Spring break has come and gone. March 20th has swiftly passed. Days have lengthened, clocks have adjusted, and temperature is trying to settle amidst average highs and lows. Now, tackle the dreaded task of swapping the wardrobe to match the weather. The mere thought of seasonal wear transition and closet purging is daunting. Thinking about it for weeks, and once started, it can take hours even to make a dent.
This is not a blog about organizing; others can do that better than I. It is, however, suggestions of what to do with the goods that you no longer have use for instead of storing them away.
Don’t just throw things out.
To begin, separate items into three categories: Toss, Donate, Sell.
Most Wanted items may include clothing and linens, shoes, handbags and wallets, and even jewelry. Hygiene items are always also in high demand!
For clothing items that are worn, torn, or stained:
Check out recycling centers that specialize in textiles. In the Linn County area, contact the Solid Waste Agency on County Home Road in Marion, Iowa. They have a partnership with Thrift World. Thrift World sells and distributes items to third-world countries, helping keep these items out of our landfills.
Donations:
Goodwill and Salvation Army have convenient drop-off sites that accept wearable goods, and even if your items are not rack-ready, they are often stored away for later. (Worst case, they may end up on display for Halloween creating the perfect addition to someone’s costume.)
Linens and other items:
Willis Dady and MadgePhillips-Waypoint are just two shelters that assist people at home with homelessness and different life situations. Their websites have information on current needs.
Clothing and other wearables from zero-young adult:
Families Helping Families of Iowa, Inc is a program that focuses on foster care assistance for children and foster families with basic needs. FHF maintains a clothing closet for essential items and **some baby items** and provides services to youth up until they age out of the system, most by age eighteen.
Get Paid to Re-Sale:
Who doesn’t want to make a little extra money? There are good things about Puddle Jumpers and Stuff Inc in Cedar Rapids, but I prefer to drive thirty minutes to Once Upon a Child in Coralville.
Once Upon a Child houses a variety of clothes and shoes, books and toys, some baby equipment, and more. The only wait is the time they spend going through your items. When finished, they present an offer and pay cash for usable items if accepted. Warning ** Beware of shopping while you wait. You could spend it all back**
Garage Sales are a pain and are for people who have the patience and time. I, however, have come to like the convenience of social media. With options that include posting items to sell on the Facebook marketplace, mom sites that offer buy, sale, trade, or creating your page and advertising to your friends, family, and extended social circle, which I do. You get to set your terms for pick up or delivery and payment options in which you are comfortable. (VENMO, PayPal, Cash/Check, or even trade).
The needs are plenty, and if you can spare a little time, you will find the best place to rehome your items and make room for all the new things that catch your eye.
How do you Spring Fling?
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