Spring Cleaning Donations? Make A Life-Changing Difference To These 4 Boston Organizations

Spring Cleaning Donations? If you have them, there are some great organizations who will definitely take them and put them to good use.

Going through your house to declutter and organize can be an incredibly daunting experience. Believe me I know. I recently had to do it for a move and definitely learned many lessons along the way. Depending on what part of your home you're looking to spring clean, there are different types of donations. Many of us are doing closet clean-outs getting rid of clothes. Others are trying to get their kitchens under control and have perfectly good non-perishable that could go to someone in need. And there are parents with children who have outgrown perfectly good toys, books, and other kid/baby-related items.

Whatever you have, if its in good condition, someone can definitely use it. So why not help someone in need, and get it out of your house at the same time? I know personally, when I think about making someone else happy with things I no longer use, it makes it easier to let it go. Here are 3 great organizations who could definitely use your spring cleaning donations.

Cradles To Crayons is looking for your donations for their Spring Greening initiative. In case you're not familiar with them, here is the mission of the organization from their website. "Cradles to Crayons provides children from birth through age 12, living in homeless or low-income situations, with the essential items they need to thrive – at home, at school and at play. We supply these items free of charge by engaging and connecting communities."

Cradles to Crayons accepts a wide range of new and gently-used items for children from birth through age 12. They then put packages together and distribute them across Massachusetts. You can find a complete list of items that are most-needed HERE.

Some of the items they could use from your Spring Cleaning Donations include:

Get a complete list of needs HERE.

More than Words is another great organization who could use your Spring Cleaning Donations. Their mission according to their website is, "More Than Words is a nonprofit social enterprise that empowers young adults who are in the foster care system, court-involved, homeless, or out of school to take charge of their lives by taking charge of a business."

More than Words accepts Spring Cleaning Donations of: books, clothes, CDs, DVDs, video games, vinyl, and more. Get a complete list HERE.

From Room to Grow's website, on their mission - "For more than 20 years, Room to Grow’s three-year program has provided critical support to families raising babies born into low-income circumstances. We provide parents and caregivers with essential baby and toddler items, strategies and support to promote their children’s development, and connections to community resources that can meaningfully expand their support network.

Items they accept from your Spring Cleaning Donations include: clothes, toys, books, baby equipment, supplies, and more. Check out their donations guidelines HERE.

I am currently in the process of moving. I've spent ten years at my current location which is a two bedroom apartment. I'm moving to a bigger place in the same city, but I do not want to bring all the crap that I've accumulated over these past ten years. Like many of us, I have way too much stuff. I have a ridiculous amount of things I need to get rid of, and have felt overwhelmed in the process. But there have been some things that have helped me get through the process with a little less stress. As I go through the mountain that is my "stuff," there are several questions I've asked myself. Whether it's for a move, new year's resolution, or you just want a more organized space, I wanted to share some questions to ask yourself while purging your home.

There are dozens of benefits I could include about purging, so I'll keep it to a short list.

When you're facing a mountain of clutter, whether in a closet, kitchen, or bathroom, you may have no idea where to start. Remind yourself that things didn't get this way overnight, and don't expect yourself to have this all done in one day. That said, start with getting rid of certain items. There's a great article of 100 Things To Get Rid Of Today To Declutter Your Home. It's a great way to jumpstart your clearing project, and includes things like: empty bottles, clothes that don't fit, uncomfortable shoes, and more.

So as you get started with your decluttering and purging, here are some questions to ask yourself.

Do you have items that are just there staring you in the face every day? And why? Why are these things there? Things should serve a purpose in your life. Whether it's to make life easier, more efficient, or it simply makes you happy. And something that served a purpose in your life before, may not anymore. Keep checking in with your stuff and if it doesn't still serve a purpose, get rid of it.

I had this conversation with a friend who gave me a little pep talk while decluttering. It's a simple question, "Do you love it?" I get it, there are some things that you need and don't necessarily love, but don't you think that you should love most of the things that surround you? As I've been packing and purging, I've been constantly asking myself this question, and it's helped me so much with getting rid of things.

This one hit me hard as I went through my closet and drawers. No exaggeration, I had a minimum of 25 pairs of black leggings. I also have at least 100 pens, and in my kitchen I have more mugs that I will need in a lifetime. Time to go!

This is probably the most motivating factor for me. Is this something that someone else could use more than me? Thinking of someone else enjoying the jewelry I  no longer wear, the sneakers I have too many of, or still-good but unused cosmetics & toiletries, it made it much easier to pack up and give away.