Clean Your Closet & Contribute

It’s that time of year again -

I’ve started waking up by pulling the duvet cover over my face instead of immediately stripping the blanket off to stop sweating.

This means officially autumn in Toronto and time to rotate your wardrobe to bring out the knit sweaters.

For our neighbours without roofs, this also means the nights will be getting longer and colder. It's already getting down to 6°C overnight in the city, and for those without access to a mattress, blankets, clothes, shoes, etc, that number can start to get dangerous for their health and well-being, especially as fall months progress into winter.

Earlier this month, as I was walking home from a concert late one night, freezing in my spring jacket and dress, I saw an elderly couple in sweat suits curled up over a subway vent in the middle of the sidewalk on College Street, sleeping (or trying to) on top of the warm gusts of air coming from underground.

This got me thinking as I began sorting out the mess that is my summer closet. I thought about them and all the others who will spend the September nights outside and the October days in a t-shirt. Over the last couple of years (including this one) I’ve attempted a project where I personally hand deliver items of clothing to those in need around Toronto, before turning to a pre-existing donation site. I’ve made this a priority because I understand that often the people who take refuge outside aren't allowed access to shelters or donation services, or they simply don't benefit from using them. Seeking out individuals in need and speaking to them directly has been an interesting experiment because unlike donating to a shelter or clothing drive where you can simply drop-off your items and leave immediately, having the autonomy over exactly who, where, when, and how to go about donating your clothes... is daunting! And though I’ve learned a lot, it often hasn't been successful. Here's been my experience.

I usually start the process by picking items in my closet that are warm, large, and gender-neutral enough that anyone and everyone could theoretically wear them. I then organize the bags by size so that all the small, medium, and large items are kept together.

In the past, I have taken these bags with me when I go downtown and had success finding people on the subway who are asking for change but happily take some used sweaters instead. However, it can be inconvenient to lug around an extra bag of clothes when you don't end up finding someone who needs them.

This year, I tried driving around the city to locations that are typically more populated with individuals asking for help in an attempt to give out the bags out this way. But in all honesty, I couldn’t find any takers. People were either too confused by the act or not sober enough for a conversation. After 3 hours of looking, I resorted to leaving the bags on a bench in a populated park near Allens Gardens, on the corner of Sherborne and Carlton Street, in hopes that the 30-or-so people residing in the park that night would find and make use of it (pictured below). The smaller items, best for a younger girl, I left at the Scott Mission- a women’s shelter downtown (also pictured).

The moral of my story is: if you go out looking for individuals to donate some winter clothes to, you likely won't find any takers. It could be a great idea to keep used sweaters in the trunk of your car (if you have one) for when you are in an impromptu situation and asked for a donation - maybe held at a stoplight or intersection. But for now, shelters seem to be the best alternative.

If you’d like to try my experiment…

Here are some tips for talking to strangers:

• I take priority to people who have signs / posters specifically asking for donations or money. Rather than assuming someone is in need, this gives you confirmation that they are at least open to receiving gifts from others.

• It helps to actually say: “I’m planning on donating these clothes, do you want them instead?”. I find this alleviates the possible guilt of pressure or inconvenience. By saying this, you're letting them know they're doing you a favour by taking the stuff off your hands.

• Don’t ask more than twice. Walk away when the fit isn’t right.

• And if you’re just not comfortable, ask a confident friend to come along for the journey and do the talking for you!

Here is a list of donation centres in Toronto where you can give your pile, specifically organizations that cater to homelessness and poverty:

1. Fred Victor Organization, coordinate a drop-off location: https://www.fredvictor.org/help-homeless-support-us/most-needed-items-in-homeless-shelters/

2. Ernestine’s Women’s Shelter: https://ernestines.ca/how-to-help/donations/items/

3. Red Door Shelter, emergency support for women and children: https://www.reddoorshelter.ca/in-kind

4. Scott Mission, visit location to drop off directly: https://scottmission.com/get-involved/

5. Young Street Mission’s affordable thrift store: https://www.ysm.ca/get-help/employment-services/double-take/

Or use this link to find place in your area, if you’re outside of Toronto:

http://donationtown.org/ontario-donation-pickup/

Here are some tips for closet-cleaning:

• Set at least 2 days aside to spend on this mini-project. Don’t make the mistake of thinking you’ll be able to get it all done in one burst of productivity. Let's be real, it never happens that way.

• Decide you'll be okay with your space looking messy for a little (see my mess below).

• Weather you go the Marie Kondo method and discard items that don't spark joy, or give yourself a 3 second rule to decide if something is “keep” or “give”, or do it my way and make yourself let go of any clothes you haven’t worn in the past 8 + months, you will feel both physically and mentally refreshed once you're done no matter what.

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I challenge you to participate in giving this season. Give warmth, resources, and old clothes you no longer wear to your neighbours outside, and remember to be grateful for everything you have this winter 🍂 🍁