Donating

Donating Clothes & Toys After Christmas

You house just became a crazy place again didn’t it?  Now you have all these NEW things to find places for!  I will be many of you still have new clothes sitting in boxes full of tissue paper, still not put away. The drawers are full, closet is full… where will they go?

Toys sitting on the floor because the toy box or shelf is already over flowing with toys. Right?

Now.. I want you to be totally honest with yourself here.  I want you to go look at that closet, those drawers, those toys.  How many of those things have been sitting there, untouched for months? Maybe even years.  We all do it. We hold onto things.  That dress that looked so awesome, 50 pounds ago; that baby toy that we got and loved for your son that is now 10 years old. You know what I mean. It’s difficult to give things up.

Now, I want you to think about that family that has a father who lost his job, or that single mom who is working two jobs to help feed her three kids, that family that had a fire (probably in the news in the last week huh?) and lost everything.

                                                             (picture from google picasa)

Look again at your closet…. think about those who can really use those things…. look at those toys…. think about those kids who got absolutely nothing for Christmas.  Can’t you make some room in your house?

Selling Them?

I know of many people and hear many people who plan to sell everything.  I understand that, I get it – but… how long has that plan been in place? Have you ever executed it? Have you gotten that ebay store going like you keep saying you will?  When can you have the garage sale? In the summer… 6 months away?

Garage Sales - I have had garage sales in the past, I think they can be great. I can always use the money too. If the time of year is right, you have the motivation and time to do it… great – great… get ‘er done! If you can’t have one for months, then forget it.

I say – donate it and take the tax write off.  Help others and clear your house NOW!

Where do you donate?

Good Will
Local Shelters
Check with your Church or a local church
Check with your local Food Pantry
Check online for many resources

This is a food pantry that isn’t far from me.  I had a friend who used to work here. Most donate their time.  They had food that they gave out to those in need.

They also have a clothing thrift shop.  As I remember anyone could come in and purchase the donated clothing & toys at very low cost and for families in need, things were free.

Here was the pile of clothing and items that people had donated that the staff had yet to go through for the day.  You can’t see, but that pile was up to about my waist. Awesome!

When Donating 

Please don’t give them broken toys or toys missing pieces
No torn or damaged clothing (if you can’t wear it because of damage, others can’t either)

Donate and feel good, knowing you have just helped yourself and your family (by creating needed space, teaching valuable lessons to your children, helping with taxes, doing the right thing) and also knowing you are helping those in need.

Donate Those Stuffed Animals to the Elderly!

See The Joy You Can Spread!

I LOVE getting stuffed animals and my husband knows it.  But how many stuffed animals do I need?  I keep one on my dresser and then I end up putting the rest of them in a chest at the end of my bed.  I do donate them every few years, but I had six that were just sitting shut up in the chest, not doing anyone any good.

What about my memories?  I have them!  I took pictures of them when I got them and I have the feeling of love that I got when my husband gave them to me.  TIME TO PASS IT ON!!

I got in my chest today, because I knew I had at least two from Valentines day. What better time to give them away?

I actually had three of them.. and three from Easter.  We have a small nursing home right here in town.  I called them first thing this morning to ask if it would be alright if we stopped by this afternoon after school.  I told her we would have six stuffed animals and could she find six residents that do not normally get any visitors that we could give them to.  She was very helpful and told me to ask for her when we got there.

Do you think any of them would care that the foot says 2010 on it?  I don’t think so.

So I bagged them all up to get them ready to go.

I picked up the kids after school and we stopped by the nursing home.

The kids were all excited and each picked out the two they wanted to donate.

The residents had just finished their Valentines party. There were balloons and decorations on the walls.  I didn’t take many pictures inside because I wanted to protect their privacy.

The nurse took us around to six different residents that do not receive visitors.  The black dog went to a man who was almost blind. The big purple bunny went to a woman who started crying and kept saying, “It’s so beautiful!”

This woman said we could take her picture (I didn’t ask all of them). I just missed her little smile.  But she had a hold of that bear.

Do you think she cared that it said 2010 on it’s foot?

Then the last resident we gave a stuffed animal to was a hoot.  She wanted the kids to come over to her bed. She talked to them and asked them questions. Found out they were triplets.  I asked if I could take her picture and she loved it.  She wanted to know when I was printing them out.  I told her I normally don’t anymore but asked if she would like a copy. She said she would love it! So we will take her back a copy of it.

This was an awesome experience for my kids!  They were talking about it all the way home.   They were uncomfortable in the nursing home, I was too.. and that is ok.  We talked about it.  We talked about what it would feel like to never get a gift or have anyone visit you.

I think they realized all on their own… just seeing these faces and the smiles and how every one of the residents hugged those stuffed animals as soon as they got it!

So next time you go into your child’s room (or look in your own chest if you have some stuffed animals yourself) think if that stuffed animals would be doing more good where it is… or if it would be good to donate it to someone who could really use a pick me up!
I would love it if you could vote for my blog! You can vote up to once per day. Just click the button. Thank you!

I linked this Post Up To:

Donating – Reducing Your Clutter and Helping Others

Many people have trouble letting go of things…I realize this, but I also realize that there are times that it helps to think of others and that can help you to “release” an item.

Holding on to “things” that are packed in a box in the basement, or sitting on the back of that top shelf in your family room (where you can’t even see it) and gathering dust are not helping you in any way.

Look at that item (as you dig it out of those hiding places and it sees the light of day for the first time in years) and decide:

1) Am I using it?
2) Is it making this space a better place?
3) Can I enjoy it where it is?
4) Do I like it?

If you can’t answer “yes” to all of these, then maybe it is time to pass that item onto someone who will use it, will enjoy it and likes it.