Are you looking for that polka top you bought last Sunday? Or is it a pair of black denim you are searching your closet for? Well, whatever it is that you are looking for, is right in front lying between the heap of clothes, but you do not see them in a hurry. For most people, this is a routine thing. Having a cluttered wardrobe is quite common. And do you know why? The reason is simple, you do not realize how many clothes you have in your closet until you start packing them for your move. Clearly, you have more clothes than you actually need or even want. Many times, you hold onto clothes you just don’t like to wear or there may be some which don’t fit you anymore. Other times, you just accumulate too many.
For starters, you can try opening your closet and check how many dresses in similar shades you have? A rough guess, probably 4-5. Even more. Let me tell you, nobody needs 3 three t-shirts in the same colors. Regardless, how or why you end up with these clothes that you have no intention of wearing at all; moving to a new place is a great time to revisit your closet and trim down the heap. Let’s start the drill. You shall not worry about how you are going to pack all these unwanted clothes, instead look online and shortlist places where you could donate them. Your rag could become someone’s riches.
Since you are moving, I am sure you would have filed free change of address request online with postal service, now let’s move to the clothes. If you are thinking about where to donate clothes before you move, let’s make it easy for you. We have rolled down a list of places that will gladly take your unwanted outfits and give them on to people who actually need them. Without further ado, let’s get started.
- Dress for Success
A global charity in the USA that provides women in need with professional outfits. So if you happen to be a career woman and have your old business outfits and dresses consuming excess room in your wardrobe, this is an ideal way to donate them to impoverished women who can join the workforce and earn a living. Not only you will do good but also help such women who are unlikely to buy expensive professional dresses themselves. At Dress for Success, you can ask for local affiliate groups or contact them via phone or email. Also, you can browse a list of affiliates near you and inquire about how they accept clothing donations. The organization runs several corporate drives all around the year so that you have ease of donation. Get connected with Dress for Success as they believe “Your gently-used clothing gives a woman a new start.”
- Thrift stores
Did you just wear that hot pink tube top or a nice embroidered pants a few times only, and then what? It is lying in some corner of your closet, untouched for months or even years. Instead of saving it for another couple of years, donate it to someone. Let your used garb become someone else’s fashion statement. Wondering where to donate? We suggest thrift stores. Thousands of people shop in thrift stores, for the simple reason as they can’t afford expensive branded clothes. Thrift stores are a great option to shop for clothing items when you are running low on budget. Also, they are best when you are looking for things that are unique in their own way. Most of the thrift stores in the USA are run by the army and have a charitable outlook as well. Goodwill, Salvation Army, AMVETS, and the like are some popular stores. Other than selling clothes, these stores provide employment opportunities for people in need and raise funds by selling used items. Unlike supermarkets, these stores are easy to drop by and there is no sales representative hovering around. One mega clothing giant H&M runs a fantastic program where they accept and recycle unwanted textile materials from any store or brand. So next time you come across a thrift store, remember to drop off some used clothes.
- Career Gear
Similar to Dress for Success, Career Gear endows with professional clothing to help men in poverty become stronger contributors to their families and communities. You find second-hand clothing for men instead of women, otherwise, the intention remains the same. Be it your white collar shirts or fancy business suits, you don’t wear anymore, you now have a place to donate. Here, at Career Gear, they accept all kinds of business-appropriate clothing that are handed over to men who need them for landing a job and earn a living. Your old garbs come across as a necessity for such men who can’t even afford to even purchase they need to look the part for a job. So whenever you have a plan to move to another city, and you don’t want to take along all your business garments, reach out to Career Gear and make a difference.
- eBay
Not always your move can be a hurried decision. Sometimes you may have time to glance at your closet, decide what to do with unwanted dresses and not pack them right away. In situations, when you have ample time and the inclination, you can even attempt to sell off your used garments on eBay. It’s a particularly useful site for higher-end merchandise and collectibles, however, to get a good price the clothing will likely either have to be new or good as new. You have another option, eBay for Charity, through which you can even choose to sell your items for a good cause, with all proceeds going to some non-profit organization you choose from their list (Feeding America, the Humane Society of the United States, and United Way Worldwide are just a few of their featured charities). Sell or donate, eBay is a good option to look for.
- Consignment shops
Consignment shops are similar to thrift stores, but they work a little bit differently. Instead of just dropping off clothes for the store’s benefit, you get a little something in return. Sounds good. It’s not a donation per se, but several consignment shops sell clothing at low price points to make their stock more accessible for people with not so affluent backgrounds.
Besides, there are two types of consignment shops: ones that pay you upfront for the items that they want to take (before re-selling them for a slightly higher price) and ones that display your item and give you a portion of the proceeds if and when it sells. Unlike thrift stores, consignment shops have higher standards for what they will accept or reject. For instance, you may bring in a box with 20 items only to accept them six, or they might not accept at all. Consignment shops are just the right place to sell your exclusive collection before the big move.
- Local shelters, community centers, or religious centers
It is not just third world countries where you have the homeless and poverty-stricken people. Even in some parts of the United States, there are communities with people living in not so good conditions. In particular, homeless shelters, domestic violence shelters, orphanages and other organizations that work with people going through difficult times in their lives are almost always open to accepting your unwanted clothing that is in good, wearable condition. You can call ahead of time to ensure they are accepting clothing donations at that time, or you can simply go and drop off your items. Remember, “we make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give.”
- Soles4Souls and Clothes4Souls
Although you have thrift stores and consignment shops to drop off used clothes of your children, there are others as well. Soles4Souls and Clothes4Souls, two sister organizations accepts new and used clothing donations and other items which they then distribute to people who are in need. They do everything from stock clothing closets at schools in impoverished districts so children have something clean to wear every day to build playgrounds out of recycled shoes. The organization has also partnered with Zappos for Good to simplify the donation process and bring a smile on someone’s face. Your donation today makes someone’s tomorrow. Go ahead and search your closet, you will surely find a pile of unwanted clothes.
- Planet Aid
Still thinking, where to donate used clothes when you’re moving is as much about the environment as it is about giving back. Unwanted clothes that are thrown in garbage pins end up piling up in landfills. Now you have every reason to worry. On the brighter side, Planet Aid is here to help, This organization has kept collection bins in good numbers all around the country, sorts through dropped off items anywhere, anyplace, sell what they can at their resale shops, and properly recycle the rest (no landfills, for sure). The money raised through Planet Aid’s resale shops goes for the economic development of masses in struggling countries, with clothing accepted for men, women, and children. Save your planet with Planet Aid. Their motto – Reuse, Recycle and Reduce.