Where to Donate Clothes Before You Move

Getting rid of clutter and unnecessary items before you move will help you make more space for new things and lower the moving cost. Donating is one of the best ways to dispose of clothing you no longer wear. Besides packing less and paying less for transport, by decluttering your home and donating you will also help those in need. Various organizations are accepting donations and helping people going through difficult times. If you are wondering where to donate clothes before you move, we prepared a handy list for you.

Where to donate clothes before you move:

Goodwill

Goodwill is one of the most known charity organizations that will accept your clothes. You can drop it off at one of their donation sites and they will sell it at one of their numerous stores. That money will go towards finding employment for people in need and paying for job training.

Salvation Army

The Salvation Army is an organization that does various acts of charity. From fighting addiction to domestic abuse and disaster relief, they meet human needs in any way possible. You can visit a drop-off location or schedule a free pickup to donate your clothes to someone who needs it.

Thrift stores

People shop in thrift stores for various reasons, from finding great bargains to searching for unique things they couldn’t find in regular stores. Some of the thrift stores also cooperate with charity organizations by providing employment or raising funds for people in need. These are great places to simply drop off your clothes after you clean and pack them, and they will go through them to decide what makes it to the shop floor. Keep in mind that in most cases damaged clothes are not accepted.

Dress for Success

Dress for Success has a unique approach – they provide professional clothes to women in need. There’s no better place to give away your work clothes than this global charity that supports and empowers women by giving them attire for joining the workforce. They have local groups and you can visit their website to find one that’s closest to you. After you find the most convenient location, give them a call to find out when they accept donations.

Career Gear

Career Gear has the same concept as Dress for Success, but instead of women, it provides business attire to men. You can donate your working clothes or any clothes that are appropriate for work, so men in need can use them for job interviews. You can visit their webpage to find out which type of clothes they accept and how you can donate it.

eBay

Tons of people shop on eBay, and it’s one of the best online platforms for selling various merchandise, including collectible items. You can sell your clothes to the highest bidder and that money will go to a good cause. You can do so through eBay for Charity and choose which organization you want the money to go to.

Local centers

You should be able to find various charities and community centers in your area, such as domestic violence shelters, homeless shelters, animal shelters, and other types of centers that accept donations to provide to people in need. With local centers, you can drop off your donation almost anytime, but it’s still a good idea to give them a call to make sure they are open. If you have some sort of clothing or linen that’s in a very bad shape, you can give them away to animal shelters, as they can always use it.

Soles4Souls and Clothes4Souls

These are two sister charities working together to accept clothes and shoes and pass them to people in need. They fight poverty by helping people launch their own business selling donated shoes and clothes, and they also distribute donated things to schools in poor districts, etc.

A few tips before donating

Now that you know where to donate clothes before you move, make sure to go through a few helpful tips to prepare items for drop off. Consider giving away any item that you haven’t used in a year.

Get in touch

Before you head to the charity with items you wish to give away, give them a call or visit them to ask if they have any specific requests. For example, most charities will not accept undergarments, so make sure to know what their policies are. Also, ask them about their specific distribution schedule to be aware of the convenient time for dropping off your things.

Dry clean

You should only donate clean clothes, so make sure you wash them and get rid of any stains before donating. Try using a fragrance-free detergent and avoid harsh scents that could be irritable for some recipients. If possible, dry clean items like towels and bedding.

Inspect each item

Donate only clothing that is in good shape, without holes and tears. There should be no stains or missing buttons or zippers. People receiving those clothes might not have the resources to fix the item that is in bad condition.

Check pockets

Double-check if you left anything behind in your pockets before donating, especially if giving away wallets or purses. People often forget some of their personal items, such as documents, cash, credit cards, jewelry, etc.

Donate seasonal clothes

Most charities have limited space for storing things, so choosing seasonal clothing can be quite useful. For instance, giving away summer shorts in January will not be too helpful. If you have clothes for a different season than the current one, keep them until the time is appropriate.

Sort out

If you have many items of the same type (for instance, plenty of winter coats) and you have enough time to do so, go ahead and sort them by size. It will help volunteers later on when they have to classify all donated items.

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