Tag Archive for: donating

donate don't dump sign

Donating is easy

Donating is a simple and effective way to declutter. Select a worthy charity, non-profit or organization that motivates you to let go. Haul away your items and smile. You’ve reduced your belongings to a more manageable amount that’s easier to organize and maintain. You’ve also helped the environment.

box of books

Donate books

Books are a great donation and accepted at many resale shops, like Goodwill, Savers, and Salvation Army. Some libraries may take them to resell also, but I recommend calling before bringing them to the library.

Depending on what type of books they are you can donate to senior centers, daycare centers, nursing homes, or hospitals, but again, call first to confirm their interest.

Here are three websites to check out:
More Than Words

Operation Paperback

Prison Book Program

One word of caution, no one really wants old text books or encyclopedias. An option is to offer them to theater companies who may like them for props.

Bulk donation piles

Goodwill Donation Tips

A group of my fellow NAPO-New England (National Association of Productivity and Organizing Professionals) members and I went on a behind-the-scenes tour of the Morgan Memorial Goodwill Industries, Boston. We learned about its mission, to help individuals with barriers to self-sufficiency, achieve independence and dignity through work. We learned about its origin. It was established by a Boston minister in 1895 but no longer has a religious affiliation. We learned about its efficiency as a community-based nonprofit. In 2022, $.89 of every dollar spent went to programs that helped transfer lives. We also witnessed first-hand how they effectively process their 680,000 individual donations. Needless to say the tour was very informative and educational. It left me with a greater understanding of what happens to donated goods, and an appreciation for all the excellent work this nonprofit does.

Donation Tips:

  • Goodwill accepts gently-used goods in usable condition. Goods and clothing need to be washed and clean, void of pet hair and smoke. Goodwill does not clean or launder anything.
  • Clothes can have slight rips, small stains, or missing buttons as long as it’s clean. Goodwill inspectors sort through the donations. It takes them  3 seconds to evaluate each piece. The damaged items get sold in bulk to textile recycle companies.
  • Bag clothing donations rather than box them.
  • Take shoes out of their original boxes unless they are brand new.
  • They only accept new-in-package underwear and toys.
  • Gently used bras and socks are acceptable.

For more details and donation guidelines visit their website.

Tour of Goodwill

toilet paper

Edit the excess

How much excess did you accumulate during the pandemic? Do you still have cupboards full of toilet paper, hand sanitizer, and disposable gloves? If so, consider donating your excess to a homeless shelter, food pantry, senior center, or animal shelter. Then take a long, hard, objective look at any other piles of excess products that are cluttering your home, and edit them. If you need suggestions on how to recycle them, email me.

Janine in tulip field

Earth Day & Containers

I love the colors of spring, the bright daffodils, tulips, and flowering trees. They make me smile. They also make me think about Earth Day, which is celebrated on April 22nd. It’s a day to demonstrate support for environmental protection. You may not see the connection between organizing and environmental protection, but I’m reminded of it every time a client donates and recycles responsibly. Therefore, I’d like to share 3 simple ways we can show our support.