With charity shops closed it can be hard to know what to do with the clothes that you no longer want.
I’d always suggest that maybe just wearing something in a different way can give it a new lease of life – perhaps wearing a shirt as a jacket by simply wearing it open and layering a top underneath, for example. Or I’d encourage you to check that you can’t perhaps upcycle them (eg., turn trousers into shorts, dresses into tops or skirts, or simply keep the fabric and re-use as a pocket design or some other garment feature if you’re handy with a needle/sewing machine). If you really don’t want to keep an item though and don’t have someone that you can perhaps pass it onto, then sending things to charity is definitely highly recommended. The charity benefits, the recipient benefits and you’re helping to reduce the environmental damage caused by clothes production.
Donate to charity
I volunteer for a fantastic charity in Woking – The Lighthouse – who gladly accept good clothing so that they can then pass it to the vulnerable ladies they help. If you’re local to Woking please do consider them. Or if you’re local to me in Farnham, I will happily collect items from you when it’s safe to do so again.
You may have a charity that’s close to your heart too, which always feel good to support. A lot now have postal donation services.
The British Heart Foundation is one such charity who do so much to research, help and support those affected by cardiovascular diseases. Sadly 17.9million people die each year from cardiovascular diseases, which equates to a staggering 31% of all deaths worldwide.
They have an amazing postal donation service that is definitely worth considering. You simply:
- request a freepost label, which they email to you so that you can print at home or from a Collect+ drop off point
- package everything up
- drop it at your nearest Collect+ drop off point
Here’s the link to their website if you would like to give it a go (when it’s safe to do so): British Heart Foundation Donation Service.
Cancer Research also offer something similar – click here for the link to their donation service – Cancer Research Donation Service.
Whichever charity you support, I’m sure your pre-loved clothes will be hugely appreciated.