Make Room for the New Stuff
If you were spoiled by Santa Claus or friends and family this December and have a bounty of new gifts to enjoy, that’s wonderful! But maybe it’s going to require you to think about where to stash your new stuff. This makes it an excellent time to review what you already have in your corners and closets, and send your old stuff on its way to a new purpose.
Did you receive gifts of new sweaters, athleisure wear, or comfy shoes that better fit your new work-from-home wardrobe? Head to the back of your closet to sort out your business attire to donate to a local secondhand store, or go online to thredUP for options to sell clothes that are not being worn. You can donate unused or gently worn shoes to Soles4Souls. They partner with women’s shelters, veterans’ organizations, children’s programs, and schools to get shoes and clothing to those who need it most. Or, there’s even a little something in it for you if you drop off donated shoes to DSW shoe stores and they will apply 50 points to your DSW VIP account!
If you or your kids scored a new bike this year, consider donating it to an organization that will make good use of it, like Bike Walk Williamsburg and Recycle Bicycle Harrisonburg. Some police departments accept gently used bikes that they freshen up and give to children in underserved areas.
And keep in mind online sites like Freecycle where you can post items you want to give away to someone who’s been looking for that very item! Choose your town, or a city nearby, and see how good it feels to unload your extra stuff while making someone else happy.
Maybe you’re like so many of us who have a small collection of old electronics gathering dust? You can donate working or non-working laptops, desktop computers, iPads, tablets, cell phone, and many other items to Tech for Troops, located in the Richmond area. They will wipe your data and secure hard drives before recycling usable parts or redistributing working electronics to Veterans in need. Here’s a full list of what they will accept for donations. If you live in the Shenandoah Valley, ALC Recycling is dedicated to keeping computer and electronic waste out of landfills. Free Pick-ups are provided for all businesses and for households which have mid-size to large size loads. If you are in the Winchester, Stephens City, Middletown, Front Royal, Strasburg or Woodstock areas, get in touch with them.
These are just a few organizations that will help you rid your home of unused items in a way that will make you feel good about the organizations you help AND the environment!