I regret not taking a photo of the linen closet I organized because people kept walking by saying “ooooo that looks good!!!!”
Hehe… the linen closet did look good if I do say so myself!
But on a more serious note, before our fun day of volunteering, I spoke with the organization’s executive director (Laura) and warehouse manager (Linda) about the donations they receive.
And one of the frustrations they expressed is receiving donations that aren’t usable (which makes their job harder and slows down the process).
While it was funny to hear their legendary stories of the types of donations they’ve received such as a butter dish filled with butter or the toaster with an actual piece of toast inside(!), it was also so heartbreaking to hear.
As an organizer (and human), I totally get it. Decluttering is hard.
From the emotional attachment, to the decision-making, to the physical aspect of it, it’s a LOT of work – mentally, emotionally, spiritually, physically, and maybe even financially if you hire someone to help you.
And once you finally muster up the time and energy to break through the overwhelm, weed through your things, and make your ‘donate’ piles, you just want your stuff GONE.
And that’s when it can feel convenient to just bag everything up and blindly donate without considering who’s on the receiving end.
That being said, with the help of Laura & Linda, I thought it’d be helpful to share the five Cs to ask yourself before donating so you can donate with dignity for everyone involved!
And of course, depending upon where you donate, guidelines will obviously vary, but these questions are intended to help you determine whether your donations will be helpful.
NOTE: this blog post contains images of actual items that were once donated to their organization. Some images are great examples of how to donate and others are great examples on what NOT to donate. I considered not including the unhelpful items because it felt shaming to the person who made the donation. However, then I thought, well, these photos are great teaching points on what not to do. And, there isn’t much education on what to donate vs. what not to donate. So if it helps provide guidance to the next person, that feels like a win for all. Plus, all of the items in the photos below are completely anonymous so nobody is actually being shamed here. Onward we go!