I stumbled upon this great article on The Nest (we LOVE this site!) with 10 great tips for cleaning out your closet.
http://www.re-nest.com/re-nest/cleaning/10-tips-for-a-closet-cleanse-house-beautiful-073669
I did this yesterday and was able to get rid of HALF of my wardrobe! No small feat for someone who loves fashion as much as I do (note: we did find some very UN-fashionable pieces along the way, more on this later).
There is much clarity that comes with getting rid of the things you don’t need or treasure.
Now I have this huge pile-o-clothes and accessories that will go to others who really do need them.
I still have to go through the rest of the house , but I’m actually looking forward to it!
Now…. where to donate?
Goodwill, while convenient, will be my LAST stop, after other organizations.
I will have to make many stops at multiple venues, but it is important to me that these things go to those who need them most. Poor me…. What a terrible problem to have. I have too much stuff . Wah. In our world where too many have too little.
If you’re in the PDX area, here are a few places that are worth the extra effort of tracking down:
Community Warehouse (N. Portland): Furniture, kitchenware, mattresses, basic household goods, sheets, towels, blankets, alarm clocks, etc. go directly to people in need in the Portland area community.
Portland Impact (SE): Gently used furniture, household items, clothing for children and adults, sheets, towels, blankets. Ninety-nine percent of items donated stay in the community (the other 1% are unusable items). They have a large facility where they store donations for people transitioning out of homelessness.
Helping Hands Community Store (SE): Clothing for all ages; professional clothing for men and women. Provides worksite training to area residents who get to shop for free in the store.
Free Geek (SE): This is an easy one: working and non-functional computers and electronics. Trains individuals in need to work on various aspects of refurbishing or recycling computers in exchange for a free computer. Everything they do and stand for is so good.
Dress for Success (NE): Women’s professional, interview-appropriate clothing and accessories. Helps disadvantaged women prepare for the workplace. I think they are really picky about what they’ll accept (extra large sizes seem to be in high demand) so hopefully the donated clothes are going to people in the area.
Children’s Relief Nursery (N. Portland): Baby and children’s clothing (to 5T), baby furniture and gear, toiletries, diapers, books and crafts.They offer therapy, parenting classes and home visits to at-risk area families.
And now,the Dallas Cowboy cheerleader whose been living in my closet my clothes will find a new home…
