Over the past seven years I have had the pleasure of sharing my organizing expertise with many people from retired veterans to corporate executives. I am amazed that the same question pops up at each session regardless of the audience. It is something that you probably have on your mind as well. Are you ready for this million dollar question?

How do I let go of my stuff, stuff that has history attached to it?

The stuff  that was received as a gift, perhaps passed down by a family member or stuff that is being kept because it was expensive ?

During the excess of the nineties people bought and bought…because it was all about having stuff. Some how we began to associate our stuff with our self worth…the stuff that fills our home, office and our time.

Here we are in the 21^st century and we want to move forward in our life. We know that the things that we had in the past worked then, but they really don’t fit who we are today.

Intellectually we know that we need to cut the clutter but in our hearts we can’t let go.

Here is a new way to think about the things that you are holding on to for sentimental reasons. For you it is sentimentality…for someone else it may be about survival.

For as long as I have been sharing my expertise I have also been sharing information on where to donate our gently used things. Places like homeless shelters, food banks, churches and service associations have been receiving the generous donations that I make on behalf of my clients. I am still touched by the gratefulness of the receivers of your generosity. Your beloved items that you are keeping for sentimental reasons that are stored in boxes in the basement of your comfortable home suddenly become the house wares that a homeless family uses to start over again.

It was clutter to you.…. It is survival for them.

If you are ready and willing to move on and let go, here are some places where you can donate your stuff and help others at the same time:

• Books can be donated to the 5^th Annual Big Brothers Big Sisters Book sale up until August 21^st.  Drop off your books at any Saint John Sobeys location. (all book types except encyclopedias, textbooks and magazines
• Towels and blankets can be donated to the local animal shelter as well as food, toys, brooms and laundry soap. Contact them for further information 642-0920.
• Clothing and Household items can be picked up by community living, making it very convenient. Call them at 642-5511.
• The Saint John Boys and Girls Club are always looking for socks, shoes and various items for the preschool daycare. As well as beds and furniture.
• Women’s and children’s clothing as well as hotel toiletries can be taken to the local women’s shelter.
• Cellular phones can be donated to The Charitable Recycling Program of Canada with drop off locations at Value Village in Saint John.  http://www.charitablerecycling.ca/CA/newbrunswick.asp
• If you have any antiquities contact your local museum to see if they want to add it to their collection.
• Your great-grandmothers period clothing may be just what your local theatre company is searching for.

Be sure to ask for a donation receipt when you are dropping off.

I would like to leave you this week with a very thought provoking video that was produced several years ago and has reached over 10 million viewers. It is The Story of Stuff. Watch it now…

As a parent I like to turn every situation I can into a teaching moment…and believe it or not…I can also find a way to relate everything back to getting organized. Earth Day 2010 is just around the corner and I have been asking myself, “How can individuals and families participate in Earth Day Activities in a way that makes a difference, will reduce their impact on the environment but does not take too much of their valuable time”?

earth day

Families are so time deprived these days that the thought of adding one more thing to the long list of to-dos is not that appealing…however “Organizing Today does Saves Time Tomorrow”.

If you are looking for one way to move towards Living Green a home recycling program is a great option. It is something that the kids can do quite easily and why not use Earth day 2010 as your starting date. To get you started here are some Tips to help you organize your recycling centre.

How to Recycle in 4 Easy Steps

• Decide who will be in charge and assign the recycling to one person, in our home this task is assigned to our youngest. It is his responsibility and with an occasional reminder he does an awesome job with this important task.

• You will need to know what can be recycled. A visit to the local recycling centre near you is a great way to get the details and by checking with your local Landfill you can learn about all the recycling options in your area. For all KV residents you can visit www.fundyrecycles.com .

• A big issue for many households is where to keep the recycling. Some Kitchen Storage Organization will be required for your new Recycling Centre. With some minor decluttering and organizing you can free up at least one cupboard that you can use for this important step towards Living Green. With a few plastic storage containers you can transform that kitchen cupboard in a recycling centre.

• How often you take the recycling to the local depot is up to you. In the Shannon household we do this event bi-weekly when my hubby is on his week off. This means we have a large quantity that we need to store in between visits. We have a second recycling area in the garage that takes care of this overflow.

If you are still on the fence about recycling. Here is a good reason why recycling is important. This one single activity can save landfill space, energy and natural resources and can reduce your household waste by nearly 50 per cent.

Get more great tips on How to Recycle  in our Kitchen Organizing Video