I work in a couple of charity shops, one is for furniture and the other clothes. In the Cudeca furniture shop a couple of year ago some of the items donated were really bad, wood worm, dirty or just dropping to bits. Then we hit on the idea of asking the public to send a picture of the item they wanted us to collect for the shop and the quality leapt up 100%. This is to ask you that when you do donate to a charity, look at the item objectively and think, would I want this, or has it had its day?
Unfortunately, this cant be done in a shop with clothing. Yes, have a Spring clean and hook out the clothes that are too small or too large, don’t suit you any-more, or even never suited you in the first place!
‘Its just that the sales were on and it seemed like a good idea at the time!’
If the moth has got in, shrunk in the wash, elasticity gone or the colour has faded out of all recognition, put it in the clothing (ropa) recycling bin by the swimming pool, or if not in Competa in your local ‘ropa’ bin.
People who use charity shops are not the down and outs of yesteryear. Everyone likes a bargain. Sometimes we wear the same old styles because they are within our comfort zones, budget or not sure if a brighter colour etc. would suit. This way you can experiment without breaking the bank. If you get something for a few euros that you like and then find it suits you, alls well and good, if not, re donate it! Some of our customers come in on a regular basis. One lady came from the UK on one of our wet weeks and spent ages choosing clothes for her daughter, photographing them and sending them to her, and when she got the say so, bought them and had excess baggage and then came again on another holiday 4 weeks later for a second go of bargains!
Personally I have used second hand shops and charity shops since the 80s. Needing ‘posh frocks’ for works occasions along with my husband. He was OK wearing the same black dinner suit year in year out, only changing the shirts according to fashion and colour, frills I seem to remember and huge bow ties were in for a while (I shudder at the memory and of my BIG hair!) I, on the other hand, would not be seen in the same frock, and if I couldn’t find one second hand, or a charity donation to fit or suit me, I would buy a huge skirted dress and remake one for me!
I have heard that the West of Malaga on the costas is good for charity shops if you want ‘posh’ clothes and designer handbags!
Anyway back to the donations. Every type of charity shop welcomes clean clothing, books, shoes and ornaments, and all appreciate your efforts, but stains that cant be removed, are a No No, likewise shoes that need repairing. Broken electrical products, or jigsaws with bits missing. Empty DVD and CD cases, and books with broken spines and loose pages, turning brown to mention some. Old books can go into the cardboard recycle, shoes and clothes in the ropa bin, plastic in the plastic bin.
And on that subject, why do people not break down brown cardboard boxes, but leave them by the side of the cardboard bin? Why do folks leave bottles on the outside of the bottle bank when its empty, its just as easy to put them in. Just because its an area to put our rubbish, there is no need to make it a ‘rubbish tip’! I worry about broken glass around the area, and I do feel sorry for the rubbish collectors sometimes in the Summer when its piled high and smelly. If only some thought can go into depositing our rubbish, the car park would be a prettier place!
I will get off my soapbox now and say that it is quite fun working in a charity shop, do try it!
Josephine Drew
