It’s a important to document your IRS donations so that you have a record at tax time.

goodwill

When I’m creating a pile of stuff to bring to the Goodwill, Salvation Army, etc, I should write down the list of the items and their approximate value as I box it. Unfortunately, I’m rarely that organized so I tend to remember that I need this list moments before pulling up to the front of the drop-off line.

What I’ve started to do is before I hand-off the materials, simply snap a picture or two with the camera phone. You now have a pretty good record to jog your memory later, plus, I’m guessing quite a bit stronger documentation than most folks would be able to provide. If you’re super-organized, attaching the picture to the receipt would be great - but just having the picture goes a long way toward getting an itemization.