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Set Up A Clutter Donation Box: First Step In Getting Your Home Decluttered

The first decluttering mission of the New Year is to set up a clutter donation box, or collection station in your home to place anything you decide you want to declutter that is not trash.


Purpose Of This Collection Box:

This box, basket, bag, whatever you choose for it to be, should be a permanent addition to your home because you are going to make a habit of getting rid of clutter each day, and you've got to put it somewhere until you can get it out of your home permanently.

That way as you do your daily mission, or as you just walk through your home and identify something you no longer want, but that is still usable by someone (i.e., not trash) you can place it in your donation box.

This Box Must Be Emptied Regularly:

Then, and just as important as creating and placing things in this box is to frequently and regularly empty it, by donating the items, giving them to friends or family who could use them, or . . . if you'll actually do it, selling the items. (More on that last suggestion in a minute.)

You can learn more about this recurring mission to clear the clutter from your home, to finish the decluttering process here.

clear the clutter from your home by donating, selling or trashing it


Ideally, you'll have a charitable donation center close by, and will become a regular visitor there. We have a Goodwill close to our home, for example, and it is very simple to just drive through, drop off the box or bag of stuff, get our charitable receipt and go on with the rest of the errands for the day.

It is easier to just to drop off a few items at a time, and feel like you've accomplished something, then to have to cram the car full of stuff and make a huge pilgrimage to a donation center much less frequently.

Some people find it hard to empty
out a box to give away the donations inside, and prefer to give the entire box away. If you are like this, one idea is to use shipping boxes you receive, when you make online purchases, for your donation box, so you can always give it away. You can read more about this clutter control solution here.

Should You Have Both A Box For Donations & One For Items To Sell?

Now, back to whether you should have a box in your clutter collection station that is for selling.

That's a tough one. In theory, yes, it is completely fine. Many people as they declutter set aside items for consignment, to sell on eBay, or in a garage or yard sale for example.

However, I am hesitant to suggest the last way to get rid of things, but not because I don't think it is a good or viable method for getting rid of clutter from your home. It just takes a lot more time to sell something than it does to just donate it. Plus, until you sell those items they continue to take up space in your home, space you may not practically have available.

Only you can make the decision about whether to have two clutter collection boxes permanently in place in your home, one for donation and one for selling. Just understand you're making a commitment to invest a lot more time in the decluttering process if you choose to sell items than just to donate them.

How Other Readers Have Done This Decluttering Mission:

Below I've collected ideas and pictures from readers who've done this decluttering mission for the day, showing how they've accomplished it and how they've made it work for them.

I hope you'll get some good ideas from their suggestions, because although the concept is simple it can be done in several different ways. What matters is that the way you choose to do it works for you and your family.

How to set up a clutter donation box for your home, with lots of suggestions from readers of ways to do it. {on Home Storage Solutions 101}use this Pin it button to save to Pinterest

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How I Set Up A Donation & Selling Collection Station

by Tess
(Sweden)

Tess says:

I used some boxes that I already had in my house, and put some stuff in there, one box for "selling" and one for "donating".

And then I put them in a shelf that I already also had.

Taylor says:

This looks great Tess. Simple, but effective.

I like how they're in a permanent location, so you and your family members can just drop things in when you come across something, but yet they're still out of the way and not themselves taking up too much room.

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Our Declutter Station: Shelving Unit In Garage

by Danni

Danni says:

We have a shelving unit in the garage that we've set up as our declutter station.

Each shelf holds labelled containers for the regular items that need a spot to be stored until they leave the house.

There is also a spot for irregular items to be donated or sold.

Because we walk past the unit on the way out the door it reminds us to check if there is anything we can take with us and get rid of while we're out.

It didn't cost anything to set up because we used a shelf and containers that we already had.

Taylor says:

This is absolutely fabulous Danni! Thanks for sharing, and even better, you didn't have to pay anything for it.

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Containers Used While Decluttering

by Megan

Megan from Life of the Lorenzens shared what she uses for decluttering.

She said: "One tool I used was a suggestion I've seen multiple places, but championed by the FlyLady. I found a dual pop-up laundry sorter I had purchased a long time ago but had never used.

I labeled one side "Put Away" (i.e. things that don't belong in that room and need to be put in their rightful place) and labeled one "Giveaway/Sell".

I had the large kitchen trash can for "Throw Away".

I also made myself a little organizer tool box that includes things like labeling supplies. I have to say these little guys are my best friends: Post-it® Super Sticky Removable Label Pads.

They are everywhere in my house. They last a long time unless heavily abused but are easily removed and replaced. Unfortunately, they only come in bright green and pink."

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Reader Question: Where To Place The Box When Have Limited Space & Small Children

by Deena

Deena's Question:

I like the idea of having a permanent spot for the donation box, but I just struggle on where that would be.

I have little ones, 3 & 1, who think everything in sight or reach is for them.

I work full time and the kids are often at home with Dad, who well, is a Dad and doesn't seem to have the eyes in the back of his head deal, like Moms do.

Everything that is tall already has untouchables on it and our house has very little storage.

So I struggle with organization a lot because I just don't know where to put the odds and ends things like this.

Ideas? Thoughts? Any help is appreciated. Organizing has been a huge struggle and I am hoping to get something done this year.

Reader Answers:

Below I've gathered up some of the best responses I got from other readers when I posed the above question from Deena on the site's Facebook page.

Deanna says: How about a storage tote with lid?

Christy says: How about the car trunk? Or a spot in the garage?

Lorraine says: I use brown grocery bags and keep them hidden under the dining room table.

Leone says: I have an extra laundry bin with a lid in my laundry room. I keep a supply of black garbage bags in the bottom - and one as a liner for the bin - so I can't see what's waiting in there and be tempted to "rescue" it. As soon as it's full, off it goes to be donated.

Erica says: The trunk of your car. Makes it easy to stop off and donate the items as you are running around.

Beth says: Back of my closet. I have the same problem where they all of a sudden want their toys if they know I'm getting rid of them, otherwise could seem uninterested. I try to do a house clear out when kids are at grandmas house.

Julie says: I have a Rubbermaid tote on the floor in my walk in closet, kids aren't upstairs without me supervising as a rule, so quite safe.

Amanda says: Maybe something like a reusable grocery bag hanging on the back of a door or in the closet?

Christy says: I use empty diaper boxes in the kids closet.

Gail says: I keep a box in the garage.....whenever I decide that something is going to be donated, I put it in the box. I then have separate boxes in my basement into which I sort clothes, toys, household. Once those are filled, off they go!

Teresa says: I'm just getting started on this venture as well and have a very small house with minimal storage space. I've decided to use the space at the bottom of my hall (aka bathroom) closet. I hope this helps and good luck!

Paige says: Don't forget the back of doors: pantry, linen closet, water heater closet, etc. There are lots of over-door storage options available. Also, the shoe bags that hang in the closet are great for holding lots of different kinds of things. Remember the backs of cabinet doors too. Luggage makes great storage for out of season things too. (I used to hide my kids' Christmas gifts in them!) Check out the storage aisle of your nearest discount store. Don't forget the plumbing aisle too and think outside the box. You don't have to use that over the toilet rack just in the bathroom!

Kristine says: Like Leonne above, I have a laundry center with a hanging bar and two canvas bags covered by a top that can be raised. For years, I wondered what to do with those bags, since they were not really convenient for storing either dirty or clean laundry. A few weeks ago, I started using them as donation central. They are mostly out of sight, yet when the bags are full, very easy to get to and take out to the car for donating. I also find that I am much more likely to put something in the donation bag since it is so handy. Definitely a decluttering win!

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Use Over The Door Hangers To Keep Donations Bag Out Of Kids Hands

by HSS101 Reader

HSS101 Reader says:

Use those over the door hangers for robes, only hang cloth bags for donations on them.

I have the same problem with the little kids getting into everything! It is definitely a challenge, and every high piece of furniture in my house has stuff up there to keep the kids from getting their hands on them also.

Taylor says:

I absolutely adore this idea!

I know how kids like to get into just about everything, and having them "liberate" items you've already decided to declutter from your home before you have a chance to donate them can make lots of work for you, plus can actually make you rethink decisions about items and keep more clutter in your home longer. Not good.

This is a great way to use underutilized storage space in even the tiniest homes!

Item featured from Amazon.com, the Over The Door 6 Hook Organizer Rack

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Keep List Of What's Donated To Attach To Receipt For Taxes

by Mary Walker

I keep a list next to my donation box so that I can quickly check off what I have put in there and what it is worth.

When I get the receipt from the store then I have the list to attach it to so that I am eligible for the tax deduction.

Check with your tax preparer to see if they have such a list that they can share with you.

If you are audited and do not have the list of what was donated, the receipt does you no good.

I cannot tell you how many people each year have forgotten this vital step in record keeping for their tax preparation and are upset that they cannot use the deduction if they haven't kept track of exactly what was donated.

Photo courtesy of LendingMemo on Flickr CC

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Other Readers Suggestions For How They Set Up Charity & Selling Boxes

Courtney from Indiana says:

I already had this area somewhat established. It's a section of my bedroom the is essentially unusable for anything else but storage (really low walls on the second floor). It's not pretty or organized but at least I know I have a spot to put stuff I want to get rid of!

Katrina from North GA says:

We just moved and as I decorated for Christmas I divided out the decorations that I no longer liked and set them aside so that I can take them to the consignment store when she begins putting out Christmas items this year.

I also started going through magazines and clothes to give away and have boxes set up for those too.

Sara says:

I have a box in the master bedroom closet for donations but I do have a lot of stuff that I try to sell, and sometimes that is difficult to keep under control since my apartment is on the smallish side. If I haven't sold it after a while I try to put it into the donation box and get it out of here ASAP.

Ann says:

This has been a real struggle for me. Everything we want to get rid of just gets tossed down the basement stairs and with 6 kids that's a lot.

Finally, I figured out to use a 2 bin laundry sorter for donate and sell and make it easily accessible for everyone to throw stuff in it.

Then I'm going to put on my calendar to deal with it every month, as needed. I hope this works. I ordered the bin yesterday so I'm just waiting for it to get here.

Taylor's response to Ann:

I think this is a great idea. A similar idea that some people use is stackable recycling bins, such as those shown to the right.

These bins are relatively big, but are easy to keep in the corner of a basement or garage to get the clutter out of the main part of your house, but still don't take up too much floor space since they're stackable.

They're not so big though that you can just keep filling them forever. It still forces you to sell things frequently, or just donate them!

Dawn says:

I have a large utility/laundry room. I have a utility shelf that has a couple of boxes of donation boxes. Once a get a carload I take it in. (I live an hour from the closest donation center.)

Lulu says:

I keep a large leaf bag in our garage and whenever I run across something we don't need (clothes, knick-knack, toys, whatever) I drop it in the bag. When the bag is full I sort it and donate it where appropriate. Easy! I love it!

Bev says:

I have a box lined with a shopping bag on a bench in my laundry room. When it is full I tie up the handles and put it in the car. Not too big or heavy. Works for me. ...easy to declutter clothes too small etc (once washed).

Taylor says:

I hope these ideas help you with this first decluttering mission, and also explain in more detail what you should do for it.

I would love to hear from even more people who've done the mission, especially showing photos of what your clutter collection station looks like, and why you do or do not choose to have both a donation box and a selling box.

You can share your own photos or thoughts here and I'll add them to this page.

Want To Do More Decluttering Missions? Get Started With Declutter 365 Today!

Declutter 365 missions: 15 minute missions for your entire home

Once you declutter one type of item in your home I bet you'll want to declutter some more. After all, decluttering gives you a great reward for even a small investment of time and energy.

The Declutter 365 system is designed to help you declutter, over the course of a year, your entire house, with just 15 minutes of decluttering each day!

Hundreds of thousands of people use this proven system to get rid of their clutter, and bring peace and calm back to their homes.

Declutter 365 works to guide you to clear the clutter without overwhelm, focusing on just one small area at a time, and without making a huge mess in the process, so you see consistent forward progress without all that "messy middle" that makes it even harder to function in your home than before you started.

In addition to building a daily decluttering habit, the Declutter 365 program, along with the accompanying 52 Week Organized Home Challenge, teaches you the skills, habits, routines, and mindsets necessary to maintain the clutter free and organized state of your home from now on, so it'll never be as messy and cluttered as it is right now, ever again.

If you haven't already, make sure to get your copy of this year's Declutter 365 annual calendar here (it's FREE!), find today's date, and do 15 minutes of decluttering on the day's mission. Then, repeat again tomorrow, and again and again. Over the course of the next year, if you do this 15 minutes per day, you'll declutter your whole house!


Click here to take me to this year's Declutter 365 calendar



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Related Pages You May Enjoy

Getting Clutter Free 15 Minutes At A Time Hall Of Fame

How To Declutter Your Home In 15 Minutes A Day

Go From Set Up A Clutter Donation Box To Home Page

Comments for Other Readers Suggestions For How They Set Up Charity & Selling Boxes

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Idea for places to donate
by: Lisa

Remember that senior centers, VA centers, etc also appreciate donated items such as books and puzzles.

another place to donate
by: Ida

Your local hospital probably has a mental health unit. Most of these are exceedingly grateful for any "safe" activities for patients to do: books, jigsaw puzzles, puzzle books, some art supplies, magazines. Some even accept small items like travel sized toiletries or candy for bingo prizes. The most likely person to check with would probably be the unit's occupational therapist.

Animal Shelters
by: Alison

Don't forget...in addition to old towels and sheets, animal shelters need things we wouldn't normally think of...laundry detergent, cleaning supplies and office supplies are high on the list for a shelter near me. You might want to ask your local shelter what needs they have, instead of just bringing stuff over.

Donation Boxes
by: Lynni

I keep an extra hamper by my dryer lined with a black trash bag for clothes I want to donate. I obtained a cloth shopping bag from Goodwill, with the Goodwill logo on it, and hang it in the garage for items to donate to Goodwill. I keep a plain shopping bag next to it for items I want to sell.

I use my trunk too
by: Katy

I thought I was the only one who would store donations in my trunk when my kids were little!! I just hate to put useable stuff in a landfill and didn't want kids to liberate clutter.

Flylady's donation bag
by: Tara

The purple donation bag from FlyLady is also good! Of course it can also be filled up fast. Lol. Pretty strong too. I know I've carried it with too much weight in it. Haven't torn the handle yet! (I TRY to make it lighter. Lol)

trunk
by: Iris

I like the idea of putting items in the trunk of the car. Take items away regularly then you do not have them around.

donation bag
by: Laurie

I keep a shopping bag open on my bedroom closet floor. When I'm getting dressed and put on something that doesn't fit or I no longer want to keep, I don't hang it back up. I just put it in the bag. When its full I put the bag in my trunk and take it to the donation center. This really cuts down on major closet clean outs.

donation box in the trunk of my car
by: Anonymous

I have a donation box in my house, but I also have a donation box in the trunk of my car. I regularly transfer the items to my trunk, so it's out of the house. Then when I drive by a donation place, I already have it ready to drop off.

Donation station in trunk as well
by: Gemma

Our 'donation station' is in the trunk of our car. We have a milk crate lined with a heavy duty trash bag. Toss items in and when the bag is full, pull through a Goodwill donation center, tighten up the top of the trash bag, and hand it off to the worker. Empty crate is ready to be relined and refilled. Which gives me another idea to just keep a roll of trash liners in the trunk also! Happy de-cluttering!

Using a Garment Rack and tub
by: Anonymous

I use a garment rack on top of my dryer for hanging clothes to donate/sell. I also put one of those round tubs there for the other items. This allows me to use the previously unused vertical space effectively in my small house.

Master closet
by: Karin

I have kept a charity bag in my side of the master closet since my teen was a toddler. All of us know where to drop items we no longer need/want. When it tips over and/or annoys me (since it is beneath my hanging tops), I lay it all out, photograph it, and pack it up for the library, school, or appropriate charity. The photo serves as my record to go with my receipt and I enter the items and price them on Turbo Tax's It's Deductible program (free).

The tip I have not read is to donate toiletries, arts & crafts, and kid books to teachers at your local schools. I used to place partially full bottles of hand soap, lotion, etc. in the teacher's lounge or teacher's restrooms at the elementary school. The school provided very basic supplies and the teachers loved these "upgrades" when I couldn't stand the scent.

keep in my laundry room or storage building
by: Sharon

I always keep my donation stuff in my laundry room or a storage building until I am ready to donate the items. I donate to the Hope Center which then gives the stuff out to women and children that are victims of domestic abuse and they also give clothing items to homeless people. They always send a email or call about twice a month to see if I have anything to donate which gives me time to get stuff gathered up and also keeps it out of the house.

Sell bins - I price items immediately as I place them in there
by: Anonymous

I keep price stickers in my laundry room. If something is going in the "to sell" bin, it gets priced immediately. That way, having a garage sale isn't overwhelming. Stuff doesn't need to be priced, just put out.

Charity - why I don't like Goodwill
by: Mammie

PLEASE do not donate to Goodwill. They are a FOR profit organization that does NOT treat or pay their employees well, even the very few special needs folks they do hire. Find a local charity that truly uses their profits to help people. Locally we have a couple of places ran by the Catholic churches and also the Salvation Army thrift stores (some have a drop box outside their front door that is easy to drive up to, drop off your stuff and be on your way) that I donate to and as other folks have stated there are lots of places that need books, puzzles, good clothing, etc. Women shelters, etc. I live in a rural area and only get "to town" occasionally so I try to keep a box or bag ready to go.

pricing donated items - a question
by: Janet

How do you realistically put a price on your donations for tax purposes. The items are useless to me right now, but have a price value to someone else. I'd like to get the tax donation, but also want to give the items a realistic (?) value.


Freecycle it!
by: Claire

Don't forget that you can also give stuff away directly on sites like Freecycle or Freegle, as well as offering for free on Facebook selling sites.

Decluttering system
by: Anonymous

For clothing I use large Ikea shopping bags or other plastic bags, kept on floor of my closet; when full off it goes to trunk of my car. Bulkier household items and toys I just put in trunk until next time I'm near our local donation center. This system works very well for me. I don't bother trying to resell, happier just to get the mess out of my house by donating!

what to do if itemize deductions
by: Gleaves

Donation suggestion. If you itemize your deductions on your federal and/or state income tax return, I suggest you list each item listed. Attach this detail list to the "donation receipt" received from the organization. The little bit of time it takes is well worth it.

A valuation guide may be obtained from the official website of Salvation Army, Goodwill, etc. Using your list of itemized donations and the "valuation guide", write down the amount from the guide. Take all of your donation receipts, with the detailed listings for each receipt, to your Professional Income Tax Preparer. This is a GREAT TAX TIP.

donations list
by: Anonymous

You can get a program called It's Deductible to list the donation items and it will assign a price based on the item and the condition that will get you a much nicer tax deduction. And it does add up over a year.

Over the door hanger and older kids.
by: Connie

The over the door hanger idea is awesome. I have a 10, 13, & 16 year old and they're forever bringing me things to sell or donate. I am now going to place the door hangers in their rooms and a reusable bag and they can put their own stuff in it. On the first of every month I take the items to our local foster families help office. So anything that I'm selling if it's not sold by that time, I usually only leave things on for selling for 2 weeks, I donate it. But I will immediately do the over the door thing. Amazing ideas.

Senior centers
by: Cheryl

I donated my sewing machine to my Senior center, they have sewing classes and can always use the extra machine! They also have a book and CD/DVD lending/exchange library. I give those away too!

Clever community
by: Jill

There are some really good ideas here and certainly a lot I things I had not thought of. Well worth the time I spent reading through them and in addition to my 15 minutes of decluttering

5 donation boxes I use
by: Angel

I have a donation station in my garage. I have 5 bins in the garage. 1) Bags: instead of carrying all my reusable bags in the car, I keep those in one bin. When I know I'm going shopping I can easily grab how many I think I need. 2) Returns: if I buy something I don't like, I just put it in the return bin and when I know I'm going to that store next I just can grab it out of the bin. 3) Borrowed: Anything I borrowed from someone I put in there and put a sticky note on who it belongs to so I can return it when I'm going to see them next. 4) Donate: Anything and everything I need to donate. I can empty this out anytime I know I'm heading towards the mall which is where our Goodwill and a few other donation centers are. 5) Sell: Either Ebay or Garage Sale. We hold a neighborhood garage sale every year in June. I keep sticky notes, price tags and a pen in a little bin next to the bin, so I can immediately price it if it goes into the garage sale, if it needs to go on Ebay I can put a sticky note on it and price it for Ebay. When the bin get full, I pack up what needs to go in the garage sale and label the box "garage sale" and what needs to go on Ebay I pack up and label "Ebay". The week before the garage sale we put list everything that needs to go on Ebay, craig's list, Amazon...etc and also start setting up the garage sale.Then when we do the garage sale everything is already priced ready to go. That whole week we just get rid of anything and everything. Make some cash and use it for whatever; our 4th of July Party, a weekend getaway, our Halloween Bash, our ski trip we take every year or even save it up for xmas presents. Seems like a lot of work in a way but the extra cash is nice to have and we have a good time when the whole neighborhood gets involved, which is about a 20 block radius of families. So to us it's worth it.

The ER - idea of place to donate
by: Donna J Capps

The ER close to me is always looking for clothes, blankets, socks and shoes and clothes for adults and children. They often get homeless people in that don't have adequate clothing/shoes for the weather and the medical staff sometimes have to cut clothing off of burn victims or people who have been in an accident. Call the nurses station and ask if they are in need of certain items.

Here's to a clutter free home by the end of the year.
by: Lisa D

I generally think of myself as a clutter free person. I'm not a knick knack type of person (only because I am also not a person that likes to dust) but I feel there is always room to get rid of things of only to clean out space for cooler things. Now my husband on the other hand is a different story. He's much more, 'well I used that once in high school... 20 years ago.' I'm a couple days behind in starting this but I'm hoping to catch up. Here's to a clutter free home by the end of the year.

Glad You've Started This
by: Anonymous

I'm so glad to have come upon this subject in Pinterest. I have been asking for some help for years about keeping wood floors clean and keeping the house neat and tidy as well as decorating ideas. Needless to say, the closest I came to an answer was, just do one room at a time. I hope this means my prayers are answered. Thank you for making yourself available.

I use paper bags from the grocery store
by: GWMilwaukee

Instead of a box I use paper bags from the grocery store. There is a corner near the door where the bag lives and whenever we have anything that is too small or we don't use it or we go through some closet or drawer, it goes in the paper bag. When I have 2 or 3, or when company is coming, it goes in the trunk of my car to be dropped off the next time I head out for errands.

laundry hamper works
by: Caroline

This is my first attempt to declutter my home. Everyone has great ideas so mine will be a laundry hamper with a large trash bag, sitting in a corner of the bedroom, and dropping it off at the thrift shop on my way to the trash/recycle center Every week.

Ready To Start
by: Myoriah

Right now I have a couple of bags hanging on the pantry door to take today. However, next week I should have arriving a much needed entry way hall unit which has a couple of shelves so I can place a container like a dish tub to use along with bags to place the stuff in when I take them out the door. Unfortunately the donation center which was a block away closed as I would weekly take a bag or two over. For me the sooner I get rid of the donations the better as otherwise I'll change my mind. You know the old "maybe I can use this someday" mentality takes over. LOL!

cardboard boxes
by: Cyd

I am going to use cardboard boxes. That way I can put them in my car because they will be ready to go when they are full and I wont have to repack them to donate them.

donation and selling boxes
by: Gail

OK, I agree with the comments of while you are waiting to sell they are still in the house, so unless it is an expensive item. I put it on the selling sites, if there is no interest in a couple of days it goes in the charity box. I have sold my Halogen oven the day after Boxing Day within 12 hours of putting it on which surprised me.

I will be doing this!
by: Kim S

I will be doing this! My goal for 2016 is to PURGE! I am starting with my Christmas decorations. I have so many I haven't used in years so they are going to be gone. I recently had to empty my parents' house and found things that I now want to use! Out with the old!

decluttering...baby seps and loving it.
by: Ann Le Roux

I am a pain....
I recycle tin, glass, paper, plastic, cardboard, go to the recycling depot 3 times a week on my way to the shop.
I also have a donation box. I give away often.
I also have a to sell box.
I find it difficult to throw things out if I only use them for certain occasions, happy to get rid of stuff that I never use at all.

Donate-able containers are key!
by: Anonymous

I have an excess of reusable shopping bags that I have received from various give aways.... And I use those as my donation collectors. Once the bag is full I can drop the whole thing off at my local thrift shop, and don't have to empty out another bin (and therefore see the items one last time and risk wanting to keep any of the items I am getting rid of!)

Found millions!
by: Anonymous

Well, maybe not millions, but I found a credit card with $4000 on it that I didn't know I had, gift cards totaling $75, and loose change making it a grand total of $4104. Won't be charging wildly but nice to know it's there for reservations or an emergency.

Easy first step
by: SD

This one was an easy first step for me. I have a booth where I sell off things I'm not longer interested in having in our house and we've donated things for years and have a special box set aside for that too. Thanks for making this job an easy one. No one needs to work too hard on New Year's Day!

Garage sale corner
by: Anonymous

Being military, we de-cluttered every time we moved, which is about every 3 to four years. Prior to the move I would always go through every drawer, shelf, box, closet, etc. with a box for donations, a box for consignment/selling and a trash bag. Now that we've retired I decided to have a giant spring garage sale and whatever doesn't sell will go into boxes for immediately donation. They will not be coming back to my house. If you are organized you can have an area in your garage, attic, etc. specifically for this purpose and have a fall or spring garage sale. I find that selling your hard earned items feels beneficial, plus it puts a little change in your pocket also.

keep a running list of donations
by: Pam

Be sure to keep a running list of donations you are giving as well. I find many times using Goodwill item donation price list I give more than the $500 /yr. However to prove what you gave you must have such a list. What I do is keep a small spiral notebook attached to it to keep my list. When I do the drop off I put a red line & date I dropped it off (which coincides with the donation slip). If you ask these price lists are free & just tape it to your small spiral book so you are ready to tally up at the end of the year. IF I donate somewhere other than Goodwill I put that organizations name at the red line. If ever audited I have my proof, and find that I do truly give more than the $500/yr. Ironically most of it I purchased at the same places (until I outgrew them, or found just not what I though it was) so basically I got to wear the item for free that way. Because the price list is the same as the store prices to purchase those items. If you donate food you don't get as much of a tax deduction in those cases you are better donating a check than cleaning your pantry or buying items to donate.

Small home suggestions
by: Anonymous

My husband and I moved, out of necessity and job-loss, 4 times in 2012. We went from a 3200 sq ft home to a 1600 sq ft home. No basement, no attic, no storage areas at all and we have "down-sized" each move. We are done moving (I hope) and I love these suggestions, but I really don't have any space to place a container for donate and/or sell. If I don't get rid of it immediately, the clutter remains and we are stuck. We have recycled some things (we have pickup for all recyclables twice a month). Any suggestions on moving things to a place to be held for later donation or selling would greatly help.

Sorting bins
by: Rose

What a great idea! I always have a couple of items each week that I am ready to part with and I never know where to put them until I go to recycle. 😊

Try Facebook yard sale pages
by: Elaine

If I have something I want to sell I post in my local online yard sale page. If it doesn't sell by the time I take my donation box, it goes in.

Looks great, Tess!
by: Cat

I love how Tess' boxes are so simple & pretty on the shelf. They add to the organized feel of that space.

Tax Deduction
by: Judy

I keep a clip board with my donation box and add items as I place them in the box. When it's time to deliver the box to its destination I just value the items, come up with a total, and put a date on it. Then I staple it to the receipt provided by the recipient and file it for tax time!

use a paper bag with handles
by: Jennifer

I keep every paper bag I get that has handles and always have one going on the floor in my pantry into which I can immediately place donation items. As soon as the bag is full I take it to a local thrift store which supports a home for unwed mothers.

I use plastic tubs with lids
by: Lisa

I put a plastic tub with lid in our laundry area. I use this tub for all the clothes my kids have outgrown. After washing and drying I just put the clothes in it and they are ready to be donated. I plan on using another one for toys and will keep this one in the basement. I like the idea of keeping bags on and extra ones inside!

great plan for the garage
by: Anonymous

Efficient, convenient, economical. Definitely a thumbs up. If my garage was attached this would be my plan.

setting up my collection station in the garage
by: Anonymous

Now I just need to clear those shelves in garage. Like this idea a lot.

I'm going to set up a donation/sell location first thing.
by: Sandy

I'm going to set up a donation/sell location first thing. You know when you're in trouble when there's no place for a large box for items to dispose of. I like the two smaller containers, which I already have of course.

no place yet for a donation box
by: Ernestine

My cluttering problem is so bad I have no place to put a donation box! I'm not there yet anyway. I do have a cardboard box I am putting things in that I need to find a home for. It is ugly and is in the way. Any suggestions?

K.I.S.S.
by: Kay

Fighting my tendency to overthink everything here. We just picked up two big laundry baskets in town yesterday. Special challenge here is doing the calendar at two houses this year, with a goal to spend roughly equal time at each one. One basket to each house. Mission accomplished!

keep mine in my closet
by: Lovena

I keep a box in my closet. It's out of the way, not really accessible to other members of the family and doesn't take up space in the living areas.

my donation box/corner
by: Michelle

The Donation Box/corner in my house. Some of the items are waiting to see if I will find a use for them, as each room is organized. Items for which I have no use are placed in a small box. When that box is full, I take to the donation center.

Hanging space
by: Laurie

You can also always hang a reusable shopping bag on any closet hanger to get it off the floor and away from kiddos but still be functional.

Absolutely no storage space!!
by: Robin

We live in an apartment that has no storage. My laundry room is very tiny and we do not have a garage. I would use my trunk, except I have all my nursing supplies there. (I visit patients in the home and need to have supplies available). Our closets are very tiny and I am stumped as to where to even begin this organization. Where in the world would I be able to put a donation box that we are not tripping over?

still looking for a place for my station
by: CW

I used a sharpie and labeled some Target paper bags with these labels and when not in use they fold up and hide between the furniture. When in use however I struggle with where to keep them as well. Currently I have a little space at the top of our stairs and I use that but I would prefer a different place for long term...still looking.

doorhangers
by: Gail

I also hang bags for charity on these door hangers .

Over the door storage
by: Lisa G.

I have a perfectly good door to the water heater closet in my VERY small home (less than 1,000 square feet). I love the idea of over the door hangers for reusable bags to collect the clutter for donating to our local salvation army store! I'm going to set this up right now!!! Thanks :)

Donation Value Cheat Sheet
by: Christelle

I was absolutely guilty of making several large donations per year to Goodwill and NOT recording my exact items. It was a bummer during tax season when my CPA would remind me that I couldn't deduct the donation. I discovered Goodwill has a value guide for donors on their site and I keep a printed copy by my donation bin. This helps me not only keep my list of items to donate current by checking them off when they go in the box, I can also easily calculate their worth without having to remember what I paid for it or guessing.

Donation list
by: Debbie Peterson

If you go to the "The Salvation Army" website they have a donation list you can print out and it shows both high and low values!

Pictures of donated items
by: Cheryl

I have started taking pictures of things altogether when I am on my way to donate them. More than once I have looked for something only to finally remember that I donated it. Now, I upload them onto my computer and have them in a folder "donated."

Garbage can
by: Debi Z

I use a kitchen garbage can for our give away spot. I line it with oversized black garbage bags. As soon as it is even close to full, we pull the bag put, reline with another bag, and throw the full bag into the trunk. My husband goes past a Goodwill on the way home from work, so I often put it in the passenger seat so he will remember to drop it off for me the next day :)

Help determining value of donations
by: Anonymous

You can use an online program such as It's Deductible to help you determine the value of items you donate. An additional benefit is that you may be able to automatically upload the information into your tax return if you are preparing yourself using one of the common software programs.

never heard of getting a tax deduction for donating before
by: Anonymous

Can't believe in America your donations are tax deductible. In Australia it is a given that we just give to the charity stores. No government here going to give a tax break for helping others.

List for what's donated for taxes
by: Sarah

This is a great post! I keep a tall kitchen trash container in the garage. After reading all the posts I now am going to put a box of trash bags in the bottom of the container and put one in the bottom. I found a tax deduction list on the internet and made a form that I copied several times. I have the sheets on a clip board next to the trash container. As I add something to donate, I mark next to the appropriate area for each item.
When the bag is full I tie it up and take the donation form off the clipboard. After I donate the bag I clip the inventory list with the receipt and save it for taxes. For me, this is the best system because I can't see what's in the bag so there's no temptation to rescue it and the inventory is all done for me.

I have someone pick it up from my house
by: Kay

I keep a donation box in my study and add to it every day, pretty much. Once it's filled I catalog it so I'll have my donation list and contact one of these charities that will pick up boxes at home -- I leave it on the front porch the day of the pick up, and they leave me my donation receipt. I attach my donation list to the receipt and immediately add it to my file for tax time. Works great!

Deciding what something is worth
by: JDeane

Hi. I wanted to know how people decide what different items are worth that they are going to donate.

donation receipts
by: Christine

I use itsdeductible.com. It's also an app on my phone. Now I'll set up a donation bin and enter items immediately. I can change the donation date to the day I actually drop off. This will make the app even more useful than how I would use it before! Itsdeductible is linked with turbo tax too!

List for donations
by: Anonymous

I love the idea of keeping items to get rid of in the trunk so it's always there if you happen to drive by. I hadn't even thought about keeping a list for tax purposes! That is definitely going on my to-do list. ^_^

Tracking Donations
by: dicook

If you use Turbo Tax or Quicken for your taxes they have an online tracker called It's Deductible. I don't know if you can just create an account to use it without Turbo Tax or Quicken, but it is great at tracking donations. It has already built in lists with pricing. Things run from A-Z and what isn't on the list you can add to it. It also has a separate sections for tracking money donations. If you do use the above programs, then at the end of the year Turbo Tax can go out and download all the information right to your tax form. Other wise I have printed copies from the sight.

The Salvation Army also has a checklist available on their site that you can use too.

I have also found these lists to be useful in deciding a price range for our annual garage sale.

I used a laundry basket
by: Anonymous

Early in January I found a new laundry basket in the back of a closet. I put it in the master bedroom easily in the corner. Our children are grow and gone. I have used this as a gathering place. Yesterday it was full and I transferred the stuff to a big plastic bag and put it in the back seat of the car. Today it goes to Goodwill!

Hide it in a hassock!
by: Nanette

I ordered a "Leather Ottoman Coffee Table With Storage (referral link) from Amazon that I never used. It folds very flat when empty and looks good almost anywhere in the house. Mine is a square, but it comes in a larger size as well. I keep it in the basement family room and fill it with items for donations. No ugly bins or boxes.

I gave it a try and it worked!
by: Josie

I have too much clutter (especially paper) in my room, which has been a challenge. Thank you for this great idea. I emptied a plastic crate and a smaller plastic container, and started putting things to donate and to sell in them. I got through with so much.

mesh laundry totes
by: Lynda

where can I find the tall mesh laundry totes?

Easier to donate the box too
by: Carol

I keep a medium sized cardboard box for donations in my own closet and one in the front coat closet tucked under the hanging storage for all shoes.

Cardboard boxes come to my home often due to mail or package delivery so I have an ongoing supply. It's better for me to fill up the box with donations and never go back through them to avoid letting one plead its case to stay and continue to spawn more clutter. Once the box is full, I tape it closed and place it in the back of my SUV ready for the slight detour to the local donation center where they will unload and take it away and give a tax receipt if desired.

Storing items near water heater or furnace
by: Fireteacher

Someone suggested using a water heater closet as an area to store decluttered items.

PLEASE do not store ANYTHING in utility closets. Even if your home is all electric and if there are no pilot lights involved, these are not safe areas for storing anything.

There are many other areas that would be much safer to use.

Keeping track of donations
by: Snowlady817

I lay everything out that I donate and take pictures of it. Then when I am preparing for my taxes, I can look at the pictures. I use the Salvation Army site for suggested prices and it makes it so easy when my taxes are done. I can put the pics on a cd/dvd/thumb drive and store with the taxes, or just leave the pics in the computer under donations/year. Hope that helps!

local donations
by: Jean

I've also read (as another reader also posted) that Goodwill may not be the best option for your recycle donations. Good Will IS a For Profit company and their CEO makes a huge salary (that information is available on-line). Our community has a "Thrift Shop" that is totally non-profit; it's run by ladies from all the local churches; after they pay the building rent & utilities, they donate all $$ made back to the community (boy scouts, hospice, community theatre, etc.). I've recently purged my closets after losing 60#; it's such a good feeling to get rid of all that "baggage" (both weight & unused and no longer needed clothes! Starting the 365 day challenge today and getting organized!!! Happy New Year!

Thanks for the ideas.
by: Lorene

I'm liking all the ideas. I think maybe the trunk of my car is a good place.

Free Declutter Box Mailing Labels
by: Lea Cullen Boyer

Amazon offers a new program called Give Back The Box. Use your newest Amazon box as a declutter station. Fill it with donations for Goodwill and print a free USPS shipping label. When full enough seal, attach label and place the box where the mail carrier can pick it up.

It doesn't get much easier than this.

Good luck declutterers!

Sell or Donate?!
by: Gina

When I've decided to part with something I feel I might be able to sell, I post it on several sites (Craigslist, FB pages, etc). If I still have it in 2 weeks, I immediately donate it. I gave it a shot, but it didn't work out. 🎼 Let it go, let it gooooo...

we use our landing
by: CYNDIBTHATSME

We are empty nesters, and have moved into our retirement home. Prior to the move, we purged the old house of everything we did not plan to move into the new house. It was liberating! Now, to keep it that way! We have a large landing in the enclosed carport at the back door. I have placed a box on the landing for the collection of things to be donated to the local Salvation Army. The box is convenient to the cars to simply pick the items up, put in the car and drop off on the way to the grocery store. With the box on the landing, it's not acting as a piece of clutter in the house, but accessible to the cars to be carried off regularly, weekly!

Setting up the Boxes
by: Anonymous

My husband and I set up the boxes yesterday. I have a sell box and a donation box. We also took several things to our local Goodwill yesterday.

I do have a suggestion for your sell box. I tend to put things up for sale for 1 week on the Facebook Marketplace or Ebay. If I haven't sold that item at the end of the week, I mark it sold and then move it to the donation box. Otherwise, I will hang on to it forever.

Shipping donations
by: Kess

I recently saw a video that Amazon has partnered with Goodwill. If you shop with amazon, keep your box the items were shipped in, fill it with your donations, go to Amazon''s website and print a label for free shipping, take it to your post office, and it's sent to the nearest Goodwill!

laundry room shelves
by: Anonymous

This looks like something that would work for us! (We have a small home with 5 people. No garage and small closets, so we don't have much extra space). I do have a laundry room which also has shelves to hold extra kitchen items and house supplies, so that would work!

under bed storage box
by: Sona

I like to store my donation pile in an under bed storage box. I use one for clothes and another one for toys and other random stuff. It works because its accessible and out of sight at the same time.

under bed and in trunk
by: Pam

I too have a small house with tiny closets. I utilize the space under the beds. I have bins that fit just perfect, even though it is a little cumbersome, you have to use what you have. Every week we drive by the donation center on the way to the grocery store and the bins get emptied and the stuff donated. Anything that won't fit under the bed goes in the trunk of the car.

colored bins to fit right under hanging clothes
by: Anonymous

Once I finally got organized enough to get all my shoes off the master bedroom closet floor, I discovered all of this useful storage space! I happened to have some gray lidded storage containers that fit perfectly under hanging slacks/shirts. Because they are colored (not clear), the kids can't see what's inside & be tempted to try to "rescue" it. I had 3 bins. I use one as a donate bin. I use one for sell items (& when the bin is full, I do a "craig's List Blitz" day. If the items don't sell by the time the listing expires, the remaining items go directly into the donate bin. When the donate bin is full, I put it in the garage right next to my car door so I don't forget to take it to the donation center. I even put it in my front passenger seat (instead of the trunk, where it will be forgotten forever!) The 3rd bin (I don't label this one, but I know what's in it) - I use this one to store presents. I buy things for family members/holidays as I see them on sale & I toss them in as I find them. I have an old, spare bedding sheet that I lay on top of everything, just in case someone tries to "peek" inside, they just think it's spare linens. This has worked like a charm! Also, the "gift bin" is great just in case you happen to forget someones birthday or need a quicky teacher gift, you can "shop" out of your gift bin and often the "day is saved" - whew!

This "bin under the hanging clothes" idea worked so well, that I tackled the kids' closets, & found just enough room to fit a bin for CLOTHES (not toys) they've outgrown. When they get dressed for school & you see that something just doesn't fit anymore, immediately off it comes (while it's still clean) and I have them fold it nicely & put it in the "old clothes bin". This has worked well, & is a great opportunity to teach them that they're old clothes can be given/sold to another child that needs it :~). Again, when the bin is full, I do another Craig's List Blitz day. Any money I make from selling their clothes goes towards new school clothes.

Observation
by: Patty

I would think whatever you are using to put your donatables in should be something you are getting rid of also. If I use plastic totes then I would have to transfer items to some other container before donating right?

Donated list for taxes
by: Debbie Peterson

You can get on the Salvation Army web site and they have a list of donated items and it shows their high and low value. I print it off and make extra copies then when I throw things into the donation box I can mark off the items. Then when I take them to the donation drop off I will total it and staple the receipt to it for my taxes.

ARC
by: Heidi

We put the box in the garage and once a month ARC comes to our house (they go to the entire neighborhood) they call a week or so in advance and tell us what day they will be in the neighborhood.

laundry basket
by: Jackie

I use a laundry basket in a spare bedroom for seasonal consignment items, another for donations of clothing for pickup like Purple Heart, another for unusable clothing pickup groups that keep these items out of landfill.

I designated a corner in the basement for garage sale/church flea market. Sounds like a lot but these pickup groups come regularly. And we have church flea markets twice a year.
It has worked for me for years. But my children are grown.

Pay it forward
by: Prudence

I think my limited space is due to all my clutter. Once I declutter, wa la, I will have space. I don't have children yet, my 17 yr old daughter is having a baby and she will graduate this year. She and the baby will be sharing a very crowded room mostly because my daughter has more clothes than she can ever wear and the baby isn't even here yet and she has been given so many clothes already. My daughter and I are both overwhelmed with all we have to get organized before the baby gets here. We are thankful for such good friends that have given us so much, we are paying it forward with a donation station set up in the laundry room. We are using the 3 piece laundry sorter/hamper with a sign over it saying donation station with labels 1 good will 2 friends/family 3 miscellaneous I'm hoping for consistency all year long once it fills up take it off and start over.

take a picture of what you donate
by: Anonymous

I keep a list of what I donate and take a picture, just in case.

Donations!
by: Anonymous

I've chosen a laundry basket. Giving away will be quite simple, as my husband volunteers at a thrift store every Monday! ❤ Yesterday, I just grabbed all my clothes on backward hangers and without thinking, threw them into the basket. Along with Christmas items I already purged. I think curtains will go in there next week!

Getting rid of clutter
by: Candy

I'm happy to find this for I have been saving stuff for years that me or someone else may need sometime in the future. This has been out of hand for years, and I wanted to do something about it, but didn't know where to begin. Hopefully this will do the trick for me, and if so it will be no less than a miracle! I have missed a couple days now, but I can easily catch up tomorrow. Thank you for this opportunity! Could be life changing for me if only I will be consistent and stick with it.

THIS IS JAN 2-2017 I PLAN TO START TOMORROW!

I am 81 years old with poor health. But I have always liked a challenge. Wish me luck!

Post it type notes
by: Anonymous

Post it type notes come in several colors including blue and purple.

Garage
by: Denise

I love this idea. I too will see it every time I leave the house. Gonna start on mine soon! Thanks!

Wow, Impressed!
by: Amy A

I used to get food to go for a friend (between 2000-2016), so I had all these paper bags. I use them for taking items to Good Will, the Library, & other places that take second-hand items.

At one point I tried to sell on Amazon's Marketplace, Ebay, & Live Journal, as well as another place that was Gothic/darker. I don't even know if it's around any more. I did ok. I've also sold at a few yard sales, mainly in my homes community.

Sometimes for certain items I have to use a cardboard box, but 90% go into paper bags. Thanks for all of the comments & tips! Have definitely given me some ideas.

Please check the REAL facts on Goodwill before judging!
by: Priscilla

I read a comment from someone claiming Goodwill is a for profit organization. There are many absolutely false rumors about Goodwill on the internet and Facebook. I work for a local Goodwill. There are many great non-profit organizations to donate to, including Goodwill.

All Goodwills are locally run 501c3's (non-profits) run by unpaid, independent boards of directors. Each Goodwill works to help those with barriers to unemployment; they each file a 990 form with the IRS that you can look up online, it details donations, expenditures and programs.

My Goodwill pays people comparable with other for-profit retailers in the area. We provide our employees decent benefits, lots of training and every employee gets a personal life coach to help with all aspects of their lives. We employ ex-cons, people with mental illnesses, physical disabilities and autism. Many disabilities are "invisible". My Goodwill helped over 1,000 people get jobs this past year, including veterans and homeless veterans.

I encourage everyone to check out any non-profit they support, look up the 990's online. I am happy for folks to donate wherever they choose, just please do not judge Goodwill without the facts.

Donation Pickup Program
by: Anonymous

There is a great organization called Veterans of America. Their website is www.pickupplease.org

You can schedule pickups anytime if they are in your area. They pick up virtually everything. I usually schedule online ahead of time about once a month and it motivates me to declutter. You can just leave the stuff on your front porch in the morning and they pick it up that day. They are a recycling parts program so they expect things to be used and even not working anymore.

Donation...or Pay it forward
by: Danielle

We have a way of reusing what we don't need or want.. it's called Pay it forward. We have a webpage through facebook. We post up items for those who ask for or just what we no longer need. From food to kids toys to household items. Best way to get rid of what u don't need.

Hampers at Dollar Tree
by: Priscilla

I believe at Dollar Tree they have popup hampers (for $1). The compartmentalized hamper you show is ideal but buying a couple of the single hampers at Dollar Tree might be almost as good.

Simple get-rid-of bag
by: April Y.

I hang a strong kitchen garbage bag from a hook in the garage. When I come across things that I want to donate (no longer use or need), I place it in the bag. My teenagers are aware of it and can add to it with their own items. Once the bag is full, I tie it off, toss it in the trunk of my car, and it’s ready to be dropped off next time I’m driving past a Goodwill.

Over the Door Hooks
by: Estaeheli

Go to Ross or TJMax for over the door hooks. They have them cheaper than anyone!

Non permanent wall hooks
by: Anonymous

I can't close most of my doors if I have those over the door hooks so I use the hooks that are now being made by many adhesive companies. They are great to hang things up off the floor and they come off by just peeling the tape. They can be put just about anywhere. You could use those to hang bags.

Tax deduction
by: Anonymous

Donation tax deduction goes away this year. So do it quickly!

COVID times decluttering 2021
by: Anonymous

Three boxes in the hall recycling for thrift (donating), car boot or selling and for tip (trash).
Also when having a blast straight in to bin bags in the boot of the car ready to go to tip (trash) next time go out.

Unfortunately due to COVID everywhere is shut at the moment so decluttering stuff will pile up until places reopen here.

In England we are on a level 4 here basically stay home.

The advantage is plenty decluttering time the disadvantage nowhere to take it.

What’s the situation for getting stuff out of the house where you are?

Hubby can't let go of things
by: Doni

My hubby finds that he "could have used" something every time I talk him into getting rid of it. SO, we bought a book case, stashed it in the storage room. I call it the "I just know I'll need that" shelf. Things we no longer use, get put on the shelves. I put a label with a date on it. After a year - if no one found a use, it goes!

If the shelves get too full, I get rid of the items earlier than a year.

This was our compromise.

Love!
by: Anonymous

I love this idea so much because it also takes into account those random items that you need to figure out what to do with but want it out of your decluttered spaces. It does occasionally take me an extra few days to figure out what to do with random things I’m not sure about.

donating clothes - suggestions of where
by: Anonymous

I would suggest donating gently used clothes to schools. I know that the elementary schools are always looking for clothes for those unexpected accidents. Some high schools have closets for kids who need things. There are a lot of homeless kids getting through schools.

Also, donate to a women's shelter, a lot of these women have left behind all they had to leave abusive situations and good clothes can help them and their kids get back on their feet. You could also ask if there is need for small appliances, they maybe starting out in a new apartment.

Get rid of clutter and can clean house easily
by: Kimberly

I cut out all the clutter in my house by cutting our wardrobes to 5 of everything (5 underwear, socks, pants, tops, shorts, pullovers, dress outfits, etc.), my kids picked their 5 favorite toys to keep (yes one matchbox car is a toy!!!!), no more craft supplies from here to wazoo (cause no one I know ever uses 12 empty wine bottles or toilet paper rolls!!!) and I mega purged in my kitchen. My family has the entire house clean in less than 15 min a night!!! Best thing I ever did for my family was empty our house!!!!

donations as part of school fundraiser
by: Tracy

We have a corner to in my bedroom where we put everything that we're going to donate (box for items; bag for clothing types). It looks cluttered so I'm going to try some of the suggestions given.

We used to have a truck by on a regular basis to pick up our stuff but this last year we've been doing it as a fundraiser for our school. We have a local company who will provide the truck (and advertising plus the advertising we do). They will put the truck at our school and then we provide the volunteers. They pick up the truck at the end of the specified time and send us a check. Simple and a great way to allow people to declutter their homes.

At first they only started taking clothing items (all items, regardless of condition, good stuff was reused, bad stuff was recycled). Now they take 'household' items (basically anything that can be sold at Goodwill). We get paid by the pound. Not a lot of money but because our Booster Club (the group that runs the fundraiser) is a non profit people still get to take it as a tax donation and the club raises money! Nothing to sell, nothing for me to buy and store at my house until I donate it. :-)

The only downside is that I have to store items until we do another drive (which we've done 5 this year - raised almost $4,000 for our school).

A Wicker Hamper for Donation Items
by: Velia

I've had a donation collection system for sometime now. I use a wicker clothes hamper that has a lid which I got from Ikea. It looks decorative so I can actually have it sitting in an area in my kitchen/dining area where it is handy. I line it with a large plastic bag and whenever I find something I want to donate I just drop it in the hamper. You can't see what's inside so it just looks like a storage solution. Whenever the hamper gets full I just pull out the bag with all its contents, tie it up, and drive it to the donation center, and then I put a new empty bag in the hamper and start all over again. This really works great for me. I'm now working on setting up my 'items to sell' system. When I've got this in place, I'll let you know about it.

Quarterly Garage 'Giveaway'
by: Laura

We do a quarterly Garage Giveaway. I set up some tables in the driveway, and lay out everything we're getting rid of. All FREE. Because it's free, I don't have to sit with the stuff, and it's rewarding to see people shop & go, often with smiles on their faces. This process frequently finds homes for insignificant stuff that would often end up in the trash at donation centers - such as scraps of material (quilters love 'em), stickers, maps, calendars, notepads... You truly learn that "one person's trash is another person's treasure". It's so much fun to watch & listen from inside the house, and to see what things people see as 'treasure'!

Tinkerers also take mechanical items that are broken (I put notes on those things), and are willing to try to fix them and sell them.

Another time, the Boy Scouts were having a garage sale the same day. Their leader came by and took a number of things to add to their sale!

Also, like another commenter, I often take pictures of the tables - so I don't lose my mind looking for something I didn't remember getting rid of!

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