The Neglected Closet: The Go-To Gift that Keeps on Giving
Part Three of the Mini G|I|G Series
GO THE DISTANCE
Find a nonprofit whose mission is to help people making the transition to the workforce a less intimidating one. Seek out an organization whose efforts are made possible, in part, by donations from people who could do without that black suit in the back of their closet. People who have perhaps established themselves in the workforce and have a wardrobe staple or two they would gladly part with—if it meant giving a deserving person the chance to realize their potential. Sound familiar?
Bag it up, make a visit to a local donation branch or schedule a donation pickup today!
Shout out to the Career Wardrobe headquartered in Philadelphia!
SELL
I thought it important to include this entry as an addendum to your spring organization plan of attack. I thoroughly explore the pros and cons of selling in the featured article Taking Your Garage Sale Global in The Annex. If you acquire stuff in true excess, consider organizing the items and putting them up for sale in an e-commerce store. There are plenty of niche marketplaces to explore but eBay remains my storefront of choice. Currently eBay offers three subscription packages with fixed price insertion fees as low as 5¢, free pictures, and intuitive features designed to boost your success through every stage of business growth.
If you got stuff and you’re doggedly determined to get rid of it, congrats! You have the potential to run you’re very own e-commerce store. To be sure, an e-commerce store in not an endeavor to be entered into lightly. However, with simple planning that aligns with your private sales goals or small business needs, eBay is a viable option to reach millions of potential buyers—a welcomed alternative to swatting mosquitoes and dime-toting hagglers at a garage sale!
YOU GOT WHAT IT TAKES
To clarify, if a whole day seems like a tall order, commit to three hours per room. 1 hr = 1 bag. In fact, planning to clean for a set amount of hours is all at once healthier and more realistic. Make the most of the time. If you have a fitness tracking device, make the act an organized challenge. Ask friends or family to join in for a friendly competition! Going it solo? Listen to music or even your favorite movie and the hours will fly. Most importantly, stay energized and hydrated: drink water, forgo heavy meals and eat protein rich snacks instead. In the end, your body will send signals when it’s time to pack it in for the day.
It’s important not to jam a lot of cleaning or reorganizing in a single day. You may grow resentful of the act and future plans to clean or organize will suffer for it. Nobody likes it, however spring cleaning, spread across several days or weekends, forces you to reassess the things you believe are possible in broader terms. You saw the task through to the end and now the cluttered room that seemed to taunt you every time you passed it is now under control. You considered just buying more hangers but the donation pickup you scheduled is a decision that not only helps people but holds you accountable—and you like it. A systematic practice like cleaning is a gratifying spring board—pun intended—for achieving changes that benefit all areas of your life.