Happy Spring!
Are you as happy as I am to welcome the colorful season of spring? It’s been a cold, windy winter, and I’m ready for the change of season. But before we leave winter behind, I’d like to share some of the projects I’ve been helping my clients with during the snowy weather.
Packing up holiday decorations: Realizing what decorations no longer make the cut, and preparing for a time saving set up for the next holiday season were important steps in this project.
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.
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 loading them into your car.
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
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.
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, to achieve independence and dignity through work. We learned about its origin, having been established by a Boston minister in 1895 but no longer has religious affiliations. We learned about its succes as a community-based nonprofit. For example, in 2022, for every dollar spent, $.89 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:
For more details and donation guidelines visit their website.
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.
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