- Clearing out the clutter and getting rid of things you no longer use is an important element of streamlining your routine, organizing your life and making you a more efficient person. Also, when you make a contribution of clothing (or household goods) to a nonprofit, you can deduct it from your taxes as you would a monetary charitable contribution. Just be sure to make a detailed list of your donated items. New rules demand the items be in good condition, so you may want to photograph the donations as well, just in case you get questioned by the IRS. The nonprofit will only give you receipts that state the number of bags or boxes you gave. In order to make itemized deductions on your taxes, you will need your detailed list of items and a valuation guide (see Resources) to figure out the value of your donations.
- By donating your used clothing, you are helping others who are perhaps less fortunate than you get quality clothing at a lower cost. However, this is not the only way you help others when you donate clothes. There are nonprofits, such as Goodwill and the Salvation Army, that also provide other services to the community. The Vietnam Veterans of America is another organization that accepts donations of clothing and household goods and is in business to help others. For your convenience, you can schedule a pickup of your used items on its website: http://www.clothingdonations.org/service.htm. By donating to nonprofits like these, you are helping them stay in business and provide jobs and other assistance to the surrounding community or the populations they serve.
- The typical American discards about 68 pounds of used clothing a year. This adds up to two quadrillion pounds of clothing being tossed into landfills by Americans every year. Donating your used clothing helps the environment by keeping stuff out of the landfills. With so much garbage already crowding landfills, donating your used items is one fairly easy way to do your part to help the environment.
