When’s the last time you rummaged around in your closet for clothes you no longer want?

If you haven’t gone through the motions in a little while…never fear. It’s always a good time to donate clothes to your local charity organization. With summer already on many people’s doorstep consider making this the week you decide to engage in a little extra spring cleaning. Clothing donations are an eco-friendly and highly cost-effective way of giving back to the world. You can help out your community by giving families some affordable clothing options and even save a little extra money on your taxes. If it sounds too good to be true…

…the list below is for you. What could your charitable clothing donations do to brighten someone’s day?

Reduce Landfills And Outdoor Air Pollution

Want to get eco-friendly this year? Donate clothes to your local clothing drop off locations and do your part to take a bite out of landfills. Back in 2006 over two billion pounds of fabric were kept out of landfills thanks to the efforts of everyday people donating their unwanted t-shirts, sweaters and jeans. Landfills are a notorious drain on the environment and contribute to serious outdoor air pollution. When 10 million tons of clothing still go to landfills every year? Digging around in your closet this week will be part of a big change.

Give Your Community Affordable, Gently Used Clothes

Got some cute outfits that no longer fit? Perhaps you’re starting to wonder if you should give your look an overhaul this year. Take those cardigans and leggings and give them to your nearby charity clothing pick up. Thrift stores are a wonderful community resource for families, students and individuals who just want to save a little as they fill up their closet. Gently used clothes should be free of tears, holes, burns and stains. Not sure if they’re good to go? Just ask a representative at your local non-profit for their thoughts!

Provide Countless Industries With Useful Textiles

That’s not to say all your beat-up, stained clothes are bad for business. Quite the opposite, in fact! Nearly 100% of household textiles can be easily recycled and reused without a drop in quality. This includes spandex, cotton, linens, you name it. The average American today throws away nearly 70 pounds of clothing every year. Textiles also account for 5% of municipal waste. Do the math and you can already see where your unwanted socks and coats can go to do some good.

Save Money On Your Taxes

Yes, you can even save money on your taxes when you donate clothes. The IRS requires a qualified appraisal to be submitted alongside your tax return (which is just a fancy way of saying you need a receipt or some sort of copy of the donation you gave to your non-profit of choice). Some items garner more due to their rarity, as well. Men’s overcoats and suits, for example, are worth $60 or so as a tax write-off. Some locations may even post advertisements looking for winter clothing or certain accessories to encourage more visitors to drop by.

Doing Good Just Feels Good

There’s nothing like giving back to your community. It just feels right to lend a helping hand (and the cleaner closet doesn’t hurt, either). When you invest in local clothing donations you do your part to clear up the environment, provide others with affordable clothing options and save on green. Why not spread the word? A recent study found the vast majority of social media users at 70% would take some kind of action upon seeing a friend, family member or co-worker giving to a Purple Heart charity pick up.

Want to do some good this year? Donate clothes to your local Purple Heart location and put a smile on someone’s face this year!