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New year, new you.
It’s 2020, the beginning of a new decade. For some people, the passing of the holiday season opens up the door to something else, like a closet – yes, it’s Spring cleaning time. It’s a process that’s dreading but, in its finality, it serves its satisfaction and organization. The problem after the clearing is what to do with all the old stuff? We tend to shove them into garbage bags and boxes, then leave them in a corner in the garage, attic or even the trunk of the car, swearing you’ll get around to dropping it off at a donation area. It’s the procrastinator in us. We can try and change that though. Instead of leaving our old stuff collecting dust in the dark corner that gets ignored, there are other things to do with our old stuff that can help others who need it. Here are 10 ways to donate your spring-cleaning findings.
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- Goodwill: accepts a wide array of things, ranging from clothes and toys to houseware and electronics. As long as the items are in decent conditions, they take it. The items can either be dropped off at a donation bin in your area, but if you’re donating a lot of items large items then certain Goodwill locations have pick-up services that will come to you.
- Operation Give: FedEx items you’d want to donate to their warehouse in Utah. Don’t worry about the shipping cost – it’s free for sending in your donations!
- Salvation Army: similar to Goodwill, you can donate just about anything. They even accept cars and furniture. The added bonus to this method: Your items are sold at the family stores where the proceeds go to fund their adult rehabilitation centers.
- Dress For Success: for any business attire that may not fit, may not need or may not like anymore. Donate business-appropriate clothes and shoes to their location and they provide the items to low-income women all over the world. They also accept unused makeup or jewelry.
- Books For Africa: simply mail in your lightly used books to the organization and help end the book famine in Africa. You can take part in encouraging education in areas that don’t have as sufficient resources.
- World Computer Exchange: donate computers, keyboards, laptops. Printers, hard drives or software and it will be sent to developing countries that need equipment. Either drop it off at a chapter nearest to you or mail it in.
- The Glass Slipper Project: you can donate formal dresses, shoes, jewelry, and makeup by mailing it to the headquarters. These donations go to high school juniors and seniors who otherwise can’t afford their own prom attire.
- Soles 4 Souls: Drop off lightly worn shoes to a local location or one of their partner locations. Soles 4 Souls is meant to provide relief to those in developing nations in times of disaster. Even just one pair of shoes can help someone else in need.
- Pickup Please: accepts clothes, shoes, appliances and other items not in use. Just schedule a time and day to have your items picked up. Leave your donations outside your home and they will be taken to Vietnam Veterans of America.
- Planet Aid: accepts all clothes – even torn and stained items. The purpose of this is to save all textiles from the landfill. They have thousands of bins available to drop off your clothing items.
Happy cleaning and remember: one man’s trash is another man’s treasure!
