by Kelly Ann Butterbaugh
I spent years forcing closet doors shut and stepping around boxes in the basement. Then, I decided that it needed to go—all of it. I spent a weekend or two deciphering and eliminating the clutter that had somehow taken over a small part of my life, but one Sunday evening after I had finished I had to ask myself, “What should I do with all this stuff?” What I had decided was too good for garbage but definitely wasn’t staying now made up a homeless pile of boxes and bags in my basement.
My solution was to donate it. Many organizations look for items that can be put to good use and are more than willing to take your once loved treasures and give them new life. You’d be amazed what you can do with a few phone calls and an afternoon of errands. It took a little more work than simply discarding them, but in the end I felt good about what I had done.
Tackling the Family Room
Hobbies and toys take up a lot of room. Most houses have too many toys and too little room. Crafting seems to be the worse. Many crafters fall into the same pattern that trapped me—they stockpile ending up with more crafting supplies than time.
Craft Supplies: Many schools have after school programs which provide activities for students after hours. What the schools often lack is funding for such activities. I decided that my plethora of goodies would be exactly what they needed. It took awhile to go through and sort the items by category, but it was worth it. f your school doesn’t have an after school program, check with your local boy/girl scout troop, church youth group, or park program.
Used Toys: Outgrown toys that are in good shape can be donated to women’s shelters, fire victims counsels, daycares, and doctor’s offices. Stuffed toys are difficult to donate; many places won’t take them because of sanitary reasons. However, one local rotary club recently collected “gently used” stuffed toys for distribution to needy children. Check with your local service organizations to see if they have a need for such items. Another fun option is to get your children involved in a yard sale and then donate the proceeds to the charity of their choice like the local animal shelter.
Oh That Bedroom Closet!
Once you convince yourself that organization is worth the price of purging that sweater you once loved, you doubly benefit from your work. Many people have a need for those discards, but you also can collect a tidy tax deduction for your donation. (Be sure to inventory and collect receipts for your donations.)
When to trash: If items are soiled or torn, send them packing. Thrift shops don’t benefit by receiving these items. “Don't give your purged items to charity just because you can't bare to put them in the trash—because the charity will do so, and it costs charities money to take trash to the landfills,” says Karen Fritscher-Porter of www.EasyHomeOrganizing.com
Donating everyday clothing: During this process I bagged items according to type and kept an inventory of how many shirts, pants, etc. I placed in the bags. I also tied pairs of shoes together and tried to keep clothing sets together with clothes pins. Then, I chose a drop off date and wrote it on my calendar. A good charity will put the resale profits or items to good use and issue a tax receipt willingly.
Formal attire: However, not everything in my closet went to the thrift store. I found formal dresses hiding in the back that begged me to admit that I would never again wear them. For them a new home was found with a sister organization of the Cinderella Project of New Hampshire, a non-profit organization that collects formal and semi-formal attire which is then given to high school students who may not be able to afford the wardrobe needed for their school formals. With the help of volunteers and “boutiques” which display these gowns and accessories, teens have a chance to attend events once out of the question. “We wish our volunteers could all see the sighs of relief for the low income families plus the help we are able to provide group homes so they can appropriate their budgets for school clothing instead of prom gowns,” says Joanne Sowa of the Cinderella Project.
Athletic shoes: Another interesting charity is Nike Reuse-A-Shoe which started in 1993. Collecting athletic shoes of any brand, the Nike Company recycles them into new athletic surfaces for community parks and recreation facilities around the world. Donating old athletic shoes allows Nike to donate football/soccer fields, running tracks, playgrounds, basketball courts, and tennis courts. Shoes donated to Reuse-A-Shoe should not be tied together.
Organizing That Office
The home office is rarely the office it claims to be and more of a disaster area, at least in my house. While office organization requires some thought, one guideline is crucial—papers should be shredded. Invest in a light duty shredder for your home office, and put the shreds to good use.
Donating paper shreds: Anyone who has shipped items through the mail knows that packing materials are expensive. However, paper shreds are not only free but seemingly limitless. Empty your shredder into your packing boxes and save some money.
Books: Books are another item that tends to accumulate in my house. Purging is difficult, especially when I know that organizations are hesitant to accept them. A common location who will accept used books is your local library. With state cutbacks abounding, many libraries are holding second hand book sales to raise needed funds. Most, however, do not want books such as Reader’s Digest, textbooks, and harlequin-style romance.
Textbooks: Libraries may not want them, but there are organizations that look for used textbooks. Check for the location of your local adult literacy program; many will gladly accept textbooks or other used books. Many daycares also build their libraries based upon donations as do many YMCAs and other youth groups.
If you come across a large collection of textbooks, Bridge to Asia, an organization that supplies educational materials to developing countries, accepts donations. Over the last 16 years they have donated over 6 million books to over 1000 different schools in foreign countries.
Getting the Car Back in the Garage
Garages are meant for cars and tools, not the old sofa that was replaced last year. Get the furniture out of your garage and into a home where it belongs. There are several options for donating old furniture.
Charity: Charities accept donations of furniture in very good condition. Considering they accept it to be resold in their thrift shops, it’s understandable why it needs to be in good shape. However, there is hope for that sofa cushion with the spaghetti stain and the coffee table that Spot chewed.
Schools: Schools often do not provide furnishings for faculty rooms and lounges. Instead, they are nicely furnished with sofas, refrigerators, microwaves, and various tables and chairs, all of which were donated. Contact your child’s teachers to see if there is any specific need in their building. Community centers are also often looking for sturdy furniture for the same purpose.
Community care: Are there any needy families in your area? Call churches and schools to see if they have “adopted” a needy family. Many have identified families in need of furniture as well as the general supplies of food and clothing.
Free to a good home: It sounds basic, but put the item at the edge of your driveway with a huge sign saying FREE. Many people will jump at the chance to slipcover a couch if they don’t have to pay for it. Extra dressers can be utilized in garages, and sometimes wooden furniture is even broken apart and reused for new projects. I’ve even added to my signs the notation “will help you load.” This eliminates the embarrassment of taking someone’s “garbage” and also allows people to take their time loading their newest treasures.
Sell It Then Donate It
When it no longer belongs in your home, but it still retains high value, there is another option for donation—resale. Proceeds from yard sales, personal sales, and consignment sales can be turned into cash donations to your favorite cause. It allows for a broader spectrum of charities to aide, and it might give a higher level of satisfaction.
If yard sales aren’t for you, try eBay. No longer is eBay only a place to earn money for your antiques and other collectables; it’s the place to sell those items for charity. Called eBay Giving Works, this type of auction allows people to sell items on the online auction place and donate all or part of the final value sale to the charity of choice. The percentage to be donated as well as the charity to receive the donation is declared by the seller upon listing. Since 2000 more than $54 million has been raised worldwide through this program, and all donations are tax-deductible.
The work it takes to gather and sort adds up. I could just as easily have hauled all my discarded items to the curb and been finished. Yet, the better reward came from helping others. It was that thought that made the task go even faster.
© Kelly Ann Butterbaugh
Further Information
Bridge to Asia *
415-678-2990
http://www.bridge.org
The Cinderella Project of New Hampshire *
cinderellaprojnh@aol.com
603-472-8043
http://thecinderellaprojectofnh.org/
eBay Giving Works *
http://givingworks.ebay.com/sell/
Good Will Industries International *
www.goodwill.org
Nike Reuse-A-Shoe donations mailed to:
Nike Recycling Center
c/o Reuse-A-Shoe
26755 SW 95th Ave.
Wilsonville, OR 97070
Rotary International
One Rotary Center
1560 Sherman Ave.
Evanston, IL 60201, USA
847-866-3000
http://www.rotary.org/support/clubs/
The Salvation Army National Headquarters *
615 Slaters Lane
P.O. Box 269
Alexandria, VA 22313
www.salvationarmyusa.org
* tax deductible donation