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Maria Gracia

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A GON Reader Asks

Hi Maria,

I'm slowly chipping away at reading your past e-mails. (I don't want to miss anything!)

I heard someone speak recently about decluttering. She said something that intrigued me: If you don't need the money, donate your stuff rather than having a yard sale. I have stuff gathering in my basement for years that we don't use, but the idea of having a yard sale overwhelms me. (Though I've managed to do it two or three times in about 20 years.)

I'm thinking about this now in conjunction with what you said in a past issue about taking a trash bag through the home and getting rid of anything 'not worth donating.' What criteria do you use to determine if something is worth donating or if it should just be trashed? Maybe I've been hanging on to stuff I should just throw out.

I appreciate your guidance.



This Reader Question was submitted by:

--Ann Metzler


Maria Gracia responds...

Ann,

Thanks for your note and I'm sorry it has taken me a bit of time to respond to it. Of course, now that I am responding about a month after your question was submitted and we're in the middle of this horrible COVID-19 crisis, having a traditional yard sale is likely going to be completely out of the question for at least the remainder of this year...maybe longer.

You probably can't donate right now either, as most donation drop-off centers are closed, although you can definitely check with those in your area to find out if they have any drop-off options.

Here's what you CAN do...

1) Put aside anything you're not loving/using, that is in good enough condition for someone else to use. Stash these items in a box marked DONATE for when donation centers reopen.

2) Are you on social media? I'm asking because, if you are, you can actually post items you no longer need, but can be used by someone else, on your social media pages (or on Facebook or other social media buy/sell groups) and offer them for a low-price or for free. Just be sure you offer safe-social-distancing pick-ups...which essentially means you collect all money digitally (like through Pay Pal), you clean and disinfect any items you're selling, and you place those items outside your door for the buyer to pick up so there is no direct contact between seller and buyer. (Personally, I like offering these types of items to my Facebook friends who already know where I live, versus offering them publically and having strangers come to my doorstep.) Alternately, you can charge shipping and offer to mail as well if you'd like.

3) Things that are obvious trash, like items that are broken beyond repair, unmatched shoes, appliances that don't work, dinnerware with chips or cracks, anything recalled or unsafe, mattresses or box springs, pet-damaged items... should be trashed, unless you know specifically of someone who enjoys repurposing items. In this case, call that person, ask, and if he or she says 'no thanks,' those items should go into the trash.

4) If you're not sure whether you should donate or trash, here's what I would do:

I'm really not a fan of tossing things that others can use in a landfill, so I would first make the effort to be sure that IF it can be donated, given away, or sold, that I make an effort to do so.

a) Donate: My basic rule of thumb with charities is this...if they'll accept it, it gets donated. If I'm not sure whether they'll accept it, I call the charity and ask. I have three or four charities I typically donate to.

b) Given away or sold: If I know of someone who may want it, I call and ask right away. If that person says yes, it goes to them. If that person doesn't get back to me within a day or two, I consider that a 'no.' If it's a no, I offer whatever it is on my social media pages or an eBay type of site (for only a few days), sometimes at no charge if I just want to get rid of it. As a final resort, depending on what it is, I will sometimes put it out on my curb with a big sign that says FREE on it...a few days before trash pick up. If, after these efforts, there are no takers, then it goes into the trash. You'll have to decide what steps you wish, or don't wish, to take before trashing it.

I will say this. No matter what, if you're not 'loving it/using it', it's clutter. You don't want to hold onto it forever. So if you're getting caught up in any of the options I mentioned and the thought of doing some or any of those is doing nothing more than prolonging you getting the item out of your house, then it's better off in the trash.

I hope this helps a bit.

--Maria

For super quick details on how you can sing better than you ever imagined, visit:

http://www.getorganizednow.com/rd-singorama.html

I just discovered a singing course that is head and shoulders above the rest...it's called Singorama. Right now, they are giving away a free mini-course to help get you started and I wanted to share information about these complimentary lessons with my GON readers. You'll learn:

* Insider vocal tips that will get you singing better in days

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* Good singing habits versus bad singing habits

I know you're going to love it!

Maria

P.S. To access your FREE 5-part singing mini-course, visit:

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Access EVERYTHING BELOW (and more!) on my NEWLY DESIGNED Home Page. Visit:
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GON Technology Declutter your email and computer files by counting to 10. If you've been wanting to declutter your email and computer files, this is a very simple system I use that takes up hardly any time at all.

GON Dirty Little Secret If you spend a whole lot of time staring at your computer monitor, tablet, or smart phone, chances are you're going to end the day with tired, strained eyes. To prevent this...


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'Effective questioning brings insight, which fuels curiosity, which cultivates wisdom.' --Chip Bell

I'd love to hear from you.

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And remember...Being organized creates a happier, healthier, more fulfilling life!

Warmly,

Maria Gracia
Get Organized Now!

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