[anniebobannie]

Does anybody else have a problem like me with throwing things out? I just hate throwing clothes away even if they've been worn to death. I don't think they're in sellable condition but I hate just throwing clothes and shoes away when someone could still wear them (although they do look very worn down they can still be worn...). And I feel bad for throwing things out and contributing even more to landfills. The only kinds of clothes I've thrown into the trash are underwear, socks, and things that have huge gaping holes in it. I've kept pretty much everything else! In hopes of just using it as a rag or remaking it into something else. but for the most part they just sit there collecting dust! And now there's mounds and mounds of clothing sitting at home. Does anybody else do this??? What condition do clothes have to be in to be sent to Goodwill? I know they can be worn down and still good for Goodwill, but how worn down can it be until it is unacceptable? What about for shoes? Thanks for reading!

[gemski107]

i never throw clothes out, i either sell them on eBay, give them to friends, or keep them!

[Cal]

Some charity organisations make unwearable clothing into blankets. If you're concerned about the condition of your clothes then maybe one of these charities is the way to go. I'm sure many charities are happy to accept most clothing though, surely it's better then having clothes just sitting around in your house.

My husband travels to South Africa regularly for work. We usually do a small collection amongst friends and send down an additional suitcase full of clothes and shoes.

[anniebobannie]

Originally Posted by Cal

Some charity organisations make unwearable clothing into blankets. If you're concerned about the condition of your clothes then maybe one of these charities is the way to go. I'm sure many charities are happy to accept most clothing though, surely it's better then having clothes just sitting around in your house.

My husband travels to South Africa regularly for work. We usually do a small collection amongst friends and send down an additional suitcase full of clothes and shoes.

That's lovely! I never knew about the whole making unwearable clothing into blankets. so pretty much anything goes, eh?

[ChiChi143]

My clothes are usually in like-new condition....some still have tags on them. I either give them to goodwill or I bring them to work with me. I work in a school district so there's a lot of kids that need stuff like clothes & shoes.

[couturequeen]

I always donate. Never throw anything out - even shoes. Call around to a charity organization (Purple Heart, Salvation Army). In some cases they can even arrange a pick up time. If that doesn't encourage you to donate, you can get a small write off on your tax return!

[ZoeyZoo]

I put them in a spare closet for a few months to make sure I won't wear them and get them out of my regular rotation. When I forget about them then I donate them. If I haven't said I really need this by that time, it's easier for me to get rid of them.

[jchiara]

If they're in perfect shape, I sell them. Otherwise, I always donate. Well, sometimes I've come across some things with nasty stains (??) and those I toss. I wouldn't imagine someone buying a completely THRASHED item...?

[feifei87]

i can't stand to throw anything out either. i usually sell what i can (better brands, new items) and donate the ones i can't sell that are in good condition. with the more worn clothes i usually use them for rags or for practicing sewing.

[Pursegrrl]

Originally Posted by couturequeen

I always donate. Never throw anything out - even shoes. Call around to a charity organization (Purple Heart, Salvation Army). In some cases they can even arrange a pick up time. If that doesn't encourage you to donate, you can get a small write off on your tax return!

Absolutely! I make about 4-5 Goodwill trips a year (there is a dropoff station pretty close to my house). I have a hard time getting rid of stuff but I've now disciplined myself to do at least two closet purges a year with the change of seasons. Meaning, when I pack up my fall and winter clothes and unpack the summer, I give everything a good hard look. Why pack up sweaters for next season that I didn't wear this year? Unless it's special items like cocktail/evening wear, I try not to hold onto things for more than a year that I'm not wearing.

[Tutu]

I never throw clothes out, unless it's underwear.

[mr. couturier]

I am sometimes reluctant to throw some things out (say, something that I still love the look of, but may not fit me, or may have never fit me as the case may have been or is slightly worn) and I will keep them in my closet for a while, hoping I will eventually find some way to wear them again. Look closely at some of your items. If you're a decent sewer, you might be able to make some worn items into some new pieces!

As for other items, if they're made of something very expensive or have a designer name, I sell them, but for things that are still in good condition that I don't want to wear, I always donate. And check out all of the different major charity organizations in your area. They may vary quite a lot in what they take. I've seen that Salvation Army is usually pretty open to quite a lot of things.

[nextnewface]

We always donate unless the clothing is stained or in bad condition. In my town, they have giant bins where you can put bags with the clothes you want to donate in and there's one really close to my house. It's pretty convenient!

[maedchen]

I donate everything I don't need anymore. I figure that the Salvation Army can decide if the condition of the clothing is good enough to sell. At the very least, it makes me feel better knowing that it's not going straight to a landfill.

[disney4us]

I only throw out underwear, old socks, and clothes that are extremely stained with lots of holes. And even then I use some as rags. The rest are all donated to different charities.