Tag Archive for: de-clutter

Janine with donation box

Donation Challenge – Part 1

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donationsA client of mine hosts an annual yard sale fundraiser for the H.O.P.E. Program at Boston Children’s Hospital.  She asks for donations from all her neighbors, friends, and family, and 100% of the proceeds support this program.  In the past I’ve given her items that I’ve collected from my clients.  This year I had my car packed with items ready to bring to her, and suddenly thought, what could I donate?  Me?  Personally?  Not things from the house or my husbands stuff, although I must admit, it was easy to think of items that belonged to him that I wanted to remove from the house.  You will probably agree, it’s much easier to get rid of someone else’s belongings than your own.  So, I challenged myself to find 10 items that belonged to me, to donate to this worthy cause.
My list of donated items is printed below. It may prompt you to think of items that you have in your household that you could donate.  If that is the case, please share those items with me.

List of Donations:
Items 1 & 2 =  two used camera parts that I was given, but never used
Items 3 & 4 =  two picture frames, one empty for three or more years,
the second emptied to move photo to scrapbook
Item 5 =  one computer chair, decided 3 is too many to have for 2 people
Items 6 & 7 =  two clip boards – decided 4 is too many to have for 2 people
Item 8 =  new Calphalon potato masher received as grab bag gift, never
used, like the one I have
Items 9 & 10 =  two water bottles received as gift more than 5 years ago,
used once, but didn’t like

© May 2013, Janine Cavanaugh, Certified Professional Organizer®  All rights reserved

NAPO

Proud member of NAPO

 

Yard Sale Details:  Saturday, June 22, 2013, 8:00AM to 2:00PM
North Attleboro, MA 02670
All Proceeds go to H.O.P.E Program at Boston Children’s Hospital

Garage & Attic Cleanup

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The leaves and temperatures are falling, and before we know it the gift giving season will be upon us.  Before that happens why not take the opportunity to organize two areas in which autumn is the perfect time to work, our attic and garage.  The temperatures, now, are just right for tackling these two areas, and once we’re finished we’ll be ready for packages, gift bags, and bows.

Autumn Days

 

It’s typical that the attic and garage in our home are filled with a variety of items.  After all those areas are meant for storage and get stuffed with all types of unwanted, unused and outdated things. Therefore, when it’s time to organize them, we’re faced with making tough decisions about items we’re not sure how to get rid of, and on items that we think we should save, just in case.  I’d like to offer some solutions.

First of all, getting rid of items safely can be time consuming and troublesome, but with a bit of effort we can make it happen.

 

Solutions for getting rid of items:

1.  Contact local recycle stations.  They’ll clarify what can be recycled and when they offer bulk trash, and hazardous waste removal.

2.  Contact second-hand shops and drop off unwanted items.  Try Savers, Saint Vincent De Paul or Goodwill.

3.  Contact donation centers and see if they’ll pick up at your door.  Try Big Brother Big Sister Foundation, Salvation Army or the Epilepsy Foundation.

4.  For information about electronic recycling try one of these websites, www.ehso.com, or www.earth911.com.

5.  Call a junk removal company.  Try Clean Out Your House or 1-800-got-junk.

 

Solutions for saving items just in case:

1.  Ask yourself the following questions:

A.  Has it been used in the last 5 years?

B.  Will it be used in the next 5 years?

C.  Does it fit into my current life style and serve a purpose for me and my family now?

If you answered ‘no’ to all three of these questions it is time to let go. Toss, donate, or sell the item.  If you need more convincing ask yourself the following questions:

D.  I need this item when…?

E.  I use this item when…?

F.  I love this item because…?

If the phrase “but I might need that someday” escaped from your lips, the jig is up.  Let it go and move on.

 

If you’d like more assistance or a personal helper call me for a complimentary consultation at (508) 699-6652 or email me.  I’d be happy to help you.