The first day of spring has sprung, the sun is shining and flowers are ready to bloom … that means it’s time for the age old tradition of Spring Cleaning! Did I mention that’s a dreaded age old tradition? Yup, that’s right, we all hate the work involved in decluttering but love the feeling we have when we've made space, reorganized and donated a bunch of stuff to those in need.

So to make spring cleaning a little easier and keep those gray hairs from popping up out of stress, here are three simple questions to ask yourself when trying to decide if an item is a keeper or something to donate.

1)  Do I love it?
And by this I mean do you LOVE it? If your wardrobe or household could function without it then it’s probably something to donate. Or if you haven’t worn it in more than a month and it’s a current season item … then you don’t love it, you just have luke warm feelings for it. So lose the guilt. That shirt will understand if you part ways and give it a second chance at wardrobe love. 

2)  Does it fit my body or my life?
Ok, all of us at some point were a smaller size and we’re all hoping we fit into those totally hot jeans once again. But let’s be realistic … if it’s two or more sizes smaller than you are now, chances are you won’t wear it again. It’ll just sit there neglected, taking up space, and collecting that gross layer of dust. Same goes for style. Do you still wear full suits to work? If not, then those suits no longer fit your life. Hang on to one for an interview that might pop up and donate those others to help someone else.

3)  Why am I keeping this?
I’ve often found myself keeping that really ugly, but very thoughtful gift I received for a birthday a few years ago. But really, I’m never going to use it and am just keeping it out of guilt. So why keep it? Shed the guilt and make room for more fun things…like shoes, bags and infinity scarves!

Once these three simple questions have helped you wade through the clutter otherwise known as your closet, just bag or box it up and drop if off to a the charity of your choice…just like Goodwill. You’ll get that feel-good vibe that goes along with helping someone in need. It’s selfish, I know, but donating feels good. So let’s be selfish people! Give your unloved, neglected, poorly fitting, guilt ridden duds to a place that will turn it into a resource for change.

Find a Goodwill donation center near you. 

About The Author
Melissa is a thrifty shopper who knows the importance of supporting local charities. She has been the community relations coordinator with Goodwill Industries of New Mexico since 2013 and takes pride working for an organization that’s part of the community. Melissa knows how to organize, DIY and weed through all the info and ideas the web has to offer.  

To Donate: To give money or goods for a good cause, (for example to a charity). 

Donating your old stuff is an easy way to get that feel-good vibe that inevitably comes with helping those less fortunate than you are. But have you really ever given thought to which charity to choose?

Some folks just choose those tried and true nonprofit groups that are well known nationally for helping their causes. Others choose smaller, local groups because the cause is near and dear to their hearts. And yet others simply choose whichever charity group is most convenient, on their way to work or offer some sort of incentive like a coupon. No matter which you choose, you’re helping the community, right?  Well if I told you “yes,” my nose would grow like Pinocchio because the answer is a firm “no.”  If you’re not careful, your perfectly well-intentioned donation might be going to an organization that’s actually a for-profit corporation.

 To make sure to avoid this, always ask a business/organization the following five questions:

1. Is your organization for-profit or nonprofit?
   
2. If you partner with a for-profit, how much are you paid by that organization in exchange for the donated items you collect?
   
3. What happens to my donations once I put them in a bin or drop them off to your location? 
   
4. How will my donation to your organization help my local community?
5. How much of each dollar that you spend goes towards your programs and services?

A quick Google search, and I mean quick because I have the attention span of squirrel that’s had an energy drink, will pop up a few informative sites. They talk about how much a legitimate nonprofit spends on their programs and services. If 66% or 66 cents of every dollar they earn is spent on their programs and services, then they’re legit and a worthy nonprofit. But if it’s lower than that, they may not be.

There are also sites out there that rate nonprofits for their ability to provide for the community they serve. Those are charitywatch.org, charitynavigator.org and give.org just to name a few.

Now the final question to ask yourself: Who will you pick now that you’re armed with the knowledge to weed out the not-so-nonprofit groups?

About The Author
Melissa is a thrifty shopper who knows the importance of supporting local charities. She has been the community relations coordinator with Goodwill Industries of New Mexico since 2013 and takes pride working for an organization that’s part of the community. Melissa knows how to organize, DIY and weed through all the info and ideas the web has to offer.