Junk or not junk? Know the difference before you donate!

Decluttering is a major part of any organization project – but once you’ve sorted through your items and decided on what to keep, what do you do with the rest of it? How can you tell what items are junk, and what items can be donated?

More often than not, people donate their used items to charities (especially during the holiday season), but the items they donate are actually junk. When this happens, volunteers and charity organizers have to sort through and dispose of these items, which is a waste of time and very limited resources. Before you bring over a box of items to donate, make sure you remove anything that is broken, torn, rusted, or no longer works. Ask yourself what made you decide to get rid of it in the first place – is it just because you have grown out of it or grown out of love with it? Or is it because it is in disrepair or bad condition? If it’s the latter, it probably means that the item should be tossed.

There are organizations that will accept donations of items that are not in good condition, but make sure that you look up the donation guidelines before bringing anything that is old and worn. For example, Clothing of a Cause has old clothing drop-off bins at most landfills, where the clothing is sold to international recycling companies and repurposed in a variety of ways. However, most charities are looking for items that will be given to people in need. If the items aren’t good enough for you, they probably aren’t good enough for someone else either.

However, there are some items that can break and be repaired, like most furniture, appliances, and even some clothing. With a small investment of time or money, you can breathe new life into items that can be reused or donated to organizations who can find a meaningful new home for them. This will take extra time and effort, so make sure that you are willing to put in the extra work before you decide to repair something.

Not only do you need to consider if it is junk or not, but you also want to make sure that any items that have multiple parts or pieces are kept together. For example, some toys have multiple pieces that should be grouped together or put into one bag. Some items won’t work unless all the pieces are used, and it won’t do any good for charities to receive an item that doesn’t function properly.

Everyone wants to be able to help others and prevent more items from going into a landfill. However, there are some items that cannot be reused or repaired, and should not be donated to a charity. When this happens, more time and work has to be undertaken by the charity to sort through the items. It might help to think of the item this way: would you pay money for this? If not, that probably means the item belongs in the garbage bin, not the donation box. Before you donate, make sure your items are worth donating.

Fall Organizing Project: Get ready for the holidays!

That’s right – Christmas is coming! As December approaches, it’s time to undertake a fall organizing project to get your house ready for the holidays.

Many of us accumulate a lot of “stuff” during December. We have to bring out or buy a winter wardrobe, take out decorations and put them up, and of course, give and receive gifts with family and friends. These items tend to take up a lot of room in a home, and soon enough even more will be added.

Now is the time to undertake a fall organizing project of any rooms that will be affected during the holidays – any major gathering areas, storage rooms for decorations, or toy rooms where gifts are most likely to accumulate. Then, the sorting, purging, and organizing process begins! Carefully go through each of your items, and consider whether you should keep it, donate it, or toss it. Keep these questions in mind when you’re going through your items:

• Do I need this?
• Have I used it recently?
• Why am I keeping it?
• Does it still work, or is it fixable?
• Can (or will) it be replaced?

This process can be time consuming and overwhelming, especially if you have a lot of items to go through. Split the project up by room, and give yourself plenty of time to go through the items. Always keep in mind that the holidays are coming, and you will have even more items to store or put away. If you’re expecting a new gift, or know your kids will be getting new toys, then it’s important to make sure you purge some of these items to make room for new ones. When you’re going through decorations, check through ornaments and lights to see if anything is broken, and if anything is, either repair it or toss it. Christmas decorations can have a lot of sentimental attachments, but if they haven’t been used for decorating in the last couple of years or if you have no room to put them up, consider donating them to someone who can.

It’s difficult to add more closets and storage spaces to your home, but it’s easy to make room in your existing spaces. Take the time to go through the items you already have so your home is ready to accommodate any new additions during the holiday season!

Unsure about how to get organized? Get advice directly from an organizer!

Organizing is no easy task. Many people struggle to achieve the calm and orderly environment they dream of all on their own. With the help of a professional organizer, dreams can become a reality! However, there are some organization projects that are small, or unique to the items/rooms that a person may have. Even after an organizer comes in, there could be problems that come up in the future when people are trying to maintain the organized environment they have established. Fortunately, Calm Order can now help with the important questions you may have about getting organized!

Calm Order is proud to introduce Ask the Organizer, a virtual space where questions about anything to do with organizing, from recommended methods, to products, to moving suggestions can all be answered. Simply follow this link, submit your question, and check back to see the answer from Calm Order’s Founder, Karen. Even if you don’t have a question, be sure to visit the page to see what questions and answers have been submitted by others.

While the internet can provide a lot of different suggestions and advice for how to get organized, consulting with a professional organizer directly provides benefits that you can’t find when you’re searching on your own. By submitting your own question, you can get advice that is unique to your organizing problem.

Professional organizers have the skills and training to help you tackle any organizing problem, and by getting answers from them directly, you can learn about different methods or products that you may have never considered before. This direct contact also allows you to follow up or ask multiple questions, even after your initial organizing project is completed. Sometimes, smaller issues or questions will come up as you continue to maintain the organized space you have created.

Organizing can also be a stressful and emotional task, and it helps to be able to talk to someone who is experienced and knows exactly what you are going through. For people with more complex organizing projects, an initial question or inquiry through Ask the Organizer can set you on the right track by coordinating professional support, or referring you to other helpful resources. Whatever your question or problem may be, it pays off to ask the organizer directly!