Good idea or not?

**Englishlady** · 07-18-2010, 04:14 PM

reading a lot of posts on FV I am under the impression that quality clothing is expensive in the US?

I wondered if you guys thought this idea ight be offensive or a not?

In the past ( in Spain at least) I have taken quality clothes on holiday with me and left them behind with a note to the lady who cleans the room ( in Spanish of course!) that I no longer wanted these items and for her to keep them or pass them on to a friend.

There is great unemployment and the cost of food and such is quite high there so I was hoping that this might help in some way ( even if only they could sell these items on e bay).

If I went to America and left good quality clean clothes behind with a note to keep the clothes if they wanted them/pass them on to a friend/sell them..................do you think this would be offensive to the ladies who clean the rooms in hotels?

I have some really nice clothes that I no longer wear and of course I do give lot's away to charity shops in the UK but I am aware that the staff in these shops often cherry pick over the stuff, this is not a problem IF THEY PAID FOR THEM, but sadly I KNOW, that a lot of them DON'T ( they think it is a perk of the job?!!)

So I thought if I went to the US again I might just take some good British clothes and leave them so that someone might get some use out of them.

But want to know if this would cause offence as I really wouldn't want to do that.

BTW this would not be instead of a tip LOL! I am a very generous tipper!

**Dancing Lotus** · 07-18-2010, 04:28 PM

Years ago I was a house keeping supervisor for Holiday in.
1. Not many people tip at all so I can tell you that if you are leaving a cash tip you are already making their day!
2. Things that are left behind is like finding treasure. When things are left behind they go to lost and found and if not claimed in X days the housekeeper that found it gets first dibs.
3. Here at-least many of the housekeepers don't even speak English. They live in small houses with large families to support. Many of them send money they can't really afford to spare to family. Many of them don't own cars and carpool or take the bus. SO yes , good clothing would be well used.

I say if it's something you really don't want then by all means you should leave it behind. Not necessarily because good clothing is expensive but because the people who work these jobs need all the help they can get.

**2ndGenGranola** · 07-18-2010, 04:44 PM

I think a proper tip would be more appreciated than clothing.

**staceyy** · 07-18-2010, 04:52 PM

This is very thoughtful of you. I feel it would be greatly appreciated.

**pollypurebred39** · 07-18-2010, 05:06 PM

Housekeeping=low wages.

I'm positive your kindness would be most welcome.

**Luckybustert** · 07-18-2010, 05:36 PM

I think it's very thoughtful of you to do this. Of course it should not replace a tip, but you mentioned you are a generous tipper so this is a really nice thing to do in addition to the tip. I'm sure it will be appreciated!

**JerryG** · 07-18-2010, 07:28 PM

It would not be improper - however, cash is always the king. Not to knock your idea - Good clothes are always appreciated and even if they can't use them for themselves, the cleaners will put them to good use and not toss them in the garbage.

**Englishlady** · 07-19-2010, 09:09 AM

Would a note in english/spanish be appropriate? I can make myself understood in spanish though I am not fluent, but I can string enough words together to make it obvious that the clothes are for them

Also, another thing I thought of doing ( for the same reason)

I have lots of lovely multicoloured bracelets/necklaces etc and I can't possibly wear them all........................

I thought I might wear the item(s) and if a waitress/store clerk admired it, I would take it off and give it to them! is that a bit bonkers? I did think that doing it that way the item in question would be going to someone who liked it rather than someone who maybe isn't into that sort of thing?
Would I be considered crazy? I just want to streamline my stuff and maybe cheer up someone who is less fortunate than me.

I often wished I knew someone on here who was my size ( 8 to 10) but I realise it is not very er, not sure what, but you can't really say "hey, anybody really broke and struggling out there want some spare clothes?!"
Any way, I appreciate your input, thank you

**shoiji** · 07-19-2010, 05:22 PM

Just a note on some people who work at the thrift stores getting first pick. The one place I worked at did do this. Yes I had to pay for things. Clothing though was 25cents a piece from the clothing that did NOT sell. These clothes were packed up and sold to third world countries. I was really happy with this since I was on disability and making minimum wage and working my butt off.

The only reason I mention this is that people who work in the average thrift store are paid very little. Probably the same as a housekeeper.

**Dancing Lotus** · 07-19-2010, 05:54 PM

Funny you should mention giving away your jewelry if someone admired it. My mother did that once. A waitress fell in love with a necklace my Dad had just bought for my mom. She took it off and gave it to her and the next day my Dad bought her another one. It's wasn't anything expensive but the waitress just couldn't get over it.

**Liane** · 07-20-2010, 01:06 AM

You have a kind heart and that is a wonderful thing. Feel free to give away what you wish. Be careful about giving things in certain areas. You do not want to become a target for thieves. In the world we live in being generous with material things, time and love are encouraging and uplifting. Hope you come to the states and have a great trip. NJ is beautiful, hope you come here

**Englishlady** · 07-20-2010, 04:09 AM

Originally Posted by shoiji

Just a note on some people who work at the thrift stores getting first pick. The one place I worked at did do this. Yes I had to pay for things. Clothing though was 25cents a piece from the clothing that did NOT sell. These clothes were packed up and sold to third world countries. I was really happy with this since I was on disability and making minimum wage and working my butt off.

The only reason I mention this is that people who work in the average thrift store are paid very little. Probably the same as a housekeeper.

I am sure that you are right. Americans are in general more civic minded and volunteer more even those with little to give, give more generously.

The charity shops in the UK have a paid manager and volunteers, but no one here in the UK NEEDS to plunder clothing donations, they just do, because they can and that means the money I wanted my stuff to raise for my chosen charity has just become a "perk" for someone and is technically theft ( because they DON'T pay for it!)

In the UK we have a very generous social care system that is abused too often and is now in the process of being sorted out by the new government to avoid this.
That said, in the UK there are no people that suffer quite as much as in the US, few people can get into such dire straits, because of the social care set up ( and the health care).

Not to turn this into a political debate, but my desire to give away things was purely to help those on low wages because I have read nickel and dimed & bait and switch ( among others) and know that being on a low wage in the US is a hard life.

I just wanted in some small way to cheer someone up be it a more than expected tip or a bracelet or a wardrobe full of clothes when I check out.

For what it's worth, I intend on going in to a thrift store as I have heard so much about them on here over the years and if any of the servers admires a bracelet/necklace then they will be offered it!

I will be careful and read the situation in each case and be quiet and discreet about it.( I am not a loud person I am an English lady LOL!)