Don't need it anymore? Donate it!

I mentioned in my post on cleaning out the kids’ closets that donations is one of my sorting piles. It’s actually a few mini-piles. And as I suggested, anything that goes into these piles should be clean, still fashionable, and wearable. Use the “would I want this?” rule. Broken zippers, hole in the sleeve, missing buttons? If you’re handy with a sewing needle, take the time to make the repairs if you intend to donate the item. Otherwise, re-use/recycle or trash them.

Clothes Donations

• Pass down to friends – These are some of my favorite outfits that I thought particular friends would like. Also included, my aunt hand-knits sweaters for my kids, so I prefer to personally give them to someone rather than put them in the anonymous donation bags.
• Moms’ group – When our kids were smaller, we used to exchange some barely worn clothes in our moms’ group. This is great for boys’ suits, girls’ special occasion dresses, and infant and toddler winter coats, all which hardly get worn out before the child grows out of it. This is also a good pile for specialty wear like dance costumes and sports equipment (swim flippers anyone?)
• School – The nurse and guidance counselor at our elementary school keep a stash of clothes for the inevitable little kid accident, whether it’s someone falling in a mud puddle, spilling their chocolate milk at lunch, or not making it to the bathroom on time. I put our too-small school logo shirts, along with a few casual pieces in this bag. In the winter, I also include mittens and jackets. Be sure to ask first if they need it, if the school doesn't have a regular collection.
• Local clothes collection – When I have seasonal clothes to donate, I take them here. They will accept any clothes, but space seems to be tight, so I figure that in-season clothes are more welcome than out of season items.
• Pick-up donation – I admit, I don’t know what the various agencies who pick up clothes and household stuff do with it all, but I’m glad to be rid of it. For this reason, this is my pile of last resort.

Non-clothes Donations

Books – I don’t get rid of a lot of books, but sometimes I acquire books that I don’t really intend to keep or I have craft books I don’t need anymore. And my kids have used books that we don’t need to keep because they’ve outgrown them. I pass these on to the next readers:

• Donate to library or one of the local schools for used book sales
• Take to a kid-focused event (for example, PTA, Girl Scouts, the swimming pool) and invite the kids to take whatever they want
• Donate to women’s shelters
• Give to the guidance counselor and teachers at school for their classrooms

Towels and sheets – The mis-matched sets, the towels that don’t match the new bathroom paint color, the towels that are worn or torn – I’m taking them to the animal shelter.

Craft supplies - Donate to the school for the classroom and art teachers.

If you're closets are like mine, you'll find that most of the stuff you are getting rid of isn't in bad shape, you're just done using it. Pass it on and help someone else enjoy it.

Decluttering in 15 Minutes

Every January, I add decluttering to my list of other impossible goals.  Truthfully, I started in December.  Okay, well, I started to panic in December because I still was working on last January's plans to declutter.  It is my perpetual goal.   You'd think at some point, the goal would be reached and we would exist in an absolutely organized, everything in it's place little world.  But, alas, the junk drawer has a permanent place in my kitchen.

In an effort to be more productive, my task continues with these two simple guidelines:

• 15-minutes at a time
• find a re-use for anything worth re-using 

Why only 15 minutes? Doesn't sound like a lot, but it's just enough of a time constraint to feel like I need to focus on the task.  If I give myself unlimited time, even an hour, my mind wanders and I end up on some tangent.  You know, go from cleaning out the fridge to reorganizing the entire kitchen type thing.  

And the re-use thing?  Because I do have a habit of holding on to things that may or may not be useful right now, but might be later on.  (Some people call this being a packrat, I call it being prepared.)  But with these guidelines, if I can come up with a good use for something, I can keep it.  Otherwise, it needs to be thrown out, recycled, or donated, as appopriate.

My intention is to pick one space a day, allowing that if I can't think of a space, I'll skip that day.  And space needs to be also narrowly defined to keep the task do-able.  This one yarn basket rather than my entire yarn stash (crafters, you know what I’m saying).

So far, I’ve done my lingerie drawer and under my bathroom sink.  Yes, each in 15 minutes.  What got thrown out, what was reused? 

Lingerie drawer – My weight has gone up and down during my pregnancies and since then.  Now that I’m at a pretty consistent weight, I threw out the underwear and bras that were too big, too small, the wrong size, the wrong whatever.  Never liked how the wire poked me in the side, didn’t like the fit of the bra.  Wasn’t as cute on me as the mannequin?  Yeah, got rid of all that.  Nothing to reuse.

Bathroom cabinet – I did the hallway bathroom, so the main task here was putting stuff back where it really belongs, rather than here where it was stashed by people too lazy to go upstairs.  I threw out expired pain relievers in the first aid kit, old sunscreen, and miscellaneous junk. It’s a good idea to keep lotion, toothpaste and toothbrushes in this bathroom though for the kid who “forgot” to use these items and needs to hurry up and get out the door. 

I almost threw out some used jar candles, but instead they became my re-used items.

Burned down jar candles?  Fill with warm water to loosen the wax.

I filled them with hot tap water and let them sit a few minutes to soften the wax.  I spooned the wax out and washed out the jars.  Ta-da - sparkly new little jars!  I can use them as little flower vases for a few blooms or to hold little knick-knacks – make-up brushes, pens, crochet hooks.  I found that the rounded jar is perfect to hold a ball of yarn and keep it from rolling away while I’m working with it. 

Jars from candles after being cleaned out - perfect for re-use around the house.

I think my desk drawer is next.  And I’m sticking with 15 minutes.

I’m not an organization expert so I don’t promise any earth-shattering tips on how to get your space in order.  But if you, too, need to get some orderly space, I invite you to join me through the month.  I'll post here and/or on FaceBook any interesting re-uses or tips.  Feel free to share!