One evening when I was channel flipping for something to watch, I came across one of those house cleaning shows with a twist, as the point of it was to make people recycle more. The show was going over the family's normal bad habits, like leaving every light on all the time in their huge house, turning on all the TVs once someone got home, and other things like that. However, it was another that shocked me:
this family threw out all their old clothes once they got tired of them.I saw these people putting garbage bags of perfectly usable clothing into their trash and it was just shocking. People actually
do that? I thought in horror. It then crossed my mind that perhaps many people do this. It was really amazing to me that people could throw out things that are so useful for others without a second thought.
There are a lot of great ways to dispose of old clothing and bedding to ensure that they won't go to waste just because you can't use them anymore.
Lightly used clothes, or things you bought and decided they weren't for you: Try selling them on
ebay! Things that sell especially well are things in funky niche styles, jeans in odd sizes (I'm looking at you, anyone who wears a short length of pants), or nice brand name clothing. Too lazy to sell it yourself? Find a consignment store. A consignment store will take your used items and pay you for them when they sell in the store. The shop takes a commission, and you get a few dollars for that dress you bought last year and doesn't look right on you now. Another idea is having a clothes swap: if you and your friends are all around the same size, throw a party and swap clothing you don't want anymore. I've done this and it's usually a lot of fun.
General used clothing, or things you can't sell: Put them in a bag, find your local
Goodwill or
Salvation Army and donate them! There are other smaller thrift stores around as well, so you could also try looking for a local church or synagogue thrift store in your area. Donating items to these will make you feel good on two levels: first, the items are sold at a cheap price for people who can't afford to buy new things all the time, and the money they make on your donations is used for charity. For example, Goodwill uses their profits to fund programs that provide training to people who can't find work. If that doesn't make you feel good, I don't know what will.
Items that might not be in as good condition: If you have some clothing that might be too torn or worn to donate to sell, there are still some options. Sweaters, blankets, and sheets can be given to animal shelters or rescue organizations. These type of places can always use bedding for the animals, and the pet that is going to lay down on your sweater with holes in it won't care that there is a hole in the front, but that they'll be warm and comfortable. However, I must admit, when it comes to small items that are in bad condition like socks with holes, I do throw them out. There might be a better option for those, but I haven't realized it yet. (If you have, let us know in the comments!)
What do you do with your old clothes once they don't fit or you're tired of them? Do you donate items you don't want anymore?Image Source:
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