You want your donations to be most useful so they don't get thrown away or, like so many places, get shoved into an already overflowing donation closet. You really don't want to be the asshole that dumps a bunch of useless crap on an organization that has to smile and be grateful then plan how to get rid of it. [[This happens so often and sometimes hilariously.)

I'm finding that it helps to match the type of clothes I have to the organization.

For example: most soup kitchens don't use women's clothes. St Als and the Detroit Rescue Mission specifically don't take them. They want warm men's clothing.

If you've got young hip looking women's clothes or babies clothes then Covenant House, Boys Hope Girls Hope or Alternatives for Girls would be a good choice

If you've got women's businees clothes then the Rescue Mission's genesis homes [[I think that's what they are called) or a woman-only treatment center or three-quarter house is a good place.

plus sized women's clothes are alwasy more needed than straight sizes.

I call the place that I want to donate to. I tell them what I have, ask what they need and tell them I don't want to burden them with something they can't use. Most places get back to me right away and I take out the stuff they could use.

[[I personally donate clothes to Home of New Vision in Ann Arbor because I have a personal connection to them and I deeply respect their mission but this advice works regardless)