How Fall Closet Cleaning Can Help Make Donations

Fall closet cleaning can help with donations: for Sandy Survivors as well as your local community. After purging my closets last weekend, I was able to help with both. Last weekend, after Sandy had hit, I felt a major sense of urgency to help in some way. Being located across the country, I could have donated funds to the Red Cross. But since I have acquired so many home textiles and cold weather goods over the years, from working retail plus shopping thrift -- I felt the urge to purge. I started in one closet, and it led to another, and a cabinet here plus a trunk there. I was able to clear out four 40lb boxes of blankets, sheets, towels, sweaters, coats, jackets and even a few (new) toiletries (like soap & shampoo). I also added in a few (new) cleansers and cosmetics products the hubs has brought home the past year as gratis. Gratis are basically vendor product gifts, usually new to try or lines being dropped. I don't 'need' all this stuff like so many others are in need on the east coast now. So I asked Jeff to bring home some empty boxes, and I sorted and packed up these donations to send to a contact in New Jersey. Over this weekend, my contact (Betty Shepard of Wisteria Cleaning) and a few others are getting together to bring these and several other donations to shelters near the shore.




How did I organize my donations? I started in a pretty cleared space: a spare room that is to become our guest room (next week!!)
 

After clearing pillows off floor, I started to gather donations from the closets, and stacked into category piles on the floor...


What started out as a few items quickly GREW. The mind set was to take the emotion out of it: These people NEED these things far more than I do. Some of the stacks I sorted were:

Towels

Textiles

Yes - I also sent an extra American flag I had..

Sweaters & Scarves...

Knit tops like tees & tanks: GREAT for layering under sweaters to help keep people warm in the winter...



Pre sorting like items together made it easier to fill the boxes with...

All clothing: Knit tops, sweaters, scarves, socks, bras, underwear (NEW), 
jackets and coats...

Blankets!

Towels and toiletries...

Sheets, sheet sets, and pillow cases...


But while I was purging my closets, I had also come across some other items I really don't need (like extra hangers or tea-light holders). However, not all of these items wouldn't necessarily be items needed at the shelters right now - so those items I took to donate at  another thrift store chain I learned about here in Arizona called Savers.

The extra donations not as urgent to send to New Jersey were separated and I donated these locally.

Then I built the boxes Jeff brought home...


I lined the boxes with kraft paper...

Lined...

Sorted...

Added a message to each box...


To let Betty know what was in each box. but without spelling it out, I used: C for Clothing, B for Blankets, S for Sheets and T for Towels...


Jeff brought them to UPS, sent ground...
And now the space is clear again, ready to get a makeover as a guest room, the closets are cleaned out and better organized plus this was a great way to help both the Sandy Survivors and my local community by donating to thrift.


Yesterday, I contacted a local shop I frequently visit, to ask them if we could team up to collect 6  categories of items to donate to Sandy Survivors: Sheets, Towels, Blankets, Coats, Socks & Sweaters. I'd like to be able to announce it this week to let locals know, but I haven't heard back yet from the shop owner. It won't cost them a thing to do, it won't take away from their business and it can give a means of others also helping with donations from afar. I'd be there to collect them, haul them home to sort and pack 9as I did here) and ship them to New Jersey, where they will be transported again to shelters on the shore in need xo


I can't BE there physically right now, but I'm focusing on what I can do from here.
 This probably hit me so strongly not only because I was born & raised in New Jersey, but also because along with friends, I have family there. One of which was my Godmother. She lives in Spring Lake, and the last time we had spoken was the morning of the storm... than I heard nothing from her, until yesterday. I had been calling every morning & every night, last night, I was able to speak with her and hear HER say, "I'm alright."



 I'm SO happy she's OK!!
But still, so many aren't and people still do need our help...

Here are some stories and info about other people donating to Sandy Survivors:


 Donate goods & supplies in Collingswood/Camden County area: Collingswood Farmer's Market, Saturday, Nov. 10 from 8am-12pm. Reader Tricia B. is coordinating an amazing donation effort using goods dropped off at the market. Check out this photo she shared - way to go, Tricia. http://www.facebook.com/pages/Collingswood-Farmers-Market/107197919352172

 Truck filled with donations from the generous Collingswood community.


And of course, Betty Shepard of Wisteria Cleaning in Wilingboro NJ, Rocking the Rescue!


 Rock the Rescue in Ocean and Atlantic Counties. 
Shared from Betty Shepard today: 
"Rocking the Rescue continues! JoAnn's SUV is packed with diapers, baby wipes, paper towels, food, coats, sweaters, new bedding & clothing donated by the members of the Moorestown Lunch group of BNI. Donations rolled in from twitter and Facebook friends."


Donations are piling up! This is wonderful to see.
Maybe some stores like Office Max or Staples could donate banquet tables, shelving or carts to help sort and organize drop off locals. I love the way everyone there is helping each other out!! And besides donations, don't forget about the displaced pets who are lost and need to be reunited with their owners. Learn more at: Hurricane Sandy - Lost & Found Pets.


Thanks for stopping by...
 




 


 




2 comments:

  1. What a great reminder of how to help from afar. My heart is with you and your family!

    ReplyDelete
  2. That's awesome. I hope they call you back soon. Thanks for sharing. Have a great weekend.

    ReplyDelete

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