We?ve all done it: ignore the pile of clothes growing in the deep, dark corners of your closet. They?re gathering dust and taking up space, but you don?t want to part with them. Well, there?s more advantages to donating clothing than one may think.

1. Clean Up: Are you running out of closet space? Do you find yourself jamming your t-shirts into your dresser drawer? If so, it?s time to free up some of that precious space while doing some good in the process. Just by rummaging through the clothing you tucked in the back of the closet, you will find dozens of articles of clothing that you forgot you even owned. While some say ignorance is bliss, it can actually just be a nuisance. Regardless of the age or the condition of the clothing, it will be more helpful as a donation than as a placeholder on a hanger.
2. Recycling: If your closet is cluttered with those khakis or polo shirts you haven?t even thought about wearing in three years, think twice before tossing them in the trash with the rest of your spring-cleaning rubbish. Almost 100% of household textiles can be recycled, no matter the kind of shape it?s in. If you throw out used clothing with the rest of your trash, it will end up sitting in a landfill. Clothing is not biodegradable, which means it can?t be broken down by natural means. It will instead cause harm, adding to pollution. Used-clothing purchases were responsible for keeping 2.5 billion pounds of fabric from landfills in 2006, though we send 10.5 million tons of fabric to landfills annually. There?s still a lot of work to do but it all starts with you.

Charity Organizations: While you may see clothing donations as shortsighted gifts, they are much more than that. Aside from potentially aiding a family in a difficult time, many non-profit secondhand clothing stores and charity foundations give back to the community of the less fortunate. Many stores will dedicate clothing, money and resources to helping military families, the physically or mentally impaired, and homeless. So while your clothing may be sitting in your closet right now, they could soon be covering the backs of the homeless and helping military families.

Whether it happen during your next spring-cleaning binge or later this week after work, taking 15 minutes out of your day to gather old clothing can make a huge difference in the lives of others.

Do you know of organizations devoted to helping military families and the homeless through clothing donation? Have you contributed to helping the helping families in need with charitable donations? Sound off in the comments below!