Cleaning the closet can be good for you and local charities

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These past few days have been crazy what with the move here at Macomb Daily Drive and the spring cleaning going on at home.  

Does anyone have any more boxes?

Anyway, one of the things I noticed about packing up to move – is we always forget about the closets – or avoid them.  As the old saying goes once the doors are closed – it’s out of sight, out of mind. Still, some of our most important items – things that we lost track of years ago – turn up in an old box lying under a stack of stinky shoes.

In this case it might be a good idea to clean your closet whether you’re moving or not. Plus, with spring not far off a lot of charities will be looking to replenish their stock. To help in the process of sorting and to encourage homeowners to consider those with less and the environment (by helping to keep 470, 00 pounds of clothing out of landfills every week) DonateStuff.com has come up with a list of tips. “You’ll be amazed at how much happier clean closets can make the whole house feel – especially when you turn the stuff you don’t need into a good deed,” said a spokesperson for DonateStuff.com.

The first thing you need to do is find some boxes. These can be marked for donations or as giveaways. Remember, just because it doesn’t fit you or that you’ve grown tired of it, doesn’t mean a sister or friend wouldn’t love to have it.

Now you’re ready for the biggest task, which is sorting. Consider the one year rule – if you haven’t worn a piece of clothing in the past year – or can’t remember the last time you even considered putting it on – you don’t need it. Other items to purge from the closet might include old books, shoes, old toys and things like that hot pink purse you bought on impulse but never used. Sort the remaining pile of clothes according to seasons. If you’re closet it small – consider keeping the current season’s wardrobe in your room and storing the rest wherever you have space. Buy garment bags and use them to keep the clothes from being ruined.

In tackling the linen closet consider organizing the items by room such as kid’s sheets, bathroom towels or dining room tablecloths. If it’s a closet that contains anything and everything including the mini-vacuum, art supplies and camera lenses sort by categories; cleaning and hobbies.

Once you’ve eliminated the excess consider where to take that which you no longer need or want. Ask your neighbors or family members if they belong to a group that might need the donations. The Macomb Charitable Foundation  is one group that provides the hundreds of homeless children and their parents in Macomb County with necessities. Just recently, the group took up collections for Easter, new items and baskets filled with goodies for children who are in need. They can be reached at 586-232-3473. DonateStuff.com is another option. Just plug in your zip code and you’ll see an address for a charity near you. Among the charities that they partner with are Easter Seals, Purple Heart and AMVETS.

Lastly, go green. I don’t mean paint your closet. I mean instead of buying new plastic containers to organize the items not on hangars consider reusing the baskets, crates and shoe boxes you already have lying around the house.