The holiday season is a time to be grateful, joyful, and warm. You and your family probably have big plans for a wonderful meal in your warm home, surrounded by loved ones. During this time of the year, don’t forget to be grateful for all that you have, and to keep in mind what others might not be so lucky to possess.
A common misconception that some people may have about charity is that it costs extra time or money out of your pocket. The simple truth is it doesn’t cost anything to do a good deed. Often, the best charities to donate to involve food and clothing donations. On average, people send over 10.5 million tons of clothing to landfills each year in the United States alone. Why throw away perfectly good clothing when there’s probably a charity clothing pick up right by your local church, or a used clothing store 15 minutes down the road?
Not sure whether you can part with the clothing in your drawers? There are a few simple questions to ask yourself when cleaning out your wardrobe. First, determine whether or not you need it. If you have an extra winter coat, do you really need more than one? Are you going to wear the old coat even though you have a brand new one? Second, you should figure out when the last time you wore a particular item of clothing was. If you haven’t worn it in more than six months, odds are you won’t be wearing it again anytime soon. Donating clothing to charity can make you feel like you’re doing a good deed, and it can free up space in your home. Your closet is probably cluttered with years worth of under-used clothing, so why not make a charitable donation?
It’s not just fabric, either! Charity clothing pick ups will accept overcoats, belts, shoes, hats, gloves, and other items of gently used clothing from your wardrobe. Bought a pair of boots and never ended up wearing them? Donate them to a good cause! Almost 5 billion pounds of clothing is donated to charity clothing pick ups every year, and contributing to that number is as easy as sorting through your closet.
The holiday season isn’t just about keeping warmth in your heart for a few months out of the year. Remember to be kind and to keep warmth and charity in your heart year round! It’s not hard to clean out your closet!