Jan Piggat (left) and Peg Slape from Western Flat help out at Naracoorte's St Vincent de Paul every Tuesday.
IT'S National Op Shop Week - the perfect time to spring clean your wardrobe for charity.
Launched by the Do Something! charity, the inaugural event is to encourage Australians to donate their unwanted goods to a good cause.
Naracoorte's St Vincent de Paul receives plenty of regular donations for its "opportunity shop", but not all of the items can be used.
Shop committee chair Ruth Chaplin said it ended up costing money to get rid of the items - money that could be used to help people.
"People should sort their items out themselves before bringing them in," she said.
"If it is not in good enough condition for them to wear then it is not good enough to give to someone else."
The local shop has about 25 to 30 volunteers who help out regularly to sort though the items, man the counter and deliver furniture.
Three volunteers have been there since it opened in the mid 80s.
"It is a good community atmosphere," Ms Chaplin said.
"When we can help someone through financial hardship they are mostly very grateful."
Throughout the country the demand for charity op shop services has increased, but in many locations public donations have gone down.
Do Something! have created a website that lists over 2000 op shops around Australia so people can easily find their nearest charity.
When donating goods there are a few things to remember according to the National Association for Charitable Recycling Organisations.
- Clothing should be clean, undamaged and reasonably wrinkle free.
- Items in pairs (socks, shoes, gloves) should be kept together.
- Pockets should be emptied.
- Check that your local store wants what you are giving them.
- Don't dump soiled or damaged items at the charity op shop for someone else to deal with.
For more information visit OpShopWeek.com.au.