The Convenience of Clothing Donations

Many states in the country have already felt the cold weather of fall. The temperatures are quickly dropping and once winter comes, they will get even colder. Most people have already stored away their summer clothing and are pulling out their winter boxes. This is the perfect time to go through your winter clothing items and donate the ones you will no longer wear. Styles tend to change quickly, even over a year. You may also notice that some of the clothing items you wore last year no longer fit. Donating them provides many benefits to both you and the charity that you are donating to.

It frees up storage space. Donating unused and no longer worn clothing items frees up storage space. For large families or those living in small homes, storage space can be very valuable. It allows you to store the items that you will actually wear. It also frees up time during the hectic morning schedule, as the items you wear regularly are easier to find. Your children will not be overwhelmed with the items in their closet they do not like, and can get ready quicker.

Winter clothing donations are one of the most needed items. Winter clothing items tend to be more expensive, because of the additional material used. Things like coats and winter boots can be hard to come by on a strict budget. These items can be some of the most useful items to those in need. Many charity foundations may actually run out of winter clothing items because of their high need.

Those who donate can receive tax write offs. Everyone is looking for ways to decrease their tax requirements. When you donate items, you can actually use them as a tax write off. This can help bring down the amount of tax that you owe. A clothing drop off is a great way to get a tax deduction, because you are likely donating clothing items that you no longer want, need, or use.

Donating items has become easier than ever. In the past, donating clothing items may have been somewhat of a hassle. You had to go through your items and then take them to the local charity clothing donations center. You then had to wait for a volunteer or charity employee to go through the items that you brought. They would select the items they needed and then give the rest back to you. You also had to wait for them to calculate your donation amount and write out a donation slip to use for your tax write offs. Smart givers only support groups granted tax exempt status under section 501C3 of the Internal Revenue Code.

Now, however, you can simply visit your local clothing drop off center. You can request a tax write off form from the charity, which is often given to you blank. You can even visit local clothing drop off boxes that may conveniently be located at your supermarket, bank, or at other places that you frequent. GreenDrop now has approximately 30 free standing locations and mobile trailers that collect on average 100 tons of donations each week. The organization raised $2.5 billion for participating charities in 2014. People tend to give more clothes donations when the donation process is easier.

Donations are low during this time of year. Donating winter clothing at the beginning of fall or winter is very helpful. About 43% (42.7%) of those surveyed gave more during the holidays than the rest of the year, 44.4% reported giving about the same. People tend to give more charitable clothing donations during the holiday season, so fall clothing drop offs are needed at local charity organizations. The time before the holiday season is actually the lowest donated time of the year.

The fall often involves organization of clothing items. You are storing away your summer clothes and pulling out winter items. Going through the winter clothes and donating unused items helps out charities in many ways. It may also provide the donator with benefits as they can free up closet space, reduce taxes owed, and provide good in the world during a needed time.