity of choice to keep everyone in high spirits come winter.
