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    woman and child cleaning

    How Spring Cleaning Can Help Your Favorite Charity

    Declutter and give back to help those in need.

    Spring is a great time to clean your way to a fresh start. If the turn of seasons isn’t enough to motivate you, keep in mind that organizing your home may also help to reduce stress, improve heart health, and even increase your productivity. Decluttering your space is not only healthy, but it’s also a great way to give back and help those in need.

     

    What to Donate 

     

    Any clothes that you haven’t worn -- or even thought about -- for the last six months are all great contenders for donation. If you live in a chillier climate, organizations are always looking for jackets, sweaters, scarves, gloves, hats, and boots. If you don’t have any of these clothes, staples like shirts and pants are always needed. A natural place to start is with your own closets — you’ll likely find a lot of clothing that you no longer want that someone else will enjoy. With your loved ones’ permission, you may be able to find some gently used clothing in family members’ closets as well.

    Donating is a great way to give a new life to household items like linens, appliances, cutlery, dishes, pots and pans, electronics, toys, sports equipment, and even tools. These things can go very far toward helping a family in need and reduce environmental waste. 

    How and Where to Donate

     

    There are countless charities that accept clothes and household item donations. Some may even pick up your things directly from your house. A quick search on the internet will provide you with local charities to donate to. Organizations like AMVETS National Service Foundation and the Lupus Foundation of America accept myriad items, from clothes to makeup to exercise equipment and kitchen items. All you have to do is fill up your boxes, schedule a pickup date and time, and leave them on your doorstep. It’s that simple! If these two charities don’t operate in your neighborhood, tools like Donationtown.org make it simple to find charities that offer free donation pick up. Using a tool like Donation Town in conjunction with Charity Navigator will help you make informed decisions about the impact of your donation through the right local charity.