That's Neat! Blog

If you aren’t up for a tag sale to get rid of your unwanted stuff, how about giving it away? Your “trash” truly can be someone else’s treasure.

Here are some ideas for how to get things out for free:

• I love Freecycle and it’s rare that I can’t get rid of something through my local Freecycle network. This is a real resource, and I’m continually amazed at what I can give away that others want: old magazines, blinds and curtains, and old filing cabinets for example.
• The free section of Craigslist if you have one in your city.
• Find or create a Free Table. While walking to dinner with a friend last week, she excitedly pulled me across the street to see the Free Table in her neighborhood. Well known in the neighborhood, the Free Table is a folding table that is always out front of one house, rain or shine. Locals come to drop off items and pick something up. It’s a great way to recycle and keep things out of the landfill.
• Other friends had a similar idea when they were decluttering before a big move: they created a Treasure Bench. The bench was loaded with items they were ready to part with, and if you came to visit or attended the going away party, you had to leave with an item. I picked up some great kids books for my daughter, and a label maker…and I wasn’t even a Professional Organizer yet!
• Finally, if you are on the busy street, don’t underestimate the power of leaving something on the curb with a “free” sign. I cleared out three working but un-needed air conditioners from my basement just by putting them out on the curb last summer.

Of course if you are the one shopping for free things, please be sure you really need the item. It’s easy to pick up something saying you’ll use it but if you don’t, it quickly becomes clutter. Donate it or pass it on.

With Teacher Appreciation Week, graduations, weddings, Mother’s Day and Father’s Day…you may have a long gift list this time of year.

Forget the mugs, ties, and crystal bowls. Give a gift that shows you care AND that doesn’t clutter the kitchen or end up in the attic.

Here are my favorite choices:

Consumables: I’ve written before about the benefits of consumable gifts. This is especially a good idea for teachers, moms and dads. (Of course, always check to be sure the recipient has any food allergies.) Even a wedding gift can include consumables if the couple loves to cook. Check out the Wedding Crate from Penzy’s Spices or the vinegars and oils from Williams Sonoma.

Experiences: Ideas here include theater tickets, movie tickets, day at the spa, hot air balloon ride, cooking class, car detailing (my personal favorite for Mother’s Day), museum pass, or even a walk/hike together.

Hand-made Artwork or other Craft: For teachers, parents or grandparents, a drawing or card from a child can be a keepsake. For wedding gifts, I’ve had friends who painted me a one-of-a-kind picture and made a quilt. These gifts are not only useful but meaningful.

What are you favorite non-clutter gift ideas?

I love finding the perfect gift for someone, but often gifts end up being just more stuff…stuff we may not really need or love. Here are some tips for thinking outside the gift box:

• As I mentioned in my last Neat Sheet newsletter, I’m a big advocate of gifts that are consumables or experiences.
• For consumables, think food! Wines, olives, candies, and cookies are a good start…or how about chocolate (or beer) of the month club?
• If you can make some goodies, think of food that can be made in batches: each year my family makes a secret recipe of sweet + spicy nuts. Other friends have made granola or candies.
• Turn it into a party! Some of my book club gals have started a tradition of Book club Baking Night. We meet at one friend’s house and each make a different treat. By the end of the night, we leave with several gift bags full of goodies. 
• My other favorite gift is something that is an experience – tickets, museum membership, or going out for a special day with the gift giver. Each year my in-laws give us a family membership to a museum that we enjoy all year long.
• Overwhelmed by gifts? See if you can do a gift swap (pick name out of a hat) or get a gift for the whole family like a museum membership.
• If your family is really into gifts, why not ask others what they’d like? Or use online wish lists like amazon. 

Every time something new comes into your home, ask yourself:

• Do I really need this?
• How will I use it?
• Where can I keep it?

Be sure you can answer these questions. If you can, it will help keep clutter at bay.

It was a good spring for purging around my house. The last of the appreciated-but-still-unused wedding gifts went to a charity auction to support a local community organization.  Yes, it was hard to let the crystal bowls and vases go, but after much angst I did it! And I haven’t looked back: the gifts had been sitting in our attic for 15 years, so I hope they are on to a better home.

Last month my daughter also set aside no-longer-used toys for her school tag sale (fortunately she didn’t buy back any of her own items at the sale!).

And I’ve been “weeding” our garden AND our closets…which has resulted in several bags of clothes for Goodwill or the Vietnam Veterans of America (they pick up!). It’s amazing how much we can find that no longer fits or that we just don’t wear.

Why this urge to purge in the spring? It could be that the annual school tag sales, book sales, and charity auctions make me take a hard look at items we aren’t using, but that could benefit others. It could also be that after a long winter, I am tired of everything and need to pare down our living spaces.

Whatever the reason, spring has become my family’s time to shed some unwanted excess. It helps us to live a little lighter and enjoy the summer even more.

Now I’m off to weed the garden instead of our closet!

For more inspiration, read my article on spring weeding for children’s clothes.