Goodwill Helps Shoppers, Donors Get Organized in 2018
January 11, 2018January is National Get Organized Month. Goodwill is a great place to start in 2018 as you get serious about cleaning out your closets and living spaces.
Katherine Lawrence, owner of My Space Matters and president of the Richmond chapter of the National Association of Productivity and Organizing Professionals, advises that January is the perfect time to get organized. “Many people mark a new year with a fresh start,” she said. “They think about donating their old belongings, especially to make room for their new items from the holidays.”
“You also spend more time in your home when it’s cold outside, so it’s a good opportunity to sort what you don’t use or need anymore,” added Lawrence. “I recommend if it’s been more than a year since you wore or used something, donate it to Goodwill. With more than 40 donation sites, I find that Goodwill is easy to access, donations are tax-deductible, and proceeds support a very worthy cause,” Lawrence said.
Let’s get started!
Get rid of old clothes and household items
Goodwill accepts household donations year-round, so if you want to donate Christmas decorations in July or a surfboard in December, that’s fine. Also, most Goodwill stores have drive-thru donation centers.
Here is a quick guide to what you can donate to Goodwill:
• Clothing, shoes and accessories
• Furniture, art, toys, linens, household goods, small appliances, musical instruments, bicycles and electronics
• Collectibles and antiques
• Cars, trucks and vans
Shop at Goodwill
You can find many bargain-priced items at your local Goodwill that will help you stay organized. Lawrence offers these tips:
• Use utensil drawer organizers outside the kitchen to separate socks, cosmetics, or tame clutter in a multi-purpose (junk) drawer
• Combine file folders, binders, bins and baskets with a desk for an instant homework station
• Photo albums can organize all kinds of memorabilia, in addition to photos, postcards, ticket stubs and drawings
• Paint magazine holders or wine racks and repurpose to organize coloring books and supplies for kids or hobbies. Peg hooks are great to organize purses, scarves, ties, necklaces, dish towels and aprons
• Use tiered holders for small jewelry, beads for crafts or ornaments for a minimalist Christmas tree
• Maximize kitchen space by using top shelves to store appetizer plates and small entertaining items
Shred old documents and paperwork
Goodwill’s Document Destruction Service is available in Central Virginia and provides secure and confidential document shredding, for a nominal fee. You should shred documents you no longer need for your home or business that contain the following:
• Names, physical addresses, phone numbers and email addresses
• Birth dates and social security numbers
• Account numbers
• Credit and charge card bills and canceled/voided checks
• Health information
• Legal/investigative/confidential information
Call 804-745-6300 to schedule a document drop-off appointment at our Richmond Support Center.
Make a difference in your community
Shopping at Goodwill helps fund its mission to create pathways to opportunities and success for job seekers facing challenges to work. Thanks to your support of Goodwill’s retail and other social enterprises, Goodwill provides employment and education programs for thousands of job seekers, at no cost, across Central and Coastal Virginia.
