January is Get Organized (GO) Month

Get Organized Month: Decluttering and bringing your excess to Goodwill is good for you, the environment and our community!

If you were one of the thousands who pledged to take full advantage of Get Organized (GO) Month but are now rethinking your resolution, Goodwill can help.

First, let's talk about the benefits of home organization:

1. RELIEVE STRESS!
   Endless clutter can be a source of stress, creating negative feelings and emotional turmoil. By letting go of what you no longer use, you can gain a clear and less stressful outlook on your environment and your life.
2. INCREASE PRODUCTIVITY!
   Disorganization brings you down; makes you feel unmotivated and unproductive. Clearing out what you no longer need can give you the energy to focus on what's important and allow you to focus on what's important.
3. LIVE IN THE PRESENT!
   Clutter is distracting. Take a good look at the things that surround you. Do you need them? Do you use them? Letting go of past clutter helps you stay in the present and set clear intentions for your future.

There's a lot to gain by getting organized, but how should you go about it? Instead of trying to do it all in a single day, make smaller changes that will help you clear the clutter now and into the future. For instance, place a bag or box in the bottom or just outside of your closet. As you find items you no longer wear, or haven't worn in the past two years, drop them in the bag or box. When the bag or box is full, take it to Goodwill.

If you tend to collect certain items and those items are stacking up, set a personal rule: For every X that comes into your home, two Xs must leave. For instance, if you want to buy a new book, you must donate or give away two.

Instead of vowing to organize your entire home office, focus on your desk. Instead of your entire kitchen, tackle the small appliances and storage containers in your pantry.

Make your first task something visible - such as a pile or stack of clutter you see all the time. It will immediately boost your confidence and your overall mood. And, if visuals keep you motivated, snap before and after pictures.

Be realistic. Anyone who shares their home with other people, especially youngsters, or fur babies know that messes and clutter happens. The trick is to set aside small bits of time each day or week. Decluttering, like cleaning, is rarely a one and done situation. Junk mail keeps coming; trinkets are tempting.

The good news is your local Goodwill is ready to help. Bring the clutter to us so they can serve the resolutions of a new family, a budding hobbyist or someone else in your community. Visit our acceptable donations page to learn more about donations, and then visit the locations page to find the store nearest you. Although we do not provide pick-up, we do have team members at our donation bays to help you unload.

Not only will you be bettering your own environment, you'll better our collective environment by diverting goods from local landfills. And, when other community members repurpose your donations, 88 cents of every dollar spent is reinvested in our community.