Tag: clothing donations

Celebrate Earth Day the Ecofriendly Way

Posted on by Jordank

April 22 is Earth Day 2018! And while it is a challenge for every person to limit his or her environmental impact, there are plenty of ways you can help protect the earth this week and long into the future.

The Earth Day Network is concentrating on ending plastic pollution this year. Being petroleum products, plastics not only release greenhouse gases during manufacture, they also leach phthalates and other chemicals that are harmful to human health into the environment in use and after disposal.

The Earth Day Network asks individuals to calculate their plastic usage and participate in events that encourage people to reduce the use of plastics; refuse to use common items such as plastic straws, grocery bags and flatware; and reuse whatever plastic items they can.

When disposal of plastic is unavoidable and a sufficient waste-management or recycling program isn’t available, the network says, local citizens should get involved by launching community-led disposal initiatives and recycling businesses.

Every Earth Day, there are also plenty of opportunities to clean up local parks and shorelines, plant trees and protect wildlife habitats, and otherwise celebrate and protect nature. Simply search online for “Earth Day events near me” to pitch in.

Parents and teachers can get kids involved in Earth Day with special lesson plans, litter pickup and more. The Green Education Foundation suggests activities such as building a compost bin, fixing leaks and planting a garden for kids of all ages.

Looking for another way to keep the planet clean? Donate the lightly used clothing, housewares and plastic goods you no longer need to ClothingDonations.org. When you arrange a pickup, the items get resold and reused — keeping more junk out of landfills while helping fund veterans’ programs.

Whether you choose to celebrate Earth Day by turning off the lights, carpooling to work, cleaning out your closets or all of the above, your decision will contribute to the planet’s health. And every little bit helps!

Donating Clothing, Money Helps Save on Taxes

Posted on by Jordank

If you want to deduct contributions of used goods made to ClothingDonations.org, the value of the deduction is approximately equal to whatever the goods’ fair market value was at the time of the donation. “You should clearly contribute, rather than throw out, old clothes, furniture and equipment that you no longer use,” Charity Navigator says. Be sure to get a receipt, however, if you plan to claim donations of used goods as a tax write-off, and if you donate money directly, the IRS will require a canceled check, credit card statement, bank statement or a written acknowledgment from the charity as proof.

Filing Is Key to Organization of Tax Documents

Posted on by Jordank

To get your tax documents organized as a small business owner, create a desktop filing system that’s within easy reach of your workspace, says A Bowl Full of Lemons. Label folders with headers such as “Income” and “Taxes Paid,” and also create a folder for every category of deduction you plan to itemize, such as business travel, office expenses and charitable donations. And remember that your donations of lightly used clothing and household goods made to ClothingDonations.org are fully tax-deductible, since proceeds help fund veterans’ programs. Save your receipts!

Keep Your Paperwork Organized for Tax Time

Posted on by Jordank

As frequent readers of the ClothingDonations.org Organizing Blog know, the key to living a stress-free life is to stay organized — and that is never more true than at tax time. Whether you prepare a return yourself or have a professional do it, Bankrate says, having all of the necessary paperwork in order is crucial to filing the most accurate and favorable tax return. And if you failed to keep all of your receipts and other documentation sorted this year, you already know that this is a great time to get organized, so that next year’s taxes won’t present any unpleasant surprises.

Pack Up That Winter Wardrobe

Posted on by Jordank

Winter is having an extended stay this year. March’s bluster is going strong into April in many northern states, and snow is lingering on the ground in parts of the Northeast. But most of the nation is gradually warming up, and soon enough, it will be warm and sunny again.

That means that you won’t need to wear those many sweaters, flannels, corduroys, boots and parkas to stay warm much longer. In fact, you’ll soon forget all about winterwear as you don linens, shorts and swimwear for your summer vacation. So do yourself a favor, and start storing your winter clothes now.

Not only does storing winter clothing prolong its life, it gets it out of your way when you don’t need it. With a closet and dresser that’s uncluttered by off-season garments, you’ll be able to find what you want when you want it — fast. You can always keep a go-to sweater, hoodie or jacket accessible in case of an unusually chilly day, Insider says.

Before you store winter clothes, wash or dry-clean them according to label instructions to get rid of any dirt, odors and stains. If any items aren’t worth saving due to damage, grime or general dinginess, take this golden opportunity to trash it rather than store it. Worn-out basics such as T-shirts can go directly to the rag bag or trash.

Better items that you just didn’t wear over the winter can go into a donation pile. Whether they were off-trend or no longer fit right, there’s no reason to waste your space storing them if they don’t get worn. Put them in boxes or bags and contact ClothingDonations.org for a donation pickup. Someone else might be looking for just such an item before long.

Finally, place the “keepers” — the winter clothing that you know you will want to wear when the weather turns cold again — into airtight fabric garment bags and plastic bins for storage. Put the bags and bins in a dry area of your home, far from what is fast becoming your everyday spring clothing.

Getting winter clothing out of the way will make it easier to find the clothing you will actually be wearing in the spring and summer, making for an uncluttered closet and easy morning routine. And it will give you the chance to edit your wardrobe for the winters ahead, making for an uncluttered life!