Day 30 Of The Declutter Challenge
Finish up and finalise
We made it! Congratulations if you have made this journey with me – and even if you have only done some areas, well that’s pretty good too.
So today is a bit of a free for all – identify anywhere you didn’t quite have time to finish or put your efforts in making sure everything you have decided to part with actually leaves the house. Even if it’s in the garage or the shed (because you now have room, right?) – mine is in the girls’ Wendy house, which is earmarked for removal once we are all allowed to resume a normal life. Because if you leave it in the house, it will a) drive you insane, in your newly decluttered space or b) you, or someone else in the family, will be tempted to have quick look through it….
So here is a reminder of some of the options I have mentioned during the blog:
· We are trying to support local businesses and the Florence Nightingale Hospice Charity is doing some amazing work during these tough times. They are currently working on a way for people to donate items whilst still keeping within the government guidelines so keep an eye on their Facebook page for updates https://www.facebook.com/florencenightingalehospice/
OR
· You could sell your stuff on eBay and donate 10% of the proceeds to Florence Nightingale Hospice Charity. All you have to do is use Charity Search to find them, then look for “Donate a portion to charity” when you list your item. Add your charity and pick your donation percentage before finalising your listing.
It's really as simple as that, and your contribution will help the Charity get back some of the revenue they have lost by closing their shops. For more information see here:
· Empty plastic bottles are greatly in need by the NHS at present – the emergency services can only buy hand sanitizer in giant 5 litre bottles and they urgently need smaller bottles to decant into, so they can carry them in their vehicles. Click here for information on how to donate: https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=3079721202048599&id=522272441126834?sfnsn=scwspwa&extid=K10QzMm7obxQFv7a
· Women’s and homeless shelters will often take unsealed toiletries and other essential items, as long as they are in good condition. DropPoint helps you pass on your unused clutter to charitable organisations across the UK. For more information see https://droppoint.org
· There are on-line organisations like Recycling for Good Causes that accept:
jewellery and watches, electronic items, cameras, currency, and phones regardless of condition, via the post, for re-sale/recycling to raise funds for national charities and local groups such as scouts and brownies.
· o2recycle.co.uk or mazumamobile.com will also buy your old phone.
· There are numerous Facebook selling groups, just search for one in your area.
The idea of this challenge was mainly to make your house more attractive to viewers when we return to normality – however long that may take! So, the biggest challenge is to keep it this way. The other positive is to your mental health and so hopefully you are already feeling the benefit, and that will be the main motivation for keeping your home clutter-free.
Decluttering may also help you feel better about yourself because it’s something of an accomplishment, says Dr. Robert London, a psychiatrist based in New York City. “The clutter leads to anxiety, embarrassment, family stresses – some kind of despair,” London says. “When you relieve the problem and learn to throw things away, you feel better.” ~ USA News