Just about everyone who wasn’t born yesterday has heard the sage, Biblical advice that it is better to give than it is to receive. But what does that really mean? For some people, the thought of being on the receiving end of a gift, a pleasant surprise, or good news is right up there among some of the best feelings in the world! For others, the experience of being in a position to bring joy to another trumps the experience of receiving a gift from someone else. In fact, one could argue that giving a gift that helps another or otherwise brings joy is almost a gift unto itself.
Science has only recently begun to confirm what many people have long thought was true; it truly is better to conceive! Several research studies from a variety of independent sources have indicated that volunteering in any form, whether it be time, money, or goods, has several emotional and physiological benefits. Donors and volunteers often experience a renewed sense of purpose and connectivity, a greater sense of belonging to a social community, greater mental clarity, and lower blood pressure. So perhaps, the gift of giving is in reality, the gift that keeps on giving!
For many people, perhaps even yourself, the idea of volunteering and donating is a noble one. The only problem is, deciding what to give and how to do so can be confusing and intimidating. Where do you start?! Well, one of the best and easiest places to start is your closet! Donations of clothing to environmentally responsible and green charities are an excellent way of helping military families and of helping other families in need. Clothing donations are among some of the best forms of charitable donations, though all time and items given in the name of charity are beneficial and equally important. However donations of clothing are a great way of not only helping others in need but helping the environment as well.
Curious about when to donate clothes and what are the best charities to donate to? The easier is much simpler than thought; the time is now and any charity that accepts clothing donations is a great place to start, though charities that help military families are among the most popular places for donations of clothing. Donations of clothing are quick, easy, and simple to make, especially since many charity organizations offer donation pick up services as an added convenience and as a means of encouraging people to donate. That means you can make donations of clothing without ever having to leave your home, which again, makes clothing donations an especially convenient and environmentally friendly way of giving back to the community.
You can make donations of clothing during any time of year, but typically, it’s easier to gather used clothing donations as the seasons change and you clean out your closet. Aside from formal attire, family heirlooms such as your mother’s wedding dress, or other important items that are not worn on a regular basis, there’s most likely a lot of clothing in your closer that you can afford to get rid of.
As a general rule of thumb, if you haven’t worn an item in six months or a year, then it’s best to donate it to a charity that can give it to someone who can get more use out of it. After all, there’s a good chance that you have way more clothing than you actually need. Did you know, for example, that the average American buys at least twice as many articles of clothing than they did two decades ago? That’s a lot of opportunity for donations of clothing!
In addition to helping people in need, clothing donations also help to reduce harmful environmental pollution. Fabric and textiles make up a good portion of the waste that ends up in municipal landfills, even though the majority of fabrics and textiles can be reused or recycled in some way. Give the gift that keeps on giving!