If you’re like me, you’re constantly forgetting to actually take your old clothes/toys/whatever to donate them and they end up sitting in a bag or box in your garage or car for WAY too long. Welp, today I decided to actually take our old clothes to donate them, and it was really so simple. So here are the three simple steps to donate your old clothes and other things you don’t need anymore.
1. Gather the things you are no longer using
For me, it was mostly old clothing from Nick, my kids and I, but there were also some bags and decor items that I didn’t need or want anymore. Depending on where you are donating to, there should be a list on their website with what they do and do not accepts as donations.
2. Go through the items to make sure they are in acceptable shape
You don’t want to be donating things that are in bad shape. For clothing, you should make sure the items are clean and free of stains. In particular, I looked at the collars on my kids clothes and the armpits on my husband’s clothes, and if there were any signs of wear, I would just throw them out.
3. (Optional) Inventory all the things you are donating and write it down
If you are planning to report these donations on your taxes, I would recommend keeping a record of the things you are planning to donate. I put all of this information in a note on my phone to refer to when I need it. Goodwill has a handy valuation guide that gives you estimations on what each type of item might be worth.
4. Pack it up
I’m not sure if it’s super necessary, but I folded everything up before putting them in boxes or plastic bags to take to the donation place.
5. Drop it off!
This part was less daunting than I made it out to be in my head. I went to my local Goodwill, and they literally had a drive up lane where someone came out to your car to grab everything you wanted to donate. If you want it, they can print you a receipt for your records, and you are DONE!
In terms of where to donate, I found this Medium article on how to donate things in the most ethical way possible and here is an article from Martha Stewart on the 9 best places to donate clothes. Hope these are helpful!
The whole process is really easy, painless, and you can feel good knowing that your old things could help someone in need.
