As the days grow longer and weather begins to warm, Goodwill Industries of Southern New Jersey and Philadelphia would like to encourage everyone to start thinking about spring cleaning – for a cause! Nationally, Goodwill diverts 4.6 billion pounds of usable goods from landfills every year. When you donate your gently-used items to Goodwill, you are helping to create jobs while also doing your part to help protect the planet.
Many people are intimidated by the idea of cleaning out their whole house after a long winter of hibernating indoors, but spring cleaning is an integral part of keeping your home clean and organized.
If you don’t know where to start – the easiest way is to begin by decluttering. By getting all of the big stuff out of the way, you allow yourself room to do some actual dusting, wiping, and scrubbing. Start by sorting through one room at a time before moving to the next so that you can take inventory of any items you may want to donate.
Here is a room-by-room guide to consider:
Kitchen: Your kitchen is the heart of your home – keep it healthy by donating appliances like coffee makers, waffle irons, juicers or blenders that have gone unused for a long time. Collect any utensils, cutlery, and kitchenware like cups and plates that may be gathering dust. Got a junk drawer? It’s time to clean that out, too.
Living room: Feel like redecorating? Consider donating any gently-used items like throw pillows, blankets, or furniture. If you have kids, sort through forgotten toys to set aside for donation.
Bedroom: Clean out that closet! You have to make room in there before you can start doing laundry. Make a donation pile for any gently-worn clothing, shoes, or accessories that don’t fit you or your style anymore.
Office: Your home office space should be clutter-free for peace of mind. Have any working appliances you don’t use anymore? Make space by donating old computers, printers, scanners, fax machines, and other office supplies. If your bookshelf looking cramped, pull out any books you’ve read – or meant to read, but never have – and considering making a donation box.
Closets: Bulky items like coats and jackets can take up a lot of space. Thin out your closet by donating items that you don’t wear anymore. (If you happen to find any holiday decorations in the bottom of your closet that you haven’t used in several years, you can add those to your donation pile, too!) When you are done, head to your local Goodwill to donate your clutter. Your items will give a fresh start to someone else. That’s because Goodwill uses the money generated from the sale of donations to fund job training programs and career services that help people with disabilities and disadvantages get to work!