This post was made possible through the support of Goodwill. All opinions are my own.
While you are alive collect moments not things, earn respect not money and enjoy love not luxuries
― Aarti Khurana
Toys…shoes…clothes…books…DVDs! It seems like no matter how many times I go through them, I can always find items that we are no longer using. While most people use the Spring to de-clutter, I find myself doing it year-round. In fact, I visit our local Goodwill so often, some of the employees recognize me when I drop by.
We are incredibly blessed by the generosity of family, friends, and this blog, and I constantly feel compelled to give back. One of the things I strive to instill within my children is to give generously and regularly. I don’t want them to become more attached to “things” than to people. So every few months, we’ll sit down and decide which toys and books we want to donate. My children have a basic understanding of the concept that there are families with less than our family (and consequently families with more) and I frame giving and relinquishing those items in the context of helping someone else.
Recently, I heard a powerful quote from Tyler Durden who said, “The things you own end up owning you.” The less stuff we have in our home, the more time I have to devote to making memories with my kids…serving others in need…leaving my footprint in the world. Admittedly, it isn’t always easy to dedicate a day (or even a weekend) to going through “stuff.” But I always feel a sense of freedom when I’ve returned from the Goodwill, a home emptied of those things that take up space and collect dust.
Donate Stuff. Create Jobs.
Along with making a difference in someone’s life, donating your unwanted, unused items to Goodwill actually helps to create jobs! The items you donate are sold by Goodwill and the revenue earned provides job training, employment placement services and community programs. Thanks to these career services programs, people across the US and Canada are employed in positions that are both meaningful and fulfilling.
This week, I gathered a ton of pregnancy and baby books and children’s DVDs to donate to my local Goodwill. Just by donating 1 box of DVDs and 1 box of books, I helped create 2.6 hours of job search class. Just by taking a quick survey of the rooms in our home, I quickly identified items we can stand to get rid of. Someone once told me that if you haven’t used an item in the last 6 to 12 months, it’s time to let it go.
Ready to Spring Clean but not sure where to start? Follow Goodwill’s 7 Days of Spring Cleaning:
Day 1) Clear your closet clutter
Day 2) Time to tackle the kitchen
Day 3) Spread holiday cheer (holiday decorations, center pieces, Halloween)
Day 4) Downsize your tech toys (used laptops)
Day 5) Clean out your office supplies
Day 6) Provide quality entertainment (unused movies, video games)
Day 7) Downsize your bookshelf
Once you’ve gathered all of your donatable items, visit Goodwill.org to find your local store and calculate the impact of your donation.
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so very true about things and the older you get the more junk accumulates.
I like how you are teaching your kids to give back its a very important lesson!