Donating to Thrift Stores.....

[Good Buddy]

When donating back to the thrift stores we frequent, are you supposed to wash all the clothes before you donate? I know some thrifts do have washers and dryers to clean dirty donations, but most don't.
We went through our garage a while back and cleaned out much stuff to be donated.
Unfortunately, there's really not a thrift near us that supports a charity we feel strongly about. We would have donated to an animal charity thrift, but the one near us closed. The closest animal charity thrift is 25 miles from home. We donated our items to a near by thrift.

Does anyone donate to a thrift based on the charity they support?

How often do you donate? (We go through our closets and books about twice a year)

Donations are tax deductible but has anyone actually claimed thrift store donations on their taxes?

[Jay2TheRescue]

When donating back to the thrift stores we frequent, are you supposed to wash all the clothes before you donate? I know some thrifts do have washers and dryers to clean dirty donations, but most don't.
We went through our garage a while back and cleaned out much stuff to be donated.
Unfortunately, there's really not a thrift near us that supports a charity we feel strongly about. We would have donated to an animal charity thrift, but the one near us closed. The closest animal charity thrift is 25 miles from home. We donated our items to a near by thrift.

Does anyone donate to a thrift based on the charity they support?

How often do you donate? (We go through our closets and books about twice a year)

Donations are tax deductible but has anyone actually claimed thrift store donations on their taxes?

I always donate old clothes to thrifts clean.  I guess it makes it easy because I own a drycleaners...    Anyway, I just remove the reciept and hand them the bag of clean, pressed clothes ready to put on the racks.

-Jay

[Vintage Soul]

We always clean the clothes we are donating; I consider it a little rude not to (no one should literally have to sift through my dirty laundry).

Since I work for a non profit that accepts clothing donations, the majority of our donations go there. And although they don't resell them, they either use them or they pass them on to thrifts in the community that we partner with.

We donate about once each season, or whenever I clean out the closets.

As for tax deductions, yes we do claim our donations. It may not seem like much at the time, but it all adds up.

[Other People s Junk]

I would never donate clothes that haven't been washed after we've worn them, but I am not going to wash them just if they have been in a box or bag or drawer forever.  (That goes for other items, too- I won't donated something covered in dust, but I am not going to spend time deep cleaning everything I donate.)

It would be nice to donate based on the charity, but most of the time they make it hard to do that- either they don't accept certain things or there isn't anywhere visible to actually donate stuff.  I don't want to have to make a big scene everytime I donate something- ringing a door bell or flagging down an employee is too high profile to me!  Currently I donate items to a thrift store that makes it easy- you just walk in and set it over by the counter.  It works out okay as their charity seems to be a good cause.

As to how frequently I donate- it depends on how fast I accumulate items that I want to get rid of.  I generally always have a box or bag of things ready to go to the thrift store... clothes that no longer fit my kids, books I read but didn't like, magazines I am through with but that are still good for reading, the obnoxious toy, etc.  Whenever the bag or box is full, off it goes to the thrift store.  On average I would guess once every 2 months. 

No, I don't bother with the tax deduction.  I hardly even donate anything that is a big money item and since I would rather not talk to anybody when I do donate stuff, it works out just fine.

[Tammy]

I don't wash clothing because when I sort what I don't want it comes directly out of the closet or dresser.  We do get tax receipts and use them on our taxes every year.  Sometimes it does add up.   I have donated a single box of stuff or maybe as many as 6 or 7.  Depends on the 'clean up the clutter' mood I'm in.  And I always try to drop it off at a Goodwill store that I don't normally shop at so I'm not looking at my stuff again.  Once I did see something I'd donated and for some unknown reason decided I had to have it back and bought it.   

[Mattie]

I donate clean clothes straight from my closet or dresser.  I'd never donate from my laundry hamper; that's just nasty.

I got into the habit of donating to a thrift that was located near my house, and although it moved to a distant neighborhood I still donate to it.  This thrift helps people with disabilities, and the manager and some long-time employees have been very nice to me so I feel good about giving to it.  I never ask for a receipt but will always take one if it's offered, and I do use those receipts at tax time. 

My local SPCA holds a huge annual book sale so I save up books every year to donate.  They make it easy:  walk in with books to donate, get a receipt, and then shop for more books!  I love the SPCA so I feel good about donating AND buying.

There are thrifts I won't donate to (and don't shop at) because I don't care for the charity they support.

[ctumma]

I always donate clean, usable clothing. There are a few thrift stores I donate to in my area. They both return their profits back to non-profit organizations. One is health care related so they donate to places that deal with health and well being. The other donates to food banks, soup kitchens, local schools, fire departments, etc.  I have a box/bag always going to drop things into whenever I find something I no longer need.

[ChrisMiss]

I too donate right from a closet or drawer never from the dirty clothes hamper.  I will ask for a receipt and we do use the donations for tax purposes, need all those deductions we can get.

I won't donate to any cause that I don't believe in either, but I would shop at those stores.  Isn't that weird?

[MrsGoodwill]

I mostly donate to the thrift that supports our local battered women's shelter. The only thing they won't take is menswear because the ladies who stay at the shelter also shop in the store. Anything they won't take, I donate to Goodwill.

I don't give ANYTHING to Salvation Army because they treat donations like they don't need them.

[MrsGoodwill]

Oops! I forgot to say that I usually do ask for a receipt and I do claim on my taxes.

[pop_ pirate]

we donate to ARC mostly because a) they support citizens with special needs and b) they do home pick up...

of course one should wash all donated clothing...how RUDE to not...

yes, tax claims add up...

pop pirate

[Zed Simon]

I think washing clothes (or cleaning up other items)  is courtesy...less work for the staff, who can relegate their resources more effectively.

That said, whenever my piles of stuff start getting too big, that's the time. I'm equal opportunity when it comes to who I thrift to, but usually Goodwill gets the clothes, Salami gets records, and the rest goes to whoever.

Apparently my stuff's not worth the gigantic value it needs to be in order to deduct it (according to TurboTax, at least), but I take the receipts anyway.

[Thrift Shop Romantic]

I do wash it before I send it off. Just seems the right thing to do.

Have any of you ever spotted stuff you donated in the thrift store you might be shopping in? It's a little surreal. :-)

[Sprocket]

I claim my donations on taxes every year.  When we donate clothes, we wash them and I take them to a local Goodwill for the sake of convenience.

-Sprock

[Jay2TheRescue]

I do wash it before I send it off. Just seems the right thing to do.

Have any of you ever spotted stuff you donated in the thrift store you might be shopping in? It's a little surreal. :-)

LOL, Susan will often tell me "I've donated some Pyrex I can't sell.  DON'T BUY IT BACK!"

Jay