Downsizing 101: Outside help
As it turns out, there are lots of ways to get rid of stuff. And no, I'm not talking about bonfires or hiding it in the back of your neighbor's truck.
There's throwing things out, which is what I do with stuff that is shot or worn out. There's putting it out at the curb to be picked up by roving trash-pickers or scrap collectors. And then there's donating it, which is the sort of outside help I'm talking about today.
Tomorrow, it's the Big Brothers' and Big Sisters' organization that's swinging by to pick up a rather large assortment of bags and boxes out front, containing everything from table linens to clothes and shoes to some glassware, artwork, and more. But there are at least two veterans' organizations that will come pick stuff up. And there is Goodwill, which doesn't pick up, but will accept donations. And the local library, which gladly takes donations of books and other media, which it either keeps for its own collection or (more usually) sells at a semi-annual book sale to raise funds for the library.
There are pros and cons to all of these sorts of organizations, and some might be more close to one's heart than others for various reasons (the sort of people or animals it benefits, how much overhead they carry or what they pay their executives, etc.), but I am very pleased to pass my things off to any of them, since they all take my stuff away at no cost to me and do something positive with it, whether it's job training for people who need it (Goodwill) or sales to thrift shops with the money benefiting someone in need (Purple Heart Veterans and others). Not to mention that the actual stuff gets into the hands of someone somewhere who actually wants it, which is a win-win.
Anyhoo - if you've got a bunch of stuff you need to get rid of, please know that there are organizations more than willing to take it off your hands for you. And most of them will give you a receipt, so that you can take a charitable donation at income tax time.
There's throwing things out, which is what I do with stuff that is shot or worn out. There's putting it out at the curb to be picked up by roving trash-pickers or scrap collectors. And then there's donating it, which is the sort of outside help I'm talking about today.
Tomorrow, it's the Big Brothers' and Big Sisters' organization that's swinging by to pick up a rather large assortment of bags and boxes out front, containing everything from table linens to clothes and shoes to some glassware, artwork, and more. But there are at least two veterans' organizations that will come pick stuff up. And there is Goodwill, which doesn't pick up, but will accept donations. And the local library, which gladly takes donations of books and other media, which it either keeps for its own collection or (more usually) sells at a semi-annual book sale to raise funds for the library.
There are pros and cons to all of these sorts of organizations, and some might be more close to one's heart than others for various reasons (the sort of people or animals it benefits, how much overhead they carry or what they pay their executives, etc.), but I am very pleased to pass my things off to any of them, since they all take my stuff away at no cost to me and do something positive with it, whether it's job training for people who need it (Goodwill) or sales to thrift shops with the money benefiting someone in need (Purple Heart Veterans and others). Not to mention that the actual stuff gets into the hands of someone somewhere who actually wants it, which is a win-win.
Anyhoo - if you've got a bunch of stuff you need to get rid of, please know that there are organizations more than willing to take it off your hands for you. And most of them will give you a receipt, so that you can take a charitable donation at income tax time.