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Give This Holiday and Make Your Home Clutter-Free
Charitable organizations make it even easier for you to donate your household items this time of year.
Guest post by Laura McHolm
‘Tis the season of gratitude, giving and of course: decorating, parties, feasts, shopping and more. But before you go down your merry, merry to do list, think about the needs of your community and all the stuff and clutter you don’t need around your home. Perhaps, you have clothing, furniture, kitchen items, or even food you have been meaning to clear out? The jolly news is charitable organizations make it even easier for you to donate your household items to assist those in need this time of year. You can make a difference, so everyone can have a joyful holiday. And, you get to rediscover the holiday joy you experienced as a child.
This is not just another to do on your holiday list, it’s very simple and the rewards are immense – it’s the ultimate win- win! You assist others and at the same time you get a clutter-free home, all prepped for the holidays. No need to scramble to find a solution for outgrown clothes and furniture, and pantry items you will never use, simply follow this guide of “What to Give and Where to Give” and the process will be Grinch-free!
1. Non-Perishable Food
Make room for all of the yummy holiday goodies! Wondering if your food bank wants your three pound bottle of mustard? Here are the top items that they need:
- Canned Vegetables & Fruits
- Canned Stews & Soups
- Canned Beans
- Canned Tuna
- Pasta & Sauce
- Baby Food
- Dry Beans
- Flour
- Cereal & Oatmeal
- Juice
- Rice
- Peanut/Nut Butters & Jelly/Jams
Where to Donate:
- Your local Food Bank. You can find your local food bank here.
- Check with your local fire department, churches, synagogues, schools, and grocery stores to see if they are hosting food pantry donations drop offs
- Visit www.MoveForHunger.org, a non-profit organization that will connect you with a local moving company that will deliver your non-perishable food donations to your local food bank for you. Check out their Find A Mover tool.
- Willing to roll-up your sleeves? Start your own food drive. Simply ask local businesses, schools and libraries to put out your colorfully decorated food drive donation boxes and use your social networks to get the word out. It only takes 1.2lbs of food to provide a meal to an individual in need, so it doesn’t matter how big your food drive is, every little bit helps.
2. Clothing
Make room for your holiday sweaters! Bring gently used clothing to the following charities or go online or call them to see if they will come to your door to pick up your donations.
- Baby, kids and adult clothing
- Coats (Kids and families are in great need of coats this time of year.)
- Suits
- Belts
- Scarves
- Ties
- Pocketbooks
- Boots
- Shoes
Where to Donate:
- Goodwill
- Salvation Army
- Epilepsy Foundation
- Veteran organizations
- Big Brothers Big Sisters of America
- Red Cross
- Check with your local fire department, churches, synagogues and schools, to see if they are hosting clothing donation drop offs
3. Toys
Make room for what Santa brings! Get your kids involved in sorting through their things so they get to learn the ultimate gift – the gift of giving!
- Gently used, unbroken toys or new toys that are unwrapped (it depends on the charity if a new toy is required so contact them first.)
- Stuffed animals
- Coloring books & crayons
- School supplies and stationery
- Hand held games
- Children’s books
- No toy guns or other violent toys
Where to Donate:
- Toys for Tots. Find your local Toys for Tots drop off locations here.
- Local children’s hospitals & hospitals
- Local Ronald McDonald House. Find a local Ronald McDonald location or care mobile here.
- Local Boys & Girls Club
- Many local shelters or children’s charities accept toy donations. Use this Homeless Shelter Directory to find shelters in your area.
- Organizations like My Stuff Bags and Stuffed Animals for Emergencies offer children a familiar object in times of crisis.
- Check with your local fire department, churches, synagogues, and schools, to see if they are hosting toy donation drop offs
- Other places to check include a children’s social services office and even stores often have a donation bin at the front entrance where you can place donation
4. Household Goods & Furniture
Make room for your gifts!
- Antiques, collectibles
- Appliances (small)
- Artwork
- Bedspreads, blankets, curtains, tablecloths, decorative pillows
- Bicycles
- Books, records, tapes, CDs, DVDs
- Cookware, dishes, pots and pans
- Housewares and decorative items
- Jewelry
- Sporting goods
- Gently used furniture
Where to Donate:
- Habitat for Humanity ReStore
- Goodwill
- Salvation Army
- Epilepsy Foundation
- Veteran organizations
- Big Brothers Big Sisters of America
- Red Cross
5. Cell Phones
Clean out the old gadget drawer! Donate old smart phones & tablets (make sure to clear your data from it first!)
Where to Donate:
6. Gift Cards
Keep your drawers clutter free! Re-gift the gift cards you are given and turn them into charitable donations. Exchange your retail gift cards for a charity donation. You will receive a tax receipt for the entire full value or residual balance of your card.
Where to Donate:
- CharityGiftCertificates.org
7. Vehicles
Open up a parking space for Santa’s sleigh!
- Car
- Truck
- RV
- Boat
- Motorcycle
- Trailer
Where to Donate:
- Habitat for Humanity Cars for Homes
- Salvation Army
- Kars 4 Kids
- Wheels for Wishes
- Cars Helping Veterans.org
- Goodwill
Once you have cleared the clutter and given to those who will actually use and need your unwanted items, well, just like they say in Whoville, your heart will grow three sizes and the true meaning of the holidays will come through, plus two!
Source: CB Blue Matter Blog
8 Space Savers for a Small Bedroom
Not everyone is blessed with endless square footage and expansive master suites in their home. If you find yourself drowning in piles of clothes and surround by belongings, you’re not alone. Here are eight simple tricks to save space and maximize storage in a small bedroom.
1. Fold Out Furniture
Murphy beds and pull-out sofa beds have gotten bad reputations in the past for being clunky and old-fashioned. However, there are many new and stylish ways to integrate a convertible bed in today’s modern home designs, one of which is shown above. Also try installing a fold-out desk against a wall for a small workspace. It can work double-duty as a mini makeup vanity too.
2. Use Large Mirrors
Here’s one of the oldest tricks in the book: mirrors. Mirrors never fail to visually expand and enhance a small space. The effect is strongest when it covers the entire side of a room with floor-to-ceiling or wall-to-wall mirrors. If you have an unsightly open closet situation, you can resolve both problems by opting for mirrored doors to hide the clutter and add visual dimension.
Tip: Another strategy for making a small room feel bigger is to capitalize on as many natural light sources as possible. Not only is natural light beneficial for your health and well-being, it draws the eye outwards and beyond the corners of any small space. Reflect a window in a mirror to bring more light further into a room.
3. Underbed Space and Storage
A lot of potential is hidden in floor space, an area that’s often forgotten and unused in many bedrooms – big or small. If it isn’t already, prop your bed a foot or two above the floor with store-bought bed risers and voila! You’ve found more space. Don’t start cramming everything you can in your newly found space though. Being able to see beneath the bed will make a bulky bed feel light and airy. If you need more storage, purchase wide and shallow drawers that can easily slide under the bed. You can use this space to keep belongings dust-free and easily accessible.
4. Combine Your Nightstand and Dresser
Most people try to buy the smallest furniture pieces possible for a small bedroom, but in certain cases, one large item is much better than two small ones. With an oversized nightstand, you can eliminate the need for a big dresser and keep everything within arm’s reach of the bed. The surface can still hold bedside essentials while the space below can be used for clothing storage.
5. Outfit Your Headboard With Storage
Headboards with built-ins make the most of otherwise wasted space. Traditional tufted headboards are gorgeous in all their glory, but block the wall space above the bed from being used for anything else. You can pull out your headboard to create a ledge at the top or purchase a one with storage cubbies built in or around the panel. For the most storage, use a combination of both, as seen in this storage-savvy contemporary bedroom.
6. Utilize Open Wall Shelves
If you have cherished knick-knacks that you want to put on display but don’t have the surface area to spare, look to your blank walls. Just as easy as hanging a picture frame or piece of artwork, mounting vertical wooden boards is a simple solution for holding your favorite photos or books. In this modern New York bedroom, multiple rows of open shelves above a desk hold countless frames and pottery pieces without using a single inch of floor space.
7. Mount Wall Lighting
If you’re struggling to fit a table lamp on your nightstand, look to your walls once more for another space-saving solution. Wall-mounted lights with flexible arms can be pulled to wherever they’re needed most or they can lay flush against the wall when unused. Like lamps, wall lights are come in a variety of sizes and prices.
8. Look Behind the Door
Behind-the-door storage seems to have vanished largely from recent home design trends, but if you’re desperate for more space, look no further. You don’t have to confine yourself to classic over-the-door hooks; this space can also be used to hold shoes and coats; hats and scarves; and even makeup and bath supplies. Get creative and customize the back of your door to fit your storage needs.
Source: CB Blue Matter Blog
