New Life to Old Things

A big part of organizing is learning to say ‘good-bye’ to those items we no longer use or want.   
 
        “To truly cherish the things that are important to you, you must first discard those that
         have outlived their purpose.”  -Marie Kondo
 
So, what do we do with those things we are getting rid of?  While some items need to be thrown away, many of our belongings can be given a new life through donation or recycling.  

​There are a number of different organizations that accept donations.  Some organizations will only take certain items, while others will take most anything.  Some sites require that you drop off items yourself, while others will send a truck to your home for ‘pick ups’. Take the time to research some of the donation centers in your area to find out what items they will take and who will be benefitting from your donated items. 
A few donation sites we like to use include:

1.  The Salvation Army

• Will send a truck to your home for ‘pick ups’ and has drop off locations
• Accepts working appliances, furniture/mattresses in good condition
• Check out the website:  https://satruck.org to find a drop off center near you/schedule a ‘pick up’ time

  2.   Something Special Resale Store 

• Local site to Conroe/The Woodlands, TX
• Benefits the Montgomery County Women’s Center
• Will send a truck to your home for pick up of furniture and large items and also has a local drop off site.
• To learn more, click here:  https://mcwctx.org/something-special-resale-store/

 

When books are no longer needed or used, the library is always a great place to start…. They accept books and magazines, as well as CDs, DVD’s and books on tape.  For children’s books, consider donating them to local schools.  Books are always needed at schools, both in the library and in the classroom.

Baby, toddler, and young children’s toys are always needed at local church nurseries, daycares, and preschools.  It’s easy to call the one nearest you to find out how to donate.  Public schools usually have play areas for Kindergarten and 1st grade, and they could use gently used toy and craft items as well.

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​A few tips/tricks about donations:

• Place a box or bag in the back of your closet or in another convenient location of your home.  As you decide to part with items that can be donated, simply place them in the box/bag.  Once the box/bag is full, it is time to make a drop off at your favorite local donation site.  Then, start the process over again with a new box/bag.
• Be sure to ask for a receipt when donating items (and don’t forget to mark on the receipt what item was donated/value).  Keep all donation receipts in a manila envelope or folder and file it in a safe place.  When tax time rolls around, you will know right where to look and won’t waste time searching for your tax deductible donation receipts.

 
For items that cannot be donated, be sure to check and see if they can be recycled before tossing them in the trash.  You would be surprised at the number of items that can be recycled these days.  Contact your local recycling center to see what specific items they do and do not take.  
 
While we realize it is often difficult to initially part with your items, you will be amazed at the amount of new found freedom and organization you can achieve by decluttering.  Through this process, you can also help others by giving new life to your old things!
 
Happy Organizing,
Jen and Emily