Goodwill Clothing Donation Instructions

Instead of hauling old t-shirts, jeans and sneakers to the dump, donate them to Goodwill with these Goodwill clothing donation instructions. One man’s trash is literally another man’s treasure at Goodwill Industries. Bonus: 84% of the profits made by your donations go to charities, you’ll be keeping material out of landfills, and you can even get a tax credit for your old duds.

1. Sort through your old clothing. Goodwill will accept almost any clothing item, including shoes, bags, belts, jewelry, watches and other accessories. As a courtesy, you should only donate clothing that is in good condition and is not stained or soiled. Do not donate anything that has been recalled or banned. The accepted clothing donation rule is, if you would give it to your friend or family member as a hand-me-down, it’s good enough to give to charity.
   
2. Wash your donations. It’s a good idea to wash or dry-clean your clothes before you donate them… especially those old gym t-shirts and shorts, guys.
   
3. Find the nearest Goodwill. There are over 2400 Goodwill locations in North America, so there’s bound to be one near your ‘hood. Visit Goodwill.org and plug in your zip code to locate the most convenient one for you.
   
4. Make the drop. Once you locate your Goodwill, call to find out the days and hours they accept clothing donations. Most Goodwills will not make house calls, so pack up all your old clothes in garbage bags or cardboard boxes and throw them in the car. The collection center is often in a separate entrance from the storefront. Don’t just leave your clothing donations outside the collection center door- locate the employee in charge and let them know you’ve arrived.
   
5. Get a donation receipt. You can receive a tax credit for your donating to Goodwill, so ask an employee for a receipt. Hold on to it until you’re ready to do your taxes, and be sure to make the deduction.