More Ideas To Clear Clutter & Do Good, Too!

Photo Courtesy of Ceil Petrucelli Designs

Even though this time of year sometimes gets hectic with the holiday season -- too much to do and too little time to do it all, it's also a good time of year to work on clearing clutter, getting organized, and saving some money, too! It can be an opportunity to go through some of your "stuff" and figure out what can be donated to some charitable organizations, senior centers or schools, local library, animal shelters, etc. And even though many jokes are made about "re-gifting" -- you may have some things that are no longer useful to you which might be of use to someone else.

Last week I had the opportunity to donate a few bags full of small decorative and useful items to the Bennington Museum for their first annual Children's Shopping Day which will be held on Saturday, November 29. This promises to be a fun event - (no adults allowed!) for kids from 4-14 who are looking for inexpensive gift items for parents, family members, friends, teachers, etc. All items will be priced from $1-$7 and all items are being donated by museum members and others. For more information, call the Bennington Museum at 802-447-1571 or visit their website at http://www.benningtonmuseum.org/.

I just went through drawers, closets, bookshelves, and other places where I had things tucked away and found a treasure trove of items that I no longer needed, used, and in some instances, had completely forgotten about. Of course, as an interior decorator, I also had a lot of "little decorative things" tucked away which I had planned to use some day, but hadn't. Good time to clear things out for a good cause.

If you are an avid reader like me, you can often accummulate lots of books. Sometimes, you just have to "purge" and weed out. One way to prevent accummulating so many books to begin with, is to take advantage of your local library, get a library card, and borrow books. Bennington has a great library, but sad to say, I hardly ever use it to borrow books or to do research. I have what I need at home. However, I periodically donate books, CD's, and DVD's to the local library and it's a great tax deduction, too.

You can also sell your books on-line (ebay, Craig's List, Amazon) and make a little extra money. You can also sell (or trade) books to your local used book dealer. Or you can pass them along to friends, family, local schools, senior centers, etc. I have a long distance "book exchange" with a good friend in Nashville, TN. She and I have similar tastes, and we often send each other a box of books after we've finished reading them. Great way to discover some new authors, too!

With the holidays coming up, people are looking for some relatively inexpensive gift ideas as well. You can combine a favorite book with a a couple other items and make a "gift package" or "gift basket." Combine a book with a mug or tea cup, a package of coffee or tea bags, maybe some biscotti, a pair of warm socks, and voila! you have a "Curl Up, Read and Relax" package perfect for a chilly winter night. You could also add a CD with some favorite music

A few years ago, I had accummulated a bunch of DVD's that I knew I'd never watch again. So I made up a bunch of "Night at the Movies" packages as gifts. I included a few DVD's, popcorn, snacks, and also, some warm socks! They were a hit! You can put everything into a basket, a large tin, or even a big bowl - be creative!

The holidays, even though stressful at times, is also great time to get together with friends, families, neighbors, and co-workers. A great way to avoid "conspicuous consumption" and to give back at the same time is to have a get together and make a favorite (or several favorites) non-profit organization the beneficiary. There are several versions of this type of party. Here are a few ideas.

• Instead of exchanging gifts, everyone can bring a gift item that can be donated to a local charitable cause, such as a wrapped toy for Toys For Tots.
• A "collection jar" (or jars) can be set up in various spots. Each jar is labeled with the name of the non-profit. Attendees can contribute whatever amount they feel comfortable with. At the end of the night, the contributions are tallied, and the money is sent to the various non-profits.
• Another version is similar to a silent auction or Chinese auction. Attendees bring various items (wrapped or unwrapped- your choice) to the party. The items are put into a central area and attendees can either swap and trade, or if an item is really popular, then it can be put up for bid. The highest bidder wins, and the money collected goes to a favorte non-profit.
• The possibilities are endless. The point is to pay it forward, have some fun, enjoy the holidays and getting together without having to get stressed about "lack of ....."

For more ideas, you can visit my website www.ceilpetrucelliinteriors.com

Until next time!

Ciao!