Phew! After a very busy year, these few days off did me a world of good! Not only did I have a busy year professionally, but I also moved into our own home with my boyfriend.
Everything was done quickly, so we didn’t have time to sort through our belongings before the move. But after a few months of living together, we realized that we had a lot of duplicate items and that we needed to sort them well.
That’s when one of my friends told me about Entraide diabétique du Québec, an organization that collects pre-owned clothing and items in order to resell them. The profits are used to support the activities of Diabetes Québec. A great way to combine a good deed with my resolution to declutter my house!
Step 1: Eliminate duplicate items
I started by putting aside all the small appliances and kitchen items that we had in duplicate: an iron, dishes, pots, toaster, kettle and a set of kitchen knives. Already, I had more space to organize our cabinets and it was less complicated to find what I was looking for at mealtime.
Next, I sorted out the decorative items that we hadn’t had time to put in place and that didn’t fit the mood we wanted to create in our little nest: a decorative mirror, a clock, a picture frame, vases and candlesticks.
Step 2: Cut down on the number of hangers
My second step was to start sorting through my clothes—something I hadn’t done in a long while. Our room has a lot of storage space, but now there are two of us sharing the closet, so I needed to do away with at least a dozen hangers and several pairs of shoes to avoid encroaching too much on my boyfriend’s side.
By sorting out what I hadn’t worn in over a year, I eliminated a good pile of clothes! I also took the opportunity to put aside a piece of luggage that didn’t suit my needs.
The process of decluttering my drawers was doubly beneficial: I was able to better organize my clothes so that I could choose my outfit more quickly in the morning, in addition to organizing my clothes and accessories in the most efficient way.
Step 3: Get rid of unused items
Lastly, I tackled the other items my boyfriend and I weren’t using: a chess set (I never figured out how to play!), an accent lamp, a decorative rug and curtains with their rods, since we had opted for blinds instead.
This big clean-up has done a world of good and I feel more in control of my space! I also made a pile of books that I am going to drop off at my local book box, as this is one of the items that Entraide Diabétique du Québec doesn’t collect.
Ready for pickup!
When I was done sorting, I made sure that everything I was donating was in good condition, with no stains or tears, and then I put all the items in boxes and large, strong bags, with a large, visible “D” (for “Diabetes”) marked on them.
I filled out and submitted the pick-up registration pick-up form online and someone contacted me to let me know the date of the pick-up. That day, I dropped off the bags and boxes on the outer limits of our grounds, just before the curb. When I got home from work, the truck had already come and gone, and the driver had left a “thank-you” note in our mailbox. The process was very simple and I won’t hesitate to contact this organization again!
Béatrice 😊
