Getting Ready To Donate

Today we’re talking about donations: why it’s good to donate, what kinds of things you can donate, where you can donate, and how to make it easy to donate as you declutter.

Why Should I Donate?

As you declutter, you’ll come across things you’re ready to let go of, but that are in good enough condition that other people can still use them.  If you have friends or family members who you can give things to, that’s a great option.  It’s fun seeing someone else use something that used to be yours.  Young adults moving away from home  or newlyweds just starting out could benefit from your excess furniture, linens, and household items. Families with younger children might appreciate hand-me-down clothes and toys.   

You can also donate those items to local charities, especially if you have a charity that’s special to you. Most charities will pass them on or sell the items and put the money towards people in need. It feels good knowing your possessions can support their cause.

It also helps you let go when you know your belongings can really benefit someone else. Instead of something taking up space in your home, give it to someone who will actually use it and appreciate it.

Donating also helps keep items out of landfills, which is good for the environment. It contributes to a circular economy.

What Can I Donate?

So what kinds of things can you donate? Here are some commonly donated items:

• Clothing 
• Books
• Toys
• Household items
• Small appliances
• Electronics
• Furniture
• Linens
• Stuffed animals

Just make sure items are clean and in good working condition.  Think about the people who will benefit from your things and what they would want given to them.  Most charities are run by volunteers and they don’t have the resources to fix broken items or get rid of unusable things.  

Where Can I Donate? 

The list of places you can give away your belongings is unlimited!  Here are a few ideas to get you started though:

• Shelters (battered women, young moms, etc.)
• Community centers
• Church-run community programs
• Youth programs
• Big Brothers / Big Sisters programs
• Fire Halls (they give like-new stuffed animals to kids after a fire)
• Animal shelters (they love linens!)
• Habitat for Humanity Re-Stores
• Church rummage sales
• Salvation Army
• Thrift stores
• Online groups helping people in need (newcomers, homeless, etc.)
• Local buy nothing or Freecycle groups

Put together a list of charities and organizations in your area and find out what their needs are, as well as what they don’t accept.  Again, because so many charities have limited resources, don’t burden them with items they don’t need.

How To Make Donating Easy For Yourself

Some people throw most of their belongings away when they are decluttering because they feel it’s too difficult to bother with donating things.  But it doesn’t have to be hard.  

Here are a few ways to make it easy to donate:

• Set up a donation box in a conspicuous place in your home and any time to come across something you want to donate, add it to the box.  Teach everyone in your family to do the same.  When it’s full, drop it off wherever you’re donating it. I created some printable decluttering signs that you can download here.
• While you’re in the midst of decluttering, it’s good to have several large bags or empty boxes handy so you can easily add any donate-able items to them as you work.  I usually use clear garbage bags like these with my clients so donated items aren’t accidentally confused with garbage and thrown away. Keep some tape and a marker handy to label bags or boxes too.
• Make donating part of your weekly routine.  Find a time in your weekly schedule when you’re driving near a donation center and make a point of dropping of donations every week at that time.  You’re nearby anyway so it’s easy to pull up and drop off a bag or box.
• Many charities will even pick up donations from your porch or driveway. In my area the Canadian Diabetes Association Clothesline program and the Ontario Federation for Cerebral Palsy both do pick-ups. It’s an easy way to get items from your home into the right hands!  Here’s a picture of some of my donations on my porch (they’re marked with a D for Diabetes as instructed… we sometimes use duct tape or painters tape to mark our bags and “busy” boxes so it’s clear… and easy).

What’s Next For You?

Here are a few easy steps for you to take today so you’re ready when you start decluttering.

• Gather up some empty boxes or large bags.  Duct tape and a good marker would be helpful too, so you can mark your bags or boxes so they aren’t confused with anything else.  
• Research charities in your organization to find out what kinds of things they need and what they will accept. Compile a list so you have a few options.  
• Find out if there are charities that will pick up from your home and schedule a pick-up for a few weeks from now.

Ready to declutter? Want more decluttering ideas, tips, and inspiration?  Need some motivation and accountability to keep you going?  Here are some ways to get that:

• Buy my book Decluttering From A To Z. For each letter of the alphabet, there are decluttering tips, lists of items you can let go of, and inspirational quotes about decluttering. This blog post is actually a sneak peek at the beginning part of the book!

• Join the 365 Items in 365 Days decluttering challenge!  You can start the 365 Items in 365 Days challenge at any time and declutter whatever you want. There are details in that post about our great Facebook group too.  

• Check out my 31 Days of Easy Decluttering series.  Each post gives tips to declutter different items or areas of your home.  

Share Your Vision and Goals!  

As you prepare to declutter, tell a friend or family member, or share on your social media channels what your motivation and your goals are. This will help keep you accountable and increase the likelihood of achieving your goals. You might inspire them to start decluttering themselves and you can cheer each other on.

A great way to stay motivated when decluttering is to take pictures of what you’ve decluttered, or take before and after pictures. These pictures can be motivating if you get discouraged along the way. You can look back on what you’ve already done and see the progress. That can help you get back on track so you can achieve your goals.

Please don’t feel embarrassed by your before pictures… we’re all in this together! You don’t have to share your pictures with anyone but take them for yourself at least. You can share them on social media and use the tag #DeclutteringFromAToZ so I can cheer you on. If you want to share them in a safe place for accountability, join the 365 Items in 365 Days Facebook group. Only group members (fellow declutterers) will see your photos. We’ll all support you!

What are your reasons for decluttering?  What do you want to gain after decluttering?  What is the toughest part of decluttering for you?

If you need help decluttering, contact me for in-person organizing services in the Mississauga area, or virtual organizing services anywhere else.

Happy decluttering!