what to do with used clothing

Though for some reason spring is refusing to raise it's sleepy head this year and here in Milan we continue to be soaked with rain I, nonetheless have a  bit of spring fever and have been itching to do the 'cambio stagione'* so I can pack off and away all my winter stuff and pull out more summery wears.

I have a pain in my heart every time the seasons change and I pull out Sera's old clothes that I put away six months earlier in the hopes that they would still fit. Maybe only 10% ever do.

What do you do with kids clothes that don't fit anymore?  I'm not talking about that cute sweater your aunt made or that dress that she wore to her first birthday, but dingy socks, plain white t-shirts, corduroy trousers which you aren't attached to emotionally?

Here in Milan there are 340 yellow bins scattered around the city that accept used clothes.  The clothes are then passed onto Caritas Ambrosiana e Compagnia delle Opere, who take care of their reuse and recycling.  I take a bag or 2 of clothes there every year and it's a wonderful service for clearing out your closets and making sure your clothes help someone who needs it.

Another possibility I can across the other day was while I was at H&M, the clothing store. They're currently running an initiative to collect used clothes in exchange for coupons on your next purchase. For each bag of clothing you bring them you get a 5€ coupon for your next purchase over €40.  They then take the clothes and make sure that they're used by people in need as well. If that isn't incentive to do the right thing, I don't know what is!  

H&M clothes collection Initiative : H&M Concious