Spring is hopefully just around the corner, and that means it's time to clean out my closet.

And I love doing that.

It feels like a fresh start.

I also feel like I'm doing something good, because the clothes that don't fit me anymore

or aren't my style or let's face it, I never should have bought in the first place, I

donate them.

And I've always assumed that they went to people who could really use them, or who would

look a lot better in them.

But I didn't really know what happened to the clothes once they left my closet.

So the question about, well, then what happens to your clothes when you donate them?

It's actually kind of tricky and it's pretty complicated.

That's Allison Chiu.

She reports on climate solutions for the post.

And she says, yeah, it does happen the way I imagined it, sometimes.

But actually, far less of the clothing that you donate ends up in that new home or goes

to someone who really will use it and need it.

And I want it.

From the newsroom of the Washington Post, this is Post Reports.

I'm your guest host, Libby Casey.

It's Friday, March 3rd.

Today, Allison talks with a laj Azadi about where are clothing donations really go, the

best times of year to donate, and how to make sure clothing actually gets reused.

...