5 Ways to Clear the Clutter & Give Back to Your Community…
Spring is upon us, Greenville. Flowers in bloom, days at the park and spring cleaning! Upstate Organized Living wants to encourage you to organize your space while giving back locally. An organized space will lead to more time to tend your garden, play outside and soak up that sun! While you are busy cleaning out and organizing, think of your community and how you can donate your used or overflowing items to those in need.
Organize any space with these three simple steps:
1. Empty the space.
2. Sort everything into three piles; keep, donate and discard.
3. Organize the space to best serve your needs.
Next, let’s talk about 5 simple and quick areas of your home where you can clear the clutter and give back to our community.
1. Pantry
The pantry is a place we overlook when it comes to donating, but often times we go to the store and come home with excess. Take that overflow and donate to your local food bank. Donate non-perishable items such as canned foods, nut butters, pasta, fruit cups, flour, pasta sauce and grains to name a few. Loaves and Fishes is making a huge impact on the Upstate and surrounding areas. Did you know, in 2019 Loaves & Fishes distributed more than 2.1 million pounds of food! Box up your overflow in a sturdy box and donate today. For more info and ways to donate click here.
2. Arts & Crafts
Crayons, paints, pipe cleaners, buttons, yarn, stamps, felt, oh my! What do you have in your craft closet? School assignments, DIY’s and projects we start but may never finish will let miscellaneous supplies pile up. Did you know, in 2019 ReCraft, a Creative Reuse Center, helped over 1,800 kids find their creativity while doing something positive for the environment. Think big when you think of donating to ReCraft, visit their Periodic Table of ReCraft Elements for more information on acceptable donations. ReCraft’s open workshop allows anyone to come in and use their multitudes of supplies to work on your masterpiece. Stop by and create at ReCraft’s open workshop every Friday from 1-6pm, this time is also perfect for dropping off your donation supplies. For more info click here.
3. Books
Go through, sort and donate your books. Give the gift of literacy to other people in our community. Donating your books to Greenville Literacy Association educates all people no matter their income or educational level. Did you know, Greenville Literacy Association has served Greenville and surrounding areas for over 50 years, is one of the largest community-based adult literacy programs in South Carolina and one of the most developed in the nation. The Really Good, Really Big, Really Cheap Book Sale is August 8-9 in 2020! For more info and ways to donate click here.
4. Clothes
Spring is a great time of year to go through your clothes. Go through and declutter sweaters, hats and jackets that you did not wear this winter season. Then, before buying new things for spring, weed out the gently used items that you no longer wear. Did you know, Miracle Hill Ministries has four rescue missions, two addiction programs, two youth homes, transitional homes, a foster care program, eight thrift stores and more. Giving to Miracle Hill reaches thousands of people in our community in countless ways. For more info and ways to donate click here.
5. Linen Closet
Linens can pile up quickly. Sometimes we renew and replenish, but we forget to donate what we no longer need. Help our pets, the Greenville Humane Society will except wash cloths, hand towels and fleece blankets (twin size or smaller only.) Did you know, the Greenville Humane Society was founded in 1930 and in 2019 adopted 6,256 pets into forever homes!
Upstate Organized Living is a lifestyle and organizing company helping people create an organized life tailored to their needs. Upstate Organized Living offers in home organizing, DIY plans and more. Contact heather@upstateorganizedliving.com or visit upstateorganizedliving.com for more information on organizing your life. You can also subscribe and follow Upstate Organized Living’s, Organizing Weekly Magazine on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter, the official guide to get organized week by week. Click here to subscribe. Until next month!
Check out more of what’s going on in the Upstate here.