31 December 2014

Unwanted clothing

| Catty
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We have just had a huge wardrobe cleanout and have everything from brand new items still with tags through to much-worn things. Mr Catty says charities won’t take any clothing and it’s a waste of time taking them. He wants to take them all to the tip, but my scruples won’t let me; there are many people who might be able to use warm clothing. Any ideas?

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there are a lot of homeless people out there on the streets. you can distribute it to them as well

Nightshade said :

Chris_Barry said :

Communities@Work would be very grateful to receive your good quality, dressy/special occasion/corporate clothes (and accessories) for our Social Programs. For many who are unemployed, on low incomes or who have experienced a life changing event, it can be a real struggle to meet the cost of suitable clothing for a job interview or to commence new employment.

Hi Chris, is this program the one that used to be called Working Wonders? Just wondering if there is still the requirement for clothes to less than 5 years old? Obviously they’d need to be things that people would still want to wear to work. Thanks.

Hi Nightshade, sorry for the slow response. Yes, Working Wonders was incorporated into Communities@Work’s social programs in 2013.

We would be very appreciative of your clothing donation. We have a wide variety of clients, so the most important thing is that they are in good condition.

Thank you!

Chris_Barry said :

Communities@Work would be very grateful to receive your good quality, dressy/special occasion/corporate clothes (and accessories) for our Social Programs. For many who are unemployed, on low incomes or who have experienced a life changing event, it can be a real struggle to meet the cost of suitable clothing for a job interview or to commence new employment.

Hi Chris, is this program the one that used to be called Working Wonders? Just wondering if there is still the requirement for clothes to less than 5 years old? Obviously they’d need to be things that people would still want to wear to work. Thanks.

Catty said :

Thanks to all for your responses. I will be taking any suitable work-type clothing to Communities@Work and the rest to Vinnies.
Maya123, I bought many of these items for work, but as I am now retired, I have no use for them. Many of these items were bought in sales; you can’t return if you change your mind or they don’t fit. Some were bought for fussy Mr and Miss Catty, who have not worn them. Hopefully my loss is someone’s gain.

Thank you so much @Catty! Your donations will be much appreciated and well used.

Catty said :

Thanks to all for your responses. I will be taking any suitable work-type clothing to Communities@Work and the rest to Vinnies.
Maya123, I bought many of these items for work, but as I am now retired, I have no use for them. Many of these items were bought in sales; you can’t return if you change your mind or they don’t fit. Some were bought for fussy Mr and Miss Catty, who have not worn them. Hopefully my loss is someone’s gain.

Sales or not sales; it’s all the same thing; spending money, so I still don’t get why something would be bought without checking it fitted or was needed (and then you change your mind because it is not needed), or new clothes bought for work when you are about to retire, but thank you, I understand the thinking better now. Hopefully someone else will enjoy your kind donation; both the organisation and the buyer.

Thanks to all for your responses. I will be taking any suitable work-type clothing to Communities@Work and the rest to Vinnies.
Maya123, I bought many of these items for work, but as I am now retired, I have no use for them. Many of these items were bought in sales; you can’t return if you change your mind or they don’t fit. Some were bought for fussy Mr and Miss Catty, who have not worn them. Hopefully my loss is someone’s gain.

Thanx for this info! I too have some good quality donations to make.

I do also have kids clothes and my wedding dress to donate, where might be best place for these?

It’s good to do a clean-out, but I’m interested, why have you got “brand new items still with tags” that you have never worn? Why did you buy them if you had no use for them?

Catty, I am glad you asked this question, as myself and Mrs Ryoma have just done the same thing. Good to hear what the answers are.

As well as being able to help people, I am delighted that we’ve actually managed to throw so much out – I can see floor space, and shelf space….hooray! But I honestly wonder where all of it was hiding in the first place – it still looks full.

If I can just convince Mrs Ryoma to follow the rule of one thing in, one thing out 😀

womens’ refuges will be happy to take them. there are sometimes women that grab kids and leave a potentially violent situation and having nothing more than the clothes on their back. an organisation like Beryl’s for instance.

Hi Catty

As the wonderful HipBookfairy mentioned, Communities@Work would be very grateful to receive your good quality, dressy/special occasion/corporate clothes (and accessories) for our Social Programs. For many who are unemployed, on low incomes or who have experienced a life changing event, it can be a real struggle to meet the cost of suitable clothing for a job interview or to commence new employment. Our social programs provide both men and women in need with free clothing, shoes and accessories for job interviews, work experience or other special events.

Donations will be gratefully accepted at the following locations:
• Best Dressed Store, Tuggeranong Hyperdome (from January 2)
• Tuggeranong Community & Function Centre, 245 Cowlishaw Street, Greenway (from January 5)
• Gungahlin Community Centre, 47 Ernest Cavanagh Street, Gungahlin (from January 5)

We also sell clothing surplus to requirements in our Best Dressed store located in the Tuggeranong Hyperdome. All money from the sale of this surplus clothing goes straight back into Communities@Work’s social programs, helping vulnerable clients in the Canberra region.

You can find out more about our services here: http://www.commsatwork.org/social-programs

Thanks!

Vinnies takes clothing for resale. Staff at Belconnen Vinnies have told me in the past that they do take worn clothing for recycling. When donating such items, I bag them together and label the bag as containing worn textiles for recycling to save them the trouble of sorting.

if you’re on the Northside try Vinnes in Mitchell. All the traditional places will take clothes in good condition and they send the rest off to be converted into rags

Salvation Army has always taken my cast off clothing. However I do sort it first and anything that I’m getting rid of because it’s worn out I just throw away. Charity shops make money through selling the clothing etc so I think it’s unfair to ‘donate’ worn things which no-one would buy and that cost the charity to dispose of.

The Salvos store at Mitchell usually has a special section where they display really good clothes separately.

moneypenny26121:03 pm 01 Jan 15

Try Lifeline.

A few months ago, at the Lifeline Hipsley Lane shop in Braddon, I donated a small shed load of good quality clothes. My clothes were gratefully received.

I know Hipsley Lane is no longer in Braddon (or anywhere??), but you might want to check whether Lifeline still accepts donations of clothes.

I think Vinnies still accepts clothing at their Mitchell shop/warehouse.

HipBookfairy12:46 pm 01 Jan 15

Communities@Work in Tuggeranong or Gungahlin will take clothing in good condition. At Tuggeranong they now also have a shop where they sell used business or special occasion clothing. The Community Centres re-open on 5th January.

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